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Laser Photocoagulation
To stop the abnormal growth of blood vessels characteristic of wet AMD, the physician aims a laser beam at the vessels to cauterize them, stopping their growth and preventing further leakage. Because this treatment also damages surrounding tissue, it is not used to treat blood vessels beneath the center of the macula. While laser treatment may delay further vision loss, abnormal vessel growth is likely to resume at some point, and vision already lost will not be restored. The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis; the patient is awake, and the eye is numbed with local anesthetic in the form of eyedrops. More than one treatment may be needed.
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