Macular holes and vitreomacular adhesions are conditions that can decrease vision in some patients. Both of these conditions are caused by an abnormal adhesion of the vitreous to the macula. Macular holes rarely spontaneously heal and usually require surgery. Vitreomacular traction will occasionally spontaneously resolve, but it often requires surgery to improve the patient's vision.
Ocriplasmin is a recombinant form of an enzyme called plasmin. It is designed to help dissolve the proteins that help link the vitreous to the macula, thus relieving the vision-reducing traction.
Phase 3 trials were recently published that revealed promising results. After 28 days, following a single administration of ocriplasmin, resolution of vitreomacular adhesion was observed in 26.5% of patients compared to 10.1% in the placebo group. Nonsurgical closure of macular holes occurred in 40.6% of ocriplasmin-treated patients, compared with 10.6% of patients on placebo. While these numbers by no means allow every patient to avoid surgery, they do show that a single injection of Ocriplasmin may help some patients do so.
Ocriplasmin has not yet been approved by the FDA so is not yet available in the US. When it becomes available, NC Retina Associates will be offering this injection at all 5 of our locations.
This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please seek advice of a qualified medical personnel.
Please visit us at www.ncretina.com
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