What is macular degeneration? Can it be treated?

Answers provided by Lance Bergstrom, M.D. of Bergstrom Eye and Laser Clinic in Fargo, N.D. 

What is Macular Degeneration and is there anything I can do for it?

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects more than 20 million people globally and is a leading cause of blindness in the US. 

There are two forms of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Dry AMD and Wet AMD. 

In cases of Wet AMD blood vessels grow in the wrong place and leak, making the macula wet and inflamed, which decreases your central vision. Therapy for Wet AMD involves injections that work to block the growth of those blood vessels. These injections are usually administered monthly at first and then depending on the patient’s response, spread further apart. 

Dry AMD happens when stray particles of fat and protein, called drusen, pile up under your eye’s macula (the center of your retina), starving light sensing cells, eventually making your central vision blurry, or causing blind spots. 

Symptoms of Dry AMD usually develop slowly, sometimes taking years to noticeably impact vision. These symptoms include blurry central vision, usually with a dark spot in the center; straight lines that appear wavy, colors appearing to be faded, and increasingly poor night vision. 

As of January 2026, the landscape of treatment for Dry AMD has fundamentally shifted. For decades, patients with the dry form of the disease were often told there was little that could be done beyond taking specific vitamin supplements.  However, the recent FDA authorization of the Valeda® Light Delivery System has introduced a non-invasive option to stabilize and, in some cases, improve vision.

Red light therapy, scientifically known as photobiomodulation (PBM), utilizes specific low-level wavelengths of red, yellow, and near-infrared light (ranging from 500 to 1000 nm) to stimulate the eye’s retinal cells. PBM works at the cellular level by targeting the mitochondria. It specifically activates an enzyme that can boost energy production and reduce inflammation. 

Mainstream clinical use of PMB came after the Lightsite III trial. Results were reviewed in 2025 and show significant benefits for patients with early to intermediate Dry AMD. Published results include improved visual acuity, over 50% of treated patients gained roughly one line of vision on a standard eye chart. Studies also show a decrease in thickness and volume of drusen deposits. In the Lightsite III trial, PMB was shown to prevent 73% of new-onset geographic atrophy, which is the late-stage form of Dry AMD that results in permanent vision loss. 

Treatment with the Valeda system is safe, non-invasive, and painless, requiring about 5 minutes per eye. Prospective patients should count on having nine treatments delivered over a 3-5 week period. Treatment is typically repeated every four months for at least a year for the most improvement. Because this technology is very new to the US, it’s too early for most major insurance companies and Medicare to cover the treatment, but that is expected to change.

Find out more

Bergstrom Eye and Laser Clinic is one of two locations in this region to offer Valeda® Light Delivery System. We are located at 2601 University Drive South, Fargo, ND 58103. We can be reached at (701) 478-4191, or email Valeda@bergstromeye.com.  We are happy to answer questions or send information to patients suffering from Dry AMD. Learn more at www.bergstromeye.com.

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