Further investigation into the involved chemicals opened the way to sulfa drug and sulfone therapy, first with the discovery of sulfanilamide, the active agent of prontosil, by Daniel Bovet and his team at Pasteur Institute (1935), then with that of dapsone independently by Ernest Fourneau in France and Gladwin Buttle in the United Kingdom. Proposed use in antimalarial drugs
The spread of drug-resistant malaria in Africa has encouraged the development of new, low-cost antimalarial drugs. Plasmodium falciparum, one of the Plasmodium species that causes malaria, has developed resistance both to chloroquine and sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine, two of the most common treatments for malaria. Artemisinin, another antimalarial drug, had been developed in the 1980s but was too expensive for large-scale use. This led GlaxoSmithKline to develop Lapdap, a combination drug consisting of chlorproguanil and dapsone. Lapdap was licensed in the United Kingdom starting in October 2003.One advantage of Lapdap was that chlorproguanil and dapsone are both low-cost drugs. Another was that by virtue of being a combination drug, it was less likely to cause drug resistance. However, because dapsone causes hemolytic anemia in patients with G6PD deficiency, and because G6PD deficiency affects 10-25% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa, it was discovered that Lapdap is not safe for use in Africa. It was available in many African countries for four years before GlaxoSmithKline took it off the market in February 2008. Dapsone gel
Dapsone had been reported in a few cases to effectively treat acne, but the risk of hemolytic anemia kept it from being widely used for this purpose.
The fluorescent dye can have dangerous side effects: see Fluorescein
Eye examination may be done to check the eye(s) conditions, for instance to check how well the patient sees straight ahead, off to the sides and at different distances. Blood tests may provide information about the patients overall health and may also reveal the medical condition that may have caused retinal hemorrhage. Prevention
It is recommended to consult with ophthalmologist or optometrist as early as possible, particularly for people with vision problems, these includes floaters, flashes, cobwebs or spots in their vision. Preventive measures such as regular prenatal care and monitoring of infants with high risks of the disorder may be done to avoid further complications of retinal hemorrhages in infants. For retinal hemorrhages associated with hypertension, blood pressure can be controlled by having regular blood pressure check ups, frequent exercise, monitor daily food intakes and to practice a stress-free lifestyle. Treatment
Retinal hemorrhages, especially mild ones not associated with chronic disease, will normally reabsorb without treatment. Laser surgery is a treatment option which uses a laser beam to seal off damaged blood vessels in the retina. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs like Avastin and Lucentis have also been shown to repair retinal hemorrhaging in diabetic patients and patients with hemorrhages associated with new vessel growth.Alternative treatments may include providing necessary nutrients to strengthen and heal damaged blood vessels, through the consumption of dietary supplements such as Vitamins A, B, C and E. Also, the essential fatty acids including omega-3 from fish oil and flaxseed oil.