wet macular degeneration

[valkris5]

My mom lives in Canton, Ohio and has been diagnosed with wet macular degeneration. She received one treatment while visiting me in Texas, but we  need to find a very reputable retina specialist in Canton or Cleveland. Does anyone have a recommendation? Thank you so much!

[John C Hagan]

If you don't find a private practice retinal specialist near you there is always the Cleveland Clinic. The treatment of wet macular degeneration has dramatically improved in the last few years due to the development of VEGF inhibitors that are injected directly into the eye. It's still a very, very serious problem especially because of the tendency to develop in both eyes.

JCH MD Ophthalmologist

[JodieJ]

Castle Connolly lists two ophthalmologists at the Cleveland Clinic (both specializing in macular degeneration) as ranking among America's top doctors.  They are Dr. Hilel Lewis and Dr. Andrew Schachat.  My guess is that they are both winners.  You can get more info about these doctors at the Castle Connolly website (www.castleconnolly.com) or in a Castle-Connolly directory at your public library.  

[Debby317]

Hi I see your an MD. Great! Have you heard of a drug called Lucentis? And what do you think of it?
Thanks so much my mother has this disease and she has no life because of it. Us kids will try anything to help her.

[John C Hagan]

These medications like Lucentis have enabled us to make dramatic improvements in the treatment of wet macular degeneration. However they generally will not undo damage already present and in about 25% of the cases the damage progresses in spite of treatment with Lucentis and other VEGF inhibitors.

JCH III MD

[Debby317]

Thank you

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

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[Carmen629]

My mother was also diagnosed with wet macular degeneration.  In the past 6 months she has become almost blind.  Is there a slight reversal with Lucentis or other VEGF inhabitors.  Is this condition accelerated by worries.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS]

VEGF inhibitors normally don't make the eye better but in 75% they stop further progress. No stress and worry do not make it worse.

JCH MD