Macugen™
New Treatment for Wet Macular Degeneration
This new FDA approved treatment for
Macular Degeneration is being used by Dr. Deupree.
Macugen®,
a new treatment therapy for wet
age-related macular
degeneration, arrived at The Macula Center in early February
'05. Approved by the FDA in January '05, Macugen®
is the first of an anticipated round of anti-VEGF
therapies that target the underlying cause of
leaky
blood vessels in the "wet" form of macular
degeneration.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)
is a protein that has been shown to play an
important role in the growth of abnormal, leaky
blood vessels in the
macula (where we acquire our
best, acute vision) at the back of the eye.
These abnormal blood vessels, called
neovascularization, leak fluid and blood into the
layers in and below the
retina. This fluid
creates swelling and eventually can lead to
sight-damaging scar tissue in the macula. By
impeding VEGF, Macugen®
has been shown to inhibit new blood vessel formation
and its subsequent leakage. Macugen®
treatment protocol for a patient with wet macular
degeneration will be in the neighborhood of 9
separate injections given 4-6 weeks apart.
Wet
macular degeneration represents only 10 - 12% of all macular degeneration cases.
MaculaCenter.com will frequently update this page as
Macugen®
begins to become more utilized. Be sure to
bookmark this site and visit frequently.
Frequently asked questions
Does
Dr. Deupree
recommend Macugen? Macugen®
is indicated in only a small amount of patients with
macular degeneration. It should only be used
in certain cases of wet, actively-leaking macular
degeneration where it is expected that traditional
treatments will not immediately help.
Does Dr. Deupree use Macugen®?
Dr. Deupree has been in close contact with the
pharmaceutical company offering and shipping Macugen®
for months. It is now available and he is using Macugen®
for every patient whom he believes meets the drug's
treatment criteria and will benefit.
I'm one of Dr. Deupree's patients
-- should I schedule an appointment for a Macugen®
evaluation? Dr. Deupree will only use Macugen®
on a select few patients who have progressively
decreasing vision because of wet macular
degeneration. If this is your case, and you've
not been recently seen by Dr. Deupree, please
call us at 727-789-8770. Note: Wet macular
degeneration represents only 10 - 12% of all of his
macular degeneration cases. What
about PDT (Visudyne) or laser therapy? Can I
still have those procedures done? Yes. Macugen®
was actually studied and can be even more effective,
in select cases, when used in conjunction with PDT.
Dr. Deupree will carefully evaluate your condition
and tailor a custom course of therapy for each
individual. This custom care will include the newest
and traditional modes of therapy.
Click here for the official Macugen®
website |
