(PreserveMacForte.com) Surgeons at the University of California, Davis are performing a new type of procedure that promises to help people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to see more clearly, reported The Daily Herald on October 29.
According to the article, the university has been conducting a surgical procedure that involves implanting a small bionic device into the human eye. The article noted that the device, at first glance, is hardly detectable. However, a more careful look at someone who has had the device implanted into his or her eye will reveal a luminescent spot in the section of the eye where the pupil is located.
Dr. Jennifer Li from the UC Davis, who is one of the university’s surgeons utilizing the new technology, said in the article that AMD often results in scarring of the macula. The eye condition also reduces the ability to discern fine detail as well as central vision. According to the article, Dr. Li explained that, before the new technology, patients with late-state AMD basically had no access to long-term surgical or medical treatment. As such, they would have to use glasses equipped with large telescopes or magnifiers that were held by hand.
The article indicated that California-based Virginia Bane, and 89-year-old woman, is the first person in the Northern California region to undergo the procedure for the implant. According to the report, Dr. Li and UC Davis surgeon Dr. Mark Mannis teamed up to perform the surgery on Bane.
Meanwhile, VisionCare, the company that manufactures the breakthrough device, said in the article that the small telescope solution is actually the first of its kind to be implanted inside the human eye. The technology was okayed in 201o by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. VisionCare said in the article that the solution will be sold for $15,250, and Medicare has confirmed that it will foot the cost.
The article noted that the miniature telescope is a breakthrough that joins inventions such as knee and hip replacements. The article added not only that some 2 million Americans are living with advanced AMD, but also that half a million people are diagnosed annually. According to the article, AMD is the primary cause of legal blindness in the U.S. among people who are 60 years old and older.
Reference: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20121029/entlife/710299978/