This medical video focuses on the new treatment available to those who suffer from failing eye sight due to Macular degeneration.
Jeniffer Mathews: As a professional engineer, Fareed Ossi enjoys his job. Fareed Ossi: I love to be working on major projects like a hospital, high rise. And for me to be denied that, it would be just like a slow death, professionally. Jeniffer Mathews: Unfortunately, Ossi suffers from a form of dry macular degeneration and his sight was failing. Then he heard about a treatment done in Europe. Fareed Ossi: Pick up the phone and make me an appointment, I'll be on the next flight to Germany. That's basically what happened. Jeniffer Mathews: Today Dana Deupree is studying that same treatment, called rheopheresis in the US. Dana Deupree: There really is nothing else out there currently for millions of Americans to have a shot at getting some of their vision back Jeniffer Mathews: During the treatment, the patient's blood is taken from one arm, put through a filtration system that removes lipids and macro proteins and then put back. Dana Deupree: To put it in basic terms, we filter crud from the blood. Jeniffer Mathews: This improves circulation in the bloodstream, including in the eyes. Ossi saw a difference after just two treatments. Fareed Ossi: I was looking at the television monitor and I was able to read things on the screen that I was unable to read before. Dana Deupree: You don't see that type of vision improvement in macular degeneration patients, I mean I would say ever. Jeniffer Mathews: The treatment allowed Fareed to not only get back to the office, but back behind the wheel. He can see well enough to drive for the first time in 10 years. This is Jeniffer Mathews reporting.