Will Magnets offer new method of treating AMD?

Researchers at the Sheba Medical Center are pleased with the initial results from an animal study being conducted to determine the effects of electromagnetic stimulation for retinal degeneration. Details of the study's report were published in the Ophthalmology Times and results were presented at the International Symposium for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics in Vienna. The study involved the use of a transcranial magnetic stimulation system which was developed by Brainsway Ltd. and there were two phases of the study. The first phase of the study involved fifteen rats. Over a 2 week period, eight of the rats received active stimulation while the remaining seven received a sham treatment. An improvement in the retina's response to light was noted in the rats who received the active stimulation although it was a short-lasting improvement. The treatment period was extended to 4 weeks in the second phase of the study and involved sixteen rats. Half of the rats received the real stimulation and the other half received sham stimulation. The extended treatment period resulted in greater and longer-lasting improvement in the retinal function of the rats receiving the real stimulation. An improvement in the photoreceptor function was also noted in this second phase of the study which was not indicated in the initial phase. The study's promising results will lead to further research. The additional research will involve testing the eye tissue and optimizing the treatment protocol. Clinical testing will also be done on human participants who have macular degeneration-induced blindness.