1. Laser Intervention in Early Age Related Macular Degeneration
- A new treatment for AMD?
Elizabeth Baglin – Clinical trial Coordinator, Orthoptist, CERA

2. AMD
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in Australia.

3. Stages of AMD
Early AMD
Late AMD

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

5. 2RT nanosecond laser- Ellex
Speckled effect Laser
Healthy cells will divide, and bridge over the gap the laser has left
New cells will function to clear away the drusen.
Gentle laser
Doesn’t leave burns
(current retinal lasers
do)
Painless.

6. 2RT Pilot study
The world first Pilot study of the Ellex nanosecond laser in the treatment of Early AMD
50 Participants with initial 12 month follow up
All had treatment with the 2RT nanosecond laser in one eye

7. 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

8. Drusen Regression
Baseline months

9. Bilateral Effect Right Eye Baseline
Right Eye 3 months post laser to left eye

10. LEAD STUDY
worlds first multi-centred randomised control trial of nanosecond laser in the treatment of early AMD. (LEAD Trial)

11. LEAD Update Recruitment finished March 2015
Approximately 350 people screened at CERA site alone
Total number of participants enrolled = 291

12. LEAD Update CERA (Melbourne) = 162
Lions Eye Institute (Nedlands, WA) = 50
Marsden Eye Research (Sydney) = 32
Heriot Eye Care (Melbourne) = 20
Adelaide Eye and Retinal Centre (Adelaide, SA) = 17
Belfast Heath and Social Care Trust (Belfast, Northern Ireland) = 10

13. LEAD Study Protocol Randomised control trial Double-blind
3 year duration
6 month follow up
- vision testing
- macular function testing
- imaging
- grading

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

15. LEAD Outcomes
Does the 2RT laser therapy slow the progression to late AMD in the treated and/or non-treated eye?
? Effect on drusen size
? Effect on retinal function

16. THANK YOU!