Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and age-related macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a significant cause of visual loss in the United States and Western Europe. As the population ages, the prevalence rate of advanced AMD is expected to double by 2030. A one-hour session of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) was used to treated a group of 14 patients with advanced AMD. Eight patients were treated at 1.75 ATA, and six patients were treated at 1.5 ATA for one hour. Significant improvements in visual acuity and/or visual field, with improvements in the activities of daily living were observed.