Is There a Cure for Macular Degeneration?

Macular degeneration is a common eye condition. In fact, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most common causes of vision loss in people over the age of 50. It is a progressive condition, which means it gets worse over time and does not improve.¹

Macular degeneration may progress very slowly, or it may progress more quickly. There are steps you can take that may help slow the progression of the disease, but this is not guaranteed. While there is no cure for macular degeneration, there are treatments available that can help address and minimize symptoms, potentially slow progression, and help you lead a full life.

Immunotherapy

The complement cascade, which is part of the immune system response, has been connected with AMD through genetic studies, as well as the finding of deposits of complement proteins in retinas affected by AMD.²

Clinical trials are studying complement inhibitors. These studies have yielded new information about specific complement proteins such as complement Factor H (CFH), complement factor B (CFB), and others. One protein called C3 may be involved in signaling retinal cells and recruiting white blood cells, both of which can worsen AMD.²

Stem-cell therapies

Multiple stem-cell therapies are also being researched, but they are still in the early stages of clinical trials. More information is needed to understand whether this will be effective and possible for treating people with AMD.³

Genetics

Researchers are studying genes that are linked to vision disorders and inherited eye diseases like Stargardt disease. There has been a focus on the ABCA4 gene, which is associated with Stargardt disease. Researchers are looking at whether new mutations of the gene may be contributing to the development of the disease.⁴

By learning more about the gene and various mutations, better treatments and a potential cure might be discovered.

Clinical trials

You may want to talk with your doctor about potential clinical trials involving your type of macular degeneration, and whether you might be a candidate for participation. Clinical trials are research studies that look at a medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention on a specific disease process.⁵

Clinical trials study whether a drug or medical device is safe or effective, or to identify potential side effects. There are different phases of clinical trials, and they are all monitored very carefully. Each clinical trial has strict guidelines as to who can enroll, with certain criteria such as age, type, and extent of disease, medical history, and so forth. Clinical trials are not right for everyone, and your doctor will be able to let you know if a clinical trial might be appropriate.

What can you do?

As with many chronic conditions and diseases, there is currently no cure for macular degeneration, but new treatments are always being explored. With macular degeneration and especially AMD, the focus is often on early diagnosis and treatment and finding the best treatments for your specific situation, so that you can lead a full life and preserve your vision and quality of life at the same time.

Talk with your doctor about what treatment options are available and what fits best with your particular situation. They can also point you in the direction of learning more about what research is being done on the disease and any possible clinical trials. It is important to note, though, that just because there is no cure, does not mean there is no hope.