The amazing new jab with a very startling ingredient that could treat sight loss in the over-50s By Roger Dobson Published: 01:50, 24 September 2024 | Updated: 01:56, 24 September 2024 e-mail View comments A gel that’s injected into the eye has been developed to treat the most common cause of sight loss in the over-50s, for which there are no current treatments. The jab contains donated umbilical cord blood and is designed to rejuvenate cells in the retina, the light-sensitive patch at the back of the eye. The treatment is for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) which occurs when deposits called drusen – made largely of waste products – build up in the retina, while the macula, the central area of the retina, thins, leading to a gradual loss of central vision.
The jab contains donated umbilical cord blood and is designed to rejuvenate cells in the retina, the light-sensitive patch at the back of the eye Early results from ongoing trials show that the macula becomes thicker in eyes treated with the gel, suggesting it could slow degeneration and vision loss. An estimated 700,000 people in the UK have AMD. There are two types: wet and dry, but around 90 per cent of cases involve dry AMD, which typically develops gradually.
Symptoms may include visual distortions, such as straight lines seeming bent, and reduced central vision which can make it harder to see faces, read, drive, or do close-up work. This can develop into wet AMD, when blood vessels grow into t.