Plasma Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Before and After Intravitreal Injection of Aflibercept...
Exudative Age-related Macular DegenerationThe purpose of this study is to examine the plasma concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) after standard treatment with one of the newest growth factor inhibitors, aflibercept (Eylea). Patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are treated today with anti-growth factors (anti-VEGF). Eylea appears to have a longer duration of action in the eye and a more powerful effect on the edema in the macula than previously used growth factor inhibitors. This means that the disease can be controlled with fewer number of injections into the eye and the investigators can therefore reduce the risk of complications associated with this type of treatment. It is unclear what the plasma VEGF concentration after treatment with Eylea into the eye in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration is.
Sub-retinal Transplantation of hESC Derived RPE(MA09-hRPE)Cells in Patients With Stargardt's Macular...
Stargardt's Macular DystrophyThis is a safety and tolerability trial to evaluate the effect of subretinal injection of human embryonic stem cell derived retinal pigment epithelium cells in patients with Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy (SMD).
Combination of Ranibizumab and Verteporfin Therapy in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration...
Neovascular Age-related Macular DegenerationThe purpose of this study is to evaluate changes in preferential hyperacuity perimeter (PHP) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration receiving combination of ranibizumab (LucentisTM) and verteporfin (Visudyne®) therapy
Single or Combined Protocols for NV-AMD
Age-Related Macular DegenerationThe present interventional study represents a Research Program for the Clinical Governance supported by supported by the Healthcare Fund of the Emilia-Romagna Region. It aims to evaluate, after 12 months of monitoring, clinical safety, therapeutic efficacy, number of intra-vitreous injections of bevacizumab (IVIB), compliance and quality of life correlated to the vision by comparing the data obtained in two groups of patients (group A and group B), affected by neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NV-AMD) never previously treated or already undergoing pro-re-nata (PRN) treatments with biological drugs inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, VEGF), i.e. anti-VEGF drugs. Participating patients are randomized to the following therapeutic regimens: i. group A, a single intra-vitreous injection of bevacizumab PRN repeated after monthly periodic monitoring of the patient (IVIBx1 regimen); ii. group B, two combined intra-vitreous injections of bevacizumab, spaced 30 ± 10 days apart and repeated as-needed after periodic monitoring of the patient (IVIBx2 regimen). Within the aforementioned regimens, the re-treatment (single or combined in patients undergoing IVIBx1 or IVIBx2, respectively) is performed when signs of persistent neovascular activity is present. The present trial consists of a randomized controlled open-label study with parallel arms to evaluate the non-inferiority of clinical safety and therapeutic efficacy of the IVIBx1 regimen compared to the IVIBx2 regimen (1: 1 allocation) administered in patients with NV-AMD. The number and type of tests, as well as the number of intra-vitreous injections of anti-VEGF drug performed in patients treated with the PRN regimens IVIBx1 or IVIBx2 do not differ from those performed during normal clinical practice at the Eye Clinic of the University Hospital of Ferrara. The intra-vitreous administration of bevacizumab is performed in accordance with the guidelines of the Italian Ophthalmology Society.
The IAI-OCTA Study; a Study of OCT-Angiography Analysis Efficacy
Wet Macular DegenerationA study investigating the ability of OCTA imaging technology to identify and analyze untreated type 1, 2, and 3 neovascular membrane lesions in treatment naive patients with exudative macular degeneration, as well as investigating the ability of the OCTA imaging technology to evaluate the treatment outcomes of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection in neovascular lesions associated with macular degeneration. This study is utilizing a new, FDA approved, non-standard of care technology (OCT-Angiography by Optovue) to image and evaluate the treatment outcomes of using standard of care Intravitreal Aflibercept Injections for their approved use in patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD who are naive to previous Anti-VEGF therapies.
Evaluation of the Distortion Correction Data Collection (DCDC) App Software
Age-related Macular DegenerationThe purpose of the research study is to evaluate how well the Distortion Correction Data Collection (DCDC) App works. The DCDC App is an experimental software application that is being developed at the University of Nebraska Omaha. The DCDC app will map and draw the visual distortions of patients with Age-related Macular degeneration.
Functional and Structural Outcomes in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration
Neovascular Age-related Macular DegenerationSeveral studies during the last years reported the involvement of anti-retinal autoantibodies in ocular disorders, such as AMD. These studies support the growing evidence of an immunological involvement in the pathogenesis of AMD. In the planned trial it is planned to enroll 70 subjects, i.e. 50 subjects with neovascular AMD and 20 healthy volunteers. The investigators will evaluate the change from Baseline (Visit 1) in BCVA score at Week 12 (visit 4) in the study eye of nAMD patients treated with Ranibizumab. Neovascular AMD patients (group 1) will be accompanied for 6 months and blood samples will be collected at baseline and monthly until Visit 7 for analysis of antibody profiles. Healthy volunteers (group 2) will be enrolled and a blood sample will be collected once for analysis of antibody profiles. Antibody profiles of all study participants will be analysed to address questions as defined in the outcome measures.
Study of Intravitreal (IVT) REGN910-3 and IVT REGN910 in Patients With Either Neovascular ("Wet")...
Neovascular Age-Related Macular DegenerationDiabetic Macular EdemaThe primary objective of the study is to investigate the safety and tolerability of intravitreal (IVT) REGN910-3 and IVT REGN910 in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and separately in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).
MP-1 Biofeedback: Pattern Stimulus Versus Audio-feedback in AMD
Age Related Macular DegenerationBackground: Biofeedback techniques have demonstrated their uselfulness in the treatment of maculopathies. We wanted to evaluate the efficacy of visual rehabilitation by means of two different types of biofeedback techniques in patients with age related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: 30 patients bilaterally affected by AMD were enrolled with a mean age of 76,38±8,77 yrs. Patients were randomly divided in two groups: Group A was treated with an acoustic biofeedback, Group B with luminous biofeedback of a black and white checkerboard flickering during the examination. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination. Rehabilitation consisted in 12 training sessions of 10 minutes for each eye performed once a week for both groups. Statistical analysis was performed using t- test. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Group A: visual acuity at the end of rehabilitation had improved, but this result was not statistically significant (p=0.054), reading speed showed a significant statistical improvement (p=0.031), as well as the fixation stability (p=0.0023) and single point mean retinal sensitivity value (p=0.044). Group B: visual acuity improvement at the end of rehabilitation was statistically significant (p=0.048), reading speed showed a statistically significant improvement (p=0.024), as well as fixation stability (p=0.0012) and mean single point retinal sensitivity value (p=0.027). Final results for both groups were compared and patients in group B showed results which were statistically more significant. Conclusion: A contrast rich flickering biofeedback stimulus showed a statistically significant improvement in training the patients to modify their preferred retinal locus (PRL) in comparison to acoustic biofeedback. It is possible that increased involvement of the various retinal cell populations with visual stimuli create more efficient ganglion cell response that better utilize the residual retinal function.
A Multi-Center Study of Reading Rehabilitation in Macular Disease
Age Related MaculopathyRetinal DegenerationThe purpose of this study is to measure the effectiveness of a newly-designed oculomotor training program for patients with macular disease, including age-related macular degeneration.