FTC Stops Deceptive Claims About Stem Cell Therapy

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Dan Roberts

October 22, 2018

FTC Stops Deceptive Claims About Stem Cell Therapy

California companies lacked scientific evidence that their “amniotic stem cell therapy” could treat or cure macular degeneration and other serious diseases. A California-based physician and the two companies he controls have settled charges of deceptively advertising that “amniotic stem cell therapy” can treat serious diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, autism, macular degeneration, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, […]

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Suffering From Dry Eye?

Posted on July 2, 2018December 23, 2018 by droberts

July 2, 2018

Suffering From Dry Eye?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of visual impairment in people over age 60. Because it affects millions of senior adults, it deserves a great deal of attention. Another common condition also deserving of consideration is dry eye. Dry eye often accompanies AMD, but only because it most commonly affects the same […]

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Summary of Research and Development — 2018

Posted on May 19, 2018January 12, 2019 by droberts

May 19, 2018

Summary of Research and Development — 2018

Transcript of a presentation to the International Low Vision Support Group June 2018 Dan Roberts, Director Select this link for audio-visual format INTRODUCTION This is our 13th annual summary of leading research and developments occuring during the past 12 months in the fields of blindness and low vision. Sources for further information will appear beneath […]

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FDA Approves First Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Dystrophy

Posted on December 20, 2017 by droberts

December 20, 2017

FDA Approves First Gene Therapy for Inherited Retinal Dystrophy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Luxturna (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl), a new gene therapy developed by Spark Therapeutics, to treat an inherited form of vision loss that can result in blindness. The most prevalent inherited retinal dystrophies are retinitis pigmentosa (RP), Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) and Stargardt disease (SD), all of which have […]

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Can Retinal Degenerative Diseases Cause Headaches?

Posted on September 16, 2017 by droberts

September 16, 2017

Can Retinal Degenerative Diseases Cause Headaches?

by Dan Roberts Retinal diseases are not, in themselves, painful. Prolonged ultra-close viewing, however, is often practiced by people with visual impairment. That can cause headaches of the type reported by some members of our low vision community. Generally referred to as eye strain, such discomfort may be caused by stress on the large medial […]

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Anti-VEGF Treatment Should Not Be Expected to Improve Vision

Posted on June 29, 2017January 12, 2019 by droberts

June 29, 2017

Anti-VEGF Treatment Should Not Be Expected to Improve Vision

Clearing up a misunderstanding Anti-VEGF drugs for treating wet age-related macular degeneration are highly successful at inhibiting neovascularization, but they are limited to that alone. Clinical trials for Lucentis (ranibizumab) and Eylea (aflibercept) are showing better than 90% success at blocking the growth factors responsible for uncontrolled blood vessel growth into the retina, and off-label […]

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Summary of Research and Developments–2017

Posted on May 23, 2017January 12, 2019 by droberts

May 23, 2017

Summary of Research and Developments–2017

Presentation to the International Low Vision Support Group June 1, 2017 Dan Roberts INTRODUCTION This is my 12th annual summary of leading research and developments occuring during the past 12 months in the fields of blindness and low vision. Sources for further information will appear beneath each topic heading, but for the sake of brevity, […]

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Bright Flash Retinal Photography–a Thing of the Past

Posted on February 27, 2017 by droberts

February 27, 2017

Bright Flash Retinal Photography–a Thing of the Past

by Dan Roberts (Macular Degeneration Support) and Liz Trauernicht (Macular Degeneration Foundation) OCT and nonmydriatic technologies are lessening discomfort and risk of eye exams. MD Support and MD Foundation communicate with thousands of patients who undergo periodic eye exams for diagnosis and treatment of macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other chronic diseases. Many have […]

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Lucentis® Approved for Myopic Macular Degeneration

Posted on January 6, 2017 by droberts

January 6, 2017

Lucentis® Approved for Myopic Macular Degeneration

Genentech has announced FDA approval for Lucentis® as a treatment for patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) resulting from myopic macular degeneration (MMD), also known as myopic degeneration. Severe myopia (near-sightedness) can cause uncorrectable central vision impairment, and it may advance to total central vision loss from CNV, which is growth and leakage of blood vessels […]

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For Some, Switching ANTI-VEGF Treatments Midstream Could Be Harmful

Posted on June 9, 2016 by droberts

June 9, 2016

For Some, Switching ANTI-VEGF Treatments Midstream Could Be Harmful

Switching from Lucentis to Eylea could result in worsening of the retinal condition of some people with wet (exudative) AMD. Since the advent of anti-VEGF drug treatments for wet AMD, research has verified that blood vessel growth and leakage (neovascularization) usually diminishes in patients who are switched from either Lucentis or Avastin to Eylea. A small […]

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FTC Stops Deceptive Claims About Stem Cell Therapy