Macula Degeneration: Articles

[Ms. Kathy]

Scientists Link Another Gene To Degenerative Blindness

By: University of Wisconsin on Mar 29 2006 08:03:56

from: www.emaxhealth.com/96/5196.html


Blindness and vision
Researchers have labored for decades to understand blindness-inducing neurodegenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP).

It has been a painstaking scientific journey as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa each belong to a complex family of disorders, in which every disorder has many forms and each form is encoded with a distinct genetic recipe. Even age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of vision loss in people over 60, is actually a collection of more than 50 diseases.

Now, a team of researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has taken a small but crucial step forward in the ongoing fight against retinal degeneration. Working with fruit flies, the scientists have discovered that a mutation in a common gene called calnexin can derail the light-processing activity of cells and set in motion the gradual breakdown of vision. They report their findings today in the journal Neuron.

Calnexin-found in both fruit flies and humans-functions as a cellular chaperone, ensuring that proteins "fold" or orient properly and get to the parts of the cell they need to go. It also modulates calcium levels, which is critical for proper vision.

When calnexin goes awry, however, calcium levels build up and the proteins that depend on it malfunction, says senior author Nansi Jo Colley, a medical geneticist at the UW-Madison departments of ophthalmology and genetics, and an affiliate of the Eye Research Institute.

At a time when more than 103 genes are known to be involved with age-related macular degeneration and RP, the UW-Madison work could one day help doctors deliver tailor-made treatments to patients who specifically carry calnexin mutations. Because the calnexin protein and other chaperones are also present in the brain, the work can help to answer broader questions about neurodegenerative disease, Colley adds.

"Understanding the basic mechanisms of how proteins are folded holds the key to finding treatments for not only retinal degenerative diseases but also other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's and Parkinson's."

To detect the calnexin mutation, the UW-Madison team used genetic mapping to zero in on the exact region harboring the mutant. Subsequent DNA sequencing of that target area pinpointed calnexin as the culprit gene, explains lead author Erica Rosenbaum, a researcher in Colley's laboratory.

Colley plans to continue searching for other genetic mutations that might help trigger retinal degeneration. "The more mutations we identify the easier it will be to step back and look at the big picture of the general principles of neurodegeneration," she says.

[Ms. Kathy]

ThePittsburghChannel.com
Source:http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/health/10089033/detail.html
New Drug Offered For Sufferers Of Central Vision Blindness

POSTED: 4:04 pm EDT October 16, 2006
UPDATED: 4:14 pm EDT October 16, 2006

The following is a transcript of a report by medical editor Marilyn Brooks that first aired Oct. 16, 2006, on WTAE Channel 4 Action News at 5 p.m.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


There is now good news for people with an eye condition that causes central vision blindness, a recently approved medication that not only stops progression of the disease but actually improves eyesight.

Wet age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of central vision loss in Americans 55 and older, which is devastating when you've lived your life doing what you want to do, when you want to do it, but the drug Lucentis is changing that.

At 77, Shirley Conley still reads, drives her car and otherwise enjoys life's simple pleasures.

"I bowl, and I go to church and sing in a choir," said Conley.

The drug Lucentis makes that possible. A miracle drug? Perhaps. About 95 percent of patients treated with Lucentis during phase --three trials maintained their vision.

"Forty percent were getting better, about 55 percent were maintaining the vision that they had at the entrance of the trial, only 5 percent were losing," said Dr. Thierry Verstraeten. "Compared to the natural history, that is remarkable."

Conley is proof. She joined the study two years ago when a routine eye exam revealed macular degeneration, which painlessly steals central vision.

"I could still see," said Conley. "If I wouldn't have went, I wouldn't have even realized."

About 80 percent of patients have the dry form treated with vitamins. Others, like Conley, develop the wet form in which blood vessels grow behind the retina and leak.

If you could look at the back of your eye, you would see your retina and the optic nerve. The little pink spot is the macula. When that degenerates or is destroyed, the central vision is destroyed.

Various drugs and lasers couldn't do what an injection of Lucentis can.

"It's extremely powerful at stopping these vessels from growing and once a vessel is no longer actively growing, it shrinks," said Verstraeten.

The bleeding and leakage stops, and many regain lost vision.

The only downside is that Lucentis requires four to eight injections and costs $2,000 per shot. So the government is now holding a head-to-head comparison with Aventis, another drug that costs $56 per shot, to see whether patients get the same results. So far, the news and the hope is good.
Copyright 2006 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Ms. Kathy]

QLT's Visudyne sales continue to falter
VIRGINIA GALT

Globe and Mail Update

Vancouver-based pharmaceutical company QLT Inc. reported Thursday that Visudyne sales for the fourth quarter of 2006 declined by 28.7 per cent from the corresponding period a year earlier. Sales were down 26.9% for the full year.

Sales of the company's flagship anti-blindness drug have been affected by the arrival of competing drugs to treat macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in seniors. QLT has been forced to lay off staff and restructure as it adjusts to the reduced demand.

Global sales of Visudyne were approximately $76.5-million (U.S.) for the fourth quarter and $353.8-million for the full year ended Dec. 31, 2006, the company said Thursday.

QLT will release full financial results on Feb. 27.

Comments are closed for this story | Send a letter to the editor
Sales for the full year surpassed the expectations of analyst Karen Boodram of Pacific International Securities Inc., who had projected year end sales of $345-million in a research report issued after the company announced its third quarter results last October.

The company plunged to a third-quarter loss of $3.4-million, or 4 cents a share, in 2006 from profit of $12.9-million, or 14 cents a share, in the third quarter of 2005. Analysts said that QLT, like many one-product companies, had failed to develop another source of revenue to offset the inevitable decline of Visudyne.

When it released its third-quarter results, the company said that it still sees a market for Visudyne, in combination with other therapies.

“Early combination data and market research suggests Visudyne's role in combination therapy could support a viable franchise for QLT going forward, but more data is needed to clearly assess,” Ms. Boodram wrote at that time.

[Ms. Kathy]

February 2, 2007

Eye care campaign runs through the end of the month
Source Link: www.thefridayflyer.com/FF-2007-2-2/FFS-6101.htm

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a serious eye disease that affects the vision of more than 15 million Americans and is the leading cause of visual impairment among those ages 50 and older. AMD-related vision loss usually involves the “central” or “straight ahead” vision. This loss can be slow or fast and may be permanent. But AMD doesn’t just take its toll on the eyes. It also has proven to be not only a financial burden but also can affect the patient’s mental health.
In a recent report issued in the Archives of Ophthalmology, researchers found that as a nation, Americans spend $35.4 billion related to visual disorders, including medical expenses and loss of productivity. Of that number, $575 million was directly attributed to AMD costs. Alarmingly, because of the extremely large aging population, the number of AMD cases is estimated to balloon in the near future, possibly creating a devastating financial impact.
But beyond the dollar amounts comes an even higher price tag — the emotional toll that AMD often takes on patients and those that care for them. A study from AMD Alliance International, concluded that AMD patients suffer higher rates of depression and report a profoundly negative impact on their quality of life. Patients who lose their ability to drive, read a newspaper or even see the faces of their loved ones begin to feel a significant loss of independence which can lead to emotional distress and often depression.
The most frightening aspect of the disease is that it progresses painlessly, with many patients not aware they are having problem. Unfortunately, once symptoms begin to appear, permanent vision loss may have already occurred. And, if left untreated, studies show that those diagnosed with “wet” AMD (a more rapidly progressing condition than “dry” AMD) will become functionally blind within two years.
In conjunction with February as Age-related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month, this year “Prevent Blindness America” is launching a new, dedicated online resource for patients and their loved ones to learn more about the disease. The website, www.preventblindness.org/amd, offers a variety of tools and information on everything from risk factors, treatment options, and even a downloadable Amsler Grid, (a tool that can help identify vision abnormalities linked to AMD).
“We can’t stress enough how important it is that everyone make an effort to visit their eye doctor regularly, even if they don’t think they have a problem,” says Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. “The new year is already underway and we challenge all Americans to make an appointment for themselves and their loved ones to ensure healthy vision for years to come.”
Although only a doctor can make the diagnosis, the following are possible signs of AMD:
• Straight lines such as telephone poles, the sides of buildings or streetlight poles, look wavy.
• Written text and/or type can appear blurry.
• A dark or empty spot may block the center of your vision.
For free information on AMD or a free copy of the Amsler grid, please visit Prevent Blindness America at www.preventblindness.org/amd or call 1-800-331-2020.
EyeCare America campaign
EyeCare America’s national health campaign runs February 1 through March 1 and encourages people to call the EyeCare America Seniors EyeCare Program. This program offers eye exams and up to one year of medical care at no out-of-pocket cost for seniors who are without an ophthalmologist (a medical eye doctor).
EyeCare America, a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, operates one of the largest programs of its kind in American medicine. All eligible callers receive a referral to one of 7,300 ECA volunteer ophthalmologists. EyeCare America’s Seniors EyeCare Program is designed for people who are:
• US citizens or legal residents
• Age 65 and older
• Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years
• Do not belong to an HMO or the VA
For a Seniors EyeCare Program referral, those interested may call the toll-free help line 1-800-222-EYES (3937). The Seniors EyeCare Program help line operates all day, every day, year-round. Volunteer physicians have agreed to accept Medicare or other insurance as payment in full, resulting in no out-of-pocket cost to the patient. Individuals without insurance of any kind are seen at no charge.
Established in 1985, EyeCare America, the public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is committed to the preservation of sight, accomplishing its mission through public service and education. EyeCare America is a non-profit program whose success is made possible through charitable contributions from individuals, foundations and corporations. More information can be found at www.eyecareamerica.org.

[Ms. Kathy]

Idaho man with terminal cancer donates eye for blindness research
Last Update: Feb 20, 2007 6:07 PM

Watch This Video at this link: www.abc4.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=59621
Story by:
Kerry Kinsey
[e-mail]
Source link: www.abc4.com/content/specials/as_seen_on/story.aspx?content_id=5fa08312-ea9e-4e3a-965d-4703b3eea113

An Idaho man with terminal cancer has donated his diseased eye for blindness research in Utah. All eyes are on the Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City. The eye is giving researchers a better look at Age-related Macular Degeneration.

The eye came from Terry Stidman. He is a 52-year old former Marine from Spirit Lake, Idaho. He has a rare cancer that has changed his voice and will ultimately steal his life. He hopes his donated eye can help others keep things in focus.

Kang Zhang is Chinese born and Harvard educated. He is very happy to get an eye from a living donor to Moran. Zhang says he is not worried that it came from a man with cancer. Zhang says, "The eye itself is actually in very good condition for studying you know the causes of Macular Degeneration and other diseases."

Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in this country for people over 65. Right now, the eye is frozen at a temperature of 80 degrees below zero. Zhang and his staff could only keep it out for our camera for just a few minutes.

Nevertheless, it will not stay in this condition very long. Zhang says "Then we use a very sharp knife to section them into a very thin, about hair thin slices. Each slice we'll be put in different use to look at the genes."

Dr. Zhang says he will cut the eye up into more than 2000 slices. Living donations of eyes are rare, Zhang is thankful Stidman had the foresight to make this huge contribution. Stidman says he is ready for tomorrow. He hopes his eye will bring vision to others.

Before the operation, Stidman spent more than a decade supporting vision projects. However, the donated eye is truly a gift. Dr. Zhang says research on the different slices of the eye can be done for the next six or seven years.

[Ms. Kathy]

Idaho man with terminal cancer donates eye for blindness research
Last Update: Feb 20, 2007 6:07 PM

Watch This Video at this link: www.abc4.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=59621
Story by:
Kerry Kinsey
[e-mail]
Source link: www.abc4.com/content/specials/as_seen_on/story.aspx?content_id=5fa08312-ea9e-4e3a-965d-4703b3eea113

An Idaho man with terminal cancer has donated his diseased eye for blindness research in Utah. All eyes are on the Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City. The eye is giving researchers a better look at Age-related Macular Degeneration.

The eye came from Terry Stidman. He is a 52-year old former Marine from Spirit Lake, Idaho. He has a rare cancer that has changed his voice and will ultimately steal his life. He hopes his donated eye can help others keep things in focus.

Kang Zhang is Chinese born and Harvard educated. He is very happy to get an eye from a living donor to Moran. Zhang says he is not worried that it came from a man with cancer. Zhang says, "The eye itself is actually in very good condition for studying you know the causes of Macular Degeneration and other diseases."

Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in this country for people over 65. Right now, the eye is frozen at a temperature of 80 degrees below zero. Zhang and his staff could only keep it out for our camera for just a few minutes.

Nevertheless, it will not stay in this condition very long. Zhang says "Then we use a very sharp knife to section them into a very thin, about hair thin slices. Each slice we'll be put in different use to look at the genes."

Dr. Zhang says he will cut the eye up into more than 2000 slices. Living donations of eyes are rare, Zhang is thankful Stidman had the foresight to make this huge contribution. Stidman says he is ready for tomorrow. He hopes his eye will bring vision to others.

Before the operation, Stidman spent more than a decade supporting vision projects. However, the donated eye is truly a gift. Dr. Zhang says research on the different slices of the eye can be done for the next six or seven years.

[Ms. Kathy]

New treatment to tackle main cause of blindness
Link Source:http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/story.asp?j=211822592&p=zyy8z3z98
28/02/2007 - 14:15:05

A new treatment for the leading cause of blindness in Ireland is being put on the market today.

Lucentis is aimed at the one-in-10 Irish people aged 50 and up who develop Wet AMD, a condition that can cause a serious deterioration in vision in less than six months.


Up until now, the best outcome was that patients could have their vision stabilised.

However, the Novartis pharmaceutical firm says its new product can actually improve vision in 70% of patients.

[Ms. Kathy]

PCT caves in over blind couple's treatment
Source Link: www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/display.var.1239798.0.pct_caves_in_over_blind_couples_treatment.php
By Gordon Simpson
Comment

Olive and Ron Roberts
Health bosses have been forced into an embarrassing U-turn after refusing to pay for the treatment of two pensioners facing blindness.

Olive Roberts, 79, and her husband Ron, 81, from Malmesbury, both have wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common form of blindness in the UK. Both need treatment urgently to minimise their loss of sight.

But the Wiltshire PCT refused and the couple were forced to choose which one of them would receive private treament with their life savings.

The story has sparked a media frenxy throughout the day and the bewildered couple have been interviews by dozens of radio, TV and newspaper journalists. They are due to appear on GMTV tomorrow.

The PCT, which has been under seige from journalists all day, has refused to answer any questions but this afternoon announced it would fund treatment for Mrs Roberts.

Mr Roberts said: "It's the most wonderful news. The word we used before was 'devastated' but now that word is 'elated'."

Dr Paul Jakeman, Medical Director for Wiltshire Primary Care Trust, said: "The RNIB is wrong to claim that the NHS is forcing an elderly couple to choose which one's sight should be saved'.

It is not clear what steps, if any, the RNIB took to check the facts of this case, but a phone call to Wiltshire PCT could have corrected the more obvious errors.

advertisement"These are facts as the PCT has them: "Mr Roberts requires a further diagnostic test before it can be decided what is the most appropriate treatment for his condition.

"Mrs Roberts was diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration at the end of December, when her specialist advised that treatment should commence within 12 weeks.

"When Mr Roberts contacted the PCT at the end of January for information on funding of possible treatments, we explained to him that where a new treatment or procedure has not yet been appraised by NICE, Wiltshire PCT considers individual's needs on a case-by-case basis. We also explained that our Exceptions Committee that considers these requests meets frequently so there would not be a long delay in getting a decision. He indicated that he was happy with this process.

"The Committee received a request for exceptional funding from Mr and Mrs Roberts' specialist in mid-February and considered this request at the earliest opportunity, which was its monthly meeting scheduled for today (Tues 6 March 2007). This is well within the 12-week timescale set out by her consultant.

"At its meeting today, the Committee agreed to fund treatment for Mrs Roberts, and Wiltshire PCT is pleased to confirm that she will be starting treatment on the NHS as soon as possible."

[Ms. Kathy]

Genes Predict Risk For Blindness
Source Link: E Canada Now www.ecanadanow.com/science/health/2007/04/25/genes-predict-risk-for-blindness/

Boston (eCanadaNow) - A new study has found that two genes can help predict just how high of a risk people may be at for developing macular degeneration which leads to blindness.

The study looked closely at the two genes as well as other determinants for blindness. They found that these genes accurately predict macular degeneration based on their activity and development. The study also found that overweight people or smokers also had a higher risk of developing blindness and macular degeneration.

This new research is likely to lead to new treatments and detection methods for blindness. This could include a possible blood test which could help detect these genes. With this new information it may now be possible to one day predict macular degeneration far earlier on in its development and allow for it to be treated before it gets too serious.

With millions of people in the U.S. and the world suffering from this disease and blindness, especially in their older ages, this could be something which changes the lives of millions someday.

[Ms. Kathy]

Smoking increases risk of blindness - study
Source Link: IOL www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=nw20070425121205571C113882

April 25 2007 at 01:33PM

Washington - US scientists have identified two genes responsible for macular degeneration, the gradual deterioration of eyesight in the elderly that can lead to blindness, a study showed this week.

The research published on Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association also showed that smoking and being overweight carry a strong risk of the condition, in which the central part of the eye's retina degenerates.

It was carried out on 1 466 people suffering from the condition, aged 55 to 80 in several US hospitals over 11 years, from 1990 to 2001.

Subsequent study of the gene types in those surveyed revealed that mutations in two particular genes - identified as CFHY402H and LOC387715 - were linked to a worsening of the condition.

Smoking and being overweight increased by 19 times the risk of aggravated macular degeneration, said the study's main author, Johanna Seddon of the Tufts-New England Medical Centre in Boston.

[Ms. Kathy]

No cash to restore John's sight
Source Link: Barking and Dagenham Recorder www.bdrecorder.co.uk/content/barkinganddagenham/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsBarkDag&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsBarkDag&itemid=WeED24%20Apr%202007%2010%3A01%3A17%3A780
DOMINIC WIGGAN - 24 April 2007

John Marcelle with a 5,000-name petition he took to the House of Commons
A BLIND great granddad has slammed health bosses for refusing to cough up the cash for a wonder drug that could bring back his sight.

John Marcelle, 76, of Rush Green, is facing the impossible task of raising thousands of pounds for a cure for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) - the leading cause of blindness in the UK.

The drug, called Lucentis, is available on the NHS in Scotland and in a number of European countries, but not in England.

A dose costs around £1,000 and patients need injections monthly for up to two years, and possibly life.

Mr Marcelle says his vision is now "like looking through frosted glass at shadows and shapes".

[Ms. Kathy]

Video at this link: www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/video.aspx?VideoPath=YPOS/leslie%20howard%20blindness512k_stream.wmv&VideoID=1960&ArticleID=2740448Video
See the world through a sufferer's eyes. Reporter: Jonathan Walton

Health chiefs deny patients new drug to combat blindness

Leslie Howard: See the world through his eyes by clicking the Play button above

By Mike Waites, Health Correspondent
Source Link:
PATIENTS across the region are being denied vital treatment by the NHS for a degenerative condition which causes blindness, the Yorkshire Post can reveal.


A survey of NHS chiefs in Yorkshire reveals only patients who have gone blind in one eye and whose sight is deteriorating in the other are likely to get NHS-funded treatment using a new generation of drugs for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which usually affects the elderly.

Angry campaigners have joined patients in condemning the policy which is only expected to change once national guidelines on the drugs are published in October – prompting warnings people will go blind in the meantime.

The plight of patients has been highlighted this week by war veteran Leslie Howard, from York, who was refused immediate treatment by the NHS.

The "second eye" policy has been adopted by a number of primary care trusts (PCTs) beyond Yorkshire. Others have imposed an outright ban on the drug treatment while some, particularly in the North West, give patients whose sight is only affected in one eye treatment with the drugs which can cost £10-12,000 a year.

Retired magistrate Pat Wood, 76, who lives near Easingwold in North Yorkshire, has spent £14,000 on treatment since she was told a year ago she had a type of the condition known as wet AMD in her right eye.

Her sight improved slightly after her last injection in February but she cannot afford any more treatment which NHS chiefs refused to fund. Mrs Wood said being told her sight was failing was more devastating than the news she had cancer, which was diagnosed two years ago.

"It was a terrible shock. It has to be treated quickly as soon as it's diagnosed," she said.

Steve Winyard, from the Royal National Institute of the Blind, said: "Wet AMD patients have a high risk of developing the condition in the second eye and successful treatment is not guaranteed. People may therefore end up losing their sight in both eyes.

"In the meantime, losing the sight of one eye affects co-ordination and increases the risk of falls.

"The actions of the PCTs are simply unacceptable. There is a moral imperative to save the sight of people where we can. It also makes no economic sense to deny treatment. The cost of supporting people with sight loss far outweighs the cost of treatment."

In West Yorkshire patients are given laser treatment but if this fails they are only given the new drugs after there has been total sight loss in one eye and the other shows sign of disease.

Dr Graham Wardman, director of public health for Calderdale, said the policy was an interim measure in the absence of guidance from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice).

Patients in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw are given laser treatment on the first eye. If the condition develops in the second eye, the new drugs are available.

In Hull, health chiefs have received no requests for the new drugs but any would be considered by their exceptional treatment panel.

Health chiefs in Bradford said: "Until the treatment has been clinically evaluated by Nice, we feel we are following the appropriate process while ensuring that patients' needs are met to the best of our ability."

Background: Innocent victims of drug rationing policy

Have you struggled to get drugs for AMD? Call the Yorkshire Post on 0113 238 8427.
Last Updated: 28 April 2007

[Ms. Kathy]

War vet faces blindness and his disabled wife a care home after NHS drug rationing
Source Link: Daily Mail (UK): www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?
By DANIEL MARTIN

Last updated at 00:21am on 1st May 2007


Fearing the future: Dennis Devier and his wife Frances, both 84


A war veteran has been refused sight-saving drugs on the NHS - even though the decision means his disabled wife may have to go into care.

Dennis Devier, 84, is blind in one eye and faces going blind in the other.

His wife Frances, who has suffered two broken hips, is totally dependent on him and would be unable to cope if he lost his sight.


Two thirds of doctors think service is no better than 10 years ago

But Mr Devier's local primary care trust has refused him access to the drug Lucentis, saying he is not an "exceptional" case.

He has been forced to spend £8,000 of their life savings to pay for four courses of the treatment, but he is running out of money.

Mr Devier, who served with RAF Bomber Command, said : "It is completely outrageous. I've put into the NHS for 41 years of my working life - what else do they want?

"If I'm not an exceptional case, I don't know who is.

"If I go blind, it's going to cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds more - it's complete madness.

"My wife and I are worried sick. If the situation doesn't change, we will be totally devastated."

Mrs Devier, also 84, said: "Goodness knows what will happen to me if he goes blind. I try not to even think about it.

"When you've been married for 60 years you stick to each other."

Mr Devier, from Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, was diagnosed last June with a condition called wet age-related macular degeneration.

It is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK and can lead to blindness in as little as three months.

Although Lucentis is licensed for use in the UK, it has not yet been approved by the Government's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

If it gets the go-ahead, all PCTs will have to provide it. Until then, each trust can make its own decision and many may be unable to afford the cost.

Mr Devier's local trust, Oxfordshire, says it considers funding only if "exceptional circumstances for an individual patient have been demonstrated".

Mrs Devier cannot stand up for any length of time and her husband does all the cooking and shopping. He even helps her dress and wash. The couple have no family and no one else to rely on.

Steve Winyard, head of campaigns at the Royal National Institute for the Blind, said: "This is a desperate situation for Mr Devier. His PCT is leaving him to go blind. It makes you wonder who on earth can qualify for treatment.

"We hear of more and more cases where patients are forced to use retirement funds or savings to pay for treatments that should be readily available on the NHS.

"People who can't afford private treatment face going blind unnecessarily."

Tom Bremridge, chief executive of the Macular Disease Society, said: "It's outrageous that in this day and age Mr Devier faces losing his sight to a treatable condition.

"PCTs need to provide funding for treatments so that we can put an end to avoidable sight loss."

Each year, some 26,000 people in the UK develop wet AMD. Around 250,000 have the condition.

Last month, a couple from Wiltshire were told to choose which of them should have sight-saving drugs after their PCT said it could afford to pay for only one.

The Health Department said last night that NICE was still appraising Lucentis but doctors should prescribe it if they believed it was the right treatment and the PCT agreed.

A spokesman said: "Funding should not be withheld simply because of a lack of guidance from NICE."

[Ms. Kathy]

Fish 'can lower risk of blindness in old age'
By Amy Iggulden
Last Updated: 1:45am BST 15/05/2007
Source Link: Telegraph.co.uk www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/15/nhealth315.xml

Eating fish or taking vitamin D supplements can lower the risk of going blind in old age, according to two new studies.

Researchers investigating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the main cause of blindness in Britain, found that people eating more than two servings of fish rich in Omega-3 fats cut their risk of developing AMD by 40 per cent, according to Dr John Paul SanGiovanni, who carried out the study for the National Eye Institute in America.

Omega-3 fats form compounds that protect the cells in the retina.

advertisementAMD can be treated with drugs, but NHS rationing means sufferers have been forced to go without.

A second report today suggested that Vitamin D could protect against AMD. Researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey questioned more than 7,750 people about their lifestyle and food intake.

They concluded that people with the highest levels of vitamin D had a 40 per cent lower risk of going blind.

The study says: "This provides evidence that vitamin D may protect against AMD.

However, there is insufficient evidence of the relationship to make recommendations." Winfried Amoaku, a consultant opthalmologist at Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham and spokesman for the Royal College of Opthalmologists, said: "We know fish oil is protective. I can't think of any scientific reason why vitamin D would offer protection. "

Both studies are published today in the Archives of Opthalmology.

[Ms. Kathy]

Innovative Device Offers Proactive Approach for Preventing Blindness: MacuScopeTM Assesses Risk of Developing Macular Degeneration, Aids in Prevention
Source Link:http://www.pr.com/press-release/74388


West Bloomfield, MI, March 01, 2008 --(PR.com)-- MacuChek, a medical technology company based in West Bloomfield, Mich., has pioneered a device that is the first available to eye care professionals to aid in the prevention of the leading cause of legal blindness, macular degeneration which affects approximately 30 million worldwide.

The first commercially available, scientifically validated instrument that accurately measures macular protective pigment density, the MacuScope™ assesses a patient’s risk of developing macular degeneration, decades before symptoms begin. With increasing lifespan and an aging population, the number of people affected by the disease is expected to double in the next 20 to 30 years.

The MacuScope™ will be displayed at SECO International 2008 (booth #153) in Atlanta from February 28 – March 2, 2008.

“Early detection of macular degeneration and its major risk factors, prior to symptomatology, as well as monitoring their status are critical to preserving a patient’s vision. This opportunity has not been possible until now,” said Dr. David Segel, president and CEO of MacuChek. “The MacuScope™ provides patients with a new sense of hope and should alleviate a patient’s greatest fear, the possibility of going blind.”

Macular degeneration, the leading cause of legal blindness, is caused by damage to the delicate macular tissues. It can severely affect a person’s central vision, making it difficult to read, drive or perform other activities that require sight. It is a disease with both genetic and environmental components and is without cure.

Following a painless, non-invasive and brief examination, the MacuScope™, is able to quantify macular protective pigment density changes (MPPD) in the macula and then categorizes patients as either high-risk or low-risk for developing macular degeneration. Proactive treatment programs using ocular supplements, like LMZ3, to re-pigment the macula are then developed by an eye-care professional for patients at high risk of developing the disease in an attempt to manage the macular protective pigment deficiency. Research has proven that treatment with specific ocular supplements can increase macular protective pigment density by up to 40 percent within six months.

“There was a recent case in Ireland where the MacuScopeTM was used in assessing and treating a patient who was told he would be blind within a year,” Segel said. “Through the proper combination of MacuScopeTM screenings and corresponding dosage of ocular supplements, LMZ3 (MacuShield in Europe), he has been able to regain his sight and begin driving again within six months.”

MacuScopeTM is currently being used in 21 states throughout the United States. It is also available in Canada, Europe and will soon be accessible to eye care professionals in China and Korea. For more information on MacuScope™, please call 1-800-404-4170, or visit www.macuscope.com.

About MacuScopeTM
The MacuScopeTM, developed by MacuChek, is the proactive solution for preventing macular degeneration. It is the first commercial instrument available that accurately measures macular protective pigment density in order to proactively treat the major risk factor for macular degeneration – decreased macular pigment. The MacuScopeTM is registered with the FDA as a class 1 exempt device and is manufactured in an FDA-approved facility to standards set by the FDA. The MacuScopeTM meets comparable medical and safety guidelines worldwide. It has been validated in research laboratories by reproducing the same protective pigment densities as other research companions. For more information, visit www.macuscope.com.