Progress in stem cells and gene therapy in the fight against Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Dr. Jordi Monés, MD, PhD, the Director and ophthalmologist specialising in macula, retina and vitreous at the Institut de la Màcula, has taken part in a round table titled “Pathologies of the Retina” organised by El Periódico de Catalunya newspaper and the Novartis pharmaceutical company.

Dr. Monés recommended ocular self-examination to combat Age-Related Macular Examination (AMD). This consists of “observing the straight bars of railings by covering each eye alternately”. Performing this simple gesture frequently can become “valuable early detection for macular degeneration”.

Dr. Monés suggests making an appointment with an ophthalmologist for an examination when symptoms of the pathology appear noticeable. “When parts of the bars appear to be missing or broken, a visit to the ophthalmologist is required”.

The Doctor also assessed the medical developments in the field of age-related macular degeneration and the current state of the pathology. “In the wet variant of the disease, degeneration can be halted and eyesight saved in nine of every ten patients,” he said.

However, the dry type is more difficult to combat, as it has no effective treatment. Comprising 85% of cases, this variant is much more common and therefore clinical trials are being conducted in an attempt to control the pathology in the short and medium term. Furthermore, stem cells and gene therapy will also provide us with responses over the next decade, Dr Monés concluded.

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