A patient tells of his hopes for Lucentis, a new treatment for age-related macular degeneration

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Lucentis, a recently approved drug, may restore vision to those with wet age-related macular degeneration
In 2000, Boggs Huff, now aged 81, was diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in both his eyes. Wet AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in older people and is caused by abnormal growth of blood vessels behind the eye. Huff had cataract and corneal replacement in his left eye last year but, after a temporary improvement, his condition continued to worsen. He has now enrolled in a clinical trial of Lucentis at Vanderbilt Eye Institute where he is being treated by Professor Paul Sternberg.

Lucentis, also known as ranibizumab, is injected into the eye where it inhibits the growth of the abnormal blood vessels. In previous trials it has improved vision of 40 per cent of those with wet AMD, making it the first drug that can actually increase visual acuity. So far Prof. Sternberg has treated ten patients and Mr Huff is hopeful that his own treatment will work. "When you start losing your eyesight, you'll go through any route," he says. "You are more aggressive about finding out what is available to help you."

Source
Vanderbilt University Medical Center 27th July 2006

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