Posted on December 9, 2004 at 3:20 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM, AL — UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) researchers have received a $112,000 grant from the International Retinal Research Foundation (IRRF) to build the first clinical version of a new diagnostic machine for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The device, patented by UAB and licensed to Apeliotus Technologies of Atlanta, is designed to detect macular degeneration as much as four years before clinical signs of the disease are evident.

The device measures how quickly an individual’s vision adjusts to darkness, known as dark adaptation. Studies have indicated that those with impaired dark adaptation are significantly more likely to develop AMD than individuals with normal dark adaptation.

“This is an early warning system,” says Greg Jackson, Ph.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology at UAB and the device’s inventor. “This instrument will be able to detect the beginnings of macular degeneration earlier than any other clinical test currently available, and before an individual even notices any vision loss.”

AMD is the leading cause of untreatable vision loss among older adults in developed countries. It affects approximately 30 million people worldwide. There is no cure, but medical treatment can slow progress of the disease if it is detected early.

Apeliotus Technologies will construct the first clinical versions of the device based on Jackson’s research prototype. The clinical version will be used at UAB and other academic research institutions to validate the earlier research findings of Jackson and colleague Cynthia Owsley, Ph.D., professor of ophthalmology at UAB. Ultimately, the device could find a home in any optometrist’s or ophthalmologist’s office.

“The device will be similar in size, operation and cost to the instruments routinely used for glaucoma screening,” said John Edwards, CEO of Apeliotus Technologies. “The test takes about 20 minutes, is easy to administer and causes no discomfort to the patient.”

The test works by exposing a patient’s eye to a flash of bright light in an otherwise completely dark environment, a process known as bleaching. The length of time that passes before the patient detects a series of visual cues is measured. Patients whose eyes take longer than normal to see the cues are at increased risk for AMD.

The device could also prove valuable for pharmaceutical companies developing new drugs or therapies for AMD. This instrument can provide a means to identify suitable research subjects and provide sensitive tracking of their treatment progress, Jackson explained.

Apeliotus Technologies develops life science products based on university inventions. The company licenses high potential innovations from research universities throughout the Southeast and works with both targeted industry users and the inventors to transform innovations from academic concept to commercial reality.

The International Retinal Research Foundation, Inc., located at the Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital at UAB, is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to visual research. Emphasis is placed on diseases of the human eye with a focus on discovering the causes, preventions and cures of macular degeneration of the retina and diabetic retinopathy. The IRRF provides direct financial support of vision research, as well as through salary support for training fellowships, public awareness programs and the promotion of the exchange of research findings. Since incorporating in 1997, the IRRF board of directors has awarded over $2.5 million to retinal researchers worldwide.