 Drusen in a patient with AMD before (A) and after (B) 2RT 3 ns pulse laser therapy Warrnambool is the first regional city in Australia to receive the revolutionary 2RT laser for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic CSME (vision-threatening swelling of the macular in diabetes), with the installation of a new laser machine at South West Eye Surgery in Koroit Street. The sub threshold nanosecond laser, known as 2RT - Retinal Rejuvenation Therapy, is the first laser shown to be able to safely reverse the early signs of AMD and slow down progression to the late stages of the disease, which leads to vision loss and the need for eye injections. The 2RT laser is also able to treat diabetic CSME without the associated collateral damage to adjacent retina as seen with laser retinal photocoagulation. In AMD, despite the advent of improved screening tools, which has enabled eye physicians to diagnose the disease in its earlier stages, treatment options have remained limited to the late, wet stage of the disease only. Whilst anti-VEGF injections have proven to be a highly effective treatment option in cases of wet AMD, we haven’t been able to treat the large number of patients diagnosed with the disease in its earlier stages. It is estimated that early-intermediate AMD accounts for 85% of all cases of AMD.
Recently, a multi-centre clinical trial at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA), has demonstrated the efficacy of nanosecond laser in slowing the rate of progression from intermediate AMD to late stage AMD in selected patients and therefore reducing the risk of needing life-long eye injections.
0 Comments
 SLT induced cellular response within the drainage channels of the eye (trabecular meshwork) A major new study has shown that SLT, a non invasive, pain-free laser that has been in use for many years, is better at controlling pressure in patients with open angle glaucoma than conventional eye drops. Dr Gus Gazzard and colleagues at the world famous Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, UK reported the results of the LiGHT Study, which compared SLT to glaucoma eye drops as first-line therapy in a multi centre randomised controlled trial, in The Lancet journal. KEY POINTS:
Not only was the laser treatment better at reducing eye pressure and therefore controlling glaucoma than eye drops, it was also shown reduce the need for surgery and to be more cost-effective in the long term than eye drops. Patients tolerated the SLT laser treatment well and the decreased and more stable eye pressure that resulted from the treatment freed them from the burden of daily eye drops and their side effects. For the full text article of the LiGHT study as reported in The Lancet, clink this link: From the Moorfields Eye Hospital website: Dr Vincent Lee has performed SLT laser treatment for glaucoma at South West Eye Surgery in Warrnambool for nearly 2 decades now with excellent results. A full eye check is necessary to determine suitability for SLT laser treatment.
To find out more about glaucoma and the use of SLT and other laser treatments in glaucoma, click the link below: |
AuthorDr Vincent Lee, 
Archives
August 2019
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
Proudly powered by Weebly