1. Laser Intervention in Early Age Related Macular Degeneration
Emily Caruso – LEAD trial Coordinator

2. AMD
Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in Australia.

3. Stages of AMD
Early AMD
Wet AMD Dry AMD

4. Treatment
Currently there is only treatment for WET macular degeneration.
Lucentis
Eylea

5. Early AMD Vision is good Drusen present
Diagnosis usually picked up on routine visit to the Optometrist.
No signs of any late AMD progression

6. 2RT nanosecond laser- Ellex
Speckled effect Laser
Killing sick RPE cells
Healthy cells will divide, and bridge over the gap the laser has left
New cells will function to clear away the debris in Bruch's Membrane.
Gentle laser
Doesn’t leave burns
(like current lasers do)
Painless.

7. 2RT Pilot study
The world first Pilot study of the Ellex nanosecond laser in the treatment of Early AMD ran for 3 years.
50 Participants
All had 1 eye treated with the
2RT nanosecond laser

8. 2RT Pilot study results Reduction in Drusen Improved Macular Function
We are seeing these results in not only the treated eye but in some cases the fellow non-treated eye

9. Drusen Regression
Baseline months

10. Bilateral Effect Right Eye Baseline RE 3 months post laser to LE
So drusen goes away in treated and some times in other eye

11. Bilateral Effect
Before Treatment to LE months post laser to LE

12. Bilateral Effect Before laser to RE 12 months after Laser to RE
. A) Macular flicker sensitivities and drusen changes in both eyes of a patient aged 55, before (top) and 6mths after (bottom) laser treatment to right eye. Graphical representations of flicker visual field deviation and macular photo are shown. Note that the focal defect on the non-treated eye has resolved completely and the treated eye has improved, along with some drusen reduction (black arrows

13. LEAD STUDY
With positive results from the Pilot study, we received an NHMRC grant to conduct the worlds first multi centred randomised control trial of nanosecond laser in the treatment of early AMD. (LEAD Trial)

14. LEAD Study
Aim: To provide an Early intervention, which may slow or partially reverse the progression of the disease, before any late changes develop.

15. LEAD Update Recruitment will finish at the end of 2014.
Aiming to have 150 participants at the RVEEH site.
Overall recruitment aim is 350 participants.
Multiple sites recruiting.
Melbourne (2 sites)
Sydney
Adelaide
Perth
Northern Ireland

16. LEAD Inclusion criteria
Bilateral high-risk early AMD
Best corrected VA 6/12 or better in each eye
50-95 years of age
MAIA perimetry result of <25 dB in one eye in the same area on 2 tests

17. THANK YOU!
Any Questions