New technique captures high-res images of full retinaDecember 02, 2008Technology could help in the monitoring and treatment of diseases of the eye that may cause blindness Rockville, MD - Researchers used a new imaging technique to take high quality color photographs of the clinical stages of ocular inflammation in mice, and the technology could help in the monitoring and treatment of diseases of the eye that may cause blindness. The study, "The Clinical Time-Course of Experimental Autoimmune Uveoretinitis Using Topical Endoscopic Fundal Imaging with Histologic and Cellular Infiltrate Correlation," was published in the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology journal Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2008 49: 5458-5465). It featured the use of Topical Endoscopic Fundal Imaging (TEFI), a technique that uses an endoscope with parallel illumination and observation channels connected to a digital camera. TEFI was developed by Michel Paques, et al (see Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2007 48: 2769-2774). David Copland, BSc, MSc, and the team from the University of Bristol's Academic Unit of Ophthalmology monitored changes in the mice retina over time without distress to the animals or the need for anesthesia. "TEFI enhances our monitoring of clinical disease in a rapid and non-invasive fashion," the researchers reported. "It will aid in the design of experimental protocols according to clinical observations." The study focused on a condition similar to human posterior uveitis, which can be difficult to monitor using present techniques. TEFI allowed the researchers to see changes to the eye that were previously undetectable. The researchers wrote that TEFI can help monitor the effects of new ocular therapies, as well as invasive procedures such as intravitreal or sub-retinal injections. Though the method will be a helpful resource to improving detection, Copland's team said the technology should be used in conjunction with existing techniques for monitoring the progression of eye diseases. "Combined TEFI and histological methods enable the observation of clinical features and severity of disease, but information regarding the dynamics, phenotype, function and quantity of cellular traffic through the eye is only provided through detailed analysis of cell populations present in the eye at various stages of disease progression." Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Related Blindness Current Events and Blindness News Articles Predicting the Fate of Stem Cells Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered a new method for predicting - with up to 99 percent accuracy - the fate of stem cells. The pig and its pancreas The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes places a huge burden on its victims and poses a tremendous challenge to healthcare systems. Stem cells restore sight in mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa An international research team led by Columbia University Medical Center successfully used mouse embryonic stem cells to replace diseased retinal cells and restore sight in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. Untreated poor vision in elderly linked to dementia, University of Michigan study shows Elderly people with visual disorders that are left untreated are significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease -- the most common form of dementia, according to a University of Michigan Health System study. All eyes on retinal degeneration Research by Johns Hopkins sensory biologists studying fruit flies, has revealed a critical step in fly vision. Humans with problems in this same step suffer retinal dystrophies, which manifest as visual defects ranging from mild visual impairments to complete blindness. New gene discovery could help to prevent blindness Scientists have uncovered a new gene that could help save the sight of patients with a type of inherited blindness. Prevention is key research goal for premature babies, scientists say Family history, infection and stress all may play a role in raising a woman's risk of having a premature baby - but they don't fully explain why some women give birth too soon and others don't. A Common Cholesterol Drug Fights Cataracts, Too Statins, a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels, have been successfully fighting heart disease for years. A new study from Tel Aviv University has now found that the same drugs cut the risks of cataracts in men by almost 40%. Melatonin Precursor Stimulates Growth Factor Circuits in Brain Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine have discovered unexpected properties for a precursor to melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles. NIH scientists identify maternal and fetal genes that increase preterm birth risk Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified DNA variants in mothers and fetuses that appear to increase the risk for preterm labor and delivery. The DNA variants were in genes involved in the regulation of inflammation and of the extracellular matrix, the mesh-like material that holds cells within tissues. More Blindness Current Events and Blindness News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||