Green light for retinopathy treatment

There's someone on another forum using the therapy. Can't remember the ins and outs of it but did get the impression he was paying dosh for the privilege of trialling it.

Sounds like the usual nonsense to me.

beardie said:

Sounds like the usual nonsense to me.

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It's not the treatment is working and being trialled now in certain hospitals.

Seen this a month or two back in one of the daily papers, from what I read the mask has to be worn for a long time for any benefit to be achieved, however this is much better than laser treatment as too much laser can result in loss of peripheral vision.

Not sure how this would stop bleeds and blood vessels growing, after 7 years of treatment and 20+ session on each eye don't think it's that simple. Many reasurch ideas seem to driven by available funding and not by a viable idea or concept

Hi CarbsRok
i could be that person on another forum for I am using the Noctura 400 sleep mask.

brief overview for anyone interested.

there are local optometrists ( selected few) around the country allowed to sell it on behalf of Polyphotonix ( manufacturer).
they program the mask with a 14 hour window in which it will operate ( mine is 8pm to 10AM).
I switch the mask on when i go to bed ( usually about 11pm ) and wear it until i wake up in the morning (usually 6:30am )

the mask works by emitting green OLED's ( organic light emitting device ) and this light fools the eyes into thinking it is daytime.
what causes the retinopathy in the first place is lack of oxygen at night to the eyes when we are asleep so this treatment basically reverses that process. I have attended a presentation at the university of Teeside in october and was very impressed with the results they have gotten from trials.

It is currently at stage 3 trials for NICE approval in a few hospitals around the country including Moorfields in London.

The mask is selling for £250 per mask and it lasts for 12 weeks -- you take the used mask back to optometrist and exchange for a new one.
the old mask is then sent to polyphotonix and the data downloaded from the mask

Pictures are taken of the backs of your eyes every 3 months and the results are analysed to see the changes (if any ) to the amount of retinopathy present in the eyes.

I had already had laser in 2002 and 2012 and I had 3 injections of Lucentis into my left eye in 2013 so for me the choice was simple when i enquired about the mask. £1000 per year is a small price to pay to hopefully assist my eyesight and if trials are successful it will be available on the NHS.

The estimated saving to the NHS if it is accepted is just over £ 1 billion pounds a year

Hi Himtoo, yes it was your post I saw and read with interest. Hope you are getting the results you need and hoped for.

Thanks for the explanation @himtoo, hopefully if the trials are successful it will become available on the NHS.

thanks @CarbsRok and @noblehead -- i first heard about this in the Sunday Times business section in early august 2014 - as it was an article about the funding side.
I looked the company up and sent in an enquiry email asking to be kept up to date.

about 2 months later they responded and invited me to the presentation and the rest as they say........

their customer support and follow up has been exceptional and i met the managing director of the company and he was EXTREMELY likeable and they are pushing hard for NICE approval ( they have had some funding from the government already towards this end)

It would be great if you could keep this thread updated with any future developments on the Noctura Mask @himtoo

noblehead said:

It would be great if you could keep this thread updated with any future developments on the Noctura Mask @himtoo

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cheers @noblehead -- that is my intention-- i only discovered this forum by accident about a month ago as a result of a lovely young lady battling the DVLA for her license and i like this place a lot
it appeals to me greatly to try and give something back and support others in our positions -- the club nobody wants to join

CarbsRok said:

Hi Himtoo, yes it was your post I saw and read with interest. Hope you are getting the results you need and hoped for.

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@CarbsRok -- i am going for my first mask exchange on the 30th of December - i will try and update as soon after as to any results if there are any.
I unfortunately do not have my next hospital opthalmology appointment until march 6th when my consultant will be able to see whats going on.
By the way i emailed him about the mask and although he had not heard of it he sent back a lovely email saying he would be looking into it and wished me all the best with it

himtoo said:

@CarbsRok -- i am going for my first mask exchange on the 30th of December - i will try and update as soon after as to any results if there are any.
I unfortunately do not have my next hospital opthalmology appointment until march 6th when my consultant will be able to see whats going on.
By the way i emailed him about the mask and although he had not heard of it he sent back a lovely email saying he would be looking into it and wished me all the best with it

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All fingers and toes crossed for you

himtoo said:

cheers @noblehead -- that is my intention-- i only discovered this forum by accident about a month ago as a result of a lovely young lady battling the DVLA for her license and i like this place a lot
it appeals to me greatly to try and give something back and support others in our positions -- the club nobody wants to join

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It's all about giving something back, I expect that is the reason why many of us stick around on the forum

This has made my day a bit brighter. I thought once it started that was it, it waa going to simply get worse and
There was no way to help it

BethAliceC said:

This has made my day a bit brighter. I thought once it started that was it, it waa going to simply get worse and
There was no way to help it

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you must never think that @BethAliceC -- Diabetes can be cruel sometimes but you must always believe in the future -- these treatments did not exist when i was diagnosed but they do NOW so keep believing !!!

thank you

BethAliceC said:

thank you

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no probs -- all of us no matter what age have to stick together -- i have felt your fears myself -- in fact been to eye doctor today - good report

have new mask today - eye doc said no change from last set of photos -- was a bit down about this but actually no change means no deterioration so result really !!!!!!!!!!

himtoo said:

no probs -- all of us no matter what age have to stick together -- i have felt your fears myself -- in fact been to eye doctor today - good report

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That's good news, it's peace of mind for the next 12 months