Macular Degeneration

Research

Mayo Clinic eye doctors routinely blend patient care with basic science and clinical investigation. Their goal: To expand the understanding of retinal conditions while increasing the therapies to treat them.

In the basic science arena, Mayo clinicians are collaborating with researchers across the country to convert adult stem cells into retinal cells. If they succeed, one day doctors may be able to help patients regain lost sight by replenishing cells damaged by macular degeneration (and retinal pigmentosa) with healthy ones. Realizing such a goal is likely decades away, but researchers have already shown that neural stem cells can express some of the proteins found in retinal cells, at least in experimental models. The next step is to see if stem cells can be converted into the retinal pigment epithelial cells important in macular degeneration.

In the therapeutic arena, Mayo researchers are participating in a National Eye Institute study to determine if low-intensity scatter laser treatment on the back of the macula can cause a regression of drusen and delay the vision loss in dry ARMD.

Mayo researchers continue research into anti-angiogenic medications — those injectable compounds like Macugen that inhibit the growth of abnormal blood vessels. While Mayo clinicians can now offer this drug as a standard treatment for wet AMD, they're also investigating it as a possible therapy for diabetic edema or swelling of the macula.

Recent Publications by Mayo Physicians on Macular Degeneration

Richer S, Stiles W, Statkute L, Pulido J, Frankowski J, Rudy D, Pei K, Tsipursky M, Nyland J. Double-masked, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of lutein and antioxidant supplementation in the intervention of atrophic age-related macular degeneration, the Veterans LAST study (Lutein Antioxidant Supplementation Trial). Optometry. 2004 Apr;75(4):216-30. [Abstract]

Pulido JS, Blake CR. Special considerations in the guidelines for high-dose vitamin supplementation in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004 Apr;122(4):662; discussion 662-3. [Abstract]

Klingel R, Fassbender C, Fischer I, Hattenbach L, Gumbel H, Pulido J, Koch F. Rheopheresis for age-related macular degeneration: a novel indication for therapeutic apheresis in ophthalmology. Therapeutic Apheresis. 2002Aug;6(4):271-81. Review. [Abstract]

Pulido J. Prevention and treatment of diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Managed Care. 2002Jan;11(1 Suppl.):9-11;discussions24-7. [No Abstract Available]

Pulido JS; Multicenter Investigation of Rheopheresis for AMD (MIRA-1) Study Group. Multicenter prospective, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study of Rheopheresis to treat nonexudative age-related macular degeneration: interim analysis. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc. 2002;100:85-106; discussion 106-7. [Abstract]

Shahidi M, Blair NP, Mori M, Gieser J, Pulido JS. Retinal topography and thickness mapping in atrophic age related macular degeneration. Br J Ophthalmol. 2002 Jun;86(6):623-6. [Abstract]