A Tale of Two Eye Controversies and Macular Degeneration...

Test of Eye Drug Is Said to Show Success in Elderly..A far less expensive alternative proved roughly as effective as Genentech’s costly drug Lucentis in preserving or improving vision in elderly people with a common eye disease, according to two people familiar with the results of a closely watched clinical trial.Genentech developed Lucentis to treat the wet form of age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of severe vision loss in the elderly. While Avastin, which is a cancer drug, has not been approved for use in treating macular degeneration, it has the same mechanism of action as Lucentis. And Avastin costs only about $50 per injection into the eye, compared to roughly $2,000 for Lucentis.

Many eye doctors already are using Avastin off-label to treat macular degeneration, and many say it appears to work just as well as Lucentis. But there has never been a definitive trial to compare the two drugs. 

So the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, sponsored a randomized trial involving 1,200 patients. Results are scheduled to be presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The results will also be published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Safety of the two drugs will also be closely watched. However, experts say that with only 1,200 patients, the trial will be able to detect only major differences in safety. 

Another part of the trial compared injecting the drugs as needed, depending on the course of the patient’s disease, rather than on a strict monthly schedule. One source said Avastin was slightly inferior to Lucentis, but the other said the results of the two drugs were the same. 

The trial comparing the two drugs is of the type known as a comparative effectiveness study. Such studies are being encouraged under the new health reform law, though this one started before the law was enacted.

For more information about this article, to learn more about research, or about the Macular Degeneration Association, please visit us at http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org/ As always please consult your physician before beginning a new health regime. The Macular Degeneration Association is please to announce our next educational conference: New Treatments for Wet and Dry Macular Degeneration on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 in Winter Haven, Fl. To learn more about this conference please visit us on the web. The Spring Educational Symposium will cover all the latest treatments and information about macular degeneration including genetic testing. Genetic Testing will be available for those individuals that show signs of macular degeneration or have been diagnosed with this disease. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for your continued support.

Resources:http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/27/test-of-eye-drug-shows-success-in-elderly/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Can Running Help Protect Your Eyes?

According to various medical sources, you should...Run for your life. Vigorous activity can protect you from the two leading sight-stealers that occur over time: cataracts and macular degeneration.If you run a little farther than a mile a day (that's about 2,000 of the 10,000 steps you're taking daily anyway, right?), you reduce your chances of age-related macular degeneration by an impressive 36 percent.

Bump that up to five miles a day (you've taken care of your 10,000 steps right there), and you cut your AMD risk by 54 percent. Push just a little farther, to 5.5 miles, and you cut your risk of cataracts more. (Just don't start exercising this vigorously overnight; begin slowly and build up.)

Not a runner? No worries. Any workout that pumps up your cardio-fitness protects your sight — rowing, biking, swimming, doing weight-training circuits. What you eat also has a big impact. Run up to the salad bar and load up on key sight-saving nutrients: the vitamin C in tomatoes and citrus; zeaxanthin in spinach and bell peppers; and alpha-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E) in almonds and sunflower seeds. 

Add 900 mg of DHA-omega-3 a day as a supplement from algae, or in fish oil (check the label for "DHA"), or in three 4-ounce servings of salmon or trout a week. That combo — DHA, vitamin C and zeaxanthin — also will keep your joints young when you exercise.

For more information about this article, to learn more about nutrition and your health, or about the Macular Degeneration Association, please visit us at http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org/As always please consult your physician before beginning a new diet or health regime. The Macular Degeneration Association is please to announce our next educational conference: New Treatments for Wet and Dry Macular Degeneration on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 in Winter Haven, Fl. To learn more about this conference please visit us on the web. The Spring Educational Symposium will cover all the latest treatments and information about macular degeneration including genetic testing. Genetic Testing will be available for those individuals that show signs of macular degeneration or have been diagnosed with this disease. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for your continued support.

Resources:http://www.kansas.com/2011/04/26/1822651/as-hens-eat-better-eggs-get-healthier.html

New Treatments for Wet and Dry Macular Degeneration!

Please join us on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 from 8:30 A.M. - 2:45 P.M. for a FREE Educational Symposium about Macular Degeneration. FREE screenings to help patients determine their risk level of AMD.The symposium is an excellent opportunity for participants to learn about the latest advances in treatments and therapy innovations that will greatly improve quality of life. Eye Solutions will administer genetic testing, a revolutionary breakthrough in the macular degeneration field. Genetic Testing will be available for those individuals that show signs of macular degeneration or have been diagnosed with this disease.Enhanced Vision will be bringing their low vision devices for everyone to see and use We look forward to seeing you there. Knowledge + Awareness can help...help empower yourself! You may also register for this event by visiting our registration site, http://www.eventbrite.com/
myevent?eid=1568037041 We hope to see you there! Thank you for your continued support!Please visit our website or call (941) 870-4399 to register/ seating is limited.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid's Relationship with Macular Degeneration...

Omega 3-fatty acids and Macular Degeneration..Omega 3 fats are essential for nerve conduction in the retina. They also help reduce cholesterol, thus helping to maintain the blood vessels of the retina open.On March 15, 2011, the Harvard University released the results of a study conducted on omega 3 fats and age macular degeneration (AMD).The study performed a dietary analysis on more than 38,000 women. No men were included in the study. All of the participants were in their 40 s at the time of enrollment in 1993, and none had AMD at the study’s start. Eye health was also tracked over the course of a decade, during which time 235 women developed AMD. 

The researchers found that women with the highest intake of EPA and DHA (both fatty acids found in fish), had a 38% lower risk of age macular degeneration. The study found that women who ate one or more servings of fish every week had a 42 percent lower risk of AMD than those who consumed fish just once a month or less. The lower risk was linked to consumption of canned tuna and fatty fish such as salmon,sardines, mackerel, etc.

The author of the study, Dr. William G. Christen, indicates that“Fish oil, that is the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, that have long been thought to be protective against cardiovascular disease may also be of significant benefit in the primary prevention of age macular degeneration among women who have no disease or have undetected early signs of disease, and have not yet been diagnosed with AMD.”

At the same time, the authors of the study suggest that higher consumption of one omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid) can increase the risk of macular degeneration, although they didn’t seem to think it was highly significant.

For more information about this article, to learn about other therapies, or about the Macular Degeneration Association, please visit us at http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org/ As always please consult your physician before beginning a new diet or health regime. The Macular Degeneration Association is please to announce our next educational conference: New Treatments for Wet and Dry Macular Degeneration on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 in Winter Haven, Fl. To learn more about this conference please visit us on the web. The Spring Educational Symposium will cover all the latest treatments and information about macular degeneration including genetic testing. Genetic Testing will be available for those individuals that show signs of macular degeneration or have been diagnosed with this disease. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for your continued support.
Resources: by: Emilia Klapp

What Berries Can Do for YOU!

What Berries Can Do for YOU! Berries are nutritional powerhouses whether they’re eaten fresh,frozen, dried, freeze-dried or powdered. But can they protect our brain and memory, melt fat and prevent urinary tract infections? What we know: Blueberries are packed with antioxidant power, which comes from high levels of anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid or plant compound.They also contain significant amounts of micro nutrients and fiber. Noted: Billberries, a cousin of the blueberry, have been shown to promote eye health.Bilberry fruit contains chemicals known as anthocyanosides, plant pigments that have excellent antioxidant properties. They scavenge damaging particles in the body known as free radicals, helping to prevent or reverse damage to cells. Antioxidants have been shown to help prevent a number of long-term illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and an eye disorder called macular degeneration. Bilberry also contains vitamin C, which is another antioxidant.

What’s inside: Cranberries have the same blue-red anthocyanin flavonoids. The tart, red berry is an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber, as well as a good source of manganese and copper.Emerging research: The compounds in cranberries called “pro anthocyanidins” may prevent bacteria from clinging to the cells along the walls of the urinary tract and causing infection, said Dr. Catherine Neto, an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.Cranberries may reduce the ability of H. pylori bacteria to live in the stomach and cause ulcers and reduce dental plaque. Neto’s research has shown in cell cultures, cranberry compounds reduce the growth and proliferation of breast, prostate and colon tumor cells.

For more information regarding this article or to learn about nutrition, please visit us on the web at http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org/ As always please consult your physician before beginning a new diet of health regime. The Macular Degeneration Association is please to announce our next educational conference: New Treatments for Wet and Dry Macular Degeneration on Saturday, April 30th, 2011 in Winter Haven, Fl. To learn more about this conference please visit us on the web. The Spring Educational Symposium will cover all the latest treatments and information about macular degeneration including genetic testing. Genetic Testing will be available for those individuals that show signs of macular degeneration or have been diagnosed with this disease. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for your continued support.

HOSTED FIRST EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE

ADVANCES IN THE TREATMENT OF WET AND DRY MACULAR DEGENERATION:

WHAT PATIENTS SHOULD KNOW!

Tampa, Florida

On March 26^th, 2011, the Macular Degeneration Association (MDA) hosted its first educational conference in Tampa, Florida. The conference educated age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients about the scientific advances in treatments currently evolving in the field of macular degeneration. Nearly 200 AMD patients, caregivers, and family members were in attendance.

The conference offered participants many opportunities to learn about the latest advances in macular degeneration research, genetic testing, medications, treatments, and therapies, by hosting several conference faculty members and AMD exhibitors. The event featured presentations by important figures in the retina field, including macular treatment pioneer Dr. Michael Tolentino, known best for developing revolutionary treatment strategies to slow the progression of AMD. Dr. Tolentino is very active with the Association, and he serves as MDA’s scientific co-founder and medical director. At the conference in Tampa, he spoke to patients about the current scientific understanding of the disease, including the specific anatomical changes macular patients will experience. Dr. Tolentino also introduced the latest revolution in AMD science-genetic testing. He explained that labs can evaluate a patient’s simple cheek swab sample to estimate an individual’s risk level of developing AMD.

In addition to Dr. Tolentino, MDA’s educational conference featured optometrist- Dr.Sonya Braudway and retina specialists- Dr. Dana Deupree, Dr. Karen Gehrs, Dr. Benjamin Kim, and Dr. Brian Madow. Members of the conference faculty covered such topics as current treatments for wet and dry macular degeneration, alternative therapies, how low vision can help, and treatments of the future. Dr. Deupree helped patients understand exactly what doctors examines during an office visit, and advised patients about the types of questions to ask during their office visit. The conference faculty also made themselves available to the patients by actively participating in a panel discussion where conference attendees could ask specific questions.

MDA’s first educational conference was a unique opportunity to interact with nationally known macular experts, local doctors, and fellow patients and caregivers in an open forum. MDA announced plans to host another educational conference in the fall of 2011.

About the Macular Degeneration Association (MDA)

The Macular Degeneration Association (MDA) is a nonprofit health organization dedicated to educating and empowering age-related macular degeneration patients all across the world. Age-related macular degeneration is an increasingly prevalent degenerative eye disease, affecting millions of aging seniors.

The mission of MDA is to educate patients on the latest advances in treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, our focus extends far beyond diagnosed patients. We are committed to the senior population at large, those most at risk of developing macular degeneration.

Our goal is to provide information about risk factors, genetic predisposition, and proper diagnosis, as well as preventative efforts and treatment options that will likely reduce the most adverse effect of AMD, blindness. MDA is passionate about funding and developing sophisticated patient education and advocacy programs designed to improve macular patients’ quality of life. This is accomplished through the Association’s patient education conferences and seminars held nationwide.

The Association honors its commitment to prioritizing patient education by aligning itself with experts in the macular field, investigating retina-related scientific breakthroughs, and disseminating new scientific advances to macular patients across the world. We strongly believe that providing support, education and empowerment to the millions of people living with age-related macular degeneration will improve patient quality of life, and energize the retina field to develop advances in treating AMD. It is our hope that encouraging knowledge and awareness will ultimately lead to a cure.

To learn more about the Macular Degeneration Association (MDA), please visit us on the web at http://www.maculardegenerationassociation.org. Thank you for your continued support.