Experts Hail New Eye Treatment

Ophthalmologists hailed the Food and Drug Administration's approval of a new drug and laser therapy for preventing vision loss from one of the leading causes of blindness in older people. Final FDA OK of Visudyne therapy is seen as a major breakthrough for treatment of "wet age-related macular degeneration," or AMD.

The FDA approved Visudyne therapy to treat AMD in patients with the more severe wet form of the disease. It can destroy a person's ability to read and recognize loved ones' faces in a few months.

AMD is characterized by the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the eye. Fluid leaking from the blood vessels causes scarring and loss of central vision. As patients loose their ability to see straight on, they rely on their peripheral vision.

"This is the first major advance in the treatment for this type of macular degeneration," said Dr. Paul Sternberg Jr., an Emory University retinal specialist. "Before, very little could be done to prevent vision loss in people with this form of AMD," added Sternberg, also a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Initially, the treatment can be used for about 20 percent to 40 percent of patients with wet AMD, Sternberg said. In the outpatient procedure, the drug Visudyne is injected into the arm, then concentrates in abnormal blood vessels behind the retina. A laser light activates the drug in the affected area, closing abnormal blood vessels and sealing off the leakage without damaging the surrounding area.

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