Neovascular or wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is caused by blood vessels growing as a layer of tissue under the central retina (the macula). The disease leads to the development of a blind spot in the centre of the visual field and is the most common cause of legal blindness among the elderly in the western world. Surgery has been used to remove tissue lying beneath the macula, within which grow the small, new blood vessels which are the cause of wet AMD. It was hoped that removal of this tissue might limit the development of AMD, and perhaps even improve vision.
We found two large multicentre studies conducted in 790 people affected by choroidal neovascularisation, with or without extensive blood beneath the macula. The results of these studies suggested that visual loss cannot be prevented using surgery. In addition, complications such as cataract and retinal detachment can arise during follow-up, in patients who have the procedure.