Breakthrough for dry AMD

Scientists in Canada have won a major battle in the fight against dry AMD. They have identified the deficient receptor that causes the dry AMD. They found that a deficiency of the CD36 receptor prevents the evacuation of oxidized lipids in the eye. Those oxidized lipids in turn accumulate and attack the layers beneath and over the retina - thereby causing vision loss.

"This discovery brings us one step closer to treating dry AMD, which could significantly improve the quality of life of seniors who are most affected by this eye disease," added Dr. Huy Ong from the University of Montreal.

Click here to read more.

MD does not cause blindness

Nine out of 10 AMD patients surveyed in the US said that they do not consider themselves to be blind in either or both eyes due to AMD alone. More than nine out of 10 patients also agree with the statement that AMD alone does not cause blindness.

These are some of the findings from a survey by MD Support, a leading patient advocacy group in the US. The purpose of the survey was to gather opinions from AMD patients about the indiscriminate use of the word “blind” as a description of their condition.

In the report on the survey, MD support said: "These are convincing statistics that are now available for the first time to eye care professionals, patient advocacy organizations and public service agencies. Hopefully, the message is clear and will be heeded.

"More important, however, is that people with AMD can use these findings to defend themselves against those who tell them they will go blind. To dispense that kind of false information is irresponsible. It can have grave emotional consequences that can lead to serious depression and even thoughts of suicide."

Click here to read the full survey report and here to hear an audio presentation.

S'pore doctor creates new method

Singapore's eye surgeon Lee Jong Jian (right) has pioneered a new surgical technique that can help macular degeneration patients recover faster and with less pain. During the procedure called vitrectomy, he uses an equipment known as the 23-gauge system.

Usually, surgeons here use the 20-gauge system, which is larger in size. Because of this, the wound is too large to heal by itself and must therefore be stitched up. This will add at least half an hour to the procedure and for any surgery, the longer it takes, the more risk of infection and complications. In comparison, the new 23-gauge system uses smaller instruments and this allows the wound to heal by itself without stitches. It can benefit several conditions, include MD.

A vitrectomy uses specialised instruments to repair retinal disorders, many of which were previously considered inoperable. The initial step in this procedure is the removal of the vitreous - a jelly-like substance in the eye - by making three small incisions in the eye wall. Often performed under general anaesthesia, the operation can last an hour or more.

Dr Lee, who was a speaker at the MDS Forum last October, told The Business Times last year that he has successfully performed more than a hundred cases in the past year. With a high success rate of 85 per cent and a low risk rate of less than one per cent, he felt that the 23-gauge vitrectomy system will soon set the standards in retina-related surgeries. Raffles Hospital has so far invested more than $250,000 in the new system. Each procedure costs between $9,000 and $13,000, depending on the complexity of the case.

He stresses the need for good eye care. "Short-sightedness in children can stem from too much computer games, that's why I forbid my own kids to play X-Box or PlayStation!" he says. And where working adults are concerned, he advises at least a 50cm distance from the eye to the computer screen. He adds: "Ideally, you should rest your eye every half an hour. Just stop what you do and stare far away."

- Excepts from "There's new cure for retinal disorder" by Melissa Heng

Stub it out, please

Second-hand smoke can double the risk of macular degeneration, said a British study. While it is common knowledge that smoking is bad for sufferers of MD, this research has showed passive smoking to be just as dangerous.

Researchers base their findings on 435 people with end-stage MD and 280 partners who lived with them. Non-smokers who lived with smokers for at least five years see their risk doubling.

Hole-in-one

Macular degeneration may have robbed Leo Fiyalko (right) of his sight in the last decade, but it did not stop him from golfing. And this week, he is almost as famous as Tiger Woods.

The 92-year-old shot a hole-in-one in Florida despite having peripheral vision only in his right eye - making headlines across the world. The odds of a hole-in-one is about one in 10,000 for a person with normal vision. For the visually-impaired, it was unheard of. He used to have a seven handicap, but now needs help lining up shots and finding golf balls because of MD. He said modestly: "I was just trying to put the ball on the green."

Year of the Rat

Scientists in Cleveland have created an animal AMD model for the first time - using mice. In other words, the mice now have AMD. This makes it easier for researchers to test out new and better treatments - using mice instead of human beings.

As Stephen Rose, Foundation Fighting Blindness' chief research officer, said: "This is the first time that scientists have been able to create an AMD animal model that closely represents the disease in people. Though there are some treatments for the wet form of AMD, we still don't have a cure for the condition, and millions of people are still at risk of losing their vision to both the dry and wet forms. This new model will greatly enhance the development of better treatments and potentially a cure."

It is indeed the Year of the Rat! Happy Lunar New Year.