Eye Researh Project - Funding

Hi all

Many of you core members know I work in ophthalmology research and various projects from Diabetes to Age Related Macular Degeneration (my main field of work) but I also come across related works and this one from Andrew who worked at my hospital for a number of years is a great tool for diagnostics in remote areas and inner cities TBH.

He and his team need some funding via crowdsourcing and I have helped already but if anyone on Majorgeeks can help get to their goal it would be neat as hell

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/peek-retina-help-fight-avoidable-blindness

Thanks folks for reading and comments on this work are welcome also, I may not be able to respond to all questions but if they are in my field of work I will but its not a medical diagnosis but info.

 

Hi JoeRay12

yeah a novel approach to the dry form of AMD, many trials are on-going still now, but the processes to help reduce the effects of AMD are difficult as you'll appreciate, once the various layers and cells, rods and cones are damaged, its hard to fix these to restore sight.

Now in the case of Wet AMD, while there are treatments, their sole purpose is to help reduce the fluid build up causes by wet AMD lesions, it may in some cases restore some visual acuity, but not in everyone.

The case of dry AMD is a hard one as its more a case of destruction of the Retinal Pigment Epithelium (RPE) layer, this is slow acting over time so may not be a quickly noticeable as wet AMD is.

If this newer approach can arrest the process then fantastic, however there needs to be a screening programme to actively screen people over say 50yrs to check for early signs of dry AMD, then this treatment could be given, but screening programmes are expensive and this type of screening would need to cover a huge block of the population. I guess this is why the USA has no diabetic screening programme so far in mass usage, unlike the UK.

*dry AMD is general wear and tear due to age in general and you notice in patients with dry AMD, Drusen which is waste deposit build up and Geographic Atrophy which as more destructive wear and tear, in which the RPE layer has worn down or completely away, this generally happens in patches so sight can still be maintained, until the patches become larger or cover the fovea.