2% of the Italian population, more than one million people, are affected by macular degeneration and every year 63 thousand new cases are recorded.
This disease is age-related, in fact it affects the over 65 population and is the world's leading cause of blindness in developed countries.
What is macular degeneration?
It is a disabling pathology that affects the central part of the retina, reducing vision in the center of the visual field. Those who suffer from it can end up, depending on the different forms, no longer reading or writing or distorting images.
There are two forms of macular degeneration the wet one and the dry one. The former is more aggressive, because it can cause a more severe and rapid loss, but the dry one can suddenly change into the wet form, even in its initial state and there is no way to predict when this will happen.
According to the latest estimates, it is expected that, in 2050, over 280 million people in the world will be affected by this pathology, for this reason research is working hard to give hope to those affected and to future generations.
Today's news comes from the Foundation of the Gemelli University Hospital in Rome which has developed a new technique that slows down the evolution of macular degeneration.
The researchers at the Roman polyclinic have created a product derived from umbilical cord blood which will be injected into the sub-retinal area on a monthly basis, because the slowing down of the disease is achieved only 1-3 months after administration of the substance.
It is important to make it clear that the objective of this new technique is not to improve vision, but to prevent the disease from worsening.
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