“Lookout” app now available for all Android devices

We reported here in March 2019 that Google had created a new Android app called Lookout to help the visually impaired. Similar to Microsoft’s Seeing AI for Apple devices, the application uses artificial intelligence (AI) combined with Talk Back to identify objects, read text, scan barcodes, and identify currencies. At that time, Lookout was available only for Google’s [Read More]

Gene therapy treatment for wet AMD shows positive results

(Updated 12/11/2020) REGENXBIO, Inc. has reported positive one year data from patients in Cohorts 4 and 5 of the Phase I/IIa trial of RGX-314 for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). As reported here in June 2017, RGX-314 is being developed as a one-time sub-retinal injection for wet AMD. It would be [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]

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]

Experimental stem cell treatment continues to maintain vision

A procedure reported here in March 2018 has been shown to continue being a safe and effective method for introducing stem cells into the retina. Eye researcher Professor Pete Coffey, who founded the London Project over a decade ago, has confirmed that two study patients have maintained improvements in their vision five years after surgery. [Read More]