Local Providers Advance AMD Research

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United States. A new study that was published in the November/December 2006 issue of Retina found that people with AMD are required to use more caregiver services costing anywhere from $225.00 to $47,086.00 depending on the severity of AMD. There are two forms of AMD, dry and wet. Dry AMD is the most common type of AMD and accounts for 90 percent of those suffering from AMD. Wet AMD accounts for the other 10 percent. Dry is typically first diagnosed when signs of drusen, tiny accumulations of extracellular material that build up in Bruch’s membrane of the eye, are found in the periphery of the macula. Wet occurs when the abnormal blood vessels in the macula leak clear fluid or blood, which leads to scarring in the macula and eventually blindness. Recent evidence suggests that lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids found in a variety of colored fruits and green leafy vegetables, may protect against macular degeneration. Local area providers are making advances in the research and development of pharmaceuticals to treat AMD. John O. Mason, III, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology at UAB and a physician at Retina Consultants of Alabama says there are two major advancements for both the wet and dry forms of macular degeneration that are providing results never seen before. New injectable drugs for wet AMD and high dosages of zinc and lutein are providing patients suffering from AMD the best chance to maintain their eyesight. Lucentis® (ranibizumab injection) is an FDA-approved prescription treatment developed for the treatment of wet macular degeneration. It was designed to do more than just help maintain vision, but to actually improve vision. Approximately 40 percent of the patients receiving Lucentis had significant improvement of at least three more lines on the eye chart. Although serious side effects related to the injection procedure are rare, like other injections given into the eye, serious eye infection (endophthalmitis) and detached retina may occur when using Lucentis. Additionally, an increase in eye pressure has been seen within one hour of an injection. Avastin® (bevacizumab), a derivative of Lucentis, is being explored as a therapy for wet AMD. Early study results of Avastin, which is injected directly in the eye, have been encouraging. In addition, the cost of this treatment is significantly less than the other anti-VEGF drugs. However, further studies are needed to determine its safety and effectiveness. Macular Health LLC, based in Gardendale, was developed with the help of an ophthalmologist who has a family history of age-related macular degeneration. Jeffery McAnnally, the company’s CEO and president, founded Macular Health four years ago. Today, Macular Health’s products are sold throughout the United States and the company is a leader in the ophthalmic nutriceutical industry. Macular Health has partnered with a University of Alabama retina surgeon to develop a vitamin treatment for dry AMD. Last fall, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recognized the results of a Macular Health study, the Multi-Focal Electro-Retinogram or (MERG) Study, as the first of its kind. In doing so, the Academy approved Macular Health’s vitamin claims, which is an encouraging development for the local company. The study, which was conducted at the UAB Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital, found that patients with the dry form of AMD who were placed on the Macular Health eye vitamin for 12 weeks, had a 16 percent improvement in macular function. These types of high dosage vitamin treatments hold promise for lowering healthcare costs. In a study done in October 2002, Sanjay Sharma, MD, a Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario) researcher, found that prescribing high doses of vitamin supplements to aging baby boomers could save the North American healthcare system more than $1.5 billion over the next 10 years, mostly as a result of the anticipated reduction in demand for more expensive technologies used to treat wet macular degeneration. July 2007