(PreserveMacForte.com) Oraya Therapy Stereotactic Radiotherapy, used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), has been rolled out at Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital, reported The Herald Online recently.
According to the article, the development now means that Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital is the second facility situated in the United Kingdom to offer the therapy. The article noted that the Oraya Therapy, which is non-invasive, is a one-time outpatient treatment to lessen the requirement for ongoing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections directly in the eye.
Around the world, wet AMD is the primary cause of vision impairment among people who are older than 65 years old. In the UK, meanwhile, wet AMD adversely impacts about 260,000 persons and an article from the British Journal of Ophthalmology notes that close to 40,000 new patients will be diagnosed with wet AMD each year. While anti-VEGF injections have helped to prevent millions of people around the world from going blind, the treatment is costly and uncomfortable, according to the article.
Sajjad Mahmood, consultant ophthalmologist at Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital, said in the article that Oraya Therapy will help patients to keep their vision while cutting down on the “need for injections.”
The article explained that Oraya Therapy’s effectiveness has been shown in the INTREPID study. The study achieved its main endpoint by increasing the period of time between anti-VEGF injections injections by 32% for treated patients compared to the control group. According to the article, the INTREPID study shows that anti-VEGF injections was able to lessen anti-VEGF injections by up to 55%.
Professor Tariq Aslam, consultant ophthalmologist at Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital, said in the article that “it’s extremely gratifying that” Oraya Therapy is now available to help patients living with wet AMD.
There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Only about 10% of those who get dry AMD end up getting wet AMD, which is the more serious of the two conditions. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels leak blood and other fluid that damages the macula. If diagnosed soon enough, eye doctors can employ different treatment options to help people cope with wet AMD. There is, however, no cure for the disease.
Reference: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/08/14/5113057/groundbreaking-therapy-for-wet.html