The human’s natural immune system (called complement) has been found to be associated with the severity of COVID disease in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study published in Nature Medicine. A hyperactive complement system is known to be directly related to development of AMD. In a retrospective observational study of [Read More]
Author: Dan Roberts
New Drug For Wet AMD Should Be Used With Caution
Beovu (brolucizumab) for wet AMD is the newest anti-VEGF drug on the market. It has been shown to be an effective and long-lasting inhibitor of blood vessel development (neovascularization) in the retina. The drug’s manufacturer has, however, been recently investigating incidences of severe intraocular inflammation (vasculitis) and retinal artery occlusion that were reported after their product [Read More]
Are some patients with CNV unresponsive to anti-VEGF?
Since 2004, anti-VEGF drug injections have been shown to be highly effective in suppressing choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in the retinas of people with wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. They have also been shown to suppress further CNV for as long as 12 weeks, depending upon the drug being used and the disease state [Read More]
Telehealth usage increases during COVID-19
A survey of 2,000 adults in the U.S. has shown that 42% have used telehealth services in place of their regular in-person visits to eye clinics since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Telehealth is a service made available by way of telecommunication devices like computers and smart phones. Using this recent [Read More]
OpRegen® for geographic atrophy maintains positive results
Lineage Cell Therapeutics (originally BioTime, Inc.) has announced positive results with its experimental OpRegen® therapy for geographic atrophy (GA), the advanced stage of dry macular degeneration. The company began enrolling and treating U.S.-based patients in 2017 under David S. Boyer, M.D. (Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group, Los Angeles) and H. Richard McDonald, M.D., (West Coast Retina [Read More]