Press ReleaseJuly 18, 2007Researchers have found a gene variant that can more than double the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).The researchers based their findings on studies of patients with AMD (603 from England and 244 from Scotland) who were compared with 701 unaffected people. They found that a variant in the complement C3 gene [Read More]
Category: Research and Developments
Exercise May Protect Against Wet AMD
by Dan Roberts November 2006 A study at the University of Wisconsin has shown that regular exercise may help to prevent the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As reported in the November 2006 issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology, the study monitored almost 4,000 people between the ages of 43 and 86 over [Read More]
Drusen Lasering
by Dan Roberts (Updated 11/4/06) Drusen are thought to be fatty waste products from the photoreceptor cells. They often appear on the macula (the center of the retina) in the early stages of Macular Degeneration, and they can cause gradual loss of central vision. “Hard” drusen are common in aging eyes, and do not necessarily [Read More]
Discovery of HTRA1 Gene Provides Potential Marker for AMD
by Dan Roberts October 2006 The protein Complement Factor H (CFH) has previously been found to play a role in the development of soft confluent drusen leading to AMD (see “CFH and CFB Proteins May Lead to AMD”). CFH has implicated inflammation as part of the AMD pathogenesis, and now, discovery of a new gene [Read More]
Abortion Drug Offers Hope for People with Central Serous Chorioretinopathy
(Updated August 18, 2018) An abortion drug known as ru486 is showing potential as a treatment for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), a condition which can lead to loss of central vision. The drug, also called mifepristone, blocks the action of progesterone, a hormone necessary to sustain pregnancy. It is also a potent antiglucocorticoid agent. Glucocorticoids [Read More]