An Eye Map of Diseases Associated with Blindness

“University of Iowa researchers have created the most detailed map to date of a region of the human eye long associated with blinding diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration,” according to Science Daily. “The high-resolution molecular map catalogs thousands of proteins in the choroid, which supplies blood and oxygen to the outer retina, itself critical in vision. By seeing differences in the abundance of proteins in different areas of the choroid, the researchers can begin to figure out which proteins may be the critical actors in vision loss and eye disease.”  Read more; see map.

New Drug Treatment for AMD

Medical News Today says that “a team of ophthalmologists at the University of Iowa has shown that a third drug, Eylea, can ease leaking and vision problems for wet AMD patients. In a study involving 31 AMD patients at the UI Hospitals and Clinics, researchers report that half of the eyes treated with Eylea had reduced fluid after three monthly injections. Moreover, in some cases subsequent bimonthly injections with Eylea were deemed as effective as monthly injections of Avastin and Lucentis over a similar time period, meaning fewer visits by patients and less cost.” Read more.