The treatment of macular degeneration has received a significant breakthrough with the United States government's approval of a miniature telescope to be implanted in the eye earlier this month.
This new treatment is already hailed as turning the corner for sufferers of macular degeneration, offering a fresh method to treat this crippling disease.
This new treatment is already hailed as turning the corner for sufferers of macular degeneration, offering a fresh method to treat this crippling disease.
The device consists of an actual telescope the size of a pea. During surgery, the natural lens of the eye is removed and the telescope is inserted into the capsule in the eye where the lens had been located.
Light entering the eye is enlarged three times as it passes through the telescope and into the eye. The result is improved vision because the image is larger when it reaches the cells in the retina and macula.
Patients must note that the actual damage in the macula cannot be repaired using this procedure. The goal is to help the eye use the healthy parts of the retina to compensate for the damaged cells. The larger size of the image means the damaged cells in the macula are responsible for converting a smaller portion of the total image.
For example, patients looking at a family member may have a black hole where the entire face should be prior to surgery. With the telescope implanted, only the nose or mouth may be missing, which will allow the patient to recognise family members and see expressions on their faces.
Because the telescope replaces the natural lens of the eye, peripheral vision is lost in the eye receiving the telescope. For this reason, the telescope can be implanted in only one eye. The other eye is needed to provide peripheral vision to help with walking and other safety issues. With training, the brain can learn to choose which eye to use to look at something up close or off to the side.
The benefits of the telescopic implants are tremendous and include:
Light entering the eye is enlarged three times as it passes through the telescope and into the eye. The result is improved vision because the image is larger when it reaches the cells in the retina and macula.
Patients must note that the actual damage in the macula cannot be repaired using this procedure. The goal is to help the eye use the healthy parts of the retina to compensate for the damaged cells. The larger size of the image means the damaged cells in the macula are responsible for converting a smaller portion of the total image.
For example, patients looking at a family member may have a black hole where the entire face should be prior to surgery. With the telescope implanted, only the nose or mouth may be missing, which will allow the patient to recognise family members and see expressions on their faces.Because the telescope replaces the natural lens of the eye, peripheral vision is lost in the eye receiving the telescope. For this reason, the telescope can be implanted in only one eye. The other eye is needed to provide peripheral vision to help with walking and other safety issues. With training, the brain can learn to choose which eye to use to look at something up close or off to the side.
The benefits of the telescopic implants are tremendous and include:
1. Improving the central vision acuity of patients (includes blurriness, color vision loss and blindness).
2. Can be used in combination with drugs to treat macular degeneration and photodynamic thepray.
As with any surgery, there are risks involved in this procedure, including possible damage to the cornea. The cornea is the clear membrane that covers the front of the eye.
During surgery, the cornea will be lifted back to allow the eye lens to be removed and the telescope to be inserted. This can damage the cells on the inside of the cornea, which can lead to swelling and fluid retention in the cornea which can affect vision. In some cases, enough damage is done that the cornea will need to be replaced.
As with any surgery, there are risks involved in this procedure, including possible damage to the cornea. The cornea is the clear membrane that covers the front of the eye.
During surgery, the cornea will be lifted back to allow the eye lens to be removed and the telescope to be inserted. This can damage the cells on the inside of the cornea, which can lead to swelling and fluid retention in the cornea which can affect vision. In some cases, enough damage is done that the cornea will need to be replaced.
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