Newswise Focus Channel: Vision Channel Featured Story TOP

UCI researchers discover cause, develop pharmacological treatment for reducing retinitis pigmentosa vision loss

University of California, Irvine — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 19:05:13 EST

Irvine, Calif., Jan. 26, 2022 -- Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have discovered that the absence of Adiponectin receptor 1 protein (AdipoR1), one of the principal enzymes regulating ceramide homeostasis in the retina, leads to an accumulation of ceramides in the retina, resulting in progressive photoreceptor cell death and ultimately vision loss.

Blind People Can't See Color but Understand It the Same Way as Sighted People

Johns Hopkins University — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:05:37 EST

People born blind have never seen that bananas are yellow but Johns Hopkins University researchers find that like any sighted person, they understand two bananas are likely to be the same color and why. Questioning the belief that dates back to philosopher John Locke that people born blind could never truly understand color, the team of cognitive neuroscientists demonstrated that congenitally blind and sighted individuals actually understand it quite similarly.

High Caffeine Consumption may be Associated with Increased Risk of Blinding Eye Disease

Mount Sinai Health System — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 07:00:02 EST

Frequent caffeine intake could more than triple risk of glaucoma for those genetically predisposed to higher eye pressure

Preventive treatment reduces diabetic retinopathy complications

NIH, National Eye Institute (NEI) — Tue, 30 Mar 2021 19:00:00 EST

Early treatment with anti-VEGF injections slowed diabetic retinopathy in a clinical study from the DRCR Retina Network (DRCR.net). However, two years into the four-year study its effect on vision was similar to standard treatment, which usually begins at the onset of late disease.

National Eye Institute launches data portal for macular degeneration research

NIH, National Eye Institute (NEI) — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 09:35:36 EST

The National Eye Institute (NEI) Data Commons now enables researchers to access data from patients with macular degeneration who participated in the Age-related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2). The database complements newly available stem cell lines created by the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute (NYSCF) from blood cells of AREDS2 study participants.

Early Diagnosis, Treatment Make Seeing Clearly with AMD a Reality

American Society of Retina Specialists — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 11:15:31 EST

Less than twenty years ago, most people diagnosed with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were destined to become legally blind. Today, advances in the diagnosis and treatment of AMD made possible by retina specialists allow many patients with advanced AMD to keep reading, driving and enjoying their independence.

A Rift in the Retina May Help Repair the Optic Nerve

Johns Hopkins Medicine — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 09:00:43 EST

In experiments in mouse tissues and human cells, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have found that removing a membrane that lines the back of the eye may improve the success rate for regrowing nerve cells damaged by blinding diseases. The findings are specifically aimed at discovering new ways to reverse vision loss caused by glaucoma and other diseases that affect the optic nerve, the information highway from the eye to the brain.

Routine eye scans may give clues to cognitive decline in diabetes

Joslin Diabetes Center — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 13:20:19 EST

In older people with type 1 diabetes, damage to the retina may be linked to memory problems and other cognitive conditions.BOSTON - (December 31, 2020) - As they age, people with diabetes are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive disorders than are people without diabetes. Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center now have shown that routine eye imaging can identify changes in the retina that may be associated with cognitive disorders in older people with type 1 diabetes.

NIH researchers discover brain area crucial for recognizing visual events

NIH, National Eye Institute (NEI) — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 11:00:37 EST

Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) report that a brain region in the superior temporal sulcus (fSTS) is crucial for processing and making decisions about visual information.

Scientists Reverse Age-Related Vision Loss, Eye Damage From Glaucoma in Mice

Harvard Medical School — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 11:00:00 EST

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have successfully reversed age-related vision loss in animals as well as eye damage stemming from with a condition mimicking human glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness around the world.

Retinas: New Potential Clues in Diagnosing, Treating Alzheimer's

Cedars-Sinai — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 12:50:40 EST

A study led by the Cedars-Sinai Department of Neurosurgery has identified certain regions in the retina - the lining found in the back of the eye - that are more affected by Alzheimer's disease than other areas. The findings may help physicians predict changes in the brain as well as cognitive deterioration, even for patients experiencing the earliest signs of mild impairment.

UCI-led study reveals significant restoration of retinal and visual function following gene therapy

University of California, Irvine — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 14:45:07 EST

A breakthrough study, led by researchers from the University of California, Irvine, results in the restoration of retinal and visual functions of mice models suffering from inherited retinal disease.

IU Kelley School of Business research finds that blue-light glasses improve sleep and workday productivity

Indiana University — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 07:05:17 EST

During the pandemic, the amount of screen time for many people working and learning from home as well as binge-watching TV has sharply increased. New research finds that wearing blue-light glasses just before sleeping can lead to a better night's sleep and contribute to a better day's work to follow.

Shining a Light on How Exercise Reduces Cataract Risk

University of South Australia — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 08:55:57 EST

Chinese and Australian researchers have combined studies of more than 170,000 people and found conclusive evidence that regular physical exercise reduces the risk of age-related cataracts, the cause of blindness in an estimated 13 million people worldwide.

Seeing Indonesia's Forests for the Trees

Wildlife Conservation Society — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 13:05:23 EST

Gimme Six! Researchers Discover Aye-Aye's Extra Finger

North Carolina State University — Mon, 21 Oct 2019 10:05:06 EST

Aye-ayes possess small "pseudothumbs" - complete with their own fingerprints - that may help them grip objects and branches as they move through trees. This is the first accessory digit ever found in a primate.

EPFL and researchers from Mass. Eye and Ear are developing next-generation hearing implants

Massachusetts Eye and Ear — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 15:00:21 EST

Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School and a team of EPFL researchers have developed a conformable electrode implant that will allow people with a dysfunctional inner ear to hear again. This new technology would improve existing auditory brainstem implants, which have a number of shortcomings.

Using AI to Screen for Diabetic Eye Disease Feasible in the Real World

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) — Mon, 14 Oct 2019 19:45:00 EST

New research shows that an automated, artificial intelligence (AI) screening system accurately detects diabetic retinopathy 95.5 percent of the time.

World's Leading Eye Physicians and Surgeons Gather in San Francisco to Inspire the Future of Eye Care

American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 01:30:10 EST

More than 25,000 are expected to attend the American Academy of Ophthalmology's 123rd annual meeting, AAO 2019, from Oct. 12-15 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

WHO launches first World report on vision

World Health Organization (WHO) — Tue, 08 Oct 2019 09:40:38 EST

More than 1 billion people worldwide are living with vision impairment because they do not get the care they need for conditions like short and far sightedness