Laser Intervention in Early Age Related Macular Degeneration

Emily Caruso – LEAD trial Coordinator

AMD

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in Australia.

Stages of AMD

• Early AMD

• Wet AMD Dry AMD

• Currently there is only treatment for WET macular degeneration.

• Lucentis• Eylea

Treatment

Early AMD

• Vision is good• Drusen present• Diagnosis usually picked

up on routine visit to the Optometrist.

• No signs of any late AMD progression

2RT nanosecond laser- Ellex

• Speckled effect Laser– Killing sick RPE cells

• Healthy cells will divide, and bridge over the gap the laser has left

• New cells will function to clear away the debris in Bruch's Membrane.

• Gentle laser• Doesn’t leave burns(like current lasers do)• Painless.

2RT Pilot study

• The world first Pilot study of the Ellex nanosecond laser in the treatment of Early AMD ran for 3 years.

• 50 Participants• All had 1 eye treated with the2RT nanosecond laser

2RT Pilot study results

• Reduction in Drusen• Improved Macular Function–We are seeing these results in not only the

treated eye but in some cases the fellow non-treated eye

Drusen Regression• Baseline 9 months

Bilateral Effect

• Right Eye Baseline RE 3 months post laser to LE

Bilateral Effect • Before Treatment to LE 3 months post laser to LE

Bilateral Effect

• Before laser to RE

• 12 months afterLaser to RE

LEAD STUDY

• With positive results from the Pilot study, we received an NHMRC grant to conduct the worlds first multi centred randomised control trial of nanosecond laser in the treatment of early AMD. (LEAD Trial)

LEAD Study

Aim: To provide an Early intervention, which may slow or partially reverse the progression of the disease, before any late changes develop.

LEAD Update

• Recruitment will finish at the end of 2014.

• Aiming to have 150 participants at the RVEEH site.

• Overall recruitment aim is 350 participants.

• Multiple sites recruiting.– Melbourne (2 sites)– Sydney– Adelaide– Perth– Northern Ireland

LEAD Inclusion criteria

• Bilateral high-risk early AMD

• Best corrected VA 6/12 or better in each eye

• 50-95 years of age• MAIA perimetry result

of <25 dB in one eye in the same area on 2 tests

THANK YOU!

• Any Questions