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New Drug Approved to Treat Macular Degeneration
After years of waiting older folks with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) have renewed hope for their precious eyesight and hope for the future.
Lucentis is the name of a brand-new medical treatment for ARMD. The active chemical inhibits the growth of abnormal, leaky blood vessels underneath the retina - the core problem in wet form ARMD. About ten percent of all ARMD patients suffer from this condition, however it accounts for about 60% of all ARMD vision loss.
Click here to review the FDA's approval statement.
Lucentis is administered through a monthly series of painless injections directly into the eye, dispensing the drug exactly where it is needed. Believe me, the patient feels no discomfort whatsoever. Rare complications from the injections included infection, persistent inflammation, and retinal injuries. The vast majority tolerate the drug extremely well.
Nobody is talking about curing ARMD yet, but they are talking about Lucentis' ability to preserve eyesight and halt progressive loss of vision. In years past, laser burns were applied to eradicate the vessels but it also sacrificed the overlying retina and it had no effect on future vessels. After 12 months use 95% of Lucentis patients maintained stable vision without the use of laser.
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Retina Implant: Helping Blind People See, Macular Degeneration
Technorati Tags: lucentis, macular degeneration
Lucentis is the name of a brand-new medical treatment for ARMD. The active chemical inhibits the growth of abnormal, leaky blood vessels underneath the retina - the core problem in wet form ARMD. About ten percent of all ARMD patients suffer from this condition, however it accounts for about 60% of all ARMD vision loss.
Click here to review the FDA's approval statement.
Lucentis is administered through a monthly series of painless injections directly into the eye, dispensing the drug exactly where it is needed. Believe me, the patient feels no discomfort whatsoever. Rare complications from the injections included infection, persistent inflammation, and retinal injuries. The vast majority tolerate the drug extremely well.
Nobody is talking about curing ARMD yet, but they are talking about Lucentis' ability to preserve eyesight and halt progressive loss of vision. In years past, laser burns were applied to eradicate the vessels but it also sacrificed the overlying retina and it had no effect on future vessels. After 12 months use 95% of Lucentis patients maintained stable vision without the use of laser.
Related Topics: WebMD Video: Retina Implant: Helping Blind People See, Macular Degeneration
Technorati Tags: lucentis, macular degeneration
