A tiny glass telescope of the size of a pea has been successfully implanted in the eyes of people with severely damaged retinas, helping them to read and watch television. The new device by VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies is for people with an irreversible, advanced form of macular degeneration in which a blind spot develops in the central vision of both eyes. The device, which has received unanimous recommendation from the FDA advisory panel, may receive FDA approval by the end of the year.

Researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine and other institutes have announced that age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy could be prevented or reversed by activating a protein, Robo4, in blood vessel cells through drugs. The research was conducted in mice models simulating age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy. The protein acted by inhibiting abnormal blood vessel growth and preventing leakage by stabilizing blood vessels.

Photo by circo de invierno