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Good News In The Fight Against Age-Related Vision
Loss
(NC)—After a lifetime of normal vision, not being
able to see people's faces, watch TV or read a book
is devastating.
That's the tough reality, faced by
thousands of Canadians as they age who suffer from a
degenerative eye disease called age-related macular
degeneration (AMD). It's the most common cause of
vision loss for Canadians over the age of 50.
AMD
is an eye disease that occurs more frequently with
age. It damages the macula, a very small and
specialized area in the centre of the retina, which
is responsible for central vision necessary for
ordinary vision-related activities such as seeing
faces, reading and driving.
There are two types of AMD, dry and wet.
Typically,
dry AMD progresses slowly and is usually less
severe. Until two years ago, the diagnosis of wet
AMD meant severe central vision loss and possibly
even blindness, in a matter of weeks to months.
People's lives were devastated because their
independence and autonomy were at risk.
In
2007, a new treatment called Lucentis was approved
by Health Canada. It is the first and only treatment
for wet AMD that has been shown to actually improve
vision.
The majority of people with wet AMD can see
their vision improve after the first treatments.
The
good news for people with wet AMD in New Brunswick
and Newfoundland and Labrador is that they now have
access to Lucentis through their provincial drug
plans.
“Lucentis stops macular degeneration in its tracks
and having access to it is a real milestone for New
Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador residents,"
said Duncan Williams, CNIB's executive director for
New Brunswick.
“Until now a diagnosis of AMD almost
certainly lead to significant vision loss or
blindness. We congratulate the governments for
recognizing the importance of this treatment and the
differenced that it will make on the lives of patients.”
If
you've been diagnosed with wet AMD or you notice a
sudden change in your vision such as blurring or a
blank spot in your visual field, speak to your eye
doctor about this new advance in the treatment of
wet AMD. Early diagnosis gives you a better chance
at preserving your vision. If you have questions,
you should discuss with your doctor.
www.newscanada.com
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“Until now a diagnosis of AMD almost
certainly lead to significant vision loss or
blindness. We congratulate the governments for
recognizing the importance of this treatment and the
differenced that it will make on the lives of patients.”
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