LIGHTHOUSE INTERNATIONAL CO-SPONSORS CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING ON NEW RESEARCH ON AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION (AMD)
In recognition of AMD Awareness Week, Ligthhouse International, a leading vision healthcare organization, in cooperation with The Alliance for Eye and Vision Research, the Congressional Vision Caucus, AMD Alliance International, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and Prevent Blindness America, is presenting a Congressional Briefing on the Robo4 Protein Pathway on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 from 12 noon -1:15 pm at the U.S. House of Representatives Rayburn Building Room B-339.
The briefing will be presented by Kang Zhang , M.D., Ph.D., Shiley Eye Center/University of California San Diego on "New Developments in Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Research: The Robo4 Protein Pathway." Macular degeneration is a disease that damages the macula and affects central vision. In the "wet" form of AMD, new blood vessels grow into a part of the retina and leak. When the Robo4 protein was activated in mice models that simulated the disease, researchers reported that damage from AMD could be prevented or even reversed. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss in older Americans with more than 9 million Americans age 40+ experiencing AMD and millions are at-risk.
According to Dr. Cynthia Stuen Ph.D/DSW, Senior Vice President for Policy and Evaluation of Lighthouse International, "We are very pleased to be part of this important briefing which will inform Members of Congress about the growing vision loss epidemic that is affecting millions of Americans and present some of the latest research that may help stem the tide of vision loss. It is also important to remember that those who have AMD can be helped with low vision and other vision rehabilitation services."
Founded in 1905, Lighthouse International is a leading non profit organization dedicated to fighting vision loss through prevention, treatment and empowerment. It achieves this through clinical and rehabilitation services, education, research and advocacy. For more information about vision loss and its causes, contact Lighthouse International at 1-800-829-0500 or visit www.lighthouse.org.