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Controlling an inflammatory component IL-18 in age-related macular degeneration could prevent the development of the disease Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have discovered that a part of the immune system called the inflammasome is involved in regulating the development of one of the most common forms of blindness, called Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). They have discovered that controlling an inflammatory component IL-18, in cases of Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)...

(Ivanhoe Newswire) "“ Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in America. A new risk assessment model may help predict development of AMD, according to this study."As progress in designing better preventive measures and earlier treatment options accelerates and new gene associations are identified that add to currently known risk factors, the desirability of having a reliable risk assessment model has become of considerable interest and potential...

A new risk assessment model may help predict development of advanced age-related macular degeneration, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in the United States and the Western world, according to background information in the article. "As progress in designing better preventive measures and earlier treatment options accelerates and new gene...

An estimated 6.5 percent of Americans age 40 and older have the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, a lower rate than was reported 15 years ago, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals."Despite new medical and surgical interventions, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) remains an important cause of loss of vision in the United States," the authors write as background information in the article. The last...

 The most common "“ and under-diagnosed "“ genetic disease in humans just may be a cause of the worst form of macular degeneration, Medical College of Georgia researchers report.They are pursuing a link between hemochromatosis, which results in iron overload, and the wet form of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people 60 and older. They suspect that too much iron, known to wreak cumulative havoc on the body's organs, hastens normal aging of the eyes.If they are...

Early-stage age-related macular degeneration appears to be related to modifiable risk factors, including smoking and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good" cholesterol), according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The condition appears uncommon before age 55 but the risk increases with age thereafter.Most studies assessing the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have focused on middle- and...

Scientists discover the relationship between 2 blood proteins plays a pivotal role in staving off the conditionResearchers at University College London say they have gleaned a key insight into the molecular beginnings of age-related macular degeneration, the No. 1 cause of vision loss in the elderly, by determining how two key proteins interact to naturally prevent the onset of the condition.In a paper to be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the team...

Highlights of December 2009 OphthalmologyCan treatments that reduce risks for cardiovascular disease (CVD) also help combat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye disease that affects millions of Americans? CVD and AMD share some risk factors"“such as smoking, high blood pressure, and inflammation"“and a recent study found that people who have early-stage AMD are more likely to develop heart disease. This month's Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology,...

Doctors and medical centers across the United States are debating the use of electronic health records (EHR). This month's Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, provides a look at Eye M.D.s' actions and opinions on the issue. Also highlighted this month are two research studies that will help doctors identify patients who are most vulnerable to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe vision loss in the United States and...

Pipex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX: PP), a specialty pharmaceutical company developing innovative late-stage drug candidates for the treatment of central nervous system and autoimmune diseases, today announced results and publication of positive double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial results in the treatment of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with oral Zinthionein(TM) (formerly Z-Monocys, zinc-monocysteine), meeting all global central retinal function measurements of the...