The ophtalmology confirms itself as one of the most fermenting medical branches, not only for the always higher attention dedicated to prevention of visual pathologies during all ages, but also for the innovative technology, the instruments and the therapies that offer patients, with a good eyesight, a higher quality of life. This is important when one thinks that the average age is increasing and of the right of senior citizens to preserve independency as long as possible but also to lead a socially and culturally gratifying life.
Between the major novelties at the “Convegno Nazionale della Societá Oftalmologia Italiana” in Milan, which had 4,850 presences (a success without precedents), innovations were presented that bring the treatment of eye pathologies closer to the patient’s requirements, at a greater precision, avoiding complications.
During the convention there was a great interest for the, so called, intravitreal medicines, i.e., those substances able to increase the effects of photodynamic therapy, the treatment employed of the macula cornea, which according to estimates, affect more than 80% of the people which are 80 years or older.
In senior citizens, the aging process that involves, like all tissues, also the blood vessels, cause a reduction of oxygen and nourishment of the macula, the central and most sensitive part of the retina.
The organism, in order to compensate, creates new blood vessels that assure additional oxygen and nourishment. The risk is that the eye may be subject to hemorraghes that can damage the eyesight capacity more than the lack of nourishment.
One can add to the photodynamic therapy intravitreal medicines able to delay the vascular proliferation. Today there are specific therapies which do not cause the complications of the “old” treatments with cortison: very optimistic results are obtained with vascular growth inhibitors, that limit the process of growth of new blood vessels and are injected directly in the eye bulb. Other therapies will soon be available. The procedure for these injections, which are not painful and may be repeated as often as necessary till the pathology is stabilized, is today even safer due to the introduction of specific guidelines.
Speaking of pathologies of the third age one cannot not mention the cataract, which can affect also people of less than 50 years of age and even younger and children. The cataract intervention today is relatively simple, given the speed, execution and precision with which it is executed by the ophtamologists, but requires a sophisticated technology and a absolute control over the techniques and the instruments.
To limit the already minimal risk of complications and to offer the patient a security in legal terms, one cannot do without the presence of a anaesthetic, whose presence increases the safety margin and ensures the highest guarantee of success.
Even though the cataract therapy consists in the removal and substitution of the damaged crystal, there are always instruments that are more versatile and precise. Today the tendency is towards the substitution of the crystal with multi-focal lenses, able to simulate the crystal’s ability to focus on a nearby or far away object, permetting a fysiological accomodation and therefore a good eyesight in all situations.
This is a significant enhancement when one considers that, till some time ago, the patient had to chose, before the intervention, between being nearsighted or farsighted and to wear corrective glasses afterwards. These most recent lenses are also structured in such a way that they allow a natural vision at the center and in the perifery and also in low-light conditions, optimizing the capacity of the eye to control the amount of light from external sources. For this reason these “artificial crystals”, in all aspects similar to the naturals, may be applied also to younger people, guaranteeing a natural visual comfort in all situations.
Source: Health Europe of 05 december 2006 (in Italian)
One defines nearsightedness as a condition caused by age, in which the accomodation becomes insufficient to give a sharp and comfortable vision at a short distance, normally called “reading distance”. In technical terms nearsightedness is defined when the distance is between 25cm and 2.5 meters..
The decision of the Italian Agency of Medicines to withdraw Revitorgan Conisan A (lot n. 1200 expiring June 2007) and Revitorgan Conisan B (lot n. 1260 expiring September 2007) :
A question often posted to the doctor at work. The answer is loud and clear: No!
