Controlling inflammation in macular degeneration prevents progress of AMD

Trinity researchers report major eye disease breakthrough — Controlling an inflammatory component IL-18 in age-related macular degeneration could prevent the development of the disease – Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have discovered that a part of the immune system called the inflammasome is involved in regulating the development of one of the most common forms of blindness, called Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Eylea approved for AMD eye disorder in older people

Regeneron Announces FDA Approval of EYLEA? (Aflibercept) Injection for the Treatment of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eylea (aflibercept) to treat patients with wet (neovascular) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Americans ages 60 and older.

Vitamin D levels linked to age related macular degeneration AMD

Vitamin D levels associated with age-related macular degeneration – Women under the age of 75 with high vitamin D status were less likely to have early age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in adults, a University at Buffalo study has shown.

AMD prevalence lowered in US

Study Evaluates Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the United States – An estimated 6.5 percent of Americans age 40 and older have the eye disease age related macular degeneration, a lower rate than was reported 15 years ago, according to a report in the Archives of Ophthalmology.

US company starts clinical trial using stem cells to treat macular degeneration

Advanced Cell Technology Receives FDA Clearance For the First Clinical Trial Using Embryonic Stem Cells to Treat Macular Degeneration — FDA Lifts Clinical Hold; Company to Commence a Phase I/II Clinical Trial at Multiple Centers – Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (“ACT”; OTCBB:ACTC) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application to immediately initiate a Phase I/II multicenter clinical trial using retinal cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to treat patients with Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy (SMD), one of the most common forms of juvenile macular degeneration in the world.

Age related macular degeneration AMD affects 1 million Canadians

Book on vision loss: AMD affects 1 million Canadians — University of Montreal professors release paperback on vision-loss prevention – Dr. Jean-Daniel Arbour and Dr. Pierre Labelle of the Universit? de Montr?al Department of Ophthalmology, along with two colleagues from France, have authored a new book to prevent vision loss, AMD: Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Annika Parance Publisher; 121 pages).

Smoking increases AMD risk even after age 80

It’s never too late to quit smoking and save your vision — UCLA study focuses on AMD in women over 80 — Need a little extra incentive to kick the habit? – Smoking, even after age 80, continues to increase one’s risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in Americans over 65.

Aspirin may protect from AMD vision loss

Low-dose Aspirin May Offer Mild Protection from AMD – Low dose Aspirin may offer mild protection from age related Macular degeneration (AMD), revealed by researchers.

Antioxidant supplement CARMA improves vision in AMD

New supplement CARMA may help slow sight loss in elderly – Queen’s University Belfast academics have helped develop an antioxidant supplement which may slow down sight loss in elderly people. – The antioxidant nutritional supplement may help those affected by the leading cause of blindness in the Western World, a five-year research programme has found.

Eating fish, nuts, olive oil reduce AMD risk

This study provides evidence of protection against early AMD from regularly eating fish, greater consumption of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and low intakes of foods rich in linoleic acid. Regular consumption of nuts may also reduce AMD risk. – Regularly eating fish, nuts, olive oil and other foods containing omega-three fatty acids and avoiding trans fats appears to be associated with a lower risk for the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to two reports in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

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