Drug shows promise against vision-robbing disease in seniors

WASHINGTON (AP) — An experimental drug is showing promise against an untreatable eye disease that blinds older adults — and intriguingly, it seems to work in patients who carry a particular gene flaw that fuels the damage to their vision.

Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of vision loss among seniors, gradually eroding crucial central vision.

First patients may notice blurriness when they look straight ahead.

Wednesday's study detected no safety concerns, clearing the way for Genentech and its parent company Roche to open two large-scale studies that aim to prove if the drug works.

According to the National Eye Institute, it's less common in people who exercise regularly, avoid smoking, and eat a diet high in green leafy vegetables and fish.

[...] several eye tests can detect signs of macular degeneration, including a dilated eye exam and a tool called an Amsler grid with straight lines that may look wavy if the macula, the center of the retina, is harmed.

While there's no treatment for the advanced dry form, the "wet" form occurs when leaky blood vessels grow under the retina — and there are several therapies that can help those patients preserve vision.