New Treatment Could Slow Effects of Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration may affect as many as 15 million Americans and is the leading cause of vision loss in people over age 65. It occurs when the small central portion of the retina, known as the macula, deteriorates. The retina is the light-sensing nerve tissue at the back of the eye.

However, for the first time, there may be a therapy to at least slow the progress of the disease, according to a new study.

An injection of stem cells into the eye may soon slow or even reverse the effects of early-stage age-related macular degeneration, according to new research from scientists at Cedars-Sinai.

Currently there is no treatment that slows the progression of the disease.

“This is the first study to show preservation of vision after a single injection of adult-derived human cells into a rat model with age-related macular degeneration,” said Shaomei Wang, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study published in the journal STEM CELLS and a research scientist in the Eye Program at the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute.

The stem cell injection resulted in 130 days of preserved vision in laboratory rats, which roughly equates to 16 years in humans.

Encouraging news, for sure, for those like you who are suffering with this disease. Even if you do eventually experience some vision loss, that doesn’t mean that you must be forced to leave your home. Check out your local Home Instead Senior Care^® office.

The company provides many services that can help keep seniors independent and at home for as long as possible while helping to maintain their quality of life.

 
To learn more about the research, visit http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/About-Us/News/News-Releases-2015/Stem-Cell-Injection-May-Soon-Reverse-Vision-Loss-Caused-By-Age-Related-Macular-Degeneration.aspx.

Each Home Instead Senior Care^® franchise office is independently owned and operated.

At-Home Assistance Could Help Support Recovery

Researchers have found significant benefit from surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis with and without degenerative spondylolisthesis – debilitating spinal conditions which, as you may know, can cause leg and back pain, numbness and weakness. Researchers also found no higher overall complication rate and no higher mortality for patients age 80 and older when compared with patients younger than age 80.

“This study demonstrates that surgery for the treatment of lumbar stenosis and degenerative spondylolisthesis provides significant benefit compared to non-operative treatment in those patients over the age of 80,” said lead study author Jeffrey A. Rihn, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon at the Rothman Institute and associate professor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa.

“Patients in this age group had significant improvement in their function after surgery and complication rates comparable to the younger demographic. Based on the results of this study, surgery should be considered a viable treatment option for these lumbar conditions in patients older than age 80.”

To learn more about the report, visit http://jbjs.org/content/97/3/177.