by Dan Roberts As reported in the Aug. 28, 2008 online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers have found a genetic link associated with dry AMD. That’s the good news. The bad news is that siRNA drug therapy may increase the risk for dry AMD in patients who have that genetic variant. [Read More]
Category: Research and Developments
Summary of Research and Developments in Macular Degeneration: 2007-2008
Compiled and edited by Dan Roberts JUNE 2007 Omega-3 Proving to be Beneficial on Several Fronts Recent studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids and fish consumption may reduce the risks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation and depression. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group showed that dietary total Omega-3 and [Read More]
Gene Therapy Breakthrough
by Dan Roberts April 28, 2008 According to two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine*, doctors have, for the first time, used gene replacement therapy to restore vision in patients with Leber’s congenital amaurosis. Leber’s syndrome is a form of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) that affects children and often leads to blindness by [Read More]
Müller Cells May Restore Sight
by Dan Roberts March 19, 2008 Over the past several years, scientists have been taking an interest in certain cells within the patient’s own eyes as having the potential to transform into stem-like (progenitor) cells. Called Müller glial cells, they would then migrate to damaged areas of the retina and replace dead cells, restoring vision [Read More]
Robo-4 and Slit2 May Team Up Against Wet AMD
by Dan Roberts March 17, 2008 “Robo-4” sounds like a movie by Arnold Schwarzenegger, but in this case, it is a link to another potential treatment for wet AMD. Short for “Roundabout,” Robo-4 is a protein receptor found on the surface of blood vessel cells. When it binds with another protein called Slit2, the combination [Read More]