MacTel (macular telangiectasia type 2) causes the slow degeneration or death of cells called photoreceptors in the retina, at the back of the eye. It leads to the loss of sharp, detailed vision, especially central vision, which can affect tasks like driving, reading, and recognizing faces.
Encelto™
Revakinagene taroretcel-lwey
People with a rare eye disease called MacTel may benefit from a newly approved cell therapy called revakinagene taroretcel-lwey (Encelto™), a cell-based gene therapy that slows the progression of the disease. The Duke Eye Center is among the few sites in the country offering this therapy, which received FDA approval in 2025.
About MacTel
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How Encelto Treats MacTel
The size of a grain of rice, the Encelto capsule contains more than 200,000 living cells within a permeable skin that slowly releases proteins that keep the photoreceptors healthy. It is embedded in your eye during a simple outpatient procedure. While Encelto can’t restore your vision, it can help preserve it for longer.
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What to Expect
During your first consultation, our retinal specialists will take your medical history and perform several exams to confirm your diagnosis and determine whether you would benefit from Encelto. If you are a candidate, you will meet with a financial counselor to help you navigate the health insurance process. You will also meet with a Duke anesthesiologist to clear you for surgery.
The surgery will take place at the Duke Eye Center. You’ll be given local anesthesia as well as an additional injection around the eye area to numb the area completely. Then the surgeon will insert the Encelto capsule. You will be able to go home after the surgery, and you will have follow-up appointments the next day, week, and month.
Your vision may be blurry and your eyes may be itchy for the first couple of days following the procedure, but these issues should resolve after the first week. Because MacTel usually affects both eyes, we will start the process for your other eye about a month following your first eye.
Our Locations
Duke Health offers locations throughout the Triangle. Find one near you.
Best Eye Hospital in North Carolina
Where you receive your care matters. Duke University Hospital is proud of our team and the exceptional care they provide. They are why our ophthalmology program is ranked seventh in the nation and is the highest-ranked program in North Carolina, according to U.S. News & World Report for 2025–2026.
This page was medically reviewed on
02/27/2026
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