NEI

Avastin vs. Lucentis

A press release just issued by the National Eye Institute states that a “NIH study finds Avastin and Lucentis are equally effective in treating age-related macular degeneration.” The CATT (Comparison of AMD Treatments Trials) study began in 2008 and now reports the results for 1,185 patients treated at 43 clinical centers in the United States. Patients received Lucentis monthly or PRN, or Avastin monthly or PRN.

New Genes Associated With AMD Identified

Three new genes, associated with AMD, have been identified in a large National Eye Institute study. The study sheds light on a biological pathway for AMD development involving cholesterol. Since it is believed that early AMD is affected by an accumulation of oxidation products of cholesterol and other lipids in the retinal pigment epithelium, studying these genetic variations and their biochemical pathway may lead to future AMD treatments.

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Cataract Surgery and AMD

The AREDS study, funded by the National Eye Institute, showed that cataract surgery improved vision in AMD patients. 1,939 eyes were evaluated for visual acuity after cataract surgery. After one year, the 865 eyes that were still available for study, showed significant statistical gains.

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