Groundbreaking Eye Procedure for Treating Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration

With our aging population, especially here in the American Southwest, the number one cause of vision loss in our elderly population is macular degeneration. Diagnosis of Dry and Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Wet AMD) is typically made through a comprehensive eye examination, including a dilated eye exam, visual acuity test, and imaging tests such as optical coherence tomography (OCT). If left unchecked, macular degeneration can progress to a more serious eye condition called Wet-Age-Related Macular Degeneration, leading to blindness. Fortunately, there are options for treating Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

About Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) 

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects the macula, the part of the eye that provides sharp, central vision needed for activities like reading. It is a leading cause of blindness for people aged 60 and over in the United States. Wet (or neovascular) AMD is an advanced form of the disease that can cause rapid and severe vision loss. Approximately 20 million people in the U.S. have some form of AMD. Of those, about 1.5 million have late-stage AMD, including Wet AMD.

diagram showing the healthy eye versus an eye with wet AMD

Wet AMD is caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels, also known as choroidal neovascularization (CNV), into the macula. These vessels leak fluid and blood and cause scar tissue that destroys the central retina. This process results in a deterioration of sight over months to years.

Traditional treatment for wet AMD includes injections of anti-VEGF medications into the eye (every 4-6 weeks) to reduce the growth of abnormal blood vessels. This requires a significant burden on the patient, who must come in for regular injections and, in some cases, at that interval for the rest of their life.

New FDA-Approved Procedure for Wet AMD That Eliminates Monthly Eye Injections

 SUSVIMO offers the first alternative to regular eye injections (currently the standard of care for wet AMD). SUSVIMO is the first and only groundbreaking treatment for Wet AMD. It allows patients to receive treatment through as few as two treatments a year, where they typically may have needed as many as one injection in the eye every month. SUSVIMO is an implant placed in your eye during a one-time surgical procedure. Over the next six months, SUSVIMO slowly releases medicine into your eye, continuously delivering treatment. The medicine inside the implant is called ranibizumab, which has been trusted by Retina Specialists for years for treating wet AMD.

Arizona Retina Surgeon Performs Newest FDA-Approved Procedure

Dr. Jordan Graff of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, an American Vision Partners affiliate, has become the first Retina Surgeon in the United States to provide a new groundbreaking solution for patients with Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) by offering treatment with Susvimo® following the recent FDA approval of updates made to the ocular implant.

Dr. Jordan Graff of Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center, an American Vision Partners affiliate, has become the first Retina Surgeon in the United States to provide this groundbreaking solution for patients with Wet Macular Degeneration with the recent FDA approval of Genentech’s new SUSVIMO implant.

“Commercially known as the SUSVIMO port delivery, clinical research has been going on for a decade and longer, and FDA approval of the port delivery system has allowed us now to be able to provide this for our patients to reduce their burden,” says Dr. Graff. “I’m very thankful for my amazing team in surgery, the research team, and my practice for their support of this endeavor. As a surgeon and clinical research scientist, I am honored and privileged to participate in clinical trials, and it is so gratifying to see these revolutionary treatment options become available for my patients in need of sight-saving care,” says Dr. Graff.

Continuous Delivery of wet AMD Treatment with SUSVIMO

explanation of the benefits and features of SUSVIMO first and only device for people with wet AMD that delivers continuous treatment

The problem with injecting medications directly into the eye is that there is a peak and trough of treatment, like treating back pain or arthritis. You feel the medicine take effect and then know when it’s wearing off. With a sustained delivery platform, the SUSVIMO port delivery allows continuous medication delivery.

The tiny little implant, about the size of a grain of rice, is placed in the affected eye with a one-time minor surgical procedure that takes less than 30 minutes. This innovative new port delivery platform is the future of reducing the burden for those affected by Wet AMD and providing continuous delivery of a sight-saving medication.”

Susvimo implant for wet AMD image

Detection and Treating of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Regular eye exams are crucial for early detection and management of macular degeneration. Early intervention can help preserve remaining vision and slow progression.

Don’t let Macular Degeneration rob you of your vision. If you experience blurry or blind spots in the center of your vision, you should seek a retina evaluation as soon as possible. For a comprehensive eye exam or professional eye care advice, contact Barnet Dulaney Perkins and schedule an appointment.

Schedule an appointment online

Book Your Next Appointment Entirely Online.
Find An Appointment That Works For You!

Schedule Online