Category: Medical Updates

A Class-Action Lawsuit Against CVS Yields a Decision: Not All Eye Health and Macular Degeneration Supplements Are Equally Effective

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Health , In the News , Low Vision , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates
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Many VisionAware readers write to us, inquiring about the effectiveness of supplements for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Many readers also request clarification of the claims made by companies that produce a now-staggering array of eye health supplements: Do these supplements cure AMD? Do they slow its progression? Can they prevent it from developing? Do … Continued

Readers Beware: Are All Clinical Trials Legitimate? Learn What to Look for and How to Protect Yourself

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Clinical Trials , In the News , Low Vision , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates
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Of all the eye research developments reported on the VisionAware blog, it is stem cell research for eye disease that generates the most inquiries from our readers. Many readers request information about stem cells, assuming that this is an established and widely-performed treatment for eye disease; others ask for help in finding a doctor who … Continued

The Reality and Costs of Gene Therapy for Eye Disease: Who Will (or Can) Pay?

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Clinical Trials , Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy , Gene Therapy , In the News , Low Vision , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates , Personal Reflections , Retinitis Pigmentosa
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As our readers know, VisionAware is committed to providing current and reliable information about eye and vision research that is relevant to adults and older adults, many of whom experience late-life vision loss resulting in low vision. During the past several years, gene therapy has gained traction and offers promise for treating (but not yet … Continued

New Research: A Potential Eye Drop Treatment Could Take the Place of Injectable Drugs for Wet Macular Degeneration

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: In the News , Low Vision , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates
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Currently, there are a number of treatments for wet age-related macular degeneration, including the drugs Lucentis, Eylea, and Avastin, administered by injection with a very small needle directly into the eye after the surface has been numbed (also called “intra-vitreous injection”). From a patient’s point of view, however, the “gold standard” for treatment would be … Continued

Treating Macular Degeneration with Gene Therapy: New Research Shows Promise but Also Has Limitations

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Avastin , Clinical Trials , Eylea , Gene Therapy , Low Vision , Lucentis , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates
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Currently, there are a number of treatments for wet age-related macular degeneration, including the drugs Lucentis, Eylea, and Avastin, administered by injection with a very small needle directly into the eye after the surface has been numbed (also called “intra-vitreous injection”). There are also a number of treatments that have proven to be inconclusive or … Continued

New Genetic Research in Diabetes Identifies a Protein That May Stop or Reduce Abnormal Blood Vessel Growth in the Retina

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy , Gene Therapy , In the News , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates
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New genetic research in diabetes, led by a team from Harvard Medical School, has identified a potential new therapy targeting RUNX1 (explained below) that significantly reduced abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, which is a hallmark of advanced diabetic eye disease. Although the research has been conducted only with “in vitro” (explained below) laboratory … Continued

Is It Possible to Identify and Treat Cell Damage from Glaucoma Much Earlier in the Course of the Disease? New Research Says Maybe

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Glaucoma , In the News , Medical Updates
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Glaucoma often is called “the sneak thief of sight” for good reason: Many people are unaware that glaucoma has few symptoms or warning signs in its early stages. Early treatment for glaucoma can sometimes (but not always) slow the progression of the disease. However, as of yet, there is no cure for glaucoma. Now, researchers … Continued

The FDA Approves Lucentis for the Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Clinical Trials , Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy , In the News , Low Vision , Lucentis , Medical Updates
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On April 17, 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval to the injectable drug Lucentis (generic name ranibizumab) for the treatment of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), a serious vision-related complication of diabetes. Previously, the FDA approved Lucentis for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME), a buildup of fluid in the … Continued

New Research: Emotional Support and Physician Communication Must Accompany Medical Treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Aging , Avastin , Caregiving , Eylea , In the News , Low Vision , Lucentis , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates , Support Groups
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Although the advent of anti-VEGF therapy (explained below), administered via eye injection with Lucentis, Eylea, or Avastin, has revolutionized the treatment (but not cure) of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), there remain a number of challenges associated with treatment, including the need for appropriate emotional support and development of effective coping strategies. A new study … Continued

Do the Brains of Blind Persons “Rewire” or Adjust to Significantly Enhance the Other Senses? New Research Says Yes

From: VisionAware Blog
Categories: Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy , Glaucoma , Health , In the News , Macular Degeneration , Medical Updates , Retinitis Pigmentosa , Technology
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An age-old question that surfaces regularly in my work is this one: “Is it true that blind people develop super senses, like extra-sensitive hearing or touch, to compensate for not being able to see?” A variation of the “super senses” question asks this: “Are the other senses truly enhanced, or do people without the sense … Continued

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