Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that blurs the sharp, central vision. You may find it surprising to discover that roughly 200 million people in the world are living with AMD. Moreover, about one-fifth of AMD cases progress to an advanced stage, leading to visual impairment.

“The causes of AMD include oxidative stress and the resulting protein misfolding and aggregation, so we are developing a heat treatment for the back of the eye, which strengthens the defense mechanisms of retinal cells,” said Professor Ari Koskelainen. “These mechanisms help proteins refold back into their correct forms, and at the same time stimulate the natural healing process.”

There are two types of Advanced AMD—wet and dry. The former can be treated addressed with eye injections. However, scientists have yet to develop an effective treatment for dry AMD. Researchers hope to develop a method to halt disease progression.

Please contact SDCB if you or someone you care about is struggling with visual impairment. We offer several programs that can improve life-quality.

“New laser therapy seeks to halt the progression of age-related vision loss”