Improvement in Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Photobiomodulation

Abstract

Introduction: This case report describes a finding of dramatic improvement in drusen volume and visual acuity in a 73-year-old patient diagnosed with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) undergoing daily home photobiomodulation alongside AREDS-2 supplements.

Case presentation: This is a retrospective review of a case presentation from 2023 to 2024. After 8 months of continuous home photobiomodulation, the patient's visual acuity improved from 20/30 to 20/20 in the left eye while the right eye stabilized at 20/25. The outer retina was preserved without signs of geographic atrophy, with a robust reduction in the total number and volume of drusen in both eyes, left greater than right, as shown with optical coherence tomography macular cross-sectional scans.

Conclusions: These findings support that photobiomodulation has the potential to improve the management of dry AMD and the overall quality of life, consistent with phase III clinical trials. Future studies are warranted to further establish optimized protocols for broader clinical implementation.

Keywords: Drusen; Drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment; Dry age-related macular degeneration; Joovv red-light therapy; Photobiomodulation.

Fig. 1.

Baseline macular OCT scans showing drusen and drusenoid pigmented epithelial detachment (dPED), taken in October 2023 prior to photobiomodulation treatment. The top panel (OD and OS) show CellProfiler segmentation in different colors to identify each drusen for count and quantification.

Fig. 2.

Comparisons of baseline and follow-up macular OCT scans showing preservation of the RPE and outer retina without signs of geographic atrophy. Significant drusen reductions seen in OD and complete drusen resolution seen in OS. Follow-up scans were taken in July 2024, 8 months following the start of photobiomodulation treatment.

Fig. 3.

Optos fundus images showing drastic reduction in drusen burden following photobiomodulation treatment in OD and OS. Follow-up scans were taken in July 2024.