Tiny implant tested in Boston offers revolutionary treatment for macular telangiectasia
BOSTON —
A new surgical implant tested in Boston gives hope to patients with macular telangiectasia, or MacTel, a rare eye disease that impairs central vision and makes it difficult to see details.
Heather Harris-Keddy, a patient living with MacTel, said the disease has significantly affected her vision over time.
“If I close this eye, all I see is your hair and the walls around you,” said Heather Harris-Keddy, a patient who has lived with the disease for more than 20 years. “I can’t see your face.”
She said she noticed changes in her right eye first, then later in her left eye.
“And I would always do that – like, can I see today?” » Harris-Keddy said, placing his hand over one eye.
MacTel affects the macula, which is a round area located at the back of the eyeball, in the center of the retina.
“The macula is responsible for fine, detailed vision: watching television, looking at faces and especially reading,” said Dr. Dean Elliott, director emeritus of the Retina Service at Mass Eye and Ear.
He has treated several cases of MacTel, despite its rarity.
“It starts by causing blurred vision, a few little blind spots right around the center of vision,” Elliott said.
Until recently, there was no treatment for the disease.
“The people who suffered from it were severely debilitated,” Elliott said. “I mean, they had significant problems with their central vision, and most progressed to the point where they couldn’t read. They had extreme difficulty watching television and seeing faces.”
Harris-Keddy adapted to the changes as best she could.
“I have magnifying glasses around the house to make sure I can read the directions on the boxes and that sort of thing,” she said.
But Harris-Keddy worried about the day her central vision would disappear for good.
“And you know, I won’t be able to see or drive,” she said. “My whole life will change. My husband’s life will change because I will be even more of a burden.”
His hope came in the form of a tiny implant called ENCELTO, which is the size of a single grain of rice.
Inserted into the eye, the implant generates and delivers the proteins the macula needs to function properly.
“The implant sounds like science fiction,” Elliott said. “Actually, it’s really hard to believe this was developed.”
Elliott participated in the clinical trials, which showed that while the implant cannot restore lost vision, it can significantly slow or even stop the progressive loss of central vision.
Last year, the Food and Drug Administration approved the device for patients like Harris-Keddy, who became the first person to receive it at Mass Eye and Ear.
“It’s a very expensive device,” Elliott said. “It costs about $250,000, but it protects eyesight for life.”
Harris-Keddy said she was grateful – and relieved – to have it now while she still had some vision.
“At least we were able to stop it,” she said.
Gn Health
