New target for abnormal blood vessel growth in the eyes

[Northerner]

A team led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers has identified a novel therapeutic target for retinal neovascularization, or abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, a hallmark of advanced diabetic eye disease (proliferative diabetic retinopathy). According to a report published online today in Diabetes, the transcription factor RUNX1 was found in abnormal retinal blood vessels, and by inhibiting RUNX1 with a small molecule drug, the researchers achieved a 50 percent reduction of retinopathy in preclinical models. These findings pave the way for new therapies that address diabetic retinopathy and other conditions involving abnormal vessel growth within the retina.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170411104510.htm

 

[mikeyB]

Wow, that is interesting, and clearly a subject close to your heart. You and many others on the forum, will be excited by this, particularly as, for once, the work was done on humans, not rodents.

 

[trophywench]

That is truly hopeful - isn't it a lovely change!

 

[Flower]

That sounds promising and so good to hopefully develop a method that can preserve as much functioning retina as possible.

I found it desperately difficult to cope with ongoing laser knowing that it was destroying so much of my sight in the hope of salvaging a small area of functioning retina.

 

[Ditto]

Very hopeful, with more and more people suffering D there should be lots more research in the future.

I got my letter back saying my eye test was fine, but I still wake every morning all blurry. I hate it.

 

[trophywench]

Ditto - you haven't perchance got dry eyes have you? Do your eyes ever 'cry' (by which I mean, just water) at night, just after you've laid down in bed?

 

[Ditto]

Ditto - you haven't perchance got dry eyes have you? Do your eyes ever 'cry' (by which I mean, just water) at night, just after you've laid down in bed?

No not really, they're just blurry when I get up and I have to keep blinking to clear it. At Specsavers yesterday they said it might not be D related and I just need a change of prescription. I'm getting 3 pairs of specs, one distance shaded for sunny days, one distance clear for the telly and one pair of readers. A really good service. My D test last week came back clear so I dunno!