Geographic atrophy (GA) is a progressive eye disease that causes the degeneration of the retinal cells, particularly in the macula, leading to vision loss. The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate the safety and the effectiveness of transcorneal electrical stimulation (TES) therapy with the OkuStim 2 System in patients with geographic atrophy (GA). Researchers will compare the effects of two different electrical stimuli with a placebo to see if the stimuli are safe and can slow down the progression of the disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these three groups: * TES-treatment with a rectangular stimulus * TES-treatment with a repetitive ramp stimulus * Placebo (sham) treatment Participants will apply the therapy at home, once a week for 30 minutes each over a duration of 1 year.
No linked publications found in PubMed
Inclusion criteria: * Willing and able to understand the study and provide informed consent * 60 years of age or older * Diagnosis of geographic atrophy due to age-related macular degeneration confirmed by imaging * The affected area in the eye must be within a defined size range and clearly visible on imaging * Eye conditions must allow for good-quality images and reliable measurements * Must have a minimum level of visual acuity * Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test, and must agree to use effective contraception during the study (women who are postmenopausal or surgically sterile are not subject to pregnancy-related requirements) Exclusion criteria: * History or presence of certain eye conditions (e.g. macular edema, abnormal blood vessel growth or related conditions, retinal detachment, blood vessel blockage) in the study eye * Previous major eye surgeries (including retinal surgery or vitrectomy) * Previous laser treatment or injections in the study eye * Any other eye condition that could interfere with vision tests, imaging or study results * Planned eye surgery during the study period * Recent treatment with investigational drugs for geographic atrophy * Presence of active medical implants * Serious or uncontrolled systemic diseases, history of epilepsy or poor general health or conditions affecting the ability to follow study procedures * Participation in another clinical study recently or at the same time * Breastfeeding, relevant allergies (e.g. to silver), or heavy smoking