Researchers have successfully used a new robot system to improve treatment for debilitating eye disease.
Wet AMD (wAMD) is a severe eye disease in which abnormal blood vessels grow in the macula of the eye, causing rapid and severe vision loss due to leakage of blood and fluid. Around 196 million people worldwide are affected by AMD, with over 700,000 in the UK, a number expected to rise sharply due to an aging population.
Current treatment involves frequent eye injections, each costing between £500 and £800, to control but not cure the disease. Researchers have developed a new method using robotic radiation that targets the affected area more precisely.
This approach reduces the need for injections by around a quarter over two years, saving the NHS £565 per patient treated. The study, led by Professor Timothy Jackson of King’s College London, showed significant results in stabilizing AMD and improving patients’ quality of life by reducing the burden of treatment.
Wet AMD (wAMD) accounts for 10-20 percent of all forms of AMD and is the cause of severe visual impairment in 90 percent of cases.
Source: Science Daily
