About one in three people over the age of 80 are affected by age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and roughly 20 million Americans aged 40 and older are currently living with the condition. Most patients experience the dry form of AMD, which develops gradually and eventually leads to the loss of central vision, making it difficult to see objects directly ahead. Despite how common it is, there are still no effective treatments for the dry type of the disease.

Researchers at Aalto University have now identified a promising new method that could help stop the progression of dry AMD if applied during the early stages of diagnosis. The technique works by using heat to strengthen the cells’ natural defense systems, according to Professor Ari Koskelainen.

“Cellular functionality and protective mechanisms weaken with age, which exposes the fundus [the inside surface at the back of the eye] to intense oxidative stress,” he explains. “Free oxygen radicals damage proteins, which causes them to misfold and aggregate, then fatty protein deposits called drusen begin to accumulate, which is the main diagnostic criterion for the dry form of age-related macular degeneration.”