The macula ensures sharp vision and reading. However, age-related macular degeneration is a common disease in older people. Such a progressive condition is the most common cause of blindness in people over 65 years of age. Almost 30% of people over 75 years old are also affected. Unfortunately, no treatment for this type of blindness has yet been proven effective. However, Ghent University is currently working on oneTherapy with eye dropsresearch that could combat the cause of this blinding disease.
Glycated proteins accumulate under the retina as we age. These cause local inflammation and damage vessels and neurons. As a result, patients have difficulty reading because they see black spots or distortions. Ophthalmologists easily recognize this condition as yellowish spots on color images or as fluorescent spots on a scan. In later stages, these points converge in such a way that the patient develops “dry” age-related macular degeneration. The affected person is partially blind and can no longer read. Until now, patients and ophthalmologists have been powerless because there was no antidote available for this disease.
Researchers from Ghent University testedin the research experimentEye drops that contained the protein fructosamine 3-kinase (FN3K) developed there. FN3K is a natural protein that controls the glycation of proteins throughout the body. The scientists treated the eyes of mice with this protein. They then noticed that the spots under the retina were completely absent, in contrast to the contralateral eyes treated with light. Age-related macular degeneration affects 196 billion people worldwide today. It is expected to affect 288 billion people by 2040. Many do not understand the difference between types of the condition or what they can do to reduce its effects. Researchers at Ghent University hope to be able to treat these people at an early stage. Clinical studies are planned for this.
