Sight-saving drug approved on NHS

"A sight-saving drug that could prevent thousands of people from going blind has been approved for use on the NHS across England and Wales.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) today (August 27) issued its final guidance on Lucentis, recommending the anti-VEGF drug for the treatment of wet-AMD.

The approval follows a collaboration between NICE, the Department of Health and, the drug’s manufacturer, Novartis. The agreement involves the implementation of a Ranibizumab Reimbursement Scheme (RSS) which will provide patients with universal access to the drug.

Under the scheme the first 14 injections will be funded by the NHS, with the cost of any additional treatment being met by the Swiss-based drug manufacturer.

Having already launched an interim version of the scheme in a bid to provide immediate access for patients to the drug on the NHS, the issuing of the final guidance means it can be rolled out nationwide."

Photochromic Lenses

"Photchromic lenses are sometimes referred to as transition lenses, reactalite lenses or sunsensor lenses.
Photochromic lenses darken on exposure to sunlight and protect the eyes from ultraviolet radiation. Excessive exposure can cause permanent damage to the cornea and conjunctiva. Good photochromic lenses block out 100% of the most harmful rays of the sun, 100% of the time, adapting to changes in light and darkening in seconds.

Whilst sunglasses give comfort in very bright conditions by reducing the total amount of light and glare reaching the eye, they are not always convenient in changing light conditions and care must be taken that they meet Standard BS 2724 otherwise they won’t protect the eye from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. In fact, non-UV absorbing lenses can do more harm than not wearing any protection at all because, behind a dark tint, the pupil increases in size allowing the harmful rays through."

Smoking linked to age-related eye disease

"Smoking may speed up the progression of age-related macular degeneration, an eye disease common among seniors, U.S. researchers say.

The study, published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, determined smokers had a 47 percent increase in their odds of developing early age-related macular degeneration, known as AMD. Smokers also develop AMD at a younger age -- 69.2 years -- than former smokers -- 72.3 years -- and those who had never smoked --74.4 years.

Dr. Ronald Klein and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison studied 4,926 residents of Beaver Dam, Wis., who were between ages 43 to 84 when initially examined in 1988 to 1990. Their eyes were re-examined every five years for the next 15 years. The presence and status of AMD was measured with photographs of the retina.

'While controlling for other factors, smoking appears to be related to the incidence and progression of AMD in our population,' the study authors said in a statement. 'This has important health care implications, because early AMD is associated with an increase in the risk of developing late AMD and smoking behavior is modifiable.'"

Payout hope for people with eye disease

"More than a hundred people across Norfolk could be in line for a refunded for medical treatment they should have received for free.

Some people who suffer with the degenerative eye disease wet, age related macular degeneration (AMD) were forced to pay for their treatment which can cost more than £1,000 per session.

Now, anyone who fits the criteria and paid for treatment of Avastin or Lucentis after May last year will get their money back and will not have to pay for treatment in the future, after the Norfolk Primary Care Trust (PCT) board held a review.

Health bosses said it was impossible to tell how much they would have to pay out because it would depend on how many people had been using the drugs, how many treatments they were given and whether one or both their eyes were affected.

But, if 150 people do turn out to be eligible, depending on the treatment they have had the cost could range from £450,000 to £1.3m......."

UV related eye diseases

"Ultraviolet radiation can play a contributory role in the development of various ocular disorders including cataract, pterygium, cancer of the skin around the eye, photokeratitis and corneal degenerative changes, and may contribute to age-related macular degeneration.

Cataract is a major cause of visual impairment and blindness world-wide. Laboratory studies have implicated UV radiation as a causal factor for cataract. Furthermore, epidemiological studies have shown that certain types of cataract are associated with a history of higher exposure to UV, and especially UV-B radiation.

Age-related macular degeneration is the major cause of reduced vision in the U.K (most of the western populations) for people over the age of 55. Exposure to UV and intense violet/blue visible radiation is damaging to retinal tissue in laboratory experiments, thus scientists have speculated that chronic UV or violet/blue light exposure may contribute to ageing processes in the retina.

Pterygium is a growth of tissue on the white of the eye that may extend onto the clear cornea where it can block vision. It is seen most commonly in people who work outdoors in the sun and wind, and its prevalence is related to the amount of UV exposure. It can be removed surgically, but often recurs and can cause cosmetic concerns and visual loss if untreated. Excessive UV exposure is well known to predispose to skin cancer, which includes the eyelids and facial skin.

Photokeratitis is essentially a reversible sunburn of the cornea resulting from excessive UV-B exposure. It occurs when someone spends long hours on the beach or snow without eye protection. It can be extremely painful for 1 to 2 days and can result in temporary loss of vision. There is some indication that long term exposure to UV-B can result in corneal degenerative changes."

Lutein and AMD

"Lutein and its related compound zeaxanthin are highly concentrated in the macula, providing a yellow color known as the macular pigment.The macular pigment protects the macula from the damaging photo-oxidative effects of blue light.
Of the 600 or so carotenoids present in nature, only a handful are present in human serum. Of those, nature has chosen only lutein and zeaxanthin to be present in the macula. These facts alone suggest that lutein plays a critical role in eye health.
There is a wealth of data available supporting a role for lutein in reducing the risk of AMD.There are a number of observational studies showing the association between lutein intake, serum levels, macular pigment density and AMD risk in humans.
Controlled intervention studies in humans are needed to establish causality. In terms of eye health, more and more studies investigating the direct effect of dietary lutein and lutein supplementation on macular pigment density are now being published.
Researchers agree that it is the body of evidence that must be evaluated collectively in order to determine the merits of a given nutrient, and any conclusions based on a single study are premature. The body of evidence appears to support a beneficial role for lutein in eye health."

AMD - Macular Degeneration, Eye Disease

"AMD occurs when the fragile center of the retina–the macula–deteriorates from a lifetime of slow but steady damage. The macula is a small area of the retina responsible for central vision, and high visual acuity. Poor macular health can cause oxidative stress within the retina, leading to a loss of central vision.
According to AMD Alliance International dry AMD, the more common and milder form of AMD, accounts for 85% to 90% of all cases. It develops gradually over time and usually causes only mild loss of vision. One key identifier for AMD is the collection of small, round, white-yellow, fatty deposits called drusen in the central part of the retina. Drusen accumulate in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) tissue beneath the macula and the macula thins and dries out. The amount of vision loss is related to the location and amount of macular thinning caused by the drusen. Sometimes abnormal new blood vessels form (wet AMD). It is therefore important for individuals with dry AMD to have their eyes examined regularly, because it may eventually develop into the wet form.
Although the wet form of AMD accounts for only 10 – 15% of all AMD, the chance for severe sight loss is much greater. It is responsible for 90% of severe vision loss associated with AMD. Wet AMD is caused by the growth of abnormal blood vessels, or choroidal neovascularization (CNV), under the central part of the retina, the macula. These abnormal vessels leak fluid and blood into the tissue at the back of the eye, causing a blister to form in the retina. This progression leads to scar tissue, distortion and a loss of central vision. Wet AMD can rapidly damage the macula and result in a very quick loss of central vision."

What AMD looks Like As It Progresses:

A Revolutionary treatment offering the gift of sight has been made available to patients in Gloucestershire.

"A Revolutionary treatment offering the gift of sight has been made available to patients in Gloucestershire.Injections of the drug Lucentis can improve vision in people with some forms of retina degeneration.

But until now Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust has not funded the treatment, which can cost up to £28,000 for a two-year course, because it was too costly to give to hundreds of sufferers.

But the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has now given its backing to public funding for the drug and Lucentis is to become available in the county."

Smoking 'key factor' in blindness

"Smoking is a key factor in one of the most common causes of blindness, experts said yesterday.
The researchers said those at a high genetic risk of age-related macular degeneration should give up cigarettes to help them preserve their sight in later life.
Smoking caused at least a third of severe cases of the condition, said the team from Queen's University, Belfast.
Previous research has found a link between smoking and the disease, but calculations by the Belfast researchers suggest that patients with distinct genetic markers have a very high risk.
Their study of almost 700 people threw up five common gene markers which substantially increase the chances of developing macular degeneration.
An estimated 200,000 Britons are diagnosed with macular degeneration each year.
Laser surgery and drugs can limit the damage caused by the disease.
The Belfast study was reported in the Public Library of Science's Medicine journal."

New Treatment For Age-related Macular Degeneration Within Sight

"With 8 million people at high risk for advanced age-related macular degeneration, researchers from Harvard and Japan discovered that the experimental drug, endostatin, may be the cure. A research report describes how giving endostatin to mice significantly reduced or eliminated abnormal blood vessel growth within the eye, which is ultimately why the disease causes blindness."
"Our study provides intriguing findings that may lead to a better treatment of age-related macular degeneration," said Alexander Marneros, the first author of the report, "but clinical studies in patients with age-related macular degeneration are still necessary."
In this study, researchers describe testing the effects of endostatin on mice lacking this naturally occurring substance. The mice without endostatin were about three times more likely to develop advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than normal mice. Then the researchers administered endostatin to both sets of mice. In the mice lacking endostatin, the number of abnormal blood vessels that cause AMD were reduced to normal levels. In control mice with normal levels of endostatin, the number of abnormal blood vessels were practically undetectable."