Now Available In South Florida: CentraSight Treatment Program Offers New Hope For Patients With End-Stage Macular Degeneration

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The CentraSight™ treatment program, now available at Retina Associates of Miami in South Florida, features the first-ever FDA-approved telescope implant surgical option for patients with End-Stage Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the most advanced form of AMD and the leading cause of blindness in older Americans.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130213/LA59823)

Smaller than a pea, the telescope implant uses micro-optical technology to magnify images which would normally be seen in one's "straight ahead," or central, vision. The images are projected onto the healthy portion of the retina not affected by the disease.

The telescope implant has been demonstrated in clinical trials to improve quality of life for those with central vision loss in both eyes. It improves patients' vision and returns things most of us take for granted. People regain the ability to see the things that are important to them, increase their independence, and re-engage in everyday activities. They can once again recognize faces and see expressions.

The telescope implant is not a cure for end-stage AMD. As with any medical intervention, potential risks and complications exist with the telescope implant. Possible side effects include decreased vision or vision-impairing corneal swelling.

The first CentraSight Patient Treatment Program team in South Florida includes Dr. J. Harris Levy, MD, Dr. Rashid M. Taher, MD, and Wilfredo C. Lara, MD, who evaluate the patient's medical condition for eligibility certification; Dr. Jesse Pelletier, MD, who performs the implant surgery; and Dr. Marc J. Gannon, OD, FAOO, the low vision specialist who evaluates the patient's visual function and coordinates the post-surgical therapy.

To schedule an evaluation contact Dr. Marc Gannon at 866-942-2020. Visit www.lowvisioninstitute.com for more information.

About CentraSightCentraSight is the first-ever telescope implant for end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most advanced form of AMD and the leading cause of blindness in older Americans.  Patients with end-stage AMD have a central blind spot or missing area in their vision that makes it difficult or impossible to see faces, read, and perform everyday activities. The CentraSight Treatment Program allows patients to see again by implanting a tiny telescope in the eye in an outpatient procedure, then coordinating with vision specialists to help the patient learn how to use their new vision for everyday activities. For more information visit http://www.centrasight.com/

About Macular DegenerationMore than 15 million Americans are affected by some form of AMD. This number is expected to double by the year 2050.

• Patients who progress to the end-stage form of AMD have a central blind spot that makes it difficult or impossible for patients to perform everyday activities such as reading, watching TV, preparing meals, and self-care.
• Macular degeneration attacks the macula, the region of the retina responsible for central, detailed vision. It robs the individual of their central, straight-ahead vision, resulting in what is often referred to as a central vision "blind spot." It does not affect the outer circle of peripheral vision. People see things to the side, but it is too blurry to make up for lost central vision.
• First signs of AMD: straight lines may appear wavy or disconnected; when looking at a person's face, it is blurred while the rest of the person is in focus; lines of print may be blurred in the center or the lines may be crooked.

CONTACT: Jackie Goldstein [e-mail] 954.849.7971

SOURCE Retina Associates of Miami

Copyright 2011 PR Newswire. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.