Shots For Dry Macular Degeneration: How Do They Work?

What are the shots you can get for dry macular degeneration?

Shots or injections are only given for the wet form of macular degeneration. Avastin, Lucentis, or Eyelea slow down or stop the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the eye.  At this particular moment in time there is no proven, effective treatment for the dry form of macular degeneration. However, studies have shown that eye vitamins can slow the progression of macular degeneration to the advanced stages by at least 25 percent.

The nutrients proven effective in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS 2) were:
Vitamin C - 500 mg
Vitamin E - 400 IU
Lutein - 10 mg
Zeaxanthin - 2mg
Zinc oxide - 80 mg
Copper (cupric oxide)- 2 mg (this helps to prevent copper deficiency which can be a side effect of taking large amounts of zinc)

Although the AREDS 2 study did not show any direct benefit of taking omega 3 fish oil, the retina contains large amounts of this type of fatty acid. Studies have shown that peope who eat fish 2-3 times per week have a lower risk of macular degeneration. The best fish that are high in omega 3 are wild salmon. Taking an omega 3 supplement is another option if you cannot tolerate fish.

A different study showed that women benefited from taking vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid. Multiple other studies have shown that you may reduce your risk of getting macular degeneration by eating foods rich in lutein and zeaxanthin like kale, collard greens, orange and yellow peppers, and other colorful fruits and vegetables.