Active clinical trials for "Macular Degeneration"

This study is to investigate the protective effects of supplemental lutein and zeaxanthin on early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients in China.

Ranibizumab (Lucentis) is currently the best treatment for wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). To work, the drug must be injected by means of an intravitreal injection (IVT) into the vitreous (jelly-like material) cavity in the back of the eye, repeatedly at intervals ranging from one to several months. Endophthalmitis is a rare but devastating infection of the eye that occurs in approximately 0.2% of patients after IVT injection. Many ophthalmologists ask patients to use antibiotic eye drops after IVT injection in the hope that this may reduce the risk of endophthalmitis. There is no proof that this happens and there is a possible risk that repeated exposure to the same antibiotic may cause antibiotic resistance organisms (bacteria) to develop over time. The investigators hypothesize that repeated exposure to antibiotic during the initial stages of treatment for AMD will result in a progressive shift in the conjunctival flora with an increasing number of antibiotic resistant organisms appearing over time. If this is demonstrated, changes to the prevailing treatment approach will be needed to reduce the long term risk of a patient developing antibiotic resistant endophthalmitis during treatment.

The purpose of this randomized trial is to examine the effectiveness of a psycho-social "Preventive Problem Solving Intervention" on emotional well-being, change in future outlook, and vision functioning in 250 Age-related Macular Degeneration patients 60 and older.

Multifocal-electroretinoram (ERG) and microperimetry are objective criteria to asses retinal function. No information besides visual acuity exist for the development of retinal function during the course of wet AMD during therapy with Lucentis. The aim of our study is to evaluate the value of multifocal-ERG and microperimetry as an sensitive tool and early predictor of recurrence of the disease. The second goal will be to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of an adequate therapy on retinal function using microperimetry and multifocal-ERG during the course of wet AMD.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that Visudyne-Lucentis-dexamethasone (V-L-D) triple therapy will give similar efficacy and safety results as Lucentis monotherapy.

Exudative age related macular degeneration (ARMD) is most common cause of blindness in old population. It is clear that no single therapy addresses the multifactorial pathogenesis of the disease. Recently, studies of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapies such as pegaptanib and bevacizumab have shown the beneficial effect in visual acuity in the treatment of neovascular ARMD. However, the problem with these intravitreal injections is that therapy must be frequently administered for a prolonged but unknown period of time to maintain the benefit. Prolonged, frequent injections may be associated with additional safety risk,lack of convenience and high treatment cost. Intravitreal steroid injection with anti-inflammatory properties limits any further VEGF upregulation initiated by the inflammation which has been known as one of the pathogenesis and causes of recurrence after the treatment of the neovascular ARMD. The researchers hypothesize that the combined treatment of intravitreal bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide may decrease the recurrence rate after the treatment and obviate the frequent intravitreal injections in the treatment of neovascular ARMD. In this study, the researchers will compare the recurrence rate of combined treatment of intravitreal bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide versus intravitreal bevacizumab alone in the treatment of neovascular ARMD.

The primary objective of LUTEGA is it to determine the long term effect (about 1 year) of the supplementation with a fixed combination of lutein/zeaxanthin and omega-3- fatty acids on the optical density (OD) of macular pigment in patients with non- exudative age related maculopathy. Furthermore, it is to be examined whether changes of the optical density are different dosages dependent. Possible changes of lipofuscin content and effect on drusen in AMD patients are studied. The measurement of optical density of macular pigment uses the 1- wavelength reflection method recording reflection images at 460 nm by a fundus camera. The patients are investigated at baseline and are followed up over one year in four more visits. In addition to the OD- measurement each examination includes standardized visual acuity test (ETDRS), amsler- grid, slit lamp biomicroscopy, fundus photography (color and autofluorescence) and a blood sample.

Standard perimetry provides information on topographical retinal sensitivity to light stimuli, however the said locus is not necessarily the preferred locus for fixation. Standard perimetry could also be used as a way for macular scotoma mapping, indirectly showing the fixation locus. Topographic acuity at the preferred retinal locus can be determined if correlation between loci with high sensitivity, eccentric fixation loci and potential visual acuity measurements are correlated. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Determination of visual acuity at preferred retinal locus in Low Vision patients with ARMD using eye standard automated and computerized perimetry methods.

To determine whether application of low-intensity laser treatment of eyes with drusen in the macula can prevent later complications of age-related macular degeneration and thereby preserve visual function.

In this study, the study team utilize virtual reality (VR) to simulate visual impairments of different types and severity in healthy subjects. The platform implements three of the most widespread forms of visual impairment in the United States (US): age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and glaucoma, each with three levels of severity, (mild, moderate, and severe). At present, glaucoma is further developed toward a multidimensional visual impairment simulation. The platform is utilized: i) to provide a safe, controllable, and repeatable set of environments for development and preliminary testing of electronic travel aids (ETAs) in a variety of conditions (i.e., using the ETA to navigate in the immersed environment); and ii) to equip blind and low vision (BVI) professionals, inclusive of orientation and mobility (O&M) instructors, with a controlled, tunable training platform for skill/capacity building, assessment, and refinement of O&M techniques, as well as visually impaired trainees with a safe and immersive environment to improve their O&M skills and learn novel techniques. Two sets of hypothesis-driven experiments are proposed to assess the feasibility of the platform with respect to these two objectives.