Dr. Monés presents the new hypothesis on the progression to GA at the prestigious Meeting of The Macula Society

The Director of the Institut de la Mácula, Dr. Jordi Monés, has presented the latest developments in the research into geographic atrophy at the 41st Annual Meeting of The Macula Society. Over the four days of this global benchmark event focusing on macular and retinal diseases, held in California, Dr. Monés set out the results of the Proxima A trial after one year and the findings of the study “Drusen ooze: a novel hypothesis in geographic atrophy”.

In a talk entitled "Natural History of Geographic Atrophy Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Proxima A", Dr. Monés explained what has been achieved in the Proxima A trial after observing 100 patients with geographic atrophy for over a year. This prospective and multicentre, epidemiological study demonstrates the serious functional impact caused by geographic atrophy in patients and the high degree of functional deterioration they suffer, which has a direct impact on their quality of life. Dr. Monés also explained that further research is needed in order to better understand the history of this disease.

In addition, Dr. Monés presented the study "Drusen ooze: A novel Hypothesis in Geographic Atrophy". These new results must contribute indirectly to a greater knowledge of the mechanisms involved in geographic atrophy and in promoting the use of the advanced SD-OCT imaging technique to complete the cell histology. In fact, Dr. Monés stressed that the latter has been the great strength of the study because this technology has made it possible to observe in high resolution and precisely and dynamically the characteristics of the drusen and of the progression towards geographic atrophy.

This study highlights the fact that drusen ooze could activate the apical surface of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), exceeding its capacity to maintain the photoreceptor environment, which would lead to the death of the RPE. This would be followed by the continuous uncontrolled release of the intracellular material, which would further activate neighbouring RPE cells, propagate cell death, and promote GA progression as a vicious, cell-to-cell cycle.

The Macula Society, founded in 1977, gathers top-notch, globally-recognised specialists to share the developments in research into the macula and the retina. In fact, the forum has only 370 members, with all of them selected according to very strict parameters, among which is having contributed to scientific knowledge through the publication of articles in specialised journals.