MACUGEN^®  Therapy

Have you noticed lately that your vision is becoming wavy, spotty, or distorted? Are these changes just another part of getting older? Your eye-care professional is best equipped to evaluate the changes in your vision. If you are one of 12 million Americans diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), there are things you can do to help save your sight.

What Is AMD?

AMD is not a normal part of aging. AMD is an age-related progressive disease that causes destruction of light-sensitive cells located in an area of the retina of the eye called the macula. When these cells are damaged, there is a loss of central or reading vision. AMD mostly affects people older than 60 years of age, although people as young as 40 may have early signs of the disease and not know it. AMD can lead to partial or complete blindness and is the leading cause of blindness in persons older than 65.

How Is AMD Detected?

The first step to detect any signs of macular disease is to get a thorough eye examination. Your doctor may refer you to an ophthalmologist or retinal specialist who will perform special tests to check your vision.

Two Forms of AMD

There are two forms of AMD: dry and wet. Dry AMD is the most common (85% to 90% of cases). In dry AMD, yellow deposits called drusen form under the retina. Dry AMD can cause a slow and progressive loss of central or reading vision.

The less common but more serious form of AMD is wet AMD. In wet AMD, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina. This growth causes leaking and bleeding into the macula and tissues at the back of the eye. The retinal tissues begin to break down and scar. Wet AMD can rapidly and severely damage a persons sight, literally causing a hole or gap in central vision that can result in blindness.

Early diagnosis and treatment of AMD are essential to preserve your eyesight!

What Causes AMD?

No one knows what causes AMD. Scientists believe that both genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Who Is at Risk for AMD?

Persons older than age 75, women, smokers, Caucasians, and persons with high blood pressure and high cholesterol may be at increased risk. People with a family history of AMD are at greater risk.

How Is Dry AMD Treated?

Currently, there is no treatment or "cure" for dry AMD. Early detection and low-vision aids, such as special eyeglasses and magnifying equipment, can go a long way to preserve the eyesight you do have.

Many eye-care professionals stress the value of good nutrition to help reduce or slow the progression of AMD.

A diet rich in fruits and dark green leafy vegetables, as well as the use of dietary supplements (so-called ocular vitamins that are rich in vitamins and antioxidants) is helpful.

How Is Wet AMD Treated?

Laser surgery (“hot laser”) and newer photo-dynamic therapy (PDT, also called “cold laser”) may be used to repair macular blood vessels in some cases of wet AMD. The procedure is painless and usually requires only the use of anesthetic drops to "numb" the surface of the eye.

Doctors are experimenting with different procedures and drugs to treat wet AMD, including anti VEGF (vascular endothelium growth factor) therapy. Evidence shows VEGF is an essential signal in pathologic processes underlying wet AMD. Recently FDA approved new anti wet AMD drug, Macugen, is one of such agent. It is a small piece of RNA, which can specifically inactivate VEGF once inject into the eye. The manufacture is Eyetech Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Pfizer Inc. It is not curing for AMD, rather treat wet form of AMD and slow down its progression. It requires to be injected into the eye and injection procedure and Macugen itself are possible to induce complications. You need see retinal specialists and discuses with them regarding the need for different treatment options. See www.macugen.com for more detail regarding the manufacture and prescribe informations.

What About The Risks of Macugen Treatment?

The side effects of intravitreal Macugen 0.3mg per eye for up to 2 years:

<1% patients: endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, itrogenic traumatic cataract;

6-10% patients: ocular - blepharitis, conjunctivitis, photopsia, vitreous disorder;

Non-ocular: bronchitis, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, nausea, urinary tract infection;

10-40% patients: anterior chamber inflammation, blurred vision, cataract, conjunctival hemorrhage, corneal edema, eye discharge, eye irritation, eye pain, hypertension, increased intraocular pressure, ocular discomfort, punctate keratitis, reduced visual acuity, visual disturbance, vitreous floaters, vitreous opacities;

Pregnancy category B: No toxicity in mice, no study in human.

No pediatric data.

No drug interactions found so far.