Researchers Study Age-Related Eye Disease

UT Medical Group ophthalmologist Dr. Alessandro Iannaccone will lead the Memphis arm of a national study on the development of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

According to 2004 statistics from the National Eye Institute, which is sponsoring the study, more than 1.75 million Americans suffer from age-related macular degeneration.  NEI officials estimate that the number will rise to nearly 3 million by the year 2020 as the nation’s aging population swells.

The study at the UT Health Science Center’s (UTHSC) Hamilton Eye Institute has two goals:  The first is to assess the effects of oral supplements of two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) that accumulate in the macula and the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids on the progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  The second goal is to monitor the effects of these supplements on the development of cataracts.

The clinical trial will recruit 100 Mid-South subjects and follow them on a yearly basis for about five years.  Patients who have been diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration and are interested in this study, as well as physicians who would like to refer patients to the study, can obtain more information by contacting Dr. Barbara Jennings at (901) 448-6445 or April Cantrell at (901) 448-6185. 

“Our selection as a study site is a great success for the entire community,” says Dr. Iannaccone, who is an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the UT Health Science Center.  “The ability to use the latest technology at the Hamilton Eye Institute surely contributed to our competitiveness in the selection process. This initiative dovetails very nicely with other research we are already conducting on the role of lutein, zeaxanthin, and inflammation in AMD.  Participating in this nationwide trial will allow us to make an active contribution to testing the hypothesis that these carotenoids, with or without specific omega 3 fatty acids, may reduce the risk of developing advanced AMD.”