Active clinical trials for "Retinitis"

To compare the time to progression of CMV retinitis between oral ganciclovir and IV ganciclovir during 20 weeks of maintenance treatment. To compare the safety and tolerance of oral ganciclovir with IV ganciclovir therapy during 20 weeks of maintenance treatment. To describe the safety and tolerance of oral ganciclovir treatment when given concurrently with anti-retroviral treatment, e.g. zidovudine or ddI. To describe the survival of people with AIDS and CMV retinitis.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the short-term safety of a single intravitreal injection of autologous bone marrow stem cells in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

The outcome of this trial will reveal the possibilities of the retinal implant to improve the situation of patients with hereditary retinal blindness caused by degenerations of the outer retina. This pilot study will give important information on safety and efficacy of sub-retinal implants.

The purpose of this study is to look at the safety and effectiveness of CNTF implants on vision in persons with retinitis pigmentosa, Usher type II & III, and Choroideremia. This research is being done because there are no effective therapies for people with these retinal degenerations. They are genetic disorders that affect one's ability to see at night, and later cause tunnel vision and loss of central vision. Retinal degenerations affect the retina, a light sensitive layer of cells in the back of the eye. Slowly over time, these cells die and cause permanent loss of vision. The implant is a small capsule that contains human retinal pigment epithelium cells. These cells have been given the ability to make CNTF and release it through the capsule membrane into the surrounding fluid. In this study, two different CNTF dose levels will be used: a high dose and a low dose in one eye, as well as a sham (or placebo) surgery in the other eye.

The long-term goal is to show that retinal transplantation can help to prevent blindness and to restore eyesight in patients with the inherited disease retinitis pigmentosa.

OBJECTIVES: I. Evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravenous cidofovir in patients with small peripheral cytomegalovirus retinitis. II. Obtain safety and efficacy data related to different dosages of cidofovir.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral ganciclovir for prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinal and gastrointestinal mucosal disease in HIV-infected patients with severe immunosuppression. The most recent treatments against CMV disease have been ganciclovir and foscarnet. Until recently, both drugs required intravenous administration. An oral form of ganciclovir, if shown to be effective therapy against CMV, would be a more suitable method of administration for prophylaxis.

AMENDED: 04-12-91 Population of patients changed FROM those who are intolerant of systemic therapy with NON-sight-threatening CMV retinitis TO those AIDS patients intolerant of systemic therapy with CMV retinitis. AMENDED: 8/8/90. Changes made in neutrophils count from < 500 to < 750 cells/mm3. Nonrandomized eyes will not be used for the primary efficacy evaluation. ORIGINAL DESIGN: To determine the effectiveness and safety of ganciclovir (DHPG) therapy in AIDS patients suffering from active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the retina of the eye (retinitis) when the drug is administered directly into the fluid-filled vitreous cavity of the eye by injection. CMV retinitis is the most frequently seen opportunistic infection of the eye in AIDS patients, and left untreated can lead to severe visual loss and blindness. While systemic administration of DHPG has been shown to be an effective treatment for CMV retinitis, the chronic administration required may be complicated by decreased blood cell counts (granulocytopenia) which may require discontinuation of treatment. While withholding treatment may allow recovery from the granulocytopenia, interruption of therapy may result in reactivation of the retinitis. Injection of DHPG into the vitreous cavity of the eye may be of benefit to severely neutropenic patients with CMV retinitis.

To determine the therapeutic efficacy of a sustained-release intraocular drug delivery system for ganciclovir therapy of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

To compare the newest CMV retinitis drug, cidofovir, with a regimen of the ganciclovir intraocular device plus oral ganciclovir with respect to efficacy in preventing vision loss. To compare a treatment regimen that incorporates highly active local therapy (ganciclovir device) with a treatment regimen that does not.