He studied medicine at the University of Kiel, qualifying in 1899. He later became head of the Bonn University’s ophthalmology clinic, followed by a post as chair of ophthalmology at the University of Marburg. In 1909 he described 7 patients with a recessively inherited macular dystrophy, now known as Stargardt’s disease. Research
There are several clinical trials in various stages involving several potential therapeutic areas, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, drug therapy and artificial retinas. In general all are testing the safety and benefits of their respective therapies in phase I or II trials. These studies are designed to evaluate the safety, dose and effectiveness in small number of people in Phase I with Phase II evaluating similar criteria in a larger population but including a greater insight into potential side effects.Gene therapy is designed to insert a copy of a corrected gene into retinal cells. The hope is to return cell function back to normal and the treatment has the potential to stop disease progression. This therapy will not restore impaired vision back to normal. The research is being undertaken by a partnership between Sanofi and Oxford BioMedica. A Lentiviral vector is used to deliver a normal gene to the target tissue via a subretinal injection. The therapy is known as SAR422459 and it has been terminated prematurely due to halt in developing the drug product.Kubota Vision is in Phase III clinical trials of a visual cycle modulator that modulates RPE65 activity to treat Stargardts.
Genetic testing can be utilized to ensure an proper diagnosis for which the correct treatment can be applied. Treatment
At present there is no treatment for Stargardt Disease. However, ophthalmologists recommend measures that could slow the rate of progression. There are no prospective clinical trials to support these recommendations, but they are based on scientific understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease pathology. There are three strategies doctors recommend for potential harm reduction: reducing retinal exposure to damaging ultraviolet light,  avoiding excess Vitamin A with the hope of lowering lipofuscin accumulation and maintaining good general health and diet.Ultra-violet light has more energy and is a more damaging wavelength spectra than visible light. In an effort to mitigate this, some ophthalmologists may recommend that the patient wears a broad-brimmed hat or sunglasses when they are outdoors. Sometimes, doctors also instruct their patients to wear yellow-tinted glasses (which filter out blue light) when indoors and in artificial light or in front of a digital screen. Certain foods, especially carrots, are rich in vitamin A, but the amount from food is not harmful. Foods with a high vitamin A content are often yellow or orange in color, such as squash, pumpkin, and sweet potato, but some, such as liver, are not. There are supplements on the market with more than a daily allowance of vitamin A that should be avoided, but each individual should discuss this with their doctor. Smoking, overweight or obesity, and poor diet quality may also contribute to more rapid degeneration.