New Research Aids In Macular Degeneration Detection, Prevention

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a new diabetes test by taking a snapshot of the retina, even before the onset of vision loss caused by the advanced stages of the disease. While the test is an affordable preventive measure for people at risk for diabetes, it can also be used to detect another ocular condition that can mean blindness if left untreated – macular degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in elderly Americans, and the condition affects millions worldwide. Macular degeneration has no cure, so taking steps to prevent the disease is often the best, most effective treatment.

The new vision-testing device was created by Drs. Victor Elner and Howard Petty. Elner is a professor of ophthalmology at the University's Kellogg Eye Center, and Petty is a biophysicist and imaging expert at the school. Their device is a camera that measures protein activity associated with diabetic retinopathy and other eye diseases. The data is then given a numeric score that indicates how advanced the vision loss is in the patient.

The exciting news for people at risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is twofold. First, it can diagnose changes in the eye 10 years before a patient is diagnosed with the condition, letting at-risk individuals make corrective lifestyle changes to slow or perhaps even prevent the onset of AMD. Second, one possible application for this technology is clinical, determining the real effectiveness of preventive treatments, including vitamins and gene therapy.

Current clinical research, including the AREDS and LAST studies, continues to suggest that vitamin supplements do have a significant effect on macular degeneration-related vision loss. Our macular degeneration supplements are formulated with the most recent research in mind to give you the doses you need of antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients to preserve your vision.