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If you or a loved one was recently diagnosed with dry AMD, know that you’re not alone – and that effective treatment is available.
You’re not alone: AMD affects millions
If you or a loved one has just been diagnosed with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), rest assured that you’re not alone. AMD is one of the most common causes of vision loss in people over the age of 60, accounting for 90 per cent of new cases of legal blindness in Canada.[1]
AMD – a progressive eye disease that affects central vision as a result of waste buildup at the centre part of the back of the eye (the macula)[1] – does not lead to complete blindness. It does, however, affect one’s central vision, negatively impacting the sharp, straight-ahead vision that’s required for activities such as reading, driving, recognizing people’s faces and seeing details clearly.[2]
Types of AMD: Why dry AMD is easier to manage
There are two types of AMD: wet AMD and dry AMD. Dry AMD is the more common form (accounting for 85-90 per cent of cases) and is a gradual deterioration of the macula as the retinal cells die off and are not renewed. Wet AMD is less common but far more serious. It develops from the dry form and occurs when new, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina, causing scarring of the macula.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with dry AMD, it’s important to remember that dry AMD is a less severe form of AMD, and that effective treatment options are available.
Hope for dry AMD: A new treatment changing lives
A dry AMD diagnosis is no reason to panic or to give up on the things you love in life, whether that’s enjoying your favourite hobbies, socializing with friends and loved ones or playing an active role in your community. There’s no denying that AMD can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life, as well as on the lives of their loved ones and caregivers.
The good news is that an innovative new treatment for dry AMD is available, aside from the traditional prescription of lifestyle changes and supplementation. After years of innovation and research, a non-invasive, painless treatment option is now available that has been tested and proven to restore visual acuity. MacuMira is the only clinically approved non-invasive treatment for dry AMD in Canada. This new eye treatment uses non-invasive eyelid surface neurostimulation to patients’ closed eyes, helping to restore visual acuity and to improve the age-related vision loss caused by macular disease.[3]
MacuMira Vision Therapy: A painless and convenient solution
Because it’s non-invasive, MacuMira Vision Therapy is comfortable and convenient for patients. Patients can experience the pain-free treatment in complete comfort. Seated in a relaxed position, they are fitted with a headset and headband to undergo a series of 30-minute sessions. The treatment typically causes no stress or anxiety and requires no recovery or downtime.
Clinical success: How MacuMira is transforming dry AMD treatment
In a clinical study examining its impact on patients, MacuMira Vision Therapy demonstrated meaningful long-term results, including improved visual acuity and improved quality of life. “The treatment group underwent treatments over a six-month period,” says Dr. Kevin Parkinson, an ophthalmologist based in Coquitlam, B.C., and the principal investigator in the MacuMira Vision Therapy clinical trial.
“The results of our study were very optimistic. We used the ETDRS chart for our visual acuity measurements and the placebo group lost an average of two letters throughout the study, whereas in the treatment group, 48 per cent of all patients gained at least 10 letters on the ETDRS chart, which is very significant. All patients in the treatment group showed improved vision and the average over all of the treated eyes was a 25 per cent increase in vision, which equated to about 8.8 letters on the ETDRS chart. We also tested contrast sensitivity, and the contrast sensitivity measurements echoed those of the ETDRS visual acuity results.”
“We finally have a treatment option for patients with dry AMD,” says Dr. Wes McCann, an optometrist at Central Optometry (an AMD Centre of Excellence) in London, Ont., and CEO of Doctors Vision Group. “It’s going to make a world of difference for patients.”
If you or a loved one has recently been diagnosed with dry AMD, don’t panic. MacuMira Vision Therapy offers a pain-free treatment for dry AMD patients, helping to restore visual acuity and quality of life. Visit MacuMira to learn more about this innovative treatment and how it can help you or someone you care about see the world more clearly. Your journey to better vision starts here!
Disclaimer: Always speak to your primary health care provider and/or eye care provider before making any changes to your lifestyle, activities or diet.
