Introduction
Ocriplasmin (trade name: Jetrea) has been approved in Germany since March 2013 for the treatment of vitreomacular traction (VMT) in adults, an eye disorder that is usually age-related. The drug is also an option if the condition has caused a small hole to form in the .
As people age, the vitreous body of the eye (the clear gel that fills the space between the lens and the ) shrinks and starts to detach from the (the lining of the back of the eye). This usually goes unnoticed, without vision being affected.
In vitreomacular traction, the near the point of sharpest vision () remains only partly attached to the vitreous body. The becomes deformed as a result, which sometimes causes it to rip. This leads to blurred or distorted vision, or even loss of vision.
If visual impairment is too severe, a certain type of eye surgery (vitrectomy) is an option. This involves removing the vitreous body and repairing the as much as possible.
Ocriplasmin is an enzyme that can dissolve the “glue” between the vitreous body and the . This is done to reduce the “pulling force” on the – allowing it to return to a normal shape – and to avoid the need for vitrectomy.