Florida Retina Institute
by Nisarg P. Joshi, M.D., Florida Retina Institute
Nisarg P. Joshi, M.D., and the Florida Retina Institute team are dedicated to helping patients manage macular degeneration and delay its progression.
Dr. Joshi, one of Florida Retina Institute’s vitreo-retinal specialists, provides personalized treatments and lifestyle guidance for managing this condition.
“We all experience wear and tear to the retina over time,” Dr. Joshi explains. “When it’s more than expected, we call it age-related macular degeneration. Initially, patients may not notice vision changes. As it progresses, subtle blurriness or distortion may develop.”
Macular degeneration affects the center of the retina, leading to central vision problems. Both eyes are often impacted, with severity varying widely. Some individuals notice little change, while others may experience significant vision loss.
Although macular degeneration most often affects those over 60 and Caucasians, it also occurs in other racial backgrounds.
“There is a hereditary aspect, where individuals are predisposed because of their genetic makeup,” Dr. Joshi notes.
There are two types of macular degeneration: dry and wet. Most patients present with dry macular degeneration, where yellow deposits (drusen) form under the retina. This form typically progresses slowly over five, 10, or even 20 years. Wet macular degeneration, characterized by abnormal blood vessels growing under the retina, causes bleeding, fluid leakage, and scar tissue, leading to more rapid vision loss.
While there is no cure for macular degeneration, Dr. Joshi and the Florida Retina Institute team are committed to helping patients delay its progression.
“There are lifestyle changes that can help slow macular degeneration,” Dr. Joshi says.
Quitting smoking is key, and eating leafy green vegetables, as well as managing diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol, are also important steps.
“A healthy diet helps not just your body but also your eyes,” Dr. Joshi advises.
For dry macular degeneration, specially formulated vitamins such as the AREDS 2 formula can help slow progression.
“There’s a specific multivitamin formulation shown to benefit patients with a certain level of macular degeneration,” Dr. Joshi says.
Patients are encouraged to monitor their vision regularly, which may be as simple as looking at graph paper one eye at a time to notice significant changes.
This can help detect the progression of dry macular degeneration into the more severe wet form.
“Even though there is no cure, early diagnosis helps us manage the disease better and limit the damage,” Dr. Joshi says.
For wet macular degeneration, injections into the eye every one to three months can stabilize the disease and slow progression.
“Our goal is to reduce the swelling and bleeding while preventing further damage,” Dr. Joshi says. “Catching wet macular degeneration early allows us to protect a patient’s vision.”
New medications are available to slow advanced dry macular degeneration, though not every patient is a candidate for these drugs. Dr. Joshi offers them to those who may benefit.
Thirty years ago, macular degeneration often led to blindness, but today, Dr. Joshi emphasizes that there are better treatments available.
“We’ve come a long way in managing this disease,” he says.
Exciting research is on the horizon, too.
“One of the most promising aspects of retina care is the constant innovation,” Dr. Joshi notes.
Studies show that new treatments may allow injections to last longer, reducing the need for frequent treatments.
“I hope that the newer treatments can last longer so patients do not need to have as many injections,” Dr. Joshi says. “It would be wonderful to hopefully find a curative treatment, but in the meantime, we are at our patient’s side to protect and preserve vision.”