Dry macular degeneration

Dry macular degeneration is a common eye disorder among people over 65 that caused blurred or reduced central vision. Below are some statistics on dry macular degeneration as a gauge of the potential market size.

• As many as 11 million people in the United States have some form of age-related macular degeneration. This number is expected to double to nearly 22 million by 2050.
• The number of people living with macular degeneration is expected to reach 196 million worldwide by 2020 and increase to 288 million by 2040.
• Estimates of the global cost of visual impairment due to age-related macular degeneration are $343 billion, including $255 billion in direct health care costs (BrightFocus).

There is currently no treatment or cure for dry macular degeneration, but there are drugs aimed at delaying progression of the disease. These include EYLEA (aflibercept), Lucentis (ranibizumab injection), Macugen (pegaptanib sodium injection, laser photocoagulation). The revenues for Lucentis alone were $1.48 billion in 2017. There was no specific segmented data on revenues for EYLEA or Macugen.

EYLEA costs $50 per dose, Lucentis costs $2,000, and Macugen costs $800 per dose.

Dry macular degeneration symptoms usually develop gradually and without pain. They may include:

• Visual distortions, such as straight lines seeming bent
• Reduced central vision in one or both eyes
• The need for brighter light when reading or doing close work
• Increased difficulty adapting to low light levels, such as when entering a dimly lit restaurant
• Increased blurriness of printed words
• Decreased intensity or brightness of colors
• Difficulty recognizing faces

Prevention

It's important to have routine eye exams to identify early signs of macular degeneration. The following measures may help reduce your risk of developing dry macular degeneration:

• Manage your other medical conditions. For example, if you have cardiovascular disease or high blood pressure, take your medication and follow your doctor's instructions for controlling the condition.
• Don't smoke. Smokers are more likely to develop macular degeneration than are nonsmokers. Ask your doctor for help to stop smoking.
• Maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly. If you need to lose weight, reduce the number of calories you eat and increase the amount of exercise you get each day.
• Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Choose a healthy diet that's full of a variety of fruits and vegetables. These foods contain antioxidant vitamins that reduce your risk of developing macular degeneration.
• Include fish in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, may reduce the risk of macular degeneration. Nuts, such as walnuts, also contain omega-3 fatty acids.