Treating macular degeneration Alternative anti-VEGF medications Bevacizumab (brand name Avastin) Bevacizumab is mainly used in the treatment of some types of cancer. It is not licensed for the treatment of wet AMD and it is not available on the NHS. However, it may still be used privately by some ophthalmologists. Pegaptanib (brand name Macugen) NICE recommends that pegaptanib is no longer used by the NHS to treat wet AMD. If you are currently receiving pegaptanib on the NHS, your treatment will continue until you and your specialist feel that it is appropriate to stop. Dry age-related macular degeneration There is currently no cure for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). With dry AMD, the deterioration of vision is very slow. You will not go completely blind as a result of dry AMD, and your peripheral (outer) vision should not be affected. Help is available to make tasks such as reading and writing easier. Getting practical help may improve your quality of life and make it easier for you to carry out your daily activities. You may be referred to a low vision clinic. These clinics can provide useful advice and practical support to help minimise the affect that dry AMD has on your life. For example, things that may make it easier for you to carry out close, detailed work include: magnifying lenses large print books intensive (very bright) reading lights In the future, there may be more treatment options for dry AMD. For example, one option currently being looked into