Editorâs Note: The Foundation Fighting Blindness and the APH ConnectCenter join forces to share about retinal degenerative disease research. Join us for an upcoming webinar! The Foundation Fighting Blindness is the worldâs largest private funder of retinal degenerative disease research. For over 50 years, the Foundation has worked diligently to further the mission to drive … Continued
Medically reviewed by Sefy Paulose, MD What is Geographic Atrophy? As noted on APH VisionAware, âAge-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a gradual, progressive, painless deterioration of the macula, which is the small area in the center of the retina that gives us our detailed vision.â Geographic Atrophy (GA) is the most advanced form of dry … Continued
Treatments for Dry Macular Degeneration: An Unmet Need Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in Americans over 65. There are two distinct types of the disease, both of which result in the deterioration of the macula, the central part of the retina that allows a person to see fine detail. … Continued
Retinitis Pigmentosa or Choroideremia? by Mary Hiland When Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) was the diagnosis for me at age 18 in 1963, I had already been through a battery of tests throughout the preceding 10 years. There was one test, however, that was not even suggested. Genetic testing was considered only for the sake of curiosity, … Continued
One of the most significant challenges facing eye and vision researchers is developing an effective treatment for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Although there are a number of well-regarded FDA-approved drug treatments for wet AMD, the key to effective dry AMD treatment continues to be elusive. Current treatments for dry AMD include a number of … Continued
On Monday, August 28, 2017, Scott Gottlieb, M.D., Commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced a crackdown on stem cell clinics offering unproven and potentially dangerous treatments. Commissioner Gottlieb stated that he “will not allow deceitful actors to take advantage of vulnerable patients by purporting to have treatments or cures for … Continued
Of all the eye research developments reported on the VisionAware blog, it is stem cell research for eye disease that generates the most inquiries from our readers. Many readers request information about stem cells, assuming that this is an established and widely-performed treatment for eye disease; others ask for help in finding a doctor who … Continued
As our readers know, VisionAware is committed to providing current and reliable information about eye and vision research that is relevant to adults and older adults, many of whom experience late-life vision loss resulting in low vision. During the past several years, gene therapy has gained traction and offers promise for treating (but not yet … Continued
Currently, there are a number of treatments for wet age-related macular degeneration, including the drugs Lucentis, Eylea, and Avastin, administered by injection with a very small needle directly into the eye after the surface has been numbed (also called “intra-vitreous injection”). There are also a number of treatments that have proven to be inconclusive or … Continued
On April 17, 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval to the injectable drug Lucentis (generic name ranibizumab) for the treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), a serious vision-related complication of diabetes. Previously, the FDA approved Lucentis for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME), a buildup of fluid in the … Continued