FRIDAY, Nov. 7, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- A surgical method to help treat advanced cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been developed by researchers at Duke University Eye Center.
The procedure, called macular translocation surgery with 360 degree peripheral retinectomy (MT360), is a two-stage surgery. The first step involves internally rotating the retina to shift the degenerating macula to a healthy area, away from abnormally growing blood vessels and scar tissue.
In the second step, the eye is rotated to account for the ensuing tilt in a person's visual field.
The Duke researchers say that while this procedure is not a cure for AMD, it does help restore central vision. The latest report on MT360 appears in the Nov. 1 issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology.
In this most recent study, the authors report that people with advanced cases of AMD who have received a round of standard treatment called ocular photodynamic therapy and continue to experience vision loss recovered their reading vision after undergoing MT360.
Macular degeneration is a disease that causes blurring of central vision. It occurs in two forms -- wet and dry. The dry form is more common. It occurs when deposits accumulate under the retina. The dry form of macular degeneration may set the stage for the less common, but more severe, wet form.
In the wet form of macular degeneration, blood vessels and scar tissue begin to grow abnormally beneath the retina, leading to permanent damage of the macula. The macula is the central portion of the retina and is used for fine-detail activities such as reading or sewing.
More information
Here's where you can learn more about age-related macular degeneration.
