Scientists at Aalto University have developed promising technology that can slow or even stop the development of the early stages of dry age-related macular degeneration. According to the researchers, their method aims to enhance the natural protective mechanisms of retinal cells through carefully controlled heat exposure.
The essence of the therapy is to gently increase the temperature of the affected area by just a few degrees. This is a technically challenging task because the temperature behind the retina is difficult to measure and exceeding the 45°C threshold can cause tissue damage. To avoid this, the team developed a system that monitors temperature in real time and precisely controls heating using near-infrared light. This approach ensures the safety of the procedure and allows the use of heat to activate the natural processes of eye restoration at the cellular level. When proteins in the tissues of the eye fold incorrectly, the cells can react in a variety of ways. One of them is the production of heat shock proteins, which appear in response to stress and help damaged proteins return to normal structure. If this mechanism does not work, the defective proteins are broken down into amino acids and reused.
The new technology has already shown encouraging results in animal experiments – in particular, on mice and pigs. Clinical trials in humans are planned to begin in the spring of 2026 in Finland. At the first stage, the researchers intend to confirm the safety of laser therapy, and then determine the optimal frequency of its implementation to obtain a sustainable therapeutic effect. The results of the work were published in the journal Nature Communications.