New Study Could Help to Detect AMD Before Vision Loss Takes Place

Researchers in the United Kingdom have reported findings that people who are at risk of developing AMD can show signs of AMD before experiencing vision loss and prior to it being detected clinically. Their results “open the door for research into earlier treatment that could help slow down the onset of the condition,” according to the Macular Society. The scientists involved in the study include researchers at the University of Southampton, King’s College London, and Moorfield’s Eye Hospital. They reviewed records of 30,000 patients, including some with genetic risk factors and some with no known risks. Their findings indicated that those with “healthy eyes and no history of AMD had thinner retinas if they carried genes that put them at risk of the disease.” Currently, treatment for AMD does not begin until patients notice problems with their vision. The study’s authors assert that this new information could lead to catching the condition at an earlier stage and help to “identify which cells should be targeted in further research.” For additional details, read New study could help identify AMD before sight loss occurs.