Elevated dosing helps patients with eye disease

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – A recent study offers promise to patients with neovascular eye disease, a condition that causes loss of vision.

Optometrist Dr. Sydney Madrigal with The Eye Center of Pembroke Pines said researchers found that higher doses of an injectable drug called Aflibercept gave study participants nearly double the time needed between treatments.

“Nobody likes to have the injections done and so being able to extend and not have them done as often as well as creating new molecules to help them last longer is really where the science and research is focusing on these days,” Madrigal said.

Neovascular eye disease can be caused by diabetes and age-related macular degeneration.

Madrigal said this study focused solely on diabetic patients.

And for the fifth year in a row the memorial healthcare system is participating in a program to encourage routine screenings for H.I.V.

The program provides screening to patients who come through emergency departments and primary care offices.

There are also free testing sites throughout the community.

As of Oct. 31, nearly 75,000 people have been tested this year.

If someone tests positive the program helps them establish care with an infectious disease physician


About the Authors:

Kristi Krueger has built a solid reputation as an award-winning medical reporter and effervescent anchor. She joined Local 10 in August 1993. After many years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Kristi now co-anchors the noon newscasts, giving her more time in the evening with her family.

Veteran journalist Kathleen Corso is the special projects producer for Local 10 News.