The ForeseeHome Macular Degeneration Monitor is revolutionary in the eye care industry, allowing patients with dry macular degeneration to monitor themselves for progression of this eye disease.  Information gathered from home can then be transmitted directly to eye care professionals and the Notal Vision Data Monitoring Center, allowing macular degeneration patients to stay in the comfort of their homes.

This home monitoring device for macular degeneration is hoped to be available shortly on the market.

For more information on Notal Vision’s ForeseeHome Macular Degeneration Monitor you can visit the Notal Vision website at www.notalvision.com.

Researchers have identified that blocking the protein known as CCR3 can reduce the abnormal blood vessel growth that causes macular degeneration.  Targeting this new protein may prove both safer and more effective than current macular degeneration treatments.

Current macular degeneration treatments are directed at a protein called vascular endotheilial growth factor (VEGF).  Current macular degeneration anti-VEGF drugs may pose risks of blocking the growth of healthy blood vessels in healthy areas of the body, not just the abnormal blood vessels associated with the eye disease.

The new discovery may enable physicians to detect macular degeneration in its earliest stages before abnormal blood vessels have fully affected the macula and cause vision loss.  Preventing macular degeneration at this early stage would be much better than treating the eye disease with drugs.  According to Mary Elizabeth Harnett, M.D., a professor of ophthalmology in the UNC School of Medicine, “An exciting implication of this study was that CCR3 protein could be detected in early abnormal blood vessel growth, giving us the opportunity to prevent structural damage to the retina and preserve vision.”

With macular degeneration estimated to affect 30 to 50 million people worldwide with the number expected to double in the next 10 years, early detection and prevention of the eye disease is crucial.

Macular degeneration is currently treated with anti-VEGF drugs such as Lucentis, Macugen, and Avastin.  However, as previously stated, blocking the VEGF protein can also damage healthy blood vessels in healthy portions of the body.  Using the CCR3 protein to detect and develop new macular degeneration treatments that specifically target the eye disease.

The presence of the CCR3 protein is detected in people with macular degeneration but not in people who do not have the eye disease.  When researchers blocked the CCR3 protein there was a reduction in the generation of abnormal blood vessels.  Drugs targeting the CCR3 protein associated with macular degeneration were significantly more effective than those targeting the VEGF protein.  This could signal an increase in treatment options for patients suffering from the eye disease where approximately two-thirds of macular degeneration patients do no respond to existing VEGF treatments.

Researchers are now determining whether the levels of the CCR3 protein in the bloodstream can be used to assess risk associated with developing macular degeneration.

Some nutrients rich foods which have been shown through several studies to lower the risk associated with macular degeneration because of their high antioxidants contained in the food include:

Carrots – Eating carrots, especially raw carrots, provides a great source of beta carotene, phosphorous, iodine and calcium.  Beta-carotene is converted to retinol which is essential for vision.

Blue Berry or Billberry – These contain antioxidants known as anthocyanosides, that protect the eyes from cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma.  These antioxidants also help improve night vision.

Fish Oil – Contains Omega-3 compounds that have been shown to lower the risk of macular degeneration.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin – Foods rich in yellow-orange pigments are called “carotenoids”.   These foods are typically high in both Lutein and Zeaxanthin, both of which act as anti-oxidants and can remove free radicals.  These have been shown to reduce the risk of macular degeneration.

With nutrient  rich food being shown to have an impact on the risk of macular degeneration, people should be cautious of the foods they eat.  A well-balanced diet, that is rich in nutrients and healthy foods not only protects the eyes, but other parts of the body.  Lower your risk of macular degeneration with a proper diet.

As part of the study into the impacts of running on macular degeneration, 29,532 men and 12,176 women were followed over a period of 7.7 years.  During this period of time, 110 men and 42 women reported being diagnosed with macular degeneration.

Those women and men who developed macular degeneration ran for exercise much less than those who remained unaffected by the eye disease.  When the results of the study were adjusted to account for age, sex, diet and smoking history, it was shown that the relative risk of macular degeneration decreased by approximately 10 percent per kilometer per day.  Those patients who averaged less than 2 – 4 kilomters per day had a 19 percent lower risk of macular degeneration and those averaging 4 kilomters a day had a 42 – 54 percent lower risk to develop macular degeneration.

As a result of these findings, the authors concluded that vigorous exercise such as running is associated with a lower incidence of macular generation.  These findings were independent of weight, cardiorespiratory fitness and smoking.

The most convincing portion of the study showed that increasing the consumption of Omega-3 by 300 mg per day of the Omega-3 fatty acids classified as DHA and EPA, the risk of macular degeneration is reduced by about 70 percent.

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in people over 55, for which there are no cures.  Wet Macular degeneration has viable treatments in the forms of Lucentis, Avastin and Macugen, but dry macular degeneration has no treatments.  Dietary supplements such as Omega-3 offered by Purity Products may be used to lower the risk associated with macular degeneration.

Statistics indicate that approximately 30 percent of adults over 75 have some degree of macular degeneration.  In the United States, more than 1.6 million people over the age of 60 have advanced macular degeneration.

The study conducted by the British researchers and researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary found that people who were overweight were twice as likely to have their macular degeneration progress to the advanced form of the eye disease.  The research from Boston followed 260 patients over the age of 60 during a 4.5 year period.

The study also showed that people who were involved in vigorous exercise at least three times a week had a 25 percent reduction in their risk of having their macular degeneration worsen.

This study demonstrates that to lower the risks associated with this eye disease, people have to lead more healthy lifestyles, especially if they are in a high risk category of being diagnosed with macular degeneration.

A recent study published in The Archives of Ophthalmology has indicated that people who eat three or more servings of fruit a day have the risks associated with developing macular degeneration reduced by 36 percent.  The research conducted by the Brigham and Woman’s Hospital in Boston examined data from over 77,000 women and nearly 41,000 men, followed over a period of 12 to 18 years.

Age related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the elderly, has two distinct forms: wet macular degeneration and dry macular degeneration.  Wet macular degeneration can be treated with drugs such as Lucentis, Macugen and Avastin.  Dry macular degeneration has no treatment.  Because of this, research in this area has been focused on identifying factors that can reduce the risk of developing the eye disease, especially dry macular degeneration.

This new study shows that the antioxidants in fruit and vegetables can provide protection from the damage that free radicals cause, damage that has been shown to lead to the development of macular degeneration.  Antioxidant nutrients such as caraotenoids, vitamin C and zinc can reduce the risk of the eye disease progressing and slow vision loss.  These supplements have been used as part of the Age Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) and have been shown to slow the progression of dry macular degeneration.

Dr. Eunyoung Cho, lead author of the study indicated that “only 25 percent of Americans are consuming the recommended five-plus services of fruits and vegetables per day.”  The study recommends a healthy weight, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, and to stop smoking.  It still reminds that the most important aspect of vision care is regular eye examinations by an eye care professional.

Eating fruit to lower the risk of macular degeneration is a health choice for preventing the eye disease.

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness and vision loss in the aging population.  With much of the research focused on providing treatment for those people diagnosed with macular degeneration, particularly anti-VEGF drugs such as Lucentis, Macugen and Avastin, some researchers have focused on preventing the eye disease.

Researchers from the University of Melbourne, Australia have established a link to Omega-3 fatty acids and the prevention of macular degeneration.

In a study published in the June 2008 Archives of Ophthalmology, research shows that the consumption of foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids (ie fish) is linked to a reduced risk of macular degeneration.  In evaluating approximately 89,000 participants from 9 different studies, it was determined that of these 89,000 participants, 3,203 had been diagnosed with macular degeneration.  The researchers found that patients with a high dietary intake of Omega-3 fatty acids had a 38 percent lower risk of more advanced macular degeneration and that people who ate fish two times a week were at a reduced risk of developing both early and advanced forms of macular degeneration.

The study indicates that the reduced risk is associated in part with the fact that, “Long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid in particular, form an integral part of the neural retina.”  Macular degeneration (AMD) is thought to begin as an Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency resulting from the shedding and regeneration of those outer nerve cells of the retina.  “A diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and fish, as a proxy for long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake, has therefore been hyptothesized as a means to prevent macular degeneration.”

The authors of the study have concluded that “consumption of fish and foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids may be associated with a lower risk of macular degeneration, there is insufficient evidence from the current literature, with few prospective studies and no randomized clinical trials, to support their routine consumption for macular degeneration prevention.”  They have also indicated that the “Primary prevention of macular degeneration by modifying risk factors (e.g. cigarette smoking) remains an important public health strategy.”

While this research provides some positive results, the authors are also quick to point out that there is still a need for more clinical trials before they can advocate routine consumption of these foods for the prevention of macular degeneration.

The Amsler Grid is a simple screening test that is used to assess the macula (the center of the retina).  The Amsler Grid consists of evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines printed on black or white paper with a small dot is located in the center of the grid for fixation.

The eye test is quite simple.  While staring at the dot in the centre of the Amsler Grid, the patient looks for wavy lines and missing areas of the grid.   This simplicity of this test makes it an effective and inexpensive diagnostic test for diagnosing things such as age related macular degeneration and is especially helpful for monitoring vision at home.

This simple screening test is used to assess the macula (the center of the retina).  The Amsler Grid consists of evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines printed on black or white paper.  A small dot is located in the center of the grid for fixation.  While staring at the dot, the patient looks for wavy lines and missing areas of the grid.   This test is especially helpful for monitoring vision at home.

If you are at risk for macular degeneration or other eye diseases, you can use the Amsler Grid at home to monitor your vision.  However, using an Amsler Grid is not a substitute for regular eye exams and doctor visits.  Only trained professionals can detect signs of eye disease that can be missed by self-diagnosis using an Amsler Grid.

It is simple to test yourself with the Amsler Grid

If you wear glasses it is important that you wear them while you use the Amsler grid.  The Amsler Grid should be at about the same distance from your eyes as any other reading material would be.

• Cover one eye, then focus on the dot in the center of the Amsler Grid. Do any of the lines look wavy, blurred or distorted? (All lines should be straight, all intersections should form right angles and all the squares should be the same size.)
• Are there any missing areas or dark areas in the grid?
• Can you see all corners and sides of the grid?

If the lines of grid do not appear straight and parallel or there are missing areas, notify your doctor.  This does not necessarily mean that you have macular degeneration, but it is a warning sign that something is wrong.  The doctor will examine the back of the eye (macula) very closely.

This test is frequently given to patients for home use to monitor macular degeneration.

When using the test at home, notify the doctor if any changes in the appearance of the Amsler Grid are detected.

Vanderbilt investigators have shown how a persons risk of developing macular degeneration is increased due to a genetic variation in the DNA of mitochondria – the ‘power plant’ of cells.  The study is the first to examine the mitochondrial genome for changes associated with macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in caucasians over 50.

Most people dont realize that we have two genomes, said lead author Jeff Canter, M.D., M.P.H., an investigator in the Center for Human Genetics Research. We have the nuclear genome the human genome that makes the cover of all the magazines, and then we also have this tiny genome in mitochondria in every cell.

Canter teamed with Jonathan Haines, Ph.D., and Paul Sternberg, M.D., experts in macular degeneration genetics and treatment, to examine whether a particular variation in the mitochondrial genome is associated with the eye disease. The genetic change occurs in about 10 percent of Caucasians, referred to as mitochondrial haplogroup T.

Suspecting that this gene variant will be one of a small group of important genetic variants that underly macular degeneration, Canter said.  By knowing this we have a better chance of predicting accurately who will get the eye disease.

Macular degeneration as many as 10 million people in the United States, robbing them of the sharp central vision necessary for everyday activities like reading, driving, watching television, and identifying faces. The toll of the eye disease is expected to mount as the U.S. population ages.

The genetics of macular degeneration has been a hot area lately, Canter said. Haines led a team that identified a variant in the Complement Factor H (CFH) gene as accounting for up to 43 percent of macular degeneration. Variations in ApoE2 and a gene called LOC387715 on chromosome 10 have also been linked to the eye disease, and Haines and colleagues demonstrated an interaction between the chromosome 10 gene and smoking in raising macular degeneration risk.

The current study also examined variation in these nuclear genes in 280 cases and 280 age-matched controls, and demonstrated that the mitochondrial genome variation was independent of the known nuclear factors.

Were at the stage where we can use genetic information to predict who is likely to develop macular degeneration well before they actually develop it, said Haines, director of the Center for Human Genetics Research. Now we can conduct trials of preventive treatments somethings that never been possible before.

Sternberg, G.W. Hale Professor and Chairman of the Vanderbilt Eye Institute, is leading a trial to test preventive measures in macular degeneration.

Variation in the mitochondrial genome reflects human migrations and different environmental exposures. Changes in the mitochondrial DNA can alter the efficiency of energy generation and lead to over-production of reactive oxygen species free radicals that can damage the cell.

By identifying genetic changes associated with the mitochondria, our results lend additional confirmatory evidence for the role of oxidative stress in macular degeneration, Sternberg said. This supports study of interventions that attempt to bolster our antioxidant defenses.

I can see a day when physicians order genotyping on patients at a certain age to determine risk for macular degeneration and put things in place dietary changes, antioxidants, increased screening that could prevent the disease, Canter added. This would be truly personalized medicine.

Canter emphasized that variation in the mitochondrial genome has been linked to a wide variety of diseases including neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers as well as breast cancer and trauma survival.

Its important to realize that theres another genome in the mitochondria, and even though there are not many genes there, theyre important, Canter said.

Source: Vanderbilt University Medical Center