Echothiophate (ECHO) Therapy Causes a Stir in the Low Vision Community

by Dan Roberts November 2003 (Updated January 29, 2009) A Connecticut ophthalmologist has been reporting success from a deceptively simple treatment on patients with Stargardt’s disease and other non-neovascular forms of retinal disease. Dr. Gerard Michael Nolan has performed the treatment, called ECHO therapy, for nearly three years on more than 200 patients at the [Read More]

Intraocular Injections and Eye Pain

by Dan Roberts November 2006 Some people have been reporting considerable pain and/or conjunctival hemorrhaging (eye redness) following intraocular injections of anti-angiogenic drugs (Macugen, Lucentis and off-label Avastin) for wet AMD. Most patients, however, are reporting nothing more than some discomfort. The following information has been gathered from patients who have undergone the procedure. In [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]

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]

Biocurrent Therapy: A Promising Treatment for Dry AMD

by Dan Roberts with additional material by Wendy Strouse Watt, O.D. Originally Published October 26, 2005 Acuity Medical has successfully completed a proof of concept, double-masked trial of its TheraMac™ device for the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The therapy developed from early studies of microcurrent stimulation, with improvements in the science and [Read More]