New Treatment for Macular holes
Recent approval of Jetrea (Ocriplasmin) to treat symptomatic VMA (Vitreo Macular Adhesion) has opened up a new era in non surgical management of macular holes. Previously only a hospital based surgery was able to reverse the process of macular hole development but now a new drug can be injected into the eye painlessly in the office and within a few weeks the process reverses back to more normal vision levels.... more
FDA Approves ASRS Leader's ArgusŪ II Artificial Retina
On February 14, the FDA approved the Argus II artificial retina developed by ASRS Executive Committee and Board Member Mark S. Humayun, MD, PhD.
This breakthrough technology is the first ever to offer limited vision to patients with late-stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
Second Sight Medical Products (Sylmar, CA) manufactures the Argus II implant, which has 60 electrodes and a tiny camera mounted on eyeglasses to capture images.
The FDA approved Argus II for adults age 25 years or older with severe to profound RP. About 10,000 to 15,000 of the 100,000 Americans with RP will qualify for Argus II. Up to 4,000 patients a year can be treated with the device.
Macular degeneration and Aspirin?
Aspirin and Macular degeneration... is there an increase in the wet form of macular degeneration in those patients taking aspirin? The wet form develops quicker than the dry form. It may only be related to the fact that you are more likely to take aspirin if you have medical problems like stroke or heart attacks in the past and these conditions are more commonly associated with wet age related macular degeneration. ... more
Macular degeneration and Aspirin?
Submitted by Dr Kurt Jackson on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 15:23
Aspirin and Macular Degeneration
Recently, there have been questions about the use of aspirin and the increased risk for macular degeneration. These questions were the result of a study which demonstrated that aspirin use may increase the risk of wet macular degeneration. The study found that in a group of people over 65 taking aspirin, the risk of developing wet macular degeneration was doubled compared to people who were not taking aspirin. No higher risk was found for dry ARMD. The study though, provided no causal link between aspirin and ARMD. In other words, the study found an increased incidence of wet macular degeneration among aspirin users, but could not determine WHY.
Aspirin is used by many seniors to lower the risk of stroke or heart disease by thinning the blood and preventing the formation of clots in the arteries that can lead to a stroke or heart attack. In patients with the potential for wet macular degeneration, blood- thinning agents can be potentially problematic. Other blood-thinning agents may have the same effect. The question then becomes if you have macular degeneration and are taking aspirin, should you stop using aspirin?
Because no causal link could be found, the researchers recommended further studies to determine the true link between aspirin use and the increased risk for wet ARMD. They also recommended that medical professionals should stick with their current recommendations on aspirin use.
"If future studies support our results, then recommendations on aspirin may need to be modified for patients with age-related macular degeneration," said Paulus T. V. M. de Jong, MD, PhD, of the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and Academic Medicine, who led the research team. "It's possible that increased AMD risk may outweigh aspirin's potential protective benefits for some patients, but we need to know more about the impacts of dose, length of use, and other factors before we can say for certain, or make specific recommendations."
Because the real link between aspirin use and increased wet macular degeneration has not been found, the researchers could not recommend discontinuing aspirin use. They recognize that more research needs to be conducted in order to develop a better understanding of the relationship between aspirin use and macular degeneration. If you have wet macular degeneration and are taking aspirin to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack, you should consult with your primary physician and assess your risk factors. Be aware of the potentially negative systemic effects of stopping aspirin use.
Also, continue to use your eye vitamins and monitor your macular degeneration with the amsler grid testing. If you are very concerned about the potential impact of aspirin on your macular degeneration, then be well aware of the potential risks of not using aspirin on your overall health.
Dr Kurt Jackson's blog