First Connecticut Optometrist Trained for Implantable Miniature Telescope for Macular Degeneration

Press Release
New Medical Implant Technology for Macular Degeneration in Connecticut

 

 

 

Cheshire, Conn., January 22, 2013 – For patients who have been told there is no medical treatment for their advanced macular degeneration, there is new hope for improving the quality of life. Dr. Randolph Kinkade, a low vision optometrist with offices in Cheshire, Danbury, Farmington, Litchfield, Manchester, Norwalk and Waterford, is part of the first provider team in Connecticut offering the newly FDA approved Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT). The IMT is a micro-telescope implanted into the eye of patients suffering from end-stage age-related macular degeneration, the most advanced form of AMD and the leading cause of blindness in older Americans. More than 15 million Americans are affected by some form of AMD. The number of Americans afflicted with macular degeneration is expected to double with the rapid aging of the U.S. population.

 

 “I have been fitting Spectacle Miniature Telescopes for twenty years for patients with macular degeneration.  Now we have the ability to offer potentially better rehabilitation options we only dreamed about a few years ago.  This “bionic” technology will improve vision for some of my patients and help them achieve a greater quality of life.  I am pleased and thrilled to be part of the first provider team in Connecticut”, says Dr. Kinkade.

 

Patients with end-stage AMD have a central blind spot. This vision loss makes it difficult or impossible to see faces, read, and perform everyday activities such as watching TV, preparing meals, and self-care. The telescope implant has been demonstrated in clinical trials to improve quality of life by improving patients’ vision so they can see the things that are important to them, increase their independence, and re-engage in everyday activities.  It also may help patients in social settings as it may allow them to recognize faces and see the facial expressions of family and friends.

Smaller than a pea, the telescope implant uses micro-optical technology to magnify images which would normally be seen in one’s “straight ahead” or central, vision. The images are projected onto the healthy portion of the retina not affected by the disease, making it possible for patients to see more detail that may have been impossible or difficult without the implant.

 Dr. Kinkade will coordinate a low vision team including, a retina specialist, a cornea surgeon and an occupational therapist.  Prospective patients undergo medical, visual, and functional evaluations to determine if they may be a good candidate.  Dr. Kinkade can simulate, prior to surgery, what a patient may expect to see once the telescope is implanted to determine if the possible improvement will meet the patient’s expectations.  After implantation, the patients will work with Dr. Kinkade and a low vision occupational therapist to learn how to use their new vision in everyday activities.

The FDA approved implant is the only medical/surgical option that improves visual acuity by reducing the impact of the central vision blind spot caused by end-stage AMD.  However, the telescope implant is not a cure for end-stage AMD. As with any medical intervention, potential risks and complications exist with the telescope implant. Possible side effects include decreased vision or vision impairing corneal swelling.  CentraSight, has developed a patient information booklet that highlights the risks and benefits associated with the telescope implant and can be found at www.CentraSight.com.

 

 

Dr. Kinkade's Educational IMT Video

 

As with any medical intervention, potential risks and complications exist with the telescope implant. Possible side effects include decreased vision or vision impairing corneal swelling.  For AMD patients who are not ideal surgical candidates, Dr. Kinkade can discuss and recommend other options, including Spectacle Miniature Telescopes (SMTs).

Patients and physicians can find more information and can watch a video about the telescopic implant and related treatment program at www.lowvisioneyeglasses.com  or by calling (800) 756 -0766.

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 About Dr. Kinkade

Dr. Kinkade holding an IMT

 

Dr. Randolph Kinkade is a founding member of the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists.  He has a Master of Public Health degree and is the founder of Low Vision Consulting.  He is co-founder of See and Hear America, a company designed to help those with vision and or hearing loss.

 

Dr. Kinkade has been treating the rehabilitation needs of patients with AMD and other vision limiting conditions for over 30 years. He continues to study the causes and treatment of macular degeneration from a medical and public health point of view.

 

He is a member of the Vision Rehabilitation Section of the American Optometric Association and the Low Vision Section of the American Academy of Optometry. For more information visit http://www.lowvisioneyeglasses.com.

(800) 756-0766
rkinkade@optonline.net

Cheshire - Danbury - Farmington - Litchfield - Manchester - Norwalk - Waterford

About CentraSight

CentraSight is the first-ever telescope implant for end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most advanced form of AMD and the leading cause of blindness in older Americans.  Patients with end-stage AMD have a central blind spot or missing area in their vision that makes it difficult or impossible to see faces, read, and perform everyday activities. The CentraSight Treatment Program allows patients to see details again by implanting a tiny telescope in the eye in an outpatient procedure, then coordinating with vision specialists to help the patient learn how to use their new vision for everyday activities. For more information visit www.CentraSight.com. 

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