Implant For Age Related Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration, the leading cause of legal blindness in Americans over the age of 60, damages the macula – the part of the retina that provides central vision. This loss of central vision affects a person’s ability to perform daily tasks. Unfortunately, macular degeneration has been known to cause depression and diminish quality of life.
The Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT) is an extremely tiny implant that has been approved for end-stage age-related macular degeneration. With a combination of mirrors, the implant magnifies the image 2-3 times of the normal size and projects on the retina for the eye to see.
- Must be at least 75 years of age.
- Must have retinal findings of geography atrophy or disciform scar with foveal involvement.
- Must have BCVA of 20/160 – 20/800.
- Must have evidence of a cataract in one eye.
- Must be willing to undergo pre-operative screening and post operative training with a low vision therapist.
Source: UC Davis Health Systems (1), UC Davis Health Systems (2), Fox News via Gizmodo
Image sources: UC Davis Health Systems (1)
This is great news. My mother in law has MacDegen for the last 20 years. She is 91 and we would love to see her be able to regain some of her vision. She used to paint but even the low vision equipment is getting so it doesnt work. It has lowered her quality of life. I would love to see if she could be a part of this trial
Is this for wet md? My mom has been getting the injections about every month. We would love to see if she is able to participate in this