Archive for the ‘Macular Degeneration’ Category
Wow – Wisconsin Study shows decline in Macular Degeneration!
01.31.2012
A study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine revealed a drop in the number of Americans with signs of age-related macular degeneration. Researchers examined the eyes of over 5500 participants over the age of 40 and compared those results to a similar study which was conducted 15 years ago.
Researchers found that about 30% fewer Americans showed signs of macular degeneration while 6.5% had some signs and less than 1% had late stage age-related macular degeneration. This report confirms similar findings of a study conducted by researchers at the University of Copenhagen which determined that the rate of age-related macular degeneration has declined by almost half over the past decade.
Researchers believe that a reduction in the number of smokers may be a contributing factor in the decline of the eye disease. Smoking is a major risk factor for AMD. In addition, improvements in diet as well as increased physical activity may also account for the decline.*
Stem Cell Surgical Therapy results create Optimistic View of Macular Degeneration
01.30.2012
Two women who were considered legally blind had their vision partly restored after receiving stem cell therapy. One of the women had the dry form of age-related macular degeneration and the other woman had a rare disease that causes vision loss. Both of the women received an injection of cells derived from human embryonic stem cells in one eye.
Four months after the treatment, both women were able to count more letters on a visual acuity chart. No side effects or safety issues were reported. While researchers are encouraged by the experiment results, they caution that it was not determined if the improvement in vision was due to the treatment, to the immune-suppressing drugs they were given to prevent rejection of the cells or to a placebo effect.
Larger trials will be needed to determine safety and efficacy but the results of this experiment do offer new hope that promise of stem cell treatments will be realized in the near future.*
North of Mason Dixon Line, consider taking Vitamin D for brain, bone & eye health
01.27.2012
British researchers believe that vitamin D may hep prevent or reverse age-related macular degeneration. The study results offered hope to patients dealing with the eye condition. Macular degeneration is caused by clogs in the blood vessels that connect to the retina which in turn causes inflammation and decreased vision and can lead to complete vision loss.
Mice that were used in the study were fed a supplement of vitamin D and safflower oil every three days. In as little as six weeks, researchers noted signs of improvement in their vision as well as a reduction of the toxic molecule amyloid beta. Amyloid beta is a protein that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Researchers stress that full clinical trials in humans need to be conducted before any recommendations for older adults to start taking vitamin D supplements can be made. Sources of vitamin D include exposure to the sun, and foods like oily fish and dairy products. sun
Grapes offer a “bunch” of protection against macular degeneration
01.20.2012
A new study suggests that eating grapes might slow down or prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration. Researchers believe the antioxidant effects of grapes are what offer the protection.
The research was conducted at Fordham University and funded by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutues of Health and the California Table Grape Commission. The study compared the influence an antioxidant-rich diet had on vision using mice to conduct the study. The mice were divided into three groups with one group receiving a grape-enriched diet, one with added lutein or just a normal diet.
Researchers found that the grapes offered remarkably more protection than lutein and that the grapes offered benefit for vision even if the grapes were eaten at a young age. The study also indicated that age-related vision loss is a result of collective, oxidative damage over time. It was also noted that to achieve the benefits from eating antioxidant rich foods, they need to be consumed prior to the onset of advanced age.
Reziva, Dr. Krawitz’s trademarked French red grape formula, offers as much trans-resveratrol as 30 glasses of wine.
Stem cells the magic solution to macular degeneration vision loss?
01.19.2012
The discovery of a new source of stem cells at the back of the eye offers hope of possibly one day being able to repair the damage from age-related macular degeneration. Researchers discovered the central nervous system stem cells in a the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) which lies behind the retina.
Stem cells from the RPE layer were taken from they eyes of more than 100 deceased donors who ranged in age from 22 to 99. However, the cells would also be able to be taken from living people by inserting a needle in the eye and removing the cells from the sub-retinal space.
Using these retrieved cells, researchers were able to get about 10% of the stem cells to grow in the lab. Researchers believe that with additional manipulation, it would be possible to create other types of central nervous system cells and neural retinal cells in particular. RPE cells and photoreceptors are important cell types for age-related macular degeneration.*
