Sing IMT improves distance, near vision at 6 months in patients with late-stage AMD
Key takeaways:
- The Sing IMT had positive vision outcomes in patients with age-related macular degeneration.
- There was minimal impact on corneal endothelial cell density and no meaningful change in IOP.
The Sing IMT improved distance and near vision at 6 months in patients with late-stage age-related macular degeneration, with minimal impact on the corneal endothelium, according to a study published in Heliyon.
“The Sing IMT brings significant vision back to patients suffering from late-stage AMD, enhancing quality of life through functional independence in tasks like reading and mobility,” study co-author Mario Damiano Toro, PhD, DiSSO, FEBO, of the University Hospital Federico II, Naples, Italy, told Healio. “These patients have lives that are impacted greatly by this visual handicap, and the Sing IMT provides an option for surgeons to improve their vision and their freedom to live their lives more confidently.”
The retrospective cohort study investigated 35 patients with late-stage AMD who were implanted with the Sing IMT (smaller-incision new-generation implantable miniature telescope, Samsara Vision) at two sites in Italy. Evaluations included best corrected distance visual acuity (BCDVA), distance corrected near visual acuity, IOP, anterior chamber depth, corneal endothelial cell density and adverse events for up to 6 months after implantation. Geographic atrophy was diagnosed in 85.7% of patients.
According to the study, BCDVA improved in all patients, with a mean logMAR BCDVA of 1.24 at 6 months from 1.52 at baseline. In addition, 97.1% of patients gained at least one line of BCDVA, “with over half showing a three line or greater improvement in distance vision at 6 months post-implantation,” Toro told Healio.
Near vision also improved, with 97.1% of patients being able to read at 6 months compared with 28.6% at baseline. Endothelial cell density decreased a mean 11.4% from baseline, a loss “similar to standard cataract surgery,” according to Toro.
There were no clinically meaningful changes in either IOP or anterior chamber depth, and the most frequent adverse event was corneal edema, which resolved with topical medications in all cases.
“[The study] underscores the Sing IMT’s efficacy, safety and the critical role of structured rehabilitation programs in maximizing patient outcomes and offering an effective solution where alternative treatments fail to fully restore vision,” Toro told Healio.
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