RHEOHEMAPHERESIS IN THE TREATMENT OF DRY FORM OF AMD. A CASE REPORT

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Medical Technology

Background:

• Dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults.
• Current treatments for dry AMD are limited, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic approaches.
• Rheohemapheresis (RhF) is a blood purification technique that may impact retinal health.

Observation:

• A 67-year-old male with dry AMD presented with metamorphopsia and decreased visual acuity.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed soft confluent drusen and drusoid ablation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE).
• Pattern-reversal electroretinography (pERG) indicated altered retinal and ganglion cell activity.

Findings:

• Over six years, rheohemapheresis (RhF) treatment led to gradual resorption of soft drusen and attachment to the RPE line.
• Best corrected visual acuity was maintained at baseline levels in both eyes throughout the follow-up period.
• Multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) showed only insignificant fluctuations, with a trend towards increased activity post-RhF.

Implications:

• RhF treatment demonstrated positive anatomical and functional improvements in a dry AMD patient over a 6-year period.
• This case report suggests RhF may be a viable therapeutic option for managing dry AMD.
• Further research is warranted to confirm the efficacy and long-term benefits of RhF in larger dry AMD cohorts.