8
Management
Î Vision rehabilitation restores functional ability and patients with
reduced visual function should be referred for vision rehabilitation and
social service. (III, G, S)
Î Special optical or electronic magnifying lenses, bright lights, and
electronic reading aids may help patients to read more effectively, but
not as well as they did before the onset of AMD. (III, In, D)
• An Implantable Miniature Telescope
™
(IMT) is an FDA-approved device that
may be effective for screened, phakic, motivated patients with end-stage AMD,
and it appears to be cost-effective.
Î Patients with Charles Bonnet syndrome and their family members
should be informed that visual symptoms are not unusual and do not
represent a sign of psychosis or mental deterioration. (III, G, S)
Î The ophthalmologist may inquire about symptoms of clinical
depression and, when appropriate, suggest that the patient seek
professional advice, as depression may exacerbate the effects of AMD.
(III, G, S)
