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As a post-doc I have continued looking at the retina, but I am now looking at ways to deliver drugs to the retina for treatment of a different retinal disease called Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
AMD is a progressive disease which affects the retina and causes loss of central vision. The retina is at the back of the eye and has many cells which help us to see.
In the centre of the retina there is an area called the macula. The macula is responsible for our central vision and for most of the colour and fine detail that we see. It has a high concentration of photoreceptors (retinal cells which sense light). (Diagram from @MacularSociety) 
Photoreceptors (PRs) and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) are at the back of the retina and are closely related. RPE provide nutrients to the PRs and also help clear away waste that PRs make. If the RPE become dysfunctional then the PRs also may also die.
There are different types of AMD. There is ‘dry’ AMD which is slow and progressive form and leads to degeneration of retinal cells in the macula. There are currently no treatments, but many researchers are working hard to try and understand what is happening and how to treat it.
AMD is associated with build-up of protein called ‘drusen’ in the retina. In late stage AMD there is visual loss caused by death of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors in the macular, and loss of central vision.
This video from the Macular society demonstrates called '5 years thought the eyes of a mum' demonstrates what seeing with AMD is like:
About 10-15% of people with dry AMD develop a more aggressive type called ‘wet’ AMD. In this form of AMD there are abnormal blood vessels which grow into the macula. These blood vessels can leak blood and fluid and there is scaring of the macula and rapid loss of central vision.
‘Wet’ AMD can be treated with monthly injections into the eye of anti-VEGF therapy.
My research aims to deliver treatments through an eye drop, which has the same effectiveness as the current treatment but a nicer delivery method which can be applied at home rather than in a clinic.
This project is funded by @fightforsightUK and is with @Neuroscience_Dr @Denniston_Ophth @sofia_theodor @andrewdick4 #NOSCAR #NOScarLab
There are good information pages on @MacularSociety (macularsociety.org/age-related-ma…) and @fightforsightUK (fightforsight.org.uk/about-the-eye/…) on AMD.
