Macular Degeneration Research

Millions of Americans, especially the elderly with age-related macular degeneration, have partial or major loss of vision as a result of the death of the light-sensitive cells in their retinas. Others, with earlier onset of vision loss may have an inherited form of macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. The figure to the right illustrates the cells in the retina which die in these diseases. These cells are called rods and cones because they have rod or cone shaped light-sensitive compartments at one end of the cell (ROS=rod outer segment, COS=cone outer segment.). This figure was obtained using a scanning electron microscope. Although this image is taken from a highly magnified view of a frog retina, human retinas are very similar.

	Millions of Americans, especially the elderly with age-related macular degeneration, have partial or major loss of vision as a result of the death of the light-sensitive cells in their retinas. Others, with earlier onset of vision loss may have an inherited form of macular degeneration or retinitis pigmentosa. The figure to the right illustrates the cells in the retina which die in these diseases. These cells are called rods and cones because they have rod or cone shaped light-sensitive compartments at one end of the cell (ROS=rod outer segment, COS=cone outer segment.). This figure was obtained using a scanning electron microscope. Although this image is taken from a highly magnified view of a frog retina, human retinas are very similar.
Our research is supported by grants from The National Eye Institute and The Foundation Fighting Blindness. For an excellent introduction to the structure of the eye go to Webvision from the University of Utah
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Department of Pharmacology University of Connecticut Health Center 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030 Tel: (860) 679-2020 Send comments or questions to: David S. Papermaster, MD Last updated by Kristina O'Connor August 20, 1999 © 1999 University of Connecticut Health Center