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Home >> News >> Pressreleases >> Recruitment Begins for Study on Age-Related Macular Degeneration
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Recruitment Begins for Study on Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Archived Page

The information on this page is archived and provided for reference purposes only. It was current when it was produced, but may now be out-of-date. Persons having difficulty accessing this information may contact kcl@nei.nih.gov for assistance. For reliable, current information on this and other topics, we recommend that you visit the National Eye Institute website index.

07/07/99

B-roll and photos available

Patient recruitment has begun on a clinical trial to find out if laser treatment decreases vision loss for people who may be at risk for severe age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

AMD is a common eye disease of the macula, a tiny area in the retina that helps produce sharp, central vision required for “straight ahead” activities such as reading, sewing, and driving. A person with AMD - the leading cause of severe visual impairment in Americans 60 years of age and older - loses this clear, central vision. An estimated 1.7 million Americans have AMD.

The clinical trial, called the Complications of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Prevention Trial (CAPT), is designed to assess the safety and effectiveness of low intensity laser treatment. Researchers hope to determine if low intensity laser treatment might prevent disease progression and loss of vision in people who are at risk for severe AMD. The CAPT will enroll a total of 1000 patients in 23 clinical centers across the United States during an 18-month period. The trial will last at least five years and is sponsored by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the Federal government’s National Institutes of Health.

“As ‘baby boomers’ age and a higher percentage of Americans reach age 60, AMD will become an even more serious medical issue,” said Dr. Carl Kupfer, director of the NEI. “The prevalence of AMD is expected to rise to 6.3 million by the year 2030, when even greater percentages of our population will have turned 60.”

All patients in the trial will have one eye treated with the laser and one eye not treated. The treatment is performed quickly and causes little, if any, discomfort. Both eyes will be carefully monitored throughout the trial to evaluate any eye or vision problems and determine the effects of the laser treatment. There is a small chance that the new treatment could increase the risk of vision loss. Any important information gained from this study will be shared with all CAPT patients, doctors, and the public as soon as it becomes available.

To be eligible for the study, patients must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Age 50 or older.
  • Large drusen, or yellow deposits, in the retinas of both eyes. These deposits can be viewed only by an eye care professional through a dilated eye exam.
  • Vision of 20/40 or better in each eye.
  • No other eye disease affecting vision.
  • Available for five years of follow-up.
  • No previous laser treatment to the retina.

Those who are interested in participating in the trial and want more information should check with their eye care professional to see if they meet all the study criteria listed above. A booklet listing study centers can be obtained from the CAPT Coordinating Center at 3535 Market Street, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-3309. Information also is available on the CAPT web site at http://www.med.upenn.edu/cpob/studies/documents/MOP_July_2000.EP.pdf, or on the NEI’s web site at http://www.nei.nih.gov/neitrials/static/study70.asp. A list of study centers is attached.

# # #
CAPT Clinical Centers
Arizona
Donald W. Park, M.D.
Retinal Consultants of Arizona, Ltd.
560 West Brown Road, Suite 2004
Mesa, AZ 85201
Contact: Jennifer Blaisdell
Telephone: (602) 402-0409
Fax: (602) 833-6209
Donald W. Park, M.D.
Retinal Consultants of Arizona, Ltd.
10615 West Thunderbird Boulevard
Suite D-500
Sun City, AZ 85351
Contact: Jennifer Blaisdell
Telephone: (602) 402-0409
Fax: (602) 833-6209

California
Robert N. Johnson, M.D.
Schatz, McDonald, Johnson, Ai
One Daniel Burnham Court, Suite 210C
San Francisco, CA 94109
Contact: Pat Wood, LVN
Telephone: (415) 441-0906
Fax: (415) 441-0421

Florida
Philip Rosenfeld, M.D.
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute
University of Miami School of Medicine
900 N.W. 17th Street
Miami, FL 33136
Contact: Ileana Cantillo
Telephone: (305) 326-6117
Fax: (305) 326-6417
Peter Reed Pavan, M.D.
University of South Florida Eye Institute
12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard
MDC Box 21
Tampa, FL 33612-4766
Contact: Sharon Millard, RN, COT
Telephone: (813) 974-1530
Fax: (813) 974-5621

Maryland
Andrew P. Schachat, M.D.
The Johns Hopkins University
Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Maumanee 205
600 North Wolfe Street
Baltimore, MD 21287-9275
Contact: Ellen Greenberg, COT
Telephone: (410) 955-3429
Fax: (410) 614-1683

Massachusetts
Jeffrey Heier, M.D.
Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston
Diseases & Surg. of the Retina & Vitreous
50 Staniford Street, Suite 600
Boston, MA 02114
Contact: Tammy Hanner
Telephone: (617) 367-4800, ext. 714
Fax: (617) 723-7028

Michigan
Michael Trese, M.D.
Associate Retinal Consultants, P.C.
William Beaumont Hospital
3535 West Thirteen Mile Road, Suite 632
Royal Oak, MI 48073
Contact: Linda Vandell, R.N.
Telephone: (248) 551-9866
Fax: (248) 551-7832

Minnesota
Dennis M. Robertson, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
200 First Street, S.W.
Rochester, MN 55905
Contact: Margaret Ruszczyk, CCRA
Telephone: (507) 284-5052
Fax: (507) 284-4612

Missouri
Gilbert Grand, M.D.
Barnes Retina Institute
1 Barnes Hospital Plaza
Suite 17413 East Pavilion
St. Louis, MO 63110
Contact: Julie Binning, COT
Telephone: (314) 367-1278
Fax: (314) 367-5764
Richard F. Dreyer, M.D.
2525 NW Lovejoy Avenue, Suite 100
Portland, OR 97210
Contact: Harold Crider
Telephone: (503) 229-8472
Fax: (503) 725-1734

Pennsylvania
Juan E. Grunwald, M.D.
Scheie Eye Institute
51 North 39th Street, Room 501
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Contact: Sharon Decker
Telephone: (215) 662-8691
Fax: (215) 662-8025

Texas
Gary Edd Fish, M.D.
Texas Retina Associates
7150 Greenville Avenue, Suite 400
Dallas, TX 75231
Contact: Jean Arnwine
Telephone: (214) 692-6941
Fax: (214) 739-5797

Wisconsin
Suresh R. Chandra, M.D.
University of Wisconsin - Madison
Dept. of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
2880 University Avenue, Room 224
Madison, WI 53705
Contact: Wendy Walker, COA
Telephone: (608) 263-9035
Fax: (608) 262-6222

Georgia
Paul Sternberg, Jr., M.D.
Emory Eye Center
Emory University School of Medicine
1365-B Clifton Road, 4th Floor, Rm. B4625
Atlanta, GA 30322
Contact: Ann Ervin, M.P.H.
Telephone: (404) 778-2423
Fax: (404) 778-5128

Illinois
Alice Lyon, M.D.
Northwestern University
Galter Pavilion, 15th Floor
675 N. St. Clair Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Contact: Zuzanna Strugala
Telephone: (312) 908-8040
Fax: (312) 908-9714
David Orth, M.D.
Illinois Retina Associates, S.C.
Irwin Retina Center
71 West 156th Street, Suite 400
Harvey, IL 60426
Contact: Toni Larsen, R.N.
Telephone: (708) 915-6926
Fax: (708) 596-9820

Iowa
James Folk, M.D.
University of Iowa
Dept. of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences
200 Hawkins Drive
Iowa City, IA 55242-1091
Contact: Steven Wallace
Telephone: (319) 353-6478
Fax: (319) 356-0363

Kentucky
Charles C. Barr, M.D.
Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences University of Louisville School of Medicine
Kentucky Lions Eye Research Institute
301 East Muhammed Ali Boulevard
Louisville, KY 40202-1594
Contact: Greg Whittington, PsyS
Telephone: (502) 852-7387
Fax: (502) 852-7298

North Carolina
Andrew N. Antoszyk, M.D.
Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat
Associates, P.A.
1600 East Third Street
Charlotte, NC 28204
Contact: Lori Lundy, COMT
Telephone: (704) 945-4113
Fax: (704) 944-4895

New Jersey
Steven R. Leff, M.D.
Retina-Vitreous Center, P.A.
98 James Street, Suite 310
Edison, NJ 08820
Contact: Marge Lucido
Telephone: (732) 363-3891
Fax: (732) 363-0403
Steven R. Leff, M.D.
Retina-Vitreous Center, P.A.
525 Route 70 West, Suite B-14
Lakewood, NJ 08701
Contact: Marge Lucido
Telephone: (732) 363-3891
Fax: (732) 363-0403

Ohio
Lawrence J. Singerman, M.D.
Retina Associates of Cleveland
26900 Cedar Road, Suite 303
Cleveland, Ohio 44122
Contact: Stephanie Schura, COT
Telephone: (800) 473-8462
Fax: (216) 831-1959
Frederick H. Davidorf, M.D.
The Ohio State University
Department of Ophthalmology
456 West 10th Avenue, Suite 5B
Columbus, Ohio 43210-1228
Contact: Cynthia Taylor
Telephone: (614) 293-8041
Fax: (614) 293-6180

Oregon
Michael L. Klein, M.D.
Casey Eye Institute
3375 S.W. Terwillager Boulevard
Portland, OR 97201-4197
Contact: Susan Nolte
Telephone: (503) 494-3055
Fax: (503) 494-7233

Photograph Reading Center
Jeffrey Berger, M.D., Ph.D, Prin. Invest.
Judy Alexander, Director
CAPT Photograph Reading Center
3535 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309
Telephone: (215) 615-1515
Fax: (215) 615-1533

NEI Representative
Natalie Kurinij, Ph.D.
National Eye Institute
National Institutes of Health
Executive Plaza South, Suite 350
6120 Executive Boulevard, MSC 7164
Bethesda, MD 20892-5983
Telephone: (301) 496-5983
Fax: (301) 402-0528

Resource Centers

Chairman’s Office
Stuart L. Fine, M.D.
Scheie Eye Institute
Department of Ophthalmology
Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
51 N. 39th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Telephone: (215) 662-8142

Coordinating Center
Maureen G. Maguire, Ph.D., Director
CAPT Coordinating Center
3535 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3309
Telephone: (215) 615-1500
Fax: (215) 615-1531

Contact: 

National Eye Institute
(301) 496-5248
neinews@nei.nih.gov

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