United Arab Emirates, 02 November, 2014 – The Emirates Opthalmology Society held a conference to discuss Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wet AMD) in Dubai, UAE on October 30-31. The conference hosted world-renowned opthalmology professors from the United States and United Kingdom who will be sharing their experience and views on the disease and treatment options.

With an increasing number of patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the world, the disease is considered as one of the most common causes of blindness in the elderly. This disease affects the part of the retina responsible for sharp vision, which is crucial for reading or driving a car. In ten to fifteen percent of AMD patients, dry AMD develops into wet AMD.

“Wet AMD is by far the more aggressive form of the disease, taking only weeks to months to cause irreparable loss of vision. Without treatment, the patient will perceive all items in the center of his or her vision as blurred or distorted. In the end, the patient will see faces, objects or writing only as a black spot,” said Dr Saleh El Messabi, Head of Emirates Ophthalmology Society.

During the conference, Bayer Healthcare presented new data about its latest VEGF Trap-Eye treatment for wet AMD to the doctors attending the conference.

“The approval of the new treatment is great news for the increasing number of patients suffering from wet AMD, a sight threatening eye condition. We are looking forward to this new treatment for patients suffering from wet AMD around the Middle East soon. This new treatment would allow better compliance to treatment with dosing regimen every other month following three initial monthly injections, as opposed to monthly injections and monthly monitoring” added Dr. El Messabi.

Bayer has already received approval for VEGF Trap-Eye for the treatment of wet AMD in several markets, including Japan, Australia, and some countries in Latin America earlier this year. Submissions have been filed in this indication, and other indications, for marketing authorization in additional countries worldwide.