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Central Florida Retina promotes awareness and education wherever possible. We encourage you to check back often for news and upcoming events.
08/06/2010
Subject: Early Stage Macular Degeneration Linked to Modifiable Risk Factors
Early-stage age-related macular degeneration appears to be related to modifiable risk factors, including smoking and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol)...more
Klein R, et al “The prevalence of age-related macular degeneration and associated risk factors” Arch Ophthalmol 2010; 128: 750-58. -Elements4Health 2010
08/06/2010
Subject: Macular Degeneration Hope
Most of us think that sight is the most important of ours senses. But many of us lose our eyesight as we grow older. So researchers are looking at the genetic basis of the eye hoping to discover new ways to tackle age-related eye diseases...more
Professor Walter Gehring: Reasearch-Macular Degeneration Hope euronews.net 2009-2010.
07/27/2010
Subject: Central Florida Retina now offers new Macula Risk® (AMD) genetic testing.
What Is AMD?
AMD stands for Age-Related Macular Degeneration a hereditary & progressive disease associated with aging. AMD gradually destroys your central vision and impairs your ability to perform common daily tasks such as reading, driving or watching television. Any child of an affected parent could inherit AMD. The sooner genetic predisposition is determined, the sooner they can begin their own monitoring and treatment programs. Protect your family. Detection through genetic screening is the first step to give you and your loved ones the best chance to prevent vision loss from AMD. Contact us for more information.
To check your risk of AMD
click here
07/27/2010
Subject: Central Florida Retina is a proud sponsor of the Central Florida Society of Optometric Physicians 2010 EyeMed Symposium.
This annual event brings optometrists from throughout Central Florida for a 3 day educational meeting that addresses leading treatments and innovative strategies in the ophthalmic community. Central Florida Retina
is looking forward to being a part of this educational weekend and furthering the advancement of eye care throughout the Central Florida Region. For more information, please visit cfsop.org
07/27/2010
Subject: Current Treatment of Macular Degeneration
The treatment of “wet” macular degeneration has changed dramatically during the last ten years. Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels develop in the central part of the retina, called the macula. These blood vessels are weak and prone to leakage and hemorrhage. Although wet macular degeneration accounts for only 10% of all patients with macular degeneration, it is responsible for 90% of severe visual loss. Macular degeneration is still the most common cause of legal blindness in Americans over 65 years of age, but significant progress has been made with newer treatments.
For many years laser photocoagulation was the only treatment for the leakage
and bleeding associated with wet macular degeneration. Unfortunately it left secondary scarring, which in many cases prevented any improvement in vision. Approximately ten years ago laser treatment was mostly replaced with photodynamic therapy, although improvement in vision was still rare.
In photodynamic therapy an inactive medication (Visudyne) is given
intravenously, and is carried by the normal circulation to the leaking blood
vessels.
The medication is then activated with a “cold” laser which does not
leave
scarring, and the activated medication then constricts the abnormal vessels.
In recent years, newer medications such as Lucentis and Avastin, have significantly improved the visual results compared with earlier treatments. These medications are injected directly into the eye and counteract vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is thought to stimulate the growth of the abnormal blood vessel seen in macular degeneration. With this treatment 90% of patients have stabilization of their vision, and 30% can show a significant improvement. Unfortunately the treatment is not a cure, and similar to other conditions such as high blood pressure, continued treatment is usually necessary to maintain maximum benefit.
Our practice continues to participate in National Clinical Research Trials designed to identify newer and better treatments for macular degeneration. It is important that patients with dry macular degeneration monitor their vision with Amsler grid testing and report changes promptly. The best visual results in macular degeneration occur with early detection and treatment of leakage. Once scarring has developed in the macula treatment becomes less effective.
If you do notice visual changes on self-examination, please contact your primary eye doctor at once.
For more information you may call our
office
at 800.255.7188
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John C. Olson, MD
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07/27/2010
Subject: Nature And Nurture Variables Early Predictors Of AMD Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
Rockville, MD – Like many diseases, causes for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can be categorized as either "nature" or "nurture". Researchers think these factors, when used in the proper model, can be strong predictors of the disease.
AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older
A study published in the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology's peer-reviewed Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science ("Prediction Model for Prevalence and Incidence of Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration Based on Genetic, Demographic and Environmental Variables") shows that multiple genetic, ocular and environmental factors, including six genetic variants, age, smoking and body mass index heavily contribute to the incidence of AMD. Because all of these factors are related to AMD, they were combined and used to develop a predictive and possibly diagnostic model.
"The determinants of the model can be assessed by completing a questionnaire and taking a blood test, and it is a tool which could be used to help guide prevention and treatments" said lead author and principal investigator, Johanna M. Seddon, MD, ScM, Professor of Ophthalmology at Tufts University School of Medicine and Director of the Ophthalmic Epidemiology and Genetics Service at Tufts Medical Center. "Such information may be also be useful for screening those at high risk of AMD due to a ositive family history or having signs of early or intermediate disease even among those with normal vision," the study says.
Over 1,400 individuals in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) with an average follow-up time of 6.3 years were evaluated, and genetic specimens were genotyped in the collaborator's lab in Boston. Both prevalence and development of advanced dry and wet AMD over the course of the study were included in the analyses. Researchers found all tested variables to be independently associated with AMD. The predictive power of the variables in the formula was very high, and the probability that the risk score based on the group of factors in that model for a progressor was higher than the corresponding risk score for a random non-progressor within the same 10 year age roup was 83%.
Their research also shows that although AMD has a strong genetic component, healthy behaviors can modify your genetic susceptibility. For example, among individuals with one genotype, the homozygous C3 risk genotype, the likelihood of progression to the advanced form of AMD increased from about three-fold for nonsmokers to nearly 10-fold for smokers.
"Our algorithm could help with the selection of study participants for treatment trials and could one day enable doctors to choose the most efficacious treatment for individual patients," Dr. Seddon said. "It also gives any older person concerned about AMD, or any patient with early stages or a family history of AMD, even more incentive to avoid risk factors such as smoking and excessive weight."
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science is a peer-reviewed publication of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).
ARVO is the largest eye and vision research organization in the world. Members include more than 12,000 eye and vision researchers from 73 countries. The Association encourages and assists research, training, publication and dissemination of knowledge in vision and ophthalmology. For more information, visit arvo.org.
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