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New Treatment Pathway for Macular Degeneration
Advances in the treatment of advanced (wet form) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) are arriving at a fast clip.
For decades there was nothing to offer AMD patients except laser treatments that temporarily stopped the abnormal growth of weepy blood vessels (neovascularization) but destroyed the overlying retina.
As clinicians and vision researchers learned more about AMD they succeeded in developing innovative ways to preserve AMD patients' eyesight. For example, we now know that antioxidants and vitamin supplements can delay the progression of dry form AMD to the more serious wet form.
Any delay can be good because new treatments are arriving at a furious clip. It appears that effective long-term treatments for AMD may be just around the corner.
Drugs that are painlessly injected into the eye can halt neovascularization. I discussed these treatments in a recent blog post. Lucentis and Macugen are good examples. Patients need to know, however, that these treatments need to be repeated or neovascularization will recur.
Here's the latest twist: how about a simple eyedrop that does the same thing?
Up until now it was not possible to get an adequate dose of AMD medicine to sufficiently penetrate the eye with an eyedrop. Clinical researchers in Houston are studying a novel drug compound called TG100801 - sounds more like the next George Lucas movie!
In addition to blocking neovascularization, TG100801 also quiets inflammation at the back of the eye. That's important because inflammation is responsible for macular edema (thickening of the retina due to fluid). This is a powerful combination - if it works.
The study investigators say they will know within a few months if the new eyedrops are effective and WebMD will follow closely as developments unfold.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: AMD, age related macular degeneration, vision, eye health
