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The FDA-approved telescope implant is believed to be the only surgical option that improves vision by reducing the impact of the central vision blind spot caused by AMD.
Patients who suffer from AMD, which is the leading cause of blindness in older Americans, have a central blind spot within their field of vision, causing great difficulty in seeing when looking forward.
As a result of the condition, patients are left unable to recognize faces, read, watch TV, drive or perform many other daily tasks.
The new telescopic implant uses micro-optical technology to magnify images that can be seen by patients' central, or straight-ahead, vision. The images are projected onto the healthy portion of the retina not affected by the disease.
“We are living longer, more active lives, and as we age, continued quality of life is everything,” said Zaidman.
“Up until now people who suffered from AMD and who gradually lost most of their vision also lost a lot of their quality of life. Although the procedure is not for everyone, the device may offer a new hope and improved quality of life for some patients who have suffered with continually worsening vision as a result of end-stage macular degeneration.” Patients must be at least 75 years old and meet certain vision health requirements.
Westchester Medical Center is the only center in the Hudson Valley and upstate New York and one of only a few in the Northeast that are fully prepared and performing the procedure. The telescope implant is Medicare-eligible.
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