Dr. Johnson
If there is a new treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Dr. Mark Johnson will know about it. His patients come to him for this reason and because he is one of the leading retina specialists in the country. They also come because he understands the toll a disease like AMD can have on a person’s daily life.
Macular degeneration is an eye disease that gradually causes the loss of central vision. It most often affects people over the age of 60, making it difficult for them to read, drive, identify faces, or engage in any activity that requires the ability to see fine detail. Dr. Johnson understands that these are activities that profoundly affect his patients’ quality of life.
There is as yet no treatment for the more common “dry” form of AMD, though for some individuals certain vitamins have been shown to slow the progression of the disease. A few treatments are available for “wet” AMD, in which abnormal blood vessels grow beneath the retina, often causing loss of central vision.
Judy Knitter is an ophthalmic technician who works closely with Dr. Johnson. She says that patients come to him for his expertise, but then are pleased to find that their appointments are both informative and unhurried. “Dr. Johnson will sit with a patient and answer questions until that individual is satisfied,” says Ms. Knitter. “He believes it is important that each patient understands exactly what we can do for him or her.”
A colleague notes that Dr. Johnson is known among his peers as being at the forefront of retinal diagnosis and treatment and is viewed as a leader who will help shape the future of retinal care. Still, as new treatments appear, he is careful. The benefits must be in the best interests of the patient. At the moment, Dr. Johnson and other clinical researchers around the country are evaluating whether a new drug already approved for cancer treatment will be safe and effective against AMD.
Then too, Dr. Johnson brings many clinical trials to the eye center, providing patients with access to promising treatments that may not yet be widely available. Early findings from one such trial suggest that the drug ranibizumab may actually improve the vision of patients with wet AMD.
“This is significant because current treatments either stabilize vision or slow the progression of the disease,” says Dr. Johnson. "In this study about a third of the patients with wet AMD are experiencing improved vision, a previously rare occurrence in eyes with macular degeneration.”
Finally, patients who come to the Retina Clinic also know that Kellogg scientists in nearby laboratories have made great strides toward understanding the genetic components of retinal disease.
“Our patients come first for our reputation,” says Ms. Knitter. “But they leave every appointment hearing Dr. Johnson say, “Are there any other questions I can answer for you today?’”
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