| Still in off-label use, the micro-stimulation (MCS) | | | | According to the NIH reports, "one of the |
| therapy is thought to improve eye health by | | | | advantages...is that the incidence of adverse |
| increasing the blood flow to the eyes. MCS | | | | affects is substantially lower than that of many |
| therapy uses a small battery-operated device to | | | | drugs or other accepted medical procedures used |
| deliver low-intensity electricity to points around | | | | for the same conditions". |
| the eyes. In this way, more oxygen is allowed to | | | | It seems that MCS only lacks an official approval |
| get into the tissues. In addition, MCS therapy can | | | | from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), |
| help remove waste products and stimulate retinal | | | | who regulates the sale of medical devices. In fact, |
| cells that have become dormant and sluggish. | | | | all medical devices should receive FDA approval |
| Until now, MCS therapy has only undergone a | | | | before being available to the public. This is the |
| two-year preliminary trial involving 120 participants. | | | | basic rule all medical companies should obey. |
| Being considered to treat the retinal disease, MCS | | | | Originally used to relieve chronic, untreatable pain, |
| therapy using a special device is still practiced in | | | | the devices now used in MCS therapy must |
| off-label. But there are many positive signs of the | | | | present enough evidence that they are |
| therapy. Until now, there are no side effects | | | | reasonably safe and effective. Only with an |
| associated with this noninvasive and painless | | | | approval from the FDA, MCS device can be |
| therapy. Among participants of the trial, no cases | | | | chosen by doctors in the best interest of their |
| show an increase in the conversion to the wet | | | | patients. |
| form of age related macular degeneration. | | | | |