Melbourne researchers find new laser therapy helps slow macular degeneration

27 November 2014

A new, low-impact, low-energy laser treatment for patients with early age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has produced positive results by reducing indicators of the disease.
Researchers from the University of Melbourne found unlike other laser treatments, this new faster laser did not result in damage to the retina, the sensitive light detecting tissue at the back of the eye.

University of Melbourne Optometry School
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Associate Professor Erica Fletcher from the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience said this was the first report detailing how this new laser treatment may improve eye health in those with AMD. In the early stages, the disease is characterised by the presence of small fatty deposits called drusen and thickening in a membrane at the back of the eye.
Published recently in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), the study explores how this laser may help in limiting retinal disease, showing that it improved the health of important supporting cells at the back of the eye.
“These findings suggest treating people with AMD  with this new nanosecond laser reduces signs of the disease. Importantly, unlike other lasers currently used to treat eye disease, the nanosecond laser does not result in damage to the sensitive retina,” she said.
The study also showed evidence that nanosecond laser treatment in one eye can also produce positive effects in the other untreated eye. This raises the possibility that monocular treatment may be sufficient to treat disease in both eyes.
AMD affects one in seven people over the age of 50 with the incidence increasing in age. It is responsible for 48 per cent of severe vision loss in Australia with an estimated 17,700 new cases each year.
This research was conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) through the ongoing Laser intervention in Early Age-related macular Degeneration (LEAD) study.
The laser is manufactured in Australia by Ellex.

University of Melbourne Doctor of Optometry (OD)

If you’re interested in vision sciences, the Doctor of Optometry at the University of Melbourne may be for you! The four-year program consists of a combination of on-campus teaching and clinical placements, with the clinical component commencing in Year 1 and gradually increasing to full time in the final year. Opportunities exist for clinical-related research to be conducted as a required component of the degree.
Program: Doctor of Optometry (OD)
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Semester intake: Late February or early March
Duration: 4 years

For more information about the University of Melbourne’s Doctor of Optometry (OD) program, please contact OzTREKK’s Australian Optometry Schools Admissions Officer Rachel Brady by emailing rachel@oztrekk.com or calling toll free in Canada at 1-866-698-7355.

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