Ophthalmology

Because hypertension and wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are both found in elderly patients, their relationship is unclear. This study, published in Acta Ophthalmologica, attempted to analyze the association between hypertension and wet AMD and how their co-occurrence may impact wet AMD treatment strategies.  The study relied on electronic healthcare records from 2002 to 2019. A...

Anti-VEGF therapy is currently considered the most effective way to treat wet AMD but is highly burdensome for patients. Chitinase-3-like-1 (YKL-40) could serve as an alternative target for wet AMD treatment, as it has been shown to promote microangiogenesis and inflammation.  This study, published in FEBS Open Bio, investigated the role of YKL-40 in wet AMD....

The standard treatment for patients with wet AMD is antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. Although effective, this treatment’s need for costly lifelong injections makes it less than ideal. Gene therapy for wet AMD can allow for the sustained delivery of antiangiogenic proteins, resulting in potentially less burdensome treatment for patients. This study, published in The British...

Although age-related cataracts and wet AMD co-occur in many patients, the timing of cataract surgery in patients with wet AMD is controversial. This article, published in Acta Ophthalmologica, analyzed the outcomes of patients with wet AMD who underwent cataract surgery. The study included 111 patients with a mean age of 78.9 ± 5.6 years. Both best-corrected...

In this MD Newsline exclusive interview with vitreoretinal specialist Dr. Alan Franklin, we discuss treatment strategies for wet AMD and the latest research. MD Newsline: What is your treatment strategy for wet AMD and how is it tailored to each patient? How do these treatments work? How do you decide when to switch treatments? Finally,...

In this MD Newsline exclusive interview with vitreoretinal specialist Dr. Alan Franklin, we discuss risk factors for wet AMD. MD Newsline: Is there a genetic basis for why Caucasian Americans and Chinese Americans seem to suffer more from wet AMD? Dr. Alan Franklin: “There is definitely a genetic basis for AMD. For wet AMD, there...

In this MD Newsline exclusive interview with vitreoretinal specialist Dr. Alan Franklin, we discuss what wet age-related macular degeneration is and why it matters. MD Newsline: Can you explain why age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in general, and wet AMD in particular, are such important health issues? Dr. Alan Franklin: “Age-related macular degeneration is the leading...

In this MD Newsline exclusive interview with vitreoretinal specialist Dr. Alan Franklin, we discuss barriers to treatment adherence and COVID-19 as they relate to wet AMD. MD Newsline: What do you think are the major barriers to wet AMD treatment adherence? Dr. Alan Franklin: “In the best-case scenario, it is difficult for our patients to...

In this MD Newsline exclusive interview with vitreoretinal specialist Dr. Alan Franklin, we discuss how to provide culturally sensitive care and overcome language barriers. MD Newsline: How have you been able to implement culturally sensitive care in your practice? Dr. Alan Franklin: “To me, it’s all about the golden rule. I try to treat everybody...