by: (HealthDay News)
The rate of age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of vision loss in the United States, has decreased in the last 15 years, a new study finds.
Researchers analyzed data from 7,081 people, aged 40 and older, who took part in the 2005 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The participants were assessed for signs of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and about 6.5 percent were found to have the disease.
The 1988 to 1994 NHANES found that the rate of AMD among Americans aged 40 and older was 9.4 percent, according to the study published in the January issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.
This finding has important implications for public health, said Dr. Ronald Klein, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and colleagues.
The most recent data also showed that blacks aged 60 and older had a lower rate of AMD than whites in the same age group, and that the rate of late (more advanced) AMD among all the participants was 0.8 percent.
"These [new] estimates are consistent with a decreasing incidence of AMD reported in another population-based study and have important public health implications," the researchers wrote in a journal news release.
"The decreasing prevalence of AMD may reflect recent change in the frequency of smoking and other exposures such as diet, physical activity and blood pressure associated with AMD," they suggested. "It remains to be seen whether public health programs designed to increase awareness of the relationships of these exposures to AMD in patients at risk and their physicians and eye care providers will continue to result in further decline of the prevalence of AMD in the United States.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Alkeus Pharmaceuticals Licenses Novel Ophthalmologic Therapies from Columbia University with Applications in Dry-AMD and Stargardt's Disease
Source: Columbia Technology Ventures
Alkeus Pharmaceuticals and Columbia University announced today that they have entered into a license agreement for a set of potential therapies for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (dry-AMD), Stargardt disease, and other degenerative diseases of the eye. Left untreated, these conditions often lead to impaired vision and even blindness.
Dr. Ilyas Washington, inventor of the technology and the Michael Jaharis Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Columbia University Medical Center, has found in preclinical testing that the compounds can reduce accumulation of certain toxic pigments in the eye. These pigments, which accumulate with age, are thought to be partially responsible for the vision loss associated with dry-AMD and Stargardt disease. Other conditions that can lead to impaired vision and are also associated with the accumulation of vitamin A aggregates may also be addressed, including Best’s disease and certain forms of retinitis pigmentosa and of cone rod dystrophy.
“We have developed a modified vitamin A with the hope of halting vision loss or even restoring ocular function,” Dr. Washington says. “Humans have evolved to make use of natural micronutrients or vitamins that regulate a wide variety of physiological functions. By altering the chemical structure of these vitamins, we can potentially regulate or enhance the biological processes that they control.”
Dr. Leonide Saad, Chief Executive Officer of Alkeus, explained, “These vitamin A aggregates accumulate in dry-AMD and, to an even faster extent, in Stargardt disease due to a genetic defect that exacerbates this process. Ilyas has elegantly shown, in a mouse model of Stargardt, that slightly changing vitamin A significantly reduces the rate of formation of these aggregates, eventually preserving visual function.
“While these results are at the preclinical stage, the way vitamin A interacts with the human body is very well understood and gives us confidence of the low risk and the high potential to tackle these serious ocular diseases,” said Dr. Saad.
Other therapeutic compositions have been evaluated to reduce the accumulation of these vitamin A aggregates employing more invasive techniques, but the compounds developed by Dr. Washington rely on a novel and innocuous mechanism of action that strengthens the specific chemical bonds that have to be broken in order to form these aggregates.
“The problem with other approaches is that they affect the way vitamin A is processed in the eye, which often results in visual side effects such as slowed dark adaptation, hallucinations and night blindness,” commented Dr. Saad.
“We are very pleased to be working with Alkeus for the continued development of these therapies. In Alkeus, we believe we have found the best partner to efficiently and effectively drive commercialization of these therapies,” said Donna See, who oversees portfolio strategy and marketing for Columbia Technology Ventures, the technology transfer office of Columbia University. “As yet, there is no therapy to address impaired vision resulting from dry-AMD, a condition which affects millions of people around the world. Perhaps even more urgent is a therapy for the children who are affected by Stargardt. We look forward to hopefully one day being able to offer a way to help these patients and their families.”
About dry age-related macular degeneration: Dry-AMD is the number one cause of blindness in the western world with several million Americans living with poor vision and at a high risk of turning blind. With the aging population, the number of patients with AMD is expected to double by 2020. Although dry-AMD symptoms progress more slowly than the wet form of the disease, dry-AMD represents nearly 90% of all the AMD cases in the United States, and remains without any treatment, contrary to wet-AMD which can be treated with periodic ocular injections.
About Stargardt disease: Stargardt disease is the most common form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration. It is a rare disease with a prevalence of one in 10,000 persons, or an estimated 30,000 people in the United States. Patients with Stargardt often start losing vision during their teenage years and will in most cases turn blind before becoming adults. As for dry-AMD, there is no treatment or cure.
About Columbia Technology Ventures
A leading academic and research university, Columbia University continually seeks to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and addressing the complex global issues of our time. Columbia University's technology transfer office, Columbia Technology Ventures, manages Columbia's intellectual property portfolio and serves as the university's gateway for companies and entrepreneurs seeking novel technology solutions. Our core mission is to facilitate the transfer of inventions from academic research to outside organizations for the benefit of society on a local, national and global basis. For more information on Columbia Technology Ventures, please visit www.techventures.columbia.edu.
About Alkeus Pharmaceuticals
Alkeus is a clinical development biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new treatments for blindness and other serious ophthalmic conditions. Its lead compound, ALK-001, specifically addresses the excessive accumulation of toxic debris in the eyes of patients with dry age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt’s disease.
Alkeus Pharmaceuticals and Columbia University announced today that they have entered into a license agreement for a set of potential therapies for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (dry-AMD), Stargardt disease, and other degenerative diseases of the eye. Left untreated, these conditions often lead to impaired vision and even blindness.
Dr. Ilyas Washington, inventor of the technology and the Michael Jaharis Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Columbia University Medical Center, has found in preclinical testing that the compounds can reduce accumulation of certain toxic pigments in the eye. These pigments, which accumulate with age, are thought to be partially responsible for the vision loss associated with dry-AMD and Stargardt disease. Other conditions that can lead to impaired vision and are also associated with the accumulation of vitamin A aggregates may also be addressed, including Best’s disease and certain forms of retinitis pigmentosa and of cone rod dystrophy.
“We have developed a modified vitamin A with the hope of halting vision loss or even restoring ocular function,” Dr. Washington says. “Humans have evolved to make use of natural micronutrients or vitamins that regulate a wide variety of physiological functions. By altering the chemical structure of these vitamins, we can potentially regulate or enhance the biological processes that they control.”
Dr. Leonide Saad, Chief Executive Officer of Alkeus, explained, “These vitamin A aggregates accumulate in dry-AMD and, to an even faster extent, in Stargardt disease due to a genetic defect that exacerbates this process. Ilyas has elegantly shown, in a mouse model of Stargardt, that slightly changing vitamin A significantly reduces the rate of formation of these aggregates, eventually preserving visual function.
“While these results are at the preclinical stage, the way vitamin A interacts with the human body is very well understood and gives us confidence of the low risk and the high potential to tackle these serious ocular diseases,” said Dr. Saad.
Other therapeutic compositions have been evaluated to reduce the accumulation of these vitamin A aggregates employing more invasive techniques, but the compounds developed by Dr. Washington rely on a novel and innocuous mechanism of action that strengthens the specific chemical bonds that have to be broken in order to form these aggregates.
“The problem with other approaches is that they affect the way vitamin A is processed in the eye, which often results in visual side effects such as slowed dark adaptation, hallucinations and night blindness,” commented Dr. Saad.
“We are very pleased to be working with Alkeus for the continued development of these therapies. In Alkeus, we believe we have found the best partner to efficiently and effectively drive commercialization of these therapies,” said Donna See, who oversees portfolio strategy and marketing for Columbia Technology Ventures, the technology transfer office of Columbia University. “As yet, there is no therapy to address impaired vision resulting from dry-AMD, a condition which affects millions of people around the world. Perhaps even more urgent is a therapy for the children who are affected by Stargardt. We look forward to hopefully one day being able to offer a way to help these patients and their families.”
About dry age-related macular degeneration: Dry-AMD is the number one cause of blindness in the western world with several million Americans living with poor vision and at a high risk of turning blind. With the aging population, the number of patients with AMD is expected to double by 2020. Although dry-AMD symptoms progress more slowly than the wet form of the disease, dry-AMD represents nearly 90% of all the AMD cases in the United States, and remains without any treatment, contrary to wet-AMD which can be treated with periodic ocular injections.
About Stargardt disease: Stargardt disease is the most common form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration. It is a rare disease with a prevalence of one in 10,000 persons, or an estimated 30,000 people in the United States. Patients with Stargardt often start losing vision during their teenage years and will in most cases turn blind before becoming adults. As for dry-AMD, there is no treatment or cure.
About Columbia Technology Ventures
A leading academic and research university, Columbia University continually seeks to advance the frontiers of knowledge and to foster a campus community deeply engaged in understanding and addressing the complex global issues of our time. Columbia University's technology transfer office, Columbia Technology Ventures, manages Columbia's intellectual property portfolio and serves as the university's gateway for companies and entrepreneurs seeking novel technology solutions. Our core mission is to facilitate the transfer of inventions from academic research to outside organizations for the benefit of society on a local, national and global basis. For more information on Columbia Technology Ventures, please visit www.techventures.columbia.edu.
About Alkeus Pharmaceuticals
Alkeus is a clinical development biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new treatments for blindness and other serious ophthalmic conditions. Its lead compound, ALK-001, specifically addresses the excessive accumulation of toxic debris in the eyes of patients with dry age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt’s disease.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Obesity and Macular Degeneration
Self-Help Series ® 2011 Alexander
Larry J Alexander, OD FAAO
larryalexander@tx.rr.com
Introduction
The self-help series is designed to give doctors and patients some guidelines to help minimize the risk of vision-threatening eye diseases. While directed specifically at age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), these guidelines are also applicable to other eye and systemic disorders. All of us should be developing Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC).
Does Your Weight Affect Macular Degeneration?
Unfortunately the world is plagued by both starvation and by excesses. In the developed countries we all probably eat more than necessary and the things we eat are often inappropriate to sustain proper health. Obesity is a chronic disease that potentiates the development of all kinds of symptoms including macular degeneration.
Diet and weight definitely influence the development of macular degeneration. One very interesting study related that excessive consumption of corn bread was significantly related to vision loss in ARMD. 1 This relationship was the result of high dietary glycemic indices often related to excessive consumption of carbohydrates. 2-3 Glycemic index is a measure of your spike in blood sugar after consuming any food. A follow-up article in this series will discuss how to minimize your glycemic index.
Evidence also exists that obesity was a risk factor for visually significant ARM in men, in particular for dry ARM. 4 Further studies point to the fact that in women, early age-related maculopathy was significantly associated with both body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio, but more so waist-to-hip ratio. 5 One seemingly contrary report suggested that recent studies indicate that obesity is a probable risk factor for progression of ARMD, but there is no significant relation with the presence of ARMD. 6 Evidence exists that visceral obesity also contributes to the overall aging process by facilitating inflammation 7 that is likewise linked to macular degeneration. A very profound study found that middle-aged persons who had a 3% or greater reduction in Waist-Hip-Ratio over time were less likely to have ARMD, particularly among those who were initially obese. 8 More evidence has been presented that smoking, cardiovascular risk factors, use of calcium channel blockers, diabetes, and obesity are risk factors for late AMD in women. 9-11 Additional work has found that macular pigment (lutein and zeaxanthin) which helps protect the eye from developing macular degeneration is also lower in persons with excessive abdominal obesity and large waist circumference. 12-13 Further work emphasized that overall obesity and abdominal obesity increased the risk for progression to advanced ARMD, and more physical activity tended to decrease the risk. 14
Recommended Action to Help Yourself
In view of the overwhelming evidence we should all watch our weight and get as close as we can to the recommendations of our general physicians. Not only does weight affect our general health but excesses can likewise increase our risk for progression of macular degeneration. You can go to the national heart, lung and blood website http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ to calculate your body mass index to determine your personal weight situation.
References:
1. Holcomb CA. Consumption of carotenoid-rich foods and central vision loss: a matched case-controlled study in Kansas. J Nutr Elder 2004;24(1):1-18.
2. Chiu CJ, Milton RC, Klein R, Gensler G, Taylor A. Dietary carbohydrate and the progression of age-related macular degeneration: a prospective study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86(4):1210-8.
3. Chiu CJ, Milton RC, Klein R, Gensler G, Taylor A. Association between dietary glycemic index and age-related macular degeneration in nondiabetic participants in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86(1):180-8.
4. Schaumberg DA, Christen WG, Hankinson SE, Glynn RJ. Body mass index and the incidence of visually significant age-related maculopathy in men.
Arch Ophthalmol. 2001 Sep;119(9):1259-65.
5. Klein BE, Klein R, Lee KE, Jensen SC. Measures of obesity and age-related eye diseases. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2001 Sep;8(4):251-62.
6. Moeini M, Masoudpour H, Ghanbari H. A study of the relation between body mass index and the incidence of age related macular degeneration. Br J Ophthalmol. 2005 Aug;89(8):964-6.
7. Ishida S. [Lifestyle-related diseases and anti-aging ophthalmology: suppression of retinal and choroidal pathologies by inhibiting renin-angiotensin system and inflammation] Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi. 2009 Mar;113(3):403-22; discussion 423.
8. Peeters A, Magliano DJ, Stevens J, Duncan BB, Klein R, Wong TY. Changes in abdominal obesity and age-related macular degeneration: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Arch Ophthalmol. 2008 Nov;126(11):1554-60.
9. Klein R, Deng Y, Klein BE, Hyman L, Seddon J, Frank RN, Wallace RB, Hendrix SL, Kuppermann BD, Langer RD, Kuller L, Brunner R, Johnson KC, Thomas AM, Haan M. Cardiovascular disease, its risk factors and treatment, and age-related macular degeneration: Women's Health Initiative Sight Exam ancillary study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 Mar;143(3):473-83.
10. Schaumberg DA, Hankinson SE, Guo Q, Rimm E, Hunter DJ. A prospective study of 2 major age-related macular degeneration susceptibility alleles and interactions with modifiable risk factors. Arch Ophthalmol. 2007 Jan;125(1):55-62.
11. Fraser-Bell S, Wu J, Klein R, Azen SP, Hooper C, Foong AW, Varma R. Cardiovascular risk factors and age-related macular degeneration: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Feb;145(2):308-16.
12. Mares JA, LaRowe TL, Snodderly DM, Moeller SM, Gruber MJ, Klein ML, Wooten BR, Johnson EJ, Chappell RJ; CAREDS Macular Pigment Study Group and Investigators. Predictors of optical density of lutein and zeaxanthin in retinas of older women in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study, an ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Nov;84(5):1107-22.
13. Johnson EJ. Obesity, lutein metabolism, and age-related macular degeneration: a web of connections. Nutr Rev. 2005 Jan;63(1):9-15.
14. Seddon JM, Cote J, Davis N, Rosner B. Progression of age-related macular degeneration: association with body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio. Arch Ophthalmol. 2003 Jun;121(6):785-92.
Larry J Alexander, OD FAAO
larryalexander@tx.rr.com
Introduction
The self-help series is designed to give doctors and patients some guidelines to help minimize the risk of vision-threatening eye diseases. While directed specifically at age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), these guidelines are also applicable to other eye and systemic disorders. All of us should be developing Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC).
Does Your Weight Affect Macular Degeneration?
Unfortunately the world is plagued by both starvation and by excesses. In the developed countries we all probably eat more than necessary and the things we eat are often inappropriate to sustain proper health. Obesity is a chronic disease that potentiates the development of all kinds of symptoms including macular degeneration.
Diet and weight definitely influence the development of macular degeneration. One very interesting study related that excessive consumption of corn bread was significantly related to vision loss in ARMD. 1 This relationship was the result of high dietary glycemic indices often related to excessive consumption of carbohydrates. 2-3 Glycemic index is a measure of your spike in blood sugar after consuming any food. A follow-up article in this series will discuss how to minimize your glycemic index.
Evidence also exists that obesity was a risk factor for visually significant ARM in men, in particular for dry ARM. 4 Further studies point to the fact that in women, early age-related maculopathy was significantly associated with both body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio, but more so waist-to-hip ratio. 5 One seemingly contrary report suggested that recent studies indicate that obesity is a probable risk factor for progression of ARMD, but there is no significant relation with the presence of ARMD. 6 Evidence exists that visceral obesity also contributes to the overall aging process by facilitating inflammation 7 that is likewise linked to macular degeneration. A very profound study found that middle-aged persons who had a 3% or greater reduction in Waist-Hip-Ratio over time were less likely to have ARMD, particularly among those who were initially obese. 8 More evidence has been presented that smoking, cardiovascular risk factors, use of calcium channel blockers, diabetes, and obesity are risk factors for late AMD in women. 9-11 Additional work has found that macular pigment (lutein and zeaxanthin) which helps protect the eye from developing macular degeneration is also lower in persons with excessive abdominal obesity and large waist circumference. 12-13 Further work emphasized that overall obesity and abdominal obesity increased the risk for progression to advanced ARMD, and more physical activity tended to decrease the risk. 14
Recommended Action to Help Yourself
In view of the overwhelming evidence we should all watch our weight and get as close as we can to the recommendations of our general physicians. Not only does weight affect our general health but excesses can likewise increase our risk for progression of macular degeneration. You can go to the national heart, lung and blood website http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ to calculate your body mass index to determine your personal weight situation.
References:
1. Holcomb CA. Consumption of carotenoid-rich foods and central vision loss: a matched case-controlled study in Kansas. J Nutr Elder 2004;24(1):1-18.
2. Chiu CJ, Milton RC, Klein R, Gensler G, Taylor A. Dietary carbohydrate and the progression of age-related macular degeneration: a prospective study from the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86(4):1210-8.
3. Chiu CJ, Milton RC, Klein R, Gensler G, Taylor A. Association between dietary glycemic index and age-related macular degeneration in nondiabetic participants in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86(1):180-8.
4. Schaumberg DA, Christen WG, Hankinson SE, Glynn RJ. Body mass index and the incidence of visually significant age-related maculopathy in men.
Arch Ophthalmol. 2001 Sep;119(9):1259-65.
5. Klein BE, Klein R, Lee KE, Jensen SC. Measures of obesity and age-related eye diseases. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2001 Sep;8(4):251-62.
6. Moeini M, Masoudpour H, Ghanbari H. A study of the relation between body mass index and the incidence of age related macular degeneration. Br J Ophthalmol. 2005 Aug;89(8):964-6.
7. Ishida S. [Lifestyle-related diseases and anti-aging ophthalmology: suppression of retinal and choroidal pathologies by inhibiting renin-angiotensin system and inflammation] Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi. 2009 Mar;113(3):403-22; discussion 423.
8. Peeters A, Magliano DJ, Stevens J, Duncan BB, Klein R, Wong TY. Changes in abdominal obesity and age-related macular degeneration: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Arch Ophthalmol. 2008 Nov;126(11):1554-60.
9. Klein R, Deng Y, Klein BE, Hyman L, Seddon J, Frank RN, Wallace RB, Hendrix SL, Kuppermann BD, Langer RD, Kuller L, Brunner R, Johnson KC, Thomas AM, Haan M. Cardiovascular disease, its risk factors and treatment, and age-related macular degeneration: Women's Health Initiative Sight Exam ancillary study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 Mar;143(3):473-83.
10. Schaumberg DA, Hankinson SE, Guo Q, Rimm E, Hunter DJ. A prospective study of 2 major age-related macular degeneration susceptibility alleles and interactions with modifiable risk factors. Arch Ophthalmol. 2007 Jan;125(1):55-62.
11. Fraser-Bell S, Wu J, Klein R, Azen SP, Hooper C, Foong AW, Varma R. Cardiovascular risk factors and age-related macular degeneration: the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Am J Ophthalmol. 2008 Feb;145(2):308-16.
12. Mares JA, LaRowe TL, Snodderly DM, Moeller SM, Gruber MJ, Klein ML, Wooten BR, Johnson EJ, Chappell RJ; CAREDS Macular Pigment Study Group and Investigators. Predictors of optical density of lutein and zeaxanthin in retinas of older women in the Carotenoids in Age-Related Eye Disease Study, an ancillary study of the Women's Health Initiative. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Nov;84(5):1107-22.
13. Johnson EJ. Obesity, lutein metabolism, and age-related macular degeneration: a web of connections. Nutr Rev. 2005 Jan;63(1):9-15.
14. Seddon JM, Cote J, Davis N, Rosner B. Progression of age-related macular degeneration: association with body mass index, waist circumference, and waist-hip ratio. Arch Ophthalmol. 2003 Jun;121(6):785-92.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Small Steps to Healthy Eyes
by:Reuters
People who lead an overall healthy life by exercising, eating right and not smoking, run a significantly lower risk of eye degeneration, a major cause of visual impairment in older adults, says a study.
Exercise and diet each reduced the risk, but both combined, along with a lack of smoking,caused the risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to fall by more than 70%, says study author Julie Mares, at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. “Relatively small things could make a difference,” said Mares.
Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognize faces. For the study, published in Archives of Ophthalmology, researchers reviewed information about diet, exercise and smoking from 1,313 women between the ages of 55 and 74.
The results showed that even 10 hours per week of light exercise, including housework, gardening and walking — or 8 hours of moderate exercise a week, lowered the risk of AMD since diet and exercise lower blood pressure, which can protect the eyes from degeneration
People who lead an overall healthy life by exercising, eating right and not smoking, run a significantly lower risk of eye degeneration, a major cause of visual impairment in older adults, says a study.
Exercise and diet each reduced the risk, but both combined, along with a lack of smoking,caused the risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to fall by more than 70%, says study author Julie Mares, at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. “Relatively small things could make a difference,” said Mares.
Macular degeneration can make it difficult or impossible to read or recognize faces. For the study, published in Archives of Ophthalmology, researchers reviewed information about diet, exercise and smoking from 1,313 women between the ages of 55 and 74.
The results showed that even 10 hours per week of light exercise, including housework, gardening and walking — or 8 hours of moderate exercise a week, lowered the risk of AMD since diet and exercise lower blood pressure, which can protect the eyes from degeneration
Monday, December 20, 2010
Macular Degeneration is not the end of sight
Submitted by Ria Patel
Joanne Preece, 84, is suffering from macular degeneration. She exclaimed how amazing it was how we all take our vision for granted, and that how it could all be gone in a moment.
The disability not only took away her sight, it also stole her freedom. She said how she stopped driving because she could see the oncoming traffic which would scare me to death.
Dr. Kathryn A. Colby explained how during the end stage of macular degeneration, the patient looking at someone could see the shoulders and the hair, but not the face.
Due to her disability, Preece's entire view of the world is changing. Now she has a telescope the size of a pea implanted in her eye. A couple of high-powered lenses magnify all that she sees.
The implant is placed right at the junction between the clear part and the white part of the eye. And the implantation is to be made just into a single eye. A tiny incision is to be made in the cornea by the doctors, who then take out the cataract or damaged lens and put the telescopic lens in their place instead.
During the surgery, the patients are given sedation, but they are awake.
Joanne Preece, 84, is suffering from macular degeneration. She exclaimed how amazing it was how we all take our vision for granted, and that how it could all be gone in a moment.
The disability not only took away her sight, it also stole her freedom. She said how she stopped driving because she could see the oncoming traffic which would scare me to death.
Dr. Kathryn A. Colby explained how during the end stage of macular degeneration, the patient looking at someone could see the shoulders and the hair, but not the face.
Due to her disability, Preece's entire view of the world is changing. Now she has a telescope the size of a pea implanted in her eye. A couple of high-powered lenses magnify all that she sees.
The implant is placed right at the junction between the clear part and the white part of the eye. And the implantation is to be made just into a single eye. A tiny incision is to be made in the cornea by the doctors, who then take out the cataract or damaged lens and put the telescopic lens in their place instead.
During the surgery, the patients are given sedation, but they are awake.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Stem Cells Get FDA Nod For Stargardt's Disease
by Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., received FDA approval for starting Phase I/II clinical trial to use stem cells for the treatment of Stargardt’s disease. Stargardt’s disease is an inherited type of macular degeneration affecting individuals at age 10-20. There is no cure.
Similar to other macular diseases, the photoreceptors, and the layer of cells just beneath, call the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), become destroyed due to a genetic defect. Due to the macular involvement, central vision is lost.
Stargardt’s disease is the a common form of “macular degeneration” that afflicts the young. It is estimated to affect about 30,000 people worldwide. It shares in common with ARMD (age related macular degeneration) the loss of photoreceptors secondary to RPE damage and degeneration.
Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) claims the ability to generate healthy RPE cells from human embryonic stem cells. The idea is to replace the genetically diseased RPE cells with healthy replacements. In theory, the healthy RPE cells should prevent loss of the photoreceptors, thereby preserving vision.
The phase I/II study will involve 12 patients enrolled into several centers across the United States. The initial experiments will determine if the RPE cells are indeed safe and if they can be tolerated by the human recipients (i.e., does the body reject the new RPE cells?).
What Does This Mean? Stargardt’s disease has no cure, and therefore, are great subjects to consider for this possible treatment. In a way, there is nothing to lose. Stargardt’s patients also have or had vision, that is, they have experience with vision. We know that these patients have fully developed visual pathways.
While this group is very small in comparison to patients with macular degeneration, the significance this holds for a potential, effective treatment can only be left to our imagination. Even a small success in this trial is exciting.
The news of this trial is exciting, but remember further testing (clinical trials III and IV) need to be completed. Also, the techniques for introducing the cells safely underneath the retina need to be accomplished, too.
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., received FDA approval for starting Phase I/II clinical trial to use stem cells for the treatment of Stargardt’s disease. Stargardt’s disease is an inherited type of macular degeneration affecting individuals at age 10-20. There is no cure.
Similar to other macular diseases, the photoreceptors, and the layer of cells just beneath, call the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), become destroyed due to a genetic defect. Due to the macular involvement, central vision is lost.
Stargardt’s disease is the a common form of “macular degeneration” that afflicts the young. It is estimated to affect about 30,000 people worldwide. It shares in common with ARMD (age related macular degeneration) the loss of photoreceptors secondary to RPE damage and degeneration.
Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) claims the ability to generate healthy RPE cells from human embryonic stem cells. The idea is to replace the genetically diseased RPE cells with healthy replacements. In theory, the healthy RPE cells should prevent loss of the photoreceptors, thereby preserving vision.
The phase I/II study will involve 12 patients enrolled into several centers across the United States. The initial experiments will determine if the RPE cells are indeed safe and if they can be tolerated by the human recipients (i.e., does the body reject the new RPE cells?).
What Does This Mean? Stargardt’s disease has no cure, and therefore, are great subjects to consider for this possible treatment. In a way, there is nothing to lose. Stargardt’s patients also have or had vision, that is, they have experience with vision. We know that these patients have fully developed visual pathways.
While this group is very small in comparison to patients with macular degeneration, the significance this holds for a potential, effective treatment can only be left to our imagination. Even a small success in this trial is exciting.
The news of this trial is exciting, but remember further testing (clinical trials III and IV) need to be completed. Also, the techniques for introducing the cells safely underneath the retina need to be accomplished, too.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Maintaining a 20/20 Visual Acuity
by Ponti Carlo Aranda
On normal conditions, when nurses use the Snellen’s chart to test one’s vision, 20/20 signifies the perfect eyesight. This type of examination is usually performed not only in hospitals but also in educational institutions as students enroll themselves to study in that school.
As long we do not encounter any factors that can perturb our eyes, then our visual acuity will remain that way.
However, as we begin to age, our senses including our vision tend to deteriorate. The clear eye lenses become cloudy and lose its flexibility. The retina located at the back of the eyes also loses its sensitivity to light and leads to glaucoma which is a common condition among the elderly.
How do we maintain healthy eyesight? Here are some fundamental don’ts and do’s concerning about eye care:
DON’TS
* Never stare on any bright objects most especially the sun since they can surely damage your eyesight. With regards to TV screens and computer monitors, try to lower their brightness.
* Do not engage on paper and writing works when there isn’t a sufficient light. Writing and reading can cause so much stress to your eyes. To manage this problem, you can use a soft white light but make sure that it does not produce a glare that gives a reflection directly to your eyes.
* Never stare on TV screens or computer monitors for a long time. Studies have suggested that after 20 minutes of staring at the screen, look away about 20 feet ahead of you for 20 seconds. This is what they call the 20-20-20 rule. This rule can assist you in reducing strains to your eyes. You may also want to blink every 10 seconds to provide lubrication to your eyes. Sometimes, it is a fact that when we are too preoccupied with our work, we tend to forget blinking which makes the strain continuous.
* Of course, smoking should be ceased and avoid second-hand smoke as well. Studies have confirmed that smoking has a link to macular degeneration, cataract as well as damage to the optic nerve. All of these serious conditions can lead to blindness.
* Try to limit your eyes from being exposed to dusty places.
DO’S
* Eat foods rich in vitamin A and other sources that are good for maintaining good eyesight. Examples of these foods are dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach). Watermelons contain lutein which is very healthy for the eyes. Lastly, eat fishes that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
* Engage in regular exercises and deep breathing sessions. A regular exercise can decrease eye strains by approximately twenty percent. Moreover, deep breathing exercises also have the same effect. These two methods are very helpful to those individuals with glaucoma since this disorder may cause headache and an increase in intraocular pressure.
* Wear sunglasses when on outdoor locations. It is true that wearing sunglasses can make you look dashing but the primary function of these products is to shield your eyes from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
* Make proper hand washing your daily habit. Though it is discouraged to rub our eyes using our hands, there are moments that we tend to forget this advice. That is why it is highly encouraged to maintain the habit of proper hand washing just in case we accidentally rub our eyes. However, let us always practice ourselves to minimize this bad habit.
* Rest your eyes most especially if you do not need to use them. An example of this advice is when talking over the phone. Since you do not need to open your eyes while talking, just close them and within that moment, your eyes are being rested.
* Regularly check your blood sugar. Diabetics are known to experience a high risk of eye disease. A study confirmed that proper management of blood sugar greatly declines the risk of diabetic eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. If you are a diabetic, a yearly consultation with your eye specialist is highly suggested.
* If possible, get a yearly eye check-up. Usually, conditions like glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration do not give warning signs; hence, visiting an eye specialist is the only way to make sure that you are not experiencing the first stage of these eye disorders.
On normal conditions, when nurses use the Snellen’s chart to test one’s vision, 20/20 signifies the perfect eyesight. This type of examination is usually performed not only in hospitals but also in educational institutions as students enroll themselves to study in that school.
As long we do not encounter any factors that can perturb our eyes, then our visual acuity will remain that way.
However, as we begin to age, our senses including our vision tend to deteriorate. The clear eye lenses become cloudy and lose its flexibility. The retina located at the back of the eyes also loses its sensitivity to light and leads to glaucoma which is a common condition among the elderly.
How do we maintain healthy eyesight? Here are some fundamental don’ts and do’s concerning about eye care:
DON’TS
* Never stare on any bright objects most especially the sun since they can surely damage your eyesight. With regards to TV screens and computer monitors, try to lower their brightness.
* Do not engage on paper and writing works when there isn’t a sufficient light. Writing and reading can cause so much stress to your eyes. To manage this problem, you can use a soft white light but make sure that it does not produce a glare that gives a reflection directly to your eyes.
* Never stare on TV screens or computer monitors for a long time. Studies have suggested that after 20 minutes of staring at the screen, look away about 20 feet ahead of you for 20 seconds. This is what they call the 20-20-20 rule. This rule can assist you in reducing strains to your eyes. You may also want to blink every 10 seconds to provide lubrication to your eyes. Sometimes, it is a fact that when we are too preoccupied with our work, we tend to forget blinking which makes the strain continuous.
* Of course, smoking should be ceased and avoid second-hand smoke as well. Studies have confirmed that smoking has a link to macular degeneration, cataract as well as damage to the optic nerve. All of these serious conditions can lead to blindness.
* Try to limit your eyes from being exposed to dusty places.
DO’S
* Eat foods rich in vitamin A and other sources that are good for maintaining good eyesight. Examples of these foods are dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach). Watermelons contain lutein which is very healthy for the eyes. Lastly, eat fishes that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
* Engage in regular exercises and deep breathing sessions. A regular exercise can decrease eye strains by approximately twenty percent. Moreover, deep breathing exercises also have the same effect. These two methods are very helpful to those individuals with glaucoma since this disorder may cause headache and an increase in intraocular pressure.
* Wear sunglasses when on outdoor locations. It is true that wearing sunglasses can make you look dashing but the primary function of these products is to shield your eyes from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.
* Make proper hand washing your daily habit. Though it is discouraged to rub our eyes using our hands, there are moments that we tend to forget this advice. That is why it is highly encouraged to maintain the habit of proper hand washing just in case we accidentally rub our eyes. However, let us always practice ourselves to minimize this bad habit.
* Rest your eyes most especially if you do not need to use them. An example of this advice is when talking over the phone. Since you do not need to open your eyes while talking, just close them and within that moment, your eyes are being rested.
* Regularly check your blood sugar. Diabetics are known to experience a high risk of eye disease. A study confirmed that proper management of blood sugar greatly declines the risk of diabetic eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. If you are a diabetic, a yearly consultation with your eye specialist is highly suggested.
* If possible, get a yearly eye check-up. Usually, conditions like glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and age-related macular degeneration do not give warning signs; hence, visiting an eye specialist is the only way to make sure that you are not experiencing the first stage of these eye disorders.
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