Christopher Wolfe, OD, FAAO, examines how clinicians should evaluate photobiomodulation for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The key question: should treatment be judged only by visual acuity gains, or also by whether it may affect disease progression in patients whose vision is still good?He reviews evidence related to drusen volume, geographic atrophy (GA), conversion to wet AMD, and other measures of visual function. He also considers treatment frequency, patient burden, and what further research is needed before clinicians can confidently reduce the current treatment schedule. Key topics Why visual acuity improvement may not be the only meaningful measure of benefit in dry AMD How photobiomodulation compares with the preventive goals of AREDS 1 and AREDS 2 Findings on drusen volume from the Iovino and LightSite studies What the available evidence does—and doesn’t—show about conversion to wet AMD and development of GA Functional outcomes beyond standard high-contrast visual acuity, including contrast sensitivity and low-luminance visual acuity What may happen when treatment stops, and why ongoing management may be needed The current treatment schedule discussed in the episode: nine treatments over three weeks, repeated every four months Why evidence is still needed to determine whether fewer treatments or longer intervals can maintain benefit How clinicians can discuss potential benefits, uncertainty, treatment burden, and patient preferences Timestamps 00:13 — The central question: is visual acuity the only measure of benefit? 01:39 — The question for category 3 patients with good visual acuity 03:02 — The comparison with AREDS 1 and AREDS 2 05:00 — Evidence on drusen volume 06:25 — What the studies suggest about conversion to wet AMD 07:50 — Geographic atrophy findings 09:19 — Looking at photobiomodulation through a disease-progression lens 10:16 — Functional measures beyond the eye chart 11:14 — What happens to measured benefits after treatment stops 12:10 — Retreatment intervals and sustaining benefit 14:07 — The treatment burden of the current protocol 15:02 — The limits of anecdotal evidence when considering fewer treatments 15:57 — Wearable and at-home approaches: promising, but not yet a replacement 16:50 — The current best-supported schedule discussed in the episode 17:20 — The research question that could change clinical practice 18:17 — Explaining the evidence and options to patients 20:10 — Why visual acuity should not be the only definition of success

AMD Implementation Workshop — October 29, 2026

Want to take these concepts beyond the podcast and actually build an AMD system for your practice?

Join Dr. Chris Wolfe for the AMD Implementation Workshop in Grapevine, Texas, on October 29, 2026.

This all-day workshop will take a deeper dive into creating an AMD management protocol for your individual practice—from identifying the right patients and establishing KPIs to integrating testing, supplementation conversations, patient education, treatment options, and staff workflows.

Learn more and register: https://www.practiceperformancepartners.com/amd-implementation-workshop/?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email

FREE Complete Clinical AMD Management Course for Podcast Listeners

Want to dive deeper into the clinical side before the workshop?

Podcast listeners can access the Complete Clinical AMD Management Course Bundle FREE through October 31, 2026.

The course includes six educational modules designed to take a deeper dive into the clinical concepts discussed in this episode.

Access the course: https://www.eyecodeeducation.com/bundles/the-complete-clinical-amd-management-course-bundle

Podcast Listener Coupon Code: ece2026amdpromo

Offer expires October 31, 2026.