Advanced stages of macular degeneration can result in severe loss of sight in the central part of vision. This End-Stage Macular Degeneration (AMD) can develop from the dry form of the disease or the fast-progressing wet form. There are no drugs or treatments that can cure End-Stage AMD; the damage to the macula is permanent. For patients with End-Stage Macular Degeneration, the world has literally disappeared before their eyes. They have lost the ability to see and do many of the things they love, like being able to recognize the faces and facial expressions of friends and relatives, watch TV, cook, sightsee and read.
In October 2011, an exciting new technological marvel was approved by the FDA for macular degeneration treatment. The CentraSight™ treatment program uses a tiny telescope that is implanted inside the eye. The telescope implant, created from VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies’ Implantable Telescope Technology, has been demonstrated to improve vision and quality of life for suitable individuals affected by End-Stage Macular Degeneration. The tiny telescope, about the size of a pea, is implanted inside one eye, behind the iris (the colored part of the eye). The implant is so small, it may be barely noticeable in your eye.
Sight is a gift that should not be taken for granted. The CentraSight™ macular degeneration treatment program attempts to restore that gift using a tiny telescope implant, for eligible people who have lost their sight as a result of End-Stage Macular Degeneration. The telescope implant is not a cure for End-Stage AMD. It will not restore vision to the level it was before AMD, and it will not correct vision loss. The goal of the CentraSight™ treatment program is to help patients see more with their central vision and reconnect with the things in life that they love to see and do.
After FDA approval in October 2011, Dr. Cottle was the first corneal surgeon in Texas to implant the miniature telescope. If you or someone you know might benefit from this exciting new technology, call the CentraSight™ Nursing line at 1-877-554-6111.