Sufferers of Wet Macular Degeneration Have Hope

Article

FDA Approves New Therapy

ROCKVILLE, MD-A therapy which slows vision loss of people with "wet" age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). AMD, a retinal disease that is the major cause of blindness in people over 60 years old, is caused by the growth of abnormal leaky blood vessels, which damage the macula. The macula is the eye area responsible for the central field of vision as opposed to peripheral vision. If not treated, people with AMD can become functionally blind within two years. Though the FDA approved therapy, marketed as Visudyne therapy, does not stop or cure AMD, it slows the degenerating process. The therapy is a two-step process. First, an injection of Visudyne is injected into the patient's arm. Second, a laser light is shined into the patient's eye for 90 seconds. The laser activates the drug affecting the blood vessels and slowing the leak of fluid.

Visudyne therapy will be manufactured by QLT PhotoTherapeutics Inc. and marketed by CIBA Vision Corporation, the eye care unit of Novartis AG.

Related Videos
Patient Safety: Infection Control Today's Trending Topic for March
Infection Control Today® (ICT®) talks with John Kimsey, vice president of processing optimization and customer success for Steris.
Picture at AORN’s International Surgical Conference & Expo 2024
Infection Control Today and Contagion are collaborating for Rare Disease Month.
Rare Disease Month: An Infection Control Today® and Contagion® collaboration.
Vaccine conspiracy theory vector illustration word cloud  (Adobe Stock 460719898 by Colored Lights)
Rare Disease Month: An Infection Control Today® and Contagion® collaboration.
Infection Control Today Topic of the Month: Mental Health
Infection Control Today's topic of the month: Mental Health
Related Content