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Eye On You: Beating Back Macular Degeneration

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May 26, 2006 5:09 am US/Eastern

Eye On You: Beating Back Macular Degeneration

Cancer Drug Causing Dramatic Turnaround For Patients

NEW YORK (CBS) ― George Un is doing something many of us take for granted.

He's reading.

It's a milestone because he has macular degeneration, and was about to go blind.

"It's holding," George said. "I manage to read slowly."

Macular Degeneration is an irreversible eye disease that leads to blindness.

It happens as we age, when abnormal blood vessels leak into the retina, and cause nerve damage.

But now, for the first time, researchers are discovering ways to reverse this vision loss, ironically with the cancer drug Avastin.

"We've never had a drug before that actually improves the vision, so this is a major, major breakthrough," said Dr. Robert Cykiert of NYU's Medical Center.

Avastin has not been FDA approved for the eyes. It's still being studied, and doctors in our area are now recruiting patients for a clinical trial on its effect with Macular Degeneration.

Dr. Cykiert said the drug works on Macular Degeneration similar to the way it does in cancer, by preventing abnormal blood vessels from growing.

Right now, the drug is being injected into the eye, and so far doctors say it's not having any side effects.

"Usually within two to three weeks, patients will notice an improvement in their vision because the abnormal blood vessels stop leaking fluid." Cykiert said.

George just finished his third injection, and said it wasn't painful, just a little uncomfortable.

"Right now I'm in remission," he said.

There are a few things you can do right now to prevent Macular Degeneration. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables high in anti-oxidants. Those foods are usually yellow or green.

  More Stories By Dr. David Marks

(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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