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News, Links and Commentary

Sunday, October 30, 2005

NZ Study Into Sleep Patterns and Blindness 

Disrupted sleep patterns affect many people who are blind or vision impaired. Researchers in New Zealand hope to study the problem and find ways to alleviate it:


Researchers from The University of Auckland are about to begin a study to find how to better help blind and vision-impaired people manage the chronic sleeping disorders many face.

Dr Guy Warman, a lecturer at the Department of Anaesthesiology in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences is leading the study. He says they will investigate the prevalence of disturbances in the circadian rhythms of blind people, and how the hormone melatonin is being used to treat this.

"Although the primary problem associated with blindness is loss of vision, a secondary problem which can have a major impact on the health and well-being of blind people is the disruption of their sleep-wake cycles. This problem results from the inability of light to adjust their internal biological clock to a period 24 hours. As a result they can have disrupted sleep at night".

The study is funded by a grant from the Health Research Council of New Zealand and is being carried out in association with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB).
'Study to investigate sleep disturbances in blind and vision-impaired' (University of Auckland media release at Scoop, 25 October 2005).

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Saturday, October 29, 2005

Overview of Retinitis Pigmentosa Research 

Professor John Heckenlively from the University of Michigan gave a presentation on the current research into retinitis pigmentosa at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Read more in 'Promising Treatments for Retinitis Pigmentosa are in the Pipeline: Presented at AAO' (Doctor's Guide, 26 October 2005).

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Another Presentation on Avastin for Wet MD at AAO Meeting 

The potential of the drug Avastin (bevacizumab) in treating patients with wet age-related macular degeneration is covered again in Doctor's Guide. Dr Robert Avery, an ophthalmologist at the California Retinal Consultants and Research Foundation, presented findings from a study of patients treated for wet MD with Avastin at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.


"Our experience is limited by the small number of patients and the very short follow-up, but a rapid biologic effect is observed," Dr. Avery said. "It seems to penetrate the retina sufficiently for these effects."

He added that prospective clinical trials are needed to assess the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab. He noted that the long-term safety of this agent is not known.
'Intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin) Holds Promise for Retinal Vascular Diseases: Presented at AAO' (Doctor's Guide, 26 October 2005).

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Thursday, October 27, 2005

No Limits on Australian TV 

No Limits is a community television show about living life to the full with a disability. No Limits screens on Channel 31 in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide and there are three more episodes before the current season ends. Tapes of the show are also available from the No Limits Web site.

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Cataract Surgery Not Associated with Wet MD 

There is no association between cataract surgery and the wet form of age-related macular degeneration, according to findings of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) Research Group presented at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

According to Doctor's Guide, this research contradicts other studies into cataract surgery and wet AMD.


The differences between the various studies and whether there is a connection between AMD and cataracts "needs to be explained," said Frederick Ferris III, MD, Clinical Director, Epidemiology and Clinical Research, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States.
'AREDS Findings Suggest Cataract Surgery Not Associated with Progression to Neovascular AMD: Presented at the AAO'(Doctor's Guide, 26 October 2005).

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Sunday, October 23, 2005

Rheopheresis Treatment for Dry MD Study 

Researchers are studying patients in Canada and Germany who have the dry form of age-related macular degeneration and have received a treatment that filters their blood. The process is known as rheopheresis and preliminary results have been presented at the annual meeting of American Academy of Ophthalmology on Friday 14 October.



The immediate effect of the procedure is to reduce the plasma viscosity by 15% to 18%, explained Dr. Ronald Danis, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, United States. It is also believed to remove serum oxidative species that could accumulate in the Bruch's membrane and cause progressive damage to the neurons and retinal pigmented epithelium.
'Blood Filtration System a Novel Approach to Treating Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Presented at AAO' (Doctor's Guide, 21 October 2005).


According to Doctor's Guide, the study has found that visual acuity is improved in patients receiving the treatment, compared to patients receiving a sham treatment. Ophthalmologists also noted a reduction in the amount of drusen. The treatment may prevent dry macular degeneration from advancing to the wet form of the disease. Rheopheresis is expensive and invasive, however the researchers hope to learn more about the causes of macular degeneration from their studies.

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Saturday, October 22, 2005

Painting On 

A Massachusetts artist talks about his passion for painting, a passion that has not diminished since he lost his sight to retinitis pigmentosa, in '10 questions with Bernard Petruzziello, who paints with his mind's eye' (Lowell Sun, 21 October 2005).

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Friday, October 21, 2005

On Guard - A Unique Approach to Fundraising 

Inspired by four-year-old Toby Addison, who has retinitis pigmentosa, Mark Bissett, 33, stood on guard outside a Hertfordshire, UK, shopping centre for 12 hours - in the same spot and without rest breaks or refreshment - to raise money for the British Retinitis Pigmentosa Society. Fellow members of the Napoleonic Association expressed interest in joining Mark for another fundraiser next year. Great effort, Mark! Read the full story in 'Shoppers raise cash for Toby' (This Is Herfordshire, 20 October 2005).

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Thursday, October 20, 2005

Avastin Study Presented at Ophthalmology Meeting 

The use of cancer drug Avastin as a treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)was first mentioned in RetGen last month ('Wet MD - Lucentis Vs Avastin', 28 September 2005).

Doctor's Guide reports that Dr Philip Rosenfeld from the University of Miami Miller Medical School in the United States has presented the findings from a study into Avastin and AMD at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.


Dr. Rosenfeld and colleagues studied 40 patients who had severe AMD and who received a mean of 1.8 injections of Avastin each as salvage therapy.

Results show a mean decrease in retinal thickness of 104 microns, from 332 microns at baseline to 228 microns.

Patients also had an improvement in visual acuity, from a mean of 20/160 to 20/125, which corresponds to an increase of one line of visual acuity in 40% of subjects, Dr. Rosenfeld said.
'Controversial Study Uses Avastin (Bevacizumab) to Treat Age-related Macular Degeneration: Presented at AAO' (Doctor's Guide, 18 October 2005).


According to Doctor's Guide, the most signficant side effect of the Avastin treatment involved transient changes in blood pressure in a sub-set of 18 patients. Avastin may provide a cheaper alternative to wet AMD drugs Macugen and Lucentis.

WebMD Medical News' reports on the study and other drug treatments for AMD in 'New Eye Drugs Treat Macular Degeneration' (17 October 2005).

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Safety Trial Results for AMD Treatments 

Several companies trialing treatments for age-related macular degeneration chose to announce positive data or results from safety trials at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Chicago last weekend.

Media releases outlining the results for trials of Alcon, Inc's drug Retaane, Sirna Therapeutics short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecule Sirna-027, Genaera's Evizon (with Visudyne photodynamic therapy), and VisionCare's Implantable Miniature Telescope are linked to below.

'Safety of Alcon's RETAANE Suspension Confirmed at 24 Months; Data Supports Clinical Equivalence to VISUDYNE' (Alcon, Inc, PharmaLive, 13 October 2005).

'VisionCare Pivotal Study Shows Improved Vision and Quality of Life Outcomes in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration' (VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies, Inc., PRNewswire, 19 October 2005).

'Genaera Presents Positive Preliminary Clinical Results for EVIZON(TM) for Treatment of Age-Related Macular Degeneration at the Annual AAO Meeting' (Genaera, Yahoo! Finance, 19 October 2005).

'Results Presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Demonstrate Clinical Benefit of a siRNA Compound in Humans' (Sirna Therapeutics, PRNewswire, 19 October 2005).

The San Francisco Chronicle also reported last month that Sirna Therapeutics are now working with drug company Allergan on their treatment for wet macular degeneration ('Sirna teams up with Allergan Firms to develop new treatments for eye disorders', 30 September 2005).

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Tuesday, October 11, 2005

European Trial of Photrex for Wet MD 

Miravant Medical Technologies have announced a confirmatory Phase III clinical trial of their light-activated drug, Photrex (TM), also known as SnET2 and rostaporfin. Around 650 patients at 50 sites in the UK and Central and Eastern Europe, who have either the classic or occult forms of wet macular degeneration, will receive the treatment. The trial will be reviewed by the US Food and Drug Administration. More information is available in Miravant's media release, 'Miravant's Confirmatory Phase III Clinical Trial of PHOTREX(TM) in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration Is Underway' (10 October 2005, at Genetic Engineering News).

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Monday, October 10, 2005

Jungle Fever and Monkey Magic 

A new BBC television show challenges 11 people with disabilities to cross Nicaragua from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Amar Latif, who has retinitis pigmentosa and is registered blind, participated in the show, describing some of his experiences to BBC News:


"One of the magical moments was when we first arrived in the jungle.

"It was about 5pm and it suddenly got dark and then for the first time we could hear all around us these insects and birds, the whole jungle came to life.

"I was completely in awe of nature, sleeping in hammocks with the air blowing around me."
'Crossing the jungle in a wheelchair' (BBC News Health, 8 October 2005).


The four-part series, called Beyond Boundaries, will begin on BBC Two on Tuesday, 11 October, at 9pm BST.

Koichiro Kobayashi is a Japanese rock climber who has retinitis pigmentosa. Kobayashi has started a non-profit organisation to help other people with vision impairments participate in sports. The group is called Monkey Magic.


Kobayashi said visually impaired people could excel at rock climbing because they can feel their way up the wall with their hands, moving as slow or fast as they like, but remain safe due to a lifeline.

"Free climbing doesn't need special rules for the handicapped," Kobayashi said. "Some people learn faster than those who are not handicapped."
'Visually impaired climber gives everyone lift' (The Daily Yomiuri, 10 October 2005).

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Friday, October 07, 2005

Electrical Stimulation and Dry MD 

US company Acuity Medical are currently developing a system to treat the dry form of macular degeneration with electrical stimulation.


Called TheraMac(TM), it delivers minute amounts of biocurrent to the retina through a probe that touches the skin around the eye. The total time for treating one eye is approximately 15 minutes. A series of clinical trials have been completed to date.
'Acuity Medical Focuses on Treatment for Age-Related Macular Degeneration' (Acuity Medical media release at Yahoo! Finance, 3 October 2005).

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