A report published in Review of Optometry on November 5, 2018 announced research* showing that non-anemic patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) who take oral iron supplements may be at risk of retinal/subretinal hemorrhage. Researchers have found that use of oral iron supplements was significantly associated with retinal/subretinal hemorrhage at baseline in patients with [Read More]
Category: Research and Developments
Genentech’s Faricimab for Wet AMD May Greatly Extend Time Between Injections
(Updated May 13, 2020) Genentech has announced positive results from the Phase II STAIRWAY study which explored the extended durability of faricimab (RG7716) in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). At 52 weeks, faricimab patients dosed either every 16 weeks or every 12 weeks demonstrated sustained vision outcomes comparable to Lucentis (ranibizumab) dosed [Read More]
Possible Cause of Charles Bonnet Syndrome Discovered
Researchers at the University of Queensland have found an association between Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) and abnormally heightened activity in the visual cortex of the brain. The findings were published October 25, 2018 in the journal Current Biology. According to the researchers, up to 40% of people with loss of vision experience hallucinations, which are [Read More]
Second Trial Showing Efficacy for Stem Cell Treatment of Dry AMD
A second trial begun in 2018 is showing positive results with replacing defective cells leading to vision loss from dry (geographic) macular degeneration. Implanted cells derived from stem cells have been implanted into five patients by researchers from University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Results at one year have [Read More]
Gout Associated With Increased Risk of AMD
A recent study by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, has looked into the association between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and gout. Gout is a form of arthritis resulting from inflammation in the joints caused by the build-up of uric acid crystals and is associated with oxidative stress. The main [Read More]