The device can
treat either form of age - related macular degeneration: the dry stage, where the delicate
tissues of the macula become thinned and slowly lose function, or the less common wet stage that's caused by the
growth of
abnormal blood vessels behind the macula.
A more expensive injection form of the drug was discovered by Kopchick a decade ago, and it has since been approved by the FDA to
treat individuals with acromegaly, a condition in which there is too much
growth hormone in adults, resulting in
abnormal growth of body
tissues, especially hands, feet, and face.