Allergan Inc. said today, June 18th, 2009, that the Food and Drug Administration approved a drug it developed to treat macular edema, a condition that can cause loss of central vision.

Irvine-based Allergan says the drug, trade-named Ozurdex, is the first and only drug therapy approved for treating macular edema associated with retinal vein occlusion, the second-most common retinal vascular disease that leads to vision loss.

Macular edema affects about 150,000 people a year. It is different from macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over age 50.

Source for complete article: http://ocbiz.freedomblogging.com/2009/06/18/fda-approves-allergan-anti-sight-loss-drug/12781/