Wet Macular Degeneration Clinical Trials 2023

What Are Wet Macular Degeneration Trials?

According to Mayo Clinic, wet macular degeneration is an eye disorder that causes symptoms like blurred vision or a blind spot in your eye. This condition is caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid into the macula, which forms part of the retina in the eye.

It is unknown what causes this condition, and many patients go without treatment until the disease progresses and there is significant vision loss. Clinical trials for wet macular degeneration will provide more information on how to treat this condition and create awareness about preventing it.

An ongoing clinical trial for wet macular degeneration involves a drug treatment called Ranibizumab. So far, some people have seen a significant improvement in their eyesight with this treatment, while others have shown little progress. The clinical trial also hopes to identify why the treatment was ineffective in some patients.

Why Is Wet Macular Degeneration Being Studied Through Clinical Trials?

Wet macular degeneration is diagnosed as patients get older. Unfortunately, this condition is often diagnosed when it's too late for a practical course of treatment, and there have been significant negative impacts on vision and the eyes. This condition can be avoided by a few lifestyle changes, but there is also a genetic predisposition for wet macular degeneration.

Clinical trials can help find new research on diagnosing this condition sooner and improving the treatment options for wet macular degeneration.

In the United States, about 11 million people have wet macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is also the leading cause of vision loss and blindness worldwide. This widespread condition requires new treatment options and more research to minimize the number of people diagnosed with this condition.

What Are The Types Of Treatments Available For Wet Macular Degeneration?

There are multiple treatment options for those with wet macular degeneration. Suitable treatments may be recommended depending on the severity of this condition. Some of the treatment options include:

1. Therapies. Special eye therapies are also used to treat wet macular degeneration. These therapies include photodynamic therapy, photocoagulation, and low-vision rehabilitation.
2. Medication. Medications for treating wet macular degeneration include Bevacizumab, Ranibizumab, Aflibercept, and Brolucizumab.
3. Lifestyle changes. Specific lifestyle changes may slow down vision loss and help keep your eyes healthy. Some of these include avoiding smoking, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating healthily.
4. Supplements. Some vitamins can be beneficial to eye health and can be recommended to those who have wet macular degeneration. These include vitamin C, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Copper.

There are also ongoing clinical trials for wet macular degeneration that include drug-based treatments and eye therapies to help with vision loss and prevent this condition from progressing. One of these treatments is gene therapy for age-related wet macular degeneration.

What Are Some Recent Breakthrough Clinical Trials For Wet Macular Degeneration?

There have been some progressive treatments for wet macular degeneration recently. Some of these clinical trials have shown to be very promising, but the most notable clinical trials are:

2020: RGX-314 Gene Therapy for treating wet macular degeneration. RGX-314 is a gene therapy that is being developed for treating wet macular degeneration. This clinical trial will test the effectiveness of gene therapy in patients with this condition and hopes to yield positive results by the end of 2024.

2023: Vabysmo for the treatment of wet macular degeneration. Vabysmo has just been approved by the FDA as a treatment for vision loss in wet-aged related macular degeneration and offers patients a more flexible dose compared to older therapies. In addition, this treatment is an injectable aimed at improving vision loss.

Who Are Some Of The Key Opinion Leaders / Researchers Conducting Wet Macular Degeneration Clinical Trial Research?

Robert Bhisitkul is an ophthalmologist specializing in laser treatment for macular degeneration. He also performs surgical procedures on these conditions and recruits patients for clinical trials on wet macular degeneration.

Akrit Sodhi is an associate professor of ophthalmology and has published many research papers on diagnostic markers and therapies for eye diseases. His field of expertise includes many eye conditions, including macular degeneration.