Research suggests hope for treatment of eye diseases

Researchers have made discoveries that could help lead to new treatments for eye-threatening eye diseases.

Uncontrolled growth of blood vessels in the eyes can damage the retina and cause blindness.

At present, the main treatment consists of an injection and is effective only for half of the patients.

Professor Tim Curtis, principal investigator of the study and deputy director of the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute of Experimental Medicine at Queen's University in Belfast, said: "Our study has put highlighting a key regulator of abnormal growth of blood vessels in the eye that will allow us to design new, more effective treatments against a number of eye-threatening diseases. "

The study shows that a specific protein present in the body, called CAMKII, acts to coordinate different signals that cause the growth of new blood vessels.

These new discoveries provide insight into how blood vessels develop and provide a foundation for the development of new treatments that may have a significantly higher success rate for patients, the researchers said.

The retina is the part of the eye sensitive to light.

The blood vessels provide essential oxygen and nutrition.

Normally, these vessels remain unchanged in adulthood, but in some eye conditions, such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), they begin to develop in an uncontrolled manner.

This can damage the retina and lead to vision loss and blindness.

Professor Alan Stitt, researcher on the study and the Dean of Innovation and Impact within the Faculty of Medicine, Health Sciences and Life of the University of Ottawa. Queen's University, said: "These results are exciting and offer the prospect of improved outcomes for many patients with life threatening illnesses.

"Our work clearly shows how a better understanding of the disease can open up new treatment options and improve the lives of patients."

The research was funded by the British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI).

The blood vessels of the eye and heart share several common features and the eye is a less invasive way to understand the possible breakthroughs for heart treatments.

Karen McCammon of BHF NI said, "The research team's understanding of blood vessel formation and growth could also help us design new strategies to repair hearts after a heart attack.

"Every week, heart attacks devastate local families by killing loved ones and leaving many others with debilitating heart disease that make their lives a daily struggle."

After a heart attack, many patients recover completely and can resume normal activities within a few months.

Ms. McCammon added, "But for others, this can lead to other problems, such as heart failure, which can be a devastating condition for living.

"Knowing how to control the growth of blood vessels could help uncover new ways to repair failing hearts by improving blood supply to damaged heart muscle."