Home monitoring program for high-risk AMD candidates may have public health impact

Issue: July/August 2015

VIENNA — Broader implementation of a home monitoring program for detecting early AMD in patients at high risk for developing the disease may potentially impact public health in the U.S., according to an analysis presented here.

OSN Retina/Vitreous Board Member Carl D. Regillo, MD, discussed the potential public health impact of the Foresee Home AMD monitoring program, which uses preferential hyperacuity perimetry to help diagnose choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in its earliest stages.

“If all individuals at high risk for advanced AMD are identified and those that remain eligible candidates have access to the home device, the potential impact on public health in the United States during the next 5 years may be considerable,” Regillo said.

Looking at the data from the AREDS2-HOME study, Regillo and colleagues estimated that, for the high-risk population using the Foresee program in addition to standard of care monitoring who develop CNV, 87% maintain a visual acuity of 20/40 or better, compared with 62% of patients who use only standard of care monitoring. This would result in approximately 101,000 more patients who would maintain vision.

Currently, it is estimated that only 36% of patients have 20/40 or better visual acuity following the initiation of treatment. Applying the results from the HOME study to the U.S. population at risk for developing late age-related macular degeneration (AMD), researchers estimate approximately 205,000 more people would maintain 20/40 or better vision.

These results are applied to estimates of the U.S. population at high risk of developing late AMD to estimate the potential public health effect of home monitoring with the device. by David W. Mullin

Disclosure: Regillo reports he is an investigator for and receives grant support from Notal Vision, maker of the Foresee AMD home monitoring device.