Discover the Healthy Solution for Diabetic Retinopathy - Health

A new treatment for diabetic retinopathy could change the prognosis for patients with diabetes, according to researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that can lead to blindness if left untreated. Patients with diabetes face a host of potential health problems, and losing their sight is a major concern.

Julia Busik, Ph.D., and Richard Kolesnick, MD, collaborated on a study that was published in the journal Cell Metabolism. The study details how anti-ceramide immunotherapy can address the root cause of diabetic retinopathy and stop progression towards blindness.

One-third of adults over the age of 40 with diabetes have retinopathy, which can ultimately lead to blindness. The condition is caused by hemorrhaging lipid build-ups in the eyes, which can start as dark spots in the field of view and progress to vision-threatening levels. Current treatments for diabetic retinopathy are invasive and not always effective, but the researchers are working on a new treatment that could address the root cause of the disease.

Busik's team discovered that a damaging type of lipid, ceramide, is present in the eyes of patients with diabetic retinopathy. This ceramide buildup causes inflammatory signals in the eye, leading to cell death and the progression of the disease. The team created an antibody against these lipids to prevent the ceramide buildup and damage to healthy cells in the retina.

The new treatment shows promise in animal and cell culture models and represents a significant advancement in addressing the root cause of diabetic retinopathy. Unlike current treatments, the new approach can be administered systemically, eliminating the need for injections directly into the eye. This could allow for earlier treatment before the disease progresses to a late stage where vision is threatened.

Busik emphasized the importance of a safe systemic treatment that can be given to patients at an earlier stage of diabetic retinopathy to prevent progression to a late stage where vision loss is a significant risk. The research published in Cell Metabolism offers hope for a new approach to treating diabetic retinopathy.

In conclusion, the study conducted by researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center offers promising results for a new treatment for diabetic retinopathy. This groundbreaking research could change the prognosis for patients with diabetes and reduce the risk of blindness associated with the condition.