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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.
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.
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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