Test may predict eye disease outcome

 January 25, 2013 14:47 About 20 percent of patients with macular degeneration will at some time in their life develop the wet version, which leads to irreversible vision loss. "Since we don't have a way to predict the precise timing of this event, we have no way of preventing it," says Sai H. Chavala. (Credit: Community Eye Health/Flickr) UNC-CHAPEL HILL (US) — A new study is the foundation for a promising stem cell blood test that may detect the progression of macular degeneration to its more serious form, which can lead to blindness.