What is Macular Pucker?

Macular pucker affects approximately 10 percent of people, particularly men and women over the age of 50. Based in the center of your retina, the macula is responsible for the part of your vision that allows you to see straight ahead. As you read the text on this page, you are using your macula. When the retinal surface forms an extra layer of tissue and contracts, distorting the retina, it is known as a macular pucker. They look like a piece of scotch tape and can distort the central vision. If you start to notice this, you should see a doctor for macular pucker as soon as possible.

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a disease, which causes visual loss in patients over the age of 50. The vision loss is painless, usually gradual and not severe, but can be variable among patients. Macular degeneration is named for the macula, the part of the retina responsible for central vision. Peripheral vision is usually not affected by macular degeneration and often, this illness will go unnoticed until a patient engages in a task such as driving or reading, in which central vision is crucial. As the term “degeneration” implies, the illness becomes more noticeable over time and tends to get worse with or without treatment. Macular degeneration typically affects adults over 65 and the main risk factors for the disease are increasing age and genetics (family history of macular degeneration). Smoking, high cholesterol and hypertension are also risk factors. This disease does not cause total blindness and most macular degeneration patients can see well enough to care for themselves.

What is Retinal Tear and Retinal Detachment?

Retinal detachment is treatable when caught early. Treatment may or may not involve an in or outpatient surgical procedure. In cases that do require surgery, a patient may require immediate attention or the procedure may be postponed for days or even weeks depending on the condition’s severity. Two major retinal detachment surgeries include: Vitrectomy: In this procedure, the surgeon removes the vitreous jelly, which has pulled on the retina and caused retinal detachment. Usually, the doctor then replaces the fluid with a gas bubble, which the eye, in time, will absorb and replace with its natural fluids. Doctors may recommend this surgery in instances where:

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition where high blood sugars damage the blood vessels in the retina (the retina is the layer of cells in the back of the eye that transmit light to the brain to form images). There are two main types of diabetic retinopathy: non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

What is Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO) and Macular Edema?

The retina is the light-sensing layer of cells that lines the inner wall of the back of the eye. The retina converts light into signals that are sent to the brain where they are recognized as images. What is Retinal Vein Occlusion? Your retinas require a rich supply of oxygenated blood. This blood is carried to the retina from the heart through arteries, while veins carry deoxygenated blood from the retina back to the heart via the optic nerves. The arteries that transport oxygen to your retina may stiffen and thicken over the years, especially in people with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The retinal arteries and veins are close to the optic nerve and cross various locations on the retina’s surface. As arteries thicken, they can compress the retinal vein at artery-vein crossing points or in the optic nerve. This compression can be so severe that the veins become constricted and thus blood flow to the heart is reduced. The blood then backs up into the retina not unlike the water in a clogged bathtub. The pressure of blood in the veins causes swelling (called macular edema) and bleeding in the retina.

       
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Retina Associates Research Institute & Clinical Trial Network

Current Clinical Trials as of January 2019

Active & Enrolling Studies

Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Protocol Title: Safety and Efficacy of Abicipar Pegol in Patients With Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration

Purpose: This is a safety and efficacy study of abicipar pegol in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Patients will reiceive either abicipar pegol or ranibizumab (Lucentis)

Medications: Provided by the study. Abicipar Pegol, Ranibizumab.

Ages Eligible for Study: 50 Years and older

Protocol Title: Efficacy and Safety Study of Squalamine Ophthalmic Solution in Subjects With Neovascular AMD (MAKO)

Purpose: A Phase 3 Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Squalamine Lactate Ophthalmic Solution 0.2% Twice Daily in Subjects with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Patients will receive injections of ranibizumab. In addition, patients will receive either Squalamine lactate 0.2% eye drops or Placebo eye drops. The study duration is 2 years.

Medications: Provided by the study. Squalamine Lactate Ophthalmic Solution, Ranibizumab.

Ages Eligible for Study: 50 Years and older

Upcoming Studies

Graybug Vision

Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Protocol Title: A Phase 1/2 Multicenter Study Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of an Intravitreal Depot Formulation of Sunitinib Malate (GB-102) in Subjects with Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of single and repeated intravitreal injections of GB-102 in subjects with neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration.

Medications: Provided by the study. Aflibercept and GB-102

Ages Eligible for Study: 50 Years and older

Protocol Title: A Phase 2 Study of RO6867461 in Participants With Center-Involving Diabetic Macular Edema (CI-DME) (BOULEVARD)

Purpose: This is a multiple-center, multiple-dose, randomized, active comparator-controlled, double-masked, three parallel group, 28-week study in participants with CI-DME. Only one eye will be selected as the study eye. Where both eyes meet all eligibility criteria, the eye with the worse best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) will be defined as the study eye. Participants will be randomized into each arm group (1:1:1) and total duration of the study will be approximately 32 weeks.

Medications: Provided by the study. RO6867461, Ranibizumab

Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years and older

Completed Studies

Clearside – TOPAZ

Retinal Vein Occlusion

Protocol Title: A randomized, masked, controlled trial to study the safety and efficacy of suprachoroidal CLS-TA in combination with an intravitreal anti-VEGF agent in subjects with retinal vein occlusion

Purpose: To demonstrate that suprachoroidal (SC) CLS-TA administered with intravitreal (IVT) anti-VEGF agent in subjects with treatment naive RVO is superior to IVT anti-VEGF agent used alone

Medications: Provided by the study. Lucentis and CLS-TA

Ages Eligible for study: 18 Years and older

Allergan – Sequoia

Ohr Pharmaceutical Inc.

Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Hoffmann-La Roche – BOULEVARD

Center-Involving Diabetic Macular Edema (CI-DME)

Iconic Therapeutics, Inc.

Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration

Protocol Title: Study Evaluating Intravitreal hI-con1™ in Patients With Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-related Macular Degeneration (EMERGE)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety, biological activity and pharmacodynamic effect of repeated intravitreal doses of hI-con1 0.3 mg administered as monotherapy and in combination with ranibizumab 0.5 mg compared to ranibizumab 0.5 mg monotherapy in treating patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

ThromboGenics

Symptomatic Vitreomacular Adhesion

Protocol Title: Ocriplasmin Research to Better Inform Treatment (ORBIT)

Purpose: This is a multicenter, prospective, observational, Phase 4 study that will assess clinical outcomes and safety of JETREA® administered in a real-world setting for the treatment of symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) by assessing anatomical and functional outcomes in 1500 patients recruited across approximately 120 USA retina sites

Kato Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Vitreomacular Attachment, Vitreomacular Traction, Vitreomacular Adhesion

Protocol Title: A Safety and Efficacy Assessment of Resolvine for Treatment of Vitreomacular Attachment

Purpose: This research is studying the effect that Resolvine injection will have on patients with vitreomacular adhesion

Pfizer

Macular Edema, Diabetic

Protocol Title: A Phase 2, Multi-Center Study To Compare The Efficacy And Safety Of A Chemokine CCR2/5 Receptor Antagonist With Ranibizumab In Adults With Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose: The study hypothesis under test is that administration of the CCR2/5 antagonist has the potential to be as effective as the current treatment options for subjects with diabetic macular edema. The current treatment option for these subjects is an injection directly into the eye, while this CCR2/5 antagonist would be an oral drug which has the potential to be just as effective. This CCR2/5 antagonist also has a broader anti-inflammatory potential and might be able to provide an alternative mechanism to treat Diabetic Macular Edema.

Lpath, Inc.

Exudative Age-related Macular Degeneration

Protocol Title: Efficacy and Safety Study of iSONEP With & Without Lucentis/Avastin/Eylea to Treat Wet AMD (Nexus)

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine the safety and efficacy of 4 monthly injections of iSONEP given alone or in combination with Lucentis, Avastin or Eylea in subjects with wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). iSONEP not only has an anti-permeability effect, but also has anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic properties. The drug may therefore have the ability to achieve better visual outcomes than Lucentis, Avastin or Eylea, particularly in those subjects who do not demonstrate a robust response to Lucentis, Avastin or Eylea after several monthly injections. Further, the combination of Lucentis, Avastin or Eylea and iSONEP may be additive or synergistic. By inhibiting the multiple mechanisms that contribute to exudative-AMD-related vision loss, better visual outcomes may be possible than with Lucentis, Avastin or Eylea alone.

Patient Reviews

    
 
 
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   Hal Taylor 
 4 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dr. Eifrig was willing to answer questions unrelated to my retinal condition.
  
 
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   J Hardee 
 5 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Everyone is friendly and professional
  
 
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   Dennis Eckel 
 5 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Pleasant waiting room experience. Friendly patient service staff. Competent PAs. Insightful diagnosis. Practical remedies. Give ‘em a try.
  
 
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   Marykay Lance 
 6 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I didn't have to wait for my appointment, the office is run efficiently by pleasant people, and Dr Eifrig and the entire staff is efficient, knowledgeable, friendly and I didn't have to deal with AI once. Maybe
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Monique Dube 
 6 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Every one there are friendly and knowledgeable. I will recommend to anyone that need this kind of care
  
 
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   James Fan 
 7 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very detailed eye check up, and Dr Goldman explained all the results very clearly.
  
 
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   Roz Cole 
 8 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Prompt & efficient.
  
 
     Posted on Google  
   
   Andy Shields 
 8 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Professional office
  
 
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   PBofLN 
 8 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I’ve been seeing Dr. Eifreg for a number of years now since he reattached my almost completely detached retina. He is an excellent doctor and surgeon. He never rushes me through my appointments and answers any questions I have. In addition, he is personable, can be funny, and is just a very nice man. From the front office staff to the assistants who check your eyes before you see Dr, Eifreg, they are all extremely efficient. I am now on yearly maintenance visits and they always contact my insurance for a referral before my appointment. I also always get an appointment reminder text or call. But what’s really amazing - This is a VERY busy practice and I am always seen on time or within maybe 15 mins of my appointment time. I don’t know how they do it, but this office runs like a well-oiled machine. And to top it off, EVERYONE is helpful, cheerful and has a “service” attitude at all times. I know this all sounds too good to be true, but it is honestly the case at Dr. Eifreg’s office. I am so glad my primary doctor sent me to Dr. Eifreg for my retina surgery. Of course the most important thing is that he’s an excellent surgeon, but it’s also wonderful that he runs a great office with an exceptional staff!
  
 
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   Deb Hanna 
 8 days ago
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Everyone at this office was very friendly.
The office was definitely busy but It was my first visit there and they still made me feel welcome and cared for.
Dr Gupta explained my condition so I could easily understand it and was very pleasant to talk with. I had to leave another Retina group because of an insurance change but think the transition to this new group went smoothly and will be a good fit for me moving forward.

Retina Associates Research Institute & Clinical Trial Network

Current Clinical Trials as of January 2019

Active & Enrolling Studies

Upcoming Studies

Completed Studies

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