The standard treatment for wet macular degeneration uses a laser to coagulate the CNV and stop it from spreading. Unfortunately, most people who develop CNV are not good candidates for laser treatment. Eligibility depends on the size and location of the CNV. In some cases, the area of involvement may be too extensive to treat. Your doctor will discuss with you the benefits, limitations and potential risks of laser treatment for your particular case.

Laser treatment for wet macular degeneration is usually done on an outpatient basis with local anesthesia (eye drops). To begin the procedure, the patient is seated at the slit lamp. A lens is placed on the eye to give your ophthalmologist a magnified view of the retina. Next, your ophthalmologist aims the laser directly at the CNV beneath your retina. Only minimal discomfort is felt as several small pulses of laser light are directed at the CNV.
The laser used for this surgery emits a series of precisely controlled beams of light energy. Only minimal discomfort is felt as several pulses of laser light are directed at the CNV.

Click here to watch an 800Kb movie demonstrating conventional laser treatment for wet macular degeneration.

You will need a QuickTime plugin:

The laser light (shown in green) passes through the tissues of the retina. In the area of CNV, the laser energy is converted into heat (white spot). This heat burns the CNV and some of the surrounding retinal tissues.

As the laser light passes through the tissues of the retina, the light is absorbed by the CNV and pigmented tissues beneath the retina (RPE and choroid). The absorption of laser energy produces heat which burns the CNV and some of the surrounding retinal tissues, causing a small scar to form. After treatment, the scarred area will appear as a permanent blind spot in your vision.

It is important to realize that laser treatment only sometimes improves vision. Laser treatment represents a compromiseŅa small portion of retina is sacrificed in order to prevent damage to a much larger area which would occur if the CNV were allowed to continue to grow. When laser treatment is successful, the scar produced by the laser is smaller than the scar that would have resulted if the CNV had been left untreated.

Before laser treatment.

This fluorescein angiogram shows a well-defined area of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) underneath the macula.

After laser treatment.

This fluorescein angiogram shows the same eye after laser treatment. The CNV beneath the macula has been successfully treated.
Even if successful, laser treatment treats the CNV but not the underlying disease process of macular degeneration. It is not uncommon for CNV to come back in the future. Following laser treatment, it is often necessary to use angiography to detect any recurrences of CNV. If new CNV is found, your eye doctor may recommend additional laser treatment to preserve your remaining vision.