A Brief Look at Antiangiogenic Therapy

Macular Degeneration is a disease of the eye that gradually causes loss of a person’s central vision. Approximately 1.75 million Americans suffer from vision loss associated with the disease (All About Vision 1). The leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 60, Macular Degeneration, exists in two types (National Eye Institute 1). Both the wet and dry versions of the disease have similarities in risk factors, but differ in symptoms and treatments.

The research topic I will be introducing is Age-Related Macular Degeneration. This has been classified as a degenerative disorder that distresses the macula in one’s eye. AMD is unfortunately a common illness that individuals over 65 suffer from and that is a central cause vision loss. AMD doesn’t have a set disease pathway, in some individuals it advances slowly so that loss of vision does not arise for a long time. The disease can also advance much quicker and may lead to lack of vision in either or both eyes. The disease begins a blurry area near the center of one’s vision which grows larger and larger possibly causing a blank space in the eye (Boyd, 2013). Research is being done on AMD because it is a prevalent illness and has extreme consequences.

As humans, we don't always see with our eyes, but often with our imagination (Grunwald, 2016). Often times as people we never realize how useful our vision really is to us. You really don't think about something like that until it would actual happen to you. Throughout this essay, you will learn how the body is affected by Macular Degeneration (MD). Different signs and symptoms, as well as the etiology of MD, will be discussed. In the following, diagnosis tests and treatments may also be listed in order to help others who would like to know more about MD. Not to mention, you will learn the incidence and progression of MD. Furthermore, information though agencies and associations, as well as new research about MD will be given.

Glaucoma can occur without much warning, whether its acute from a accident in which a trauma is issued on the eye, or if it is due to age and heredity. Glaucoma doesn 't discriminate, it is seen in all races and genders. It happens so slowly with age and heredity that you don 't even notice the loss of vision until it is too late, and with acute glaucoma it can be painful with pain that radiates over the face, a headache, nausea, vomiting and seeing colored halos around lights and even blurred vision can be a few symptoms (Ignatavicius & Workman, 2013). Once you start seeing halos, and lose peripheral vision, it may be an indicator that irreversible damage to the optic nerve has happened. In this paper we will discuss the pathophysiology of glaucoma, the types of glaucoma as well as the causes for them. the issues that glaucoma can cause someone, and the treatments and interventions. We will also have a education handout to help better understand how to administer the medication, and the effects it has on the eye.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can take two possible forms. Neovascular AMD (wet-AMD) or non-neovascular AMD (dry-AMD) as discussed in the introduction. The available treatment involved in curing patients suffering from AMD differs between the two types of the disease. Neovascular AMD has previously been treated by coagulation therapies of the blood vessel present in the fovea (part of the retina where the ability of vision is the highest). These therapies involve the use of infrared laser light to destroy any additional or new vascular cells in the fovea with the objective of avoiding the leakage of blood vessels. This would prevent photoreceptors from further being damaged and so won’t deteriorate vision any further. However,

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD or ARMD) or senile macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss, affecting more than 10 million Americans—more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. (“Research into the Genetics of Macular Degeneration,” 2017). Macular degeneration is the loss of the central field of vision. It is estimated, by the year 2020, there will be 196 million cases of AMD worldwide (Rixon, Trevino, Attar, 2017). Degeneration of the macula occurs most often after the age of 60 years. It is considered to be an incurable eye disease (Dahl, 2017). There are two basic types of macular degeneration, wet and dry. Approximately 85% to 90% of the cases of macular degeneration are the dry type, while 10-15% are the wet type (“Exudative

Vascular activity goes down dramatically within 24 hours of Avastin injection in virgin eyes and the effect is sustained. However, this treatment is not nearly as effective in salvage therapy of eyes having prior ablation. Once neovascularization resolves and intrinsic vessels cross the ridge (usually within one to two weeks), the growth delay can be variable, making follow up all the more critical in these patients. Per BEAT ROP, bevacizumab therapy is associated with fewer recurrences than laser therapy during the first 52 weeks of life. However, when we have followed these eyes over subsequent months, late recurrences have been seen with increased frequency in bevacizumab treated eyes. Recurrences arise at two distinct locations, the leading

Other arteries such as the postauricular, facial and occipital may also be enlarged, with fairly frequent claudication (pain induced by movement due to vessel obstruction) of the jaw. Due to the intense vessel occlusion associated with GCA and the resulting complication of blindness in up to 20% of patients, the condition is considered a medical emergency. Ocular manifestations also indicate increased risk for central nervous system complications such as ischemic stroke. Steroid therapy with calcium and vitamin D supplements is the cornerstone of treatment for GCA. Moreover, in terms of prognosis, there is no associated increase in mortality of patients that are treated with timely diagnosis and appropriate

Peter Stalmans and associates143 conducted a randomized control trial. Its data support the finding that intravitreal injection of ocriplasmin leads to resolution of vitreomacular traction, induction of posterior vitreous detachment, and closure of a macular hole in some cases. The incidence of vitrectomy was lower among the patients who received ocriplasmin than among those who received placebo. A sham injection would have provided a better comparison with the natural history of the disease process than that provided by the group of patients who received a placebo, which was chosen to control for the effect of an intravitreal injection. The main visual symptom of vitreomacular traction and macular holes is decreased visual acuity. Although more

In conclusion, there is no solid evidence for the effectiveness of agents that target angiogenesis specifically. There are two reasons for the lack of success. First, researchers have yet to improve the strategies to overcome the mechanisms of resistance. Secondly, the trials designed have not allowed researchers to observe the true possibilities that the agents might provide. The next step for researchers is to further understand the biology behind the

The eye is an organ that provides an organism with the ability to visualise its surroundings. It captures light and transmits the information to the brain to be processed. The eye is composed of numerous components that give rise a complex structure. These components have specific roles and ensure that the eye functions properly. However, the eye can lose its function through the degeneration of several tissues which may lead to permanent blindness, giving rise to diseases like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Stargardt disease (SD) and Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) [12-14].

Cataracts are the most common cause of vision loss in people over 40 years and is the leading cause of blindness in the world. In fact, there are more cases of cataracts worldwide than glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy combined. Currently, cataracts affect more than 22 million Americans form 40 years of age or older. In addition, as the population of the United States ages, more than 30 million cataract cases are expected

Macular degeneration prognosis is different for every body and is different for each eye. One person may experience a different rate of progression.There is usually no way to know, once symptoms appear, how fast the disease will progress (Samuel, 2008). This disease can be prevented if it is detected and treated early.For the majority of people age related macular degeneration (AMD) progresses slowly and affects only their central vision. It is not blindness but it is considered low vision. High-risk patients should be included in a disease management program in an effort to prevent progression and low vison.

A clinical study presented in the 119th annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology by Dr Donald Tan of the Singapore National Eye Center and his colleagues

85% of the AMD cases are classified as the dry from, yet wet AMD accounts for 90% of the total cases of legal blindness in AMD. In wet AMD, abnormal neovascular tissue, which was originated from the choriocapillaris, grow underneath the RPE monolayer or into the subretinal space. The newly immature blood vessels can leak fluid into the retina and cause degeneration of the RPE and retinal cells. If left untreated, the degenerated area will continue to enlarge. The end stage of wet AMD is marked by the formation of fibrotic disciform scars on the fovea, which will lead to a permanent central vision loss [3]. Identification of RPE-derived fibrotic cells in surgically excised fibrotic disciform scars from wet AMD patients[4] suggests that RPE cells undergo proliferation and an epithelium-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as a part of the wound healing response. Currently the use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy can ameliorate the condition; however, this treatment can not prevent the formation of scar tissues and can not restore the loss of RPE