Ranibizumab Injections to Treat Macular Telangiectasia Without New Blood Vessel Growth
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2011-03-24
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This study will examine whether the drug ranibizumab (Lucentis) can help prevent vision loss
in people with macular telangiectasia, a condition in which new blood vessels grow in the
retina at the back of the eye and can leak. Such changes in blood vessels are seen in other
diseases associated with changes in a body chemical called vascular endothelial growth factor
(VEGF). Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF drug that is effective in treating another eye disease,
age-related macular degeneration, with similar changes in eye blood vessels.
People 18 years of age and older with macular telangiectasia in both eyes with no new blood
vessel growth in either eye may be eligible for this study. They must have vision better than
20/400 in the study eye.
Participants undergo the following procedures:
- Ranibizumab injections in the study eye at least four times over 12 weeks. Depending on
the response to treatment and the side effects, additional injections may be given every
4 weeks for up to 1 year. The eye is numbed before the injection and the eye area is
cleaned with an antiseptic. Antibiotic drops are used for 3 days following the injection
to prevent infection.
- Evaluations before starting treatment, at the time of each injection, and 8 weeks after
the last treatment:
- History and physical examination.
- Eye examination with dilation, microperimetry and photography: The eye examination
measures visual acuity, eye pressure and eye movements. For the microperimetry
test, subjects sit in front of a computer screen and press a button when they see a
light on the screen. Measurements and photographs of the retina are also taken.
- Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography to examine the blood vessels in the
eye: A dye called fluorescein or indocyanine green is injected into a vein in the
arm. The dye travels through the veins to the blood vessels in the eyes. A camera
takes pictures of the dye as it flows through the blood vessels.
- Pregnancy test: Women who are able to become pregnant have a urine pregnancy test
before each ranibizumab injection.