New treatment 'may prevent blindness'

(I-Newswire) August 24, 2009 - However, two per cent of the population will contract glaucoma after they reach the age of 40, a condition which can lead to blindness over time.

In an effort to combat this disease, a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that a radical type of eyedrop may give hope to sufferers.

According to the specialists, this remedy may be able to tackle the main cause of glaucoma, which is pressure in the eye caused by damage to the optic nerve.

The experts say that the new treatment can provide health insurance customers with sight for life, regardless of whether they contract the condition.

David Wright, chief executive of the International Glaucoma Association, said the research is the most important work carried out in the field for years.

"This research is particularly interesting because NGF [nerve growth factor] is applied by means of eyedrops - which is an acceptable and familiar method for the vast majority of glaucoma patients," he explained.

However, he pointed out that the research is only in its formative stages, as a limited number of people have been tested with the new product so far.

"It would not be sensible to project the results from three people across the 77 million or so people with glaucoma around the world. However, they are encouraging," he commented.

The specialist pointed out that people of African-Caribbean descent are more four times more likely to develop glaucoma, so the development may be all the more interesting to them.

If the research continues to be positive, the study has the potential to open a "completely new method" of treating medical health insurance customers with glaucoma, the expert suggested.

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