Patient Education
ENCELTO for MacTel
Outpatient surgery · one-time implant per eye
ENCELTO (revakinagene taroretcel) is the first FDA-approved treatment for macular telangiectasia type 2, a slowly progressive disease that erodes the central retina. It is not a conventional injection but a tiny implant containing living cells, placed inside the eye through a small incision.
ENCELTO (revakinagene taroretcel) is the first FDA-approved treatment for macular telangiectasia type 2, a slowly progressive disease that erodes the central retina. It is not a conventional injection but a tiny implant containing living cells, placed inside the eye through a small incision. Those cells continuously produce a protective protein called CNTF, which supports the retinal cells that MacTel is damaging — a single procedure that keeps working instead of a repeating course of treatment.
What It Treats
- Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel)
What to Expect
Before
Candidacy is confirmed with OCT and other imaging, since MacTel has a distinctive appearance and the treatment is intended for a specific stage of disease. Because this is an implant procedure, you will have a standard pre-operative discussion about anesthesia and timing.
During
The procedure is done in an operating room under local anesthesia. The surgeon makes a small incision in the wall of the eye, places the implant so it sits within the vitreous cavity, and secures and closes the incision with a suture. It is a short operation and you go home the same day.
After
Expect a red, scratchy, light-sensitive eye for the first week or two, and to feel the suture. Drops are prescribed to control inflammation and prevent infection, and you will be seen the day after surgery and again over the following weeks.
Recovery & Restrictions
- You will need a driver on the day of surgery and someone available at home that first evening.
- Use the prescribed drops on schedule — inflammation control matters more than comfort in the first weeks.
- Avoid rubbing the eye, swimming, and dusty or dirty environments while the incision heals.
- Most patients return to routine activity within a week or two, with heavy lifting restricted a little longer.
- The implant is designed to remain in the eye and continue working, so follow-up shifts to periodic monitoring rather than repeat treatment.
Risks & Side Effects
Surgical risks
Because the implant is placed through an incision, the procedure carries the risks of intraocular surgery: infection, bleeding, retinal tear or detachment, and inflammation. These are uncommon but are the reason the procedure happens in an operating room.
Cataract
Any operation inside the eye can accelerate cataract formation in eyes that still have their natural lens.
Inflammation
Some degree of inflammation is expected after implantation and is managed with drops. Persistent or worsening inflammation needs evaluation.
The implant does not restore lost vision
ENCELTO is intended to slow the loss of retinal cells. Central vision already lost to MacTel does not return.
Every procedure carries risk, and this list is not exhaustive. Your doctor will discuss the risks that apply to your eye and your circumstances before you decide.