New treatment for age-old blindness

A new treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that affects 30 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50, was recently introduced by Novartis Healthcare Phils. Inc. to members of the Vitreoretina Society of the Philippines and the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology at the Makati Shangri-La Hotel recently.

Visudyne (verteporfin for injection) is the first drug approved for people with the wet form of AMD characterized by the growth of abnormal blood vessels that leak blood and fluid into the back of the eye, causing blindness.

Used in combinations with photodynamic or laser therapy (PDT), the new drug destroys the abnormal vessels and slows the progression of vision loss without damaging other parts of the eyes.

As its name implies, AMD is related to aging and is a growing health problem. By 2020, as many as 7.5 million people over 65 years of age may suffer from vision loss because of the disease. It affects the macula of the eye that is responsible for clear central vision.

As the macula is damaged, there is loss of central vision, leaving only peripheral or side vision intact. This occurs within two years if the condition is not treated.

There are two types of AMD – the dry and the wet form. About 90 percent of people with AMD have the dry type while the wet form affects only 10 percent of patients. However, the wet type results in rapid deterioration of vision.

The cause of AMD is unknown but possible risk factors include smoking, light skin or eye color, hypertension, coronary artery disease, sun exposure and a diet low in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

"The number of people with AMD is growing rapidly in the past 10 years. I see about 10 to 20 cases a day in Korea alone. These people will eventually lose their sight. But with Visudyne, we can stop this from happening. While we cannot restore the patient’s vision, stopping the progression of AMD is a great advance. I have treated about 300 patients with this drug and there have been no adverse reactions," according to Dr. Oh-Woong Kwon, president of the Korea Retinal Society and one of the speakers at the workshop on "PDT with Verteporfin, The Asian Experience."

"Visudyne is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the past years in the field of ophthalmology. AMD was previously untreated but there is now hope because of Visudyne that helps retard vision loss," added Dr. Sherman Valero of the Makati Medical Center.

Early detection and treatment are the keys in fighting AMD and preventing blindness. For more information on Visudyne, call Novartis Healthcare Phils. Inc. at 815-9371 to 85 or visit the Visudyne website at www.visudyne.com.