by Dan Roberts January 2002 (Updated February 2006) Researchers at Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute have been able to successfully slow blood vessel growth in laboratory mice in two different experiments involving injection of genes, and human trials have begun. In one study (Mori, K., et al., “Inhibition of Choroidal Neovascularization by Intravenous Injection of [Read More]
News
Drusen Fragments May Lead to Wet AMD
by Dan Roberts February 2006 Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati (University of Kentucky HealthCare physician and Associate Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences), has announced that his lab has identified fragments of two known components of drusen that may be the cause of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) progressing to the [Read More]
Gene Therapy Successful in Halting CNV
by Dan Roberts Researchers have been able to halt (at least temporarily) choroidal neovascularization (CNV) with gene replacement therapy. This was done by single injections into the eyeballs of patients during a phase I clinical trial. Here is more detail, as reported on January 17, 2006 by Genetic Engineering News (www.genengnews.com): Clinical Trial on Gene [Read More]
SmartSight: Making the Most of Remaining Vision
Information for Patients from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Reprinted with permission) Is it difficult for you to read the newspaper, see price tags or set dials? Are you bothered by glare? If you answered “yes” to any of these, then SmartSight is for you. Making the most of the vision you have is smart. [Read More]
Bacterial Infection Linked to AMD
by Dan Roberts (Updated November 13, 2005) According to a report in the April 2003 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology (2003;121:478-482.), the bacterium Chlamydia pneumoniae may lead to a higher risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The researchers found that people with AMD tend to carry higher levels of antibodies targeted against C. pneumoniae, [Read More]