There’s new light on the horizon for your patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

A study of more than 600 patients led by Johns Hopkins has found that photodynamic therapy reduced the risk of vision loss by 67% in AMD patients with the wet form of the disease. Only 39% of placebo patients maintained their vision.

In photodynamic therapy, light-sensitive verteporfin (Visudyne) is injected into the patient’s arm. Once the drug is taken by the circulatory system, a laser is directed into the eye. The laser activates the verteporfin and causes a reaction that in turn damages or destroys the abnormal, leaky blood vessels.

The study authors caution that while photodynamic therapy can prevent vision loss in patients who have newly developed ARMD, it isn’t a cure for the disease and can’t help patients who’ve already lost significant vision.

CIBA Vision is expected to gain marketing approval for Visudyne PDT within 2 months.