(http://www.PreserveMacForte.com) Seventy-five-year-old Sheila Rossan in London, UK, was one of the first age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients to get a new treatment that lessens the requirement for painful injections into the eye, reported The Daily Mail.
Describing what life was like before being diagnosed with AMD, Rossan said that she knew something was wrong when, four years ago, the straight grout lines separating her kitchen floor tiles seemed to wiggle and move around.
According to the article, Rossan said that her sister, Mitzi, had come down with similar symptoms months before and was subsequently diagnosed with AMD. Rossan said that that development prompted her to seek treatment immediately. She telephoned her GP who recommended that she head over to London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital the very next day. The next day the medical professional at the hospital confirmed Rossan’s concern — she had AMD.
The treatment her doctor prescribed was Lucentis, which was injected into the side of her eyeball. She said that doctors warned her that the condition could once again rear its ugly head. She acknowledged in the article that the injections “hurt horribly.”
She said that ever four to six weeks, she had to go back in for checkups and, if required, followup Lucentis injections. All told, she had about 14 injections over a 24-month period.
Fortunately, her husband eventually told her about the IRay device that is used to stop irregular blood vessels from growth. The procedure was conducted in April 2011 and was followed by monthly tests. The tests, said Rossan, revealed that her left eye was functioning properly. Furthermore, one year after the IRay procedure, she required a single injection. Unfortunately, she started to experience age-related macular degeneration in her right eye and received a couple of Lucentis injections in the eye.
Rossan said in the article that she would like to have the IRay treatment but, because the trial is finished, she’ll have to foot the bill on her own.
According to studies, AMD is an eye condition that generally impacts people who are older, namely people who have reached retirement age. While there is no cure, there are treatments to slow the diseases progression.