From the Guidelines
Bariatric surgery is not a treatment for macular degeneration, and patients with this condition should instead focus on established treatments such as anti-VEGF injections, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle modifications. Macular degeneration is a leading cause of severe vision impairment among white Americans, affecting approximately 1.75 million people aged 40 years or older in the United States 1. The prevalence, incidence, and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) increase significantly with age, and early treatment is associated with a more favorable prognosis 1.
The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) defined a role for nutritional supplements in slowing the progression of AMD, and the AREDS2 supplement formulation has been shown to have preventive efficacy in higher-risk groups 1. Cigarette smoking has been consistently identified as a risk factor for progression of AMD, and smoking-cessation counseling may influence patients to stop smoking, reducing the risk of AMD progression 1.
In contrast, bariatric surgery is a weight loss procedure for treating obesity and related conditions like type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea, with benefits including significant and sustained weight loss, improvements in obesity-related complications, and enhanced quality of life 1. However, there is no evidence to suggest that bariatric surgery directly treats or prevents macular degeneration.
Key considerations for managing macular degeneration include:
- Regular comprehensive eye examinations to identify patients with an increased risk of developing choroidal neovascularization or advanced AMD 1
- Nutritional supplements, such as the AREDS2 formulation, for patients at higher risk of progression 1
- Lifestyle modifications, including smoking cessation and maintaining a healthy weight through proper nutrition 1
- Anti-VEGF injections, such as ranibizumab (Lucentis) or aflibercept (Eylea), for patients with neovascular AMD 1
If you're concerned about macular degeneration, consult an ophthalmologist for appropriate screening and treatment options based on your specific condition and risk factors.
From the Research
Bariatrics for Macular Degeneration
- There is evidence to suggest that bariatric surgery may be beneficial in reducing the risk of macular degeneration, as it can lead to weight loss and improvement of comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes, which are risk factors for the disease 2.
- A study found that obese patients may have a greater susceptibility to develop glaucomatous optic nerve head damage and age-related macular degeneration, and that weight reduction and improvement of comorbidities obtained by bariatric surgery may be effective in preventing eye disease development 2.
- Another study reviewed the ophthalmological findings in obesity and found that obesity is associated with increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, and that bariatric surgery has been shown to be protective against development of ophthalmic disease 3.
- However, it is essential to note that the current evidence is limited, and more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between bariatric surgery and macular degeneration.
- The potential benefits of bariatric surgery for macular degeneration are supported by studies that have shown that bariatric surgery can reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension, which are risk factors for macular degeneration 4, 5.