Medical Breakthrough: FDA Approved Eye Injection Reduces Need for Surgery
By: Deedra Wilson, KARK 4 News
Updated: November 15, 2012
All surgeries involve some type of risk and sometimes doctors recommend an alternative measure.
In this week's medical breakthrough report, a look at a new drug just approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can prevent the need for one form of eye surgery.
"We are looking at the eye itself and inside the back of the eye is filled with a type of jelly," said Dr. Frank Lorusso, with Retina Associates.
That jelly starts to age and that's when a patient can start to have problems with vision.
"Just like we can develop wrinkles as we get older or arthritis, the jelly in the back of the eye starts to shift and pull as it ages, and it can pull on the film of the eye," he explains.
Causing what's called Vitreomacular Traction, which can cause blurred vision or distortion.
It's normally treated with eye surgery but now the FDA has approved a new drug called Jetrea or Ocriplasmin.
"The drugs injected into the back of the eye, it can cause release of this pulling," says Dr. Lorusso.
Also, little holes that the jelly has caused can close, or scar tissue can be released as well.
In certain patients their condition will improve, all without surgery.
In this week's medical breakthrough report, a look at a new drug just approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which can prevent the need for one form of eye surgery.
"We are looking at the eye itself and inside the back of the eye is filled with a type of jelly," said Dr. Frank Lorusso, with Retina Associates.
That jelly starts to age and that's when a patient can start to have problems with vision.
"Just like we can develop wrinkles as we get older or arthritis, the jelly in the back of the eye starts to shift and pull as it ages, and it can pull on the film of the eye," he explains.
Causing what's called Vitreomacular Traction, which can cause blurred vision or distortion.
It's normally treated with eye surgery but now the FDA has approved a new drug called Jetrea or Ocriplasmin.
"The drugs injected into the back of the eye, it can cause release of this pulling," says Dr. Lorusso.
Also, little holes that the jelly has caused can close, or scar tissue can be released as well.
In certain patients their condition will improve, all without surgery.
