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NEW TREATMENTS FOR MACULAR DEGENERATION

With the aging of the American population, we will certainly see an increase in age-related macular degeneration. This degenerative disease causes the central retina or macula to deteriorate. A good illustration of the resulting vision loss is seen below:

	Normal vision
	With Macular Degeneration

There are two types of age-related macular degeneration, wet and dry. Dry degeneration generally causes less vision loss and is only treatable with supplements like Ocuvite, Preservision and I-Vite. These treatments generally include: Vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, zinc and possibly lutein.

The more devastating wet degeneration occurs when new vessel growth breaks through a barrier membrane and causes disruption of the sensitive retinal receptors. Fortunately, there are treatments that will stabilize or slow down the progression of the vision loss. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000, Visudyne is a light-activated drug that is injected into the bloodstream. The drug is activated when a “cold” laser beam is directed at the undesirable new vessels that now contain the drug. The light-activation destroys the unwanted vessels. The treatments need to be done every two months and become less effective in the second year after initial diagnosis.

Macugen is the first anti-vascular endothelia growth factor therapy. This drug is injected into the vitreous or the large chamber toward the back of the eye. The drug creeps into the fragile new vessels that have grown into the retina and destroys them. Like Visudyne it helps to stabilize the vision loss, but it also becomes less effective with time. 

Lucentis is another anti-VEGF injectable drug similar to Macugen that was approved by the FDA in June 2006. Retaane is a new drug that has yet to be approved by the FDA. It also works on the principal of inhibiting the growth of new vessels. It has the advantage of being injected behind the eye rather than directly into the eye. Evizon is made from dogfish sharks. It is injected intravenously, but don’t look for FDA approval very soon.

For additional information on age-related macular degeneration visit the National Institutes of Health site at:   http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/maculardegen/armd_facts.asp

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