Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch have developed a potential new therapy for uveitis, an inflammatory eye condition causing 5-15% of all cases of total blindness in the US. The treatment uses an aldose reductase inhibitor to reduce inflammation and is currently being tested in clinical trials.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have found a new cause of blindness linked to a gene that regulates pH levels in the retina. The study suggests that targeting this process could lead to potential treatments for previously unknown causes of blindness, including hereditary vitreoretinal degenerations.
Researchers at WashU Medicine have identified hundreds of DNA elements that control when and where genes linked to blindness are turned on. These new elements can be used as switches to activate blindness therapies, offering hope for a potential cure for inherited blindness.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) proposes restricting use of ranibizumab and pegaptanib to patients who have gone blind in one eye. However, the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin concludes that this approach is 'unacceptable' and calls for universal access to these sight-saving drugs. NICE has also not issu...
A survey of 2,250 people in Rwanda found a lower prevalence of blindness than expected. The study, published in PLoS Medicine, suggests that the country has made significant progress in addressing avoidable blindness in the post-conflict period.
Researchers developed network models that detect localized outbreaks better and are more resilient to unexpected shifts in healthcare utilization. Retinal gene therapy also improves visual cortex responses to light stimulation, even after prolonged blindness, in congenitally blind patients.
Researchers at Penn University have successfully restored brain function to blind animals using gene therapy, showing promise for treating genetic retinal disease. The treatment, which involves introducing a working copy of the RPE65 gene into the retina, also revived responses in the visual cortex of the canine brain.
A new study found that blind people have superior serial memory skills, particularly in remembering items in the correct order. This advantage is thought to result from the constant use of serial-memory strategies in everyday life. Researchers plan to further investigate the underlying mental processes responsible for this phenomenon.
Researchers have discovered a new gene, LCA5, that causes inherited blindness in babies. The finding holds promise for future gene therapy treatments, which may restore vision by injecting genes into the eye.
A MUHC-led international team has identified the gene LCA5 as the cause of Leber Congenital Amaurosis, a condition affecting 200,000 worldwide. The discovery is part of efforts to fast-track a cure for this disease using gene therapy.
Researchers successfully awakened vision cells in blind mice using gene therapy, restoring their visual abilities. The breakthrough has implications for treating common blinding diseases like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
Blind and visually impaired students can engage with nanoscience through tactile models, bridging the gap between observation and experimentation. The 3D models are created from data generated by tools like SEM and AFM, allowing for a more immersive experience.
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine found a new syndrome occurring in the Chinese population that may not lead to severe vision loss or blindness. The condition affects young and middle-aged individuals with normal eye pressure and nearsightedness.
Researchers used gene therapy to shut down a key gene responsible for inherited blindness, reducing mutated rhodopsin by 60%, in an effort to develop a treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. The technique may restore vision in affected individuals if successful.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have identified a specific protein transport process involved in a rare form of early blindness, known as choroideremia. The study suggests that therapies targeting the neighboring retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) may rescue photoreceptor loss and even reverse the disease.
Researchers at USC have developed an advanced retinal implant, the Argus II, designed to help patients with retinitis pigmentosa regain some vision. The device, approved by the FDA, uses an external camera and video processing system to provide rudimentary sight to implanted subjects.
Research reveals that teenagers are more fearful of losing their sight than lung cancer or stroke, yet only a small percentage understand the link between smoking and blindness. The study found that just 5% of respondents correctly identified the risk, with even fewer among smokers.
This special issue of the Journal of Rehabilitation Research investigates innovative approaches to vision rehabilitation, including surgical excision of abnormal blood vessels and resurfacing with patient-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells. Teleretinal imaging is also explored as a tool for screening patients with diabetes for di...
A University of Missouri-Columbia researcher is using a microchip implant to help blind animals and potentially humans with retinal blindness. The preliminary results are promising, and the technology may also benefit pets with similar diseases.
A groundbreaking case study reveals that congenitally blind individuals can acquire visual function and skills even after extended periods of blindness during childhood. The findings challenge the widely-held 'critical period' theory, suggesting the brain's ability to relearn and adapt remains flexible throughout life.
A survey in southern Sudan found a high prevalence of blindness, with 4% of the population affected. The main causes were cataract and trachoma, with trachoma being more common than expected. Trachoma can be prevented with improved living conditions, hygiene, and early treatment.
A University of Leeds study reports a groundbreaking case of déjà vu in a blind individual, challenging traditional theories. The research suggests that déjà experiences are caused by disrupted familiarity areas in the brain, contradicting optical pathway delay theory.
Researchers at Yale University have found a gene variant that increases the risk of developing aggressive 'wet' age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in people over 50. The study found a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the HTRA1 gene on chromosome 10 associated with greatly increased risk of wet AMD.
Researchers have identified a circuit diagram that allows movement information from one hemisphere to reach the H2 cell in the opposite hemisphere, enabling the fly to differentiate its own movement from environmental movement. The study found that the HSE cell directly and the CH cell indirectly provide input to the H2 cell.
A new survey found that Pakistani women are 30% more likely to be blind than men, with the highest incidence of blindness in regions like Punjab and Balochistan. The study also reveals lower utilization of eye care services as a contributing factor to this disparity.
A recent study by Dr. Robert Koenekoop and colleagues has identified the CEP290 gene as the most common cause of Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), a form of congenital blindness. The discovery could lead to improved screening and treatment options for affected children.
A study in Vietnam found that targeted oral azithromycin treatment increased re-infection rates of trachoma and Chlamydia trachomatis infection. The SAFE strategy, which includes antibiotics, has been criticized for its potential ineffectiveness in long-term control.
Researchers discovered a new variant in the Complement Factor H gene associated with advanced age-related macular degeneration. Combining this variant with others found additive accumulation of risk from three genes: CFH, BF, and C2. The study estimates that genotypes related to five variants explain about half the sibling risk of AMD.
A trachoma control programme using the SAFE strategy, which combines surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, and environmental change, significantly reduced active trachoma prevalence by 92% in two districts. The study highlights the potential for this approach to also benefit other communicable diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia.
Rick Cote, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at UNH, has received a $1.4 million grant from the NIH to study the central enzyme that controls initial steps of vision. His research aims to understand how genetic or environmental defects in the visual pathway can cause vision loss or total blindness.
Researchers found three patients over 65 with extensive intestinal surgery developing vitamin A deficiency despite taking supplements. Vitamin A injections improved vision within days, highlighting the growing concern of vitamin A deficiency in affluent countries.
The MIT 'seeing machine' allows visually challenged people to see images, videos, and text through a desktop device. In a pilot clinical trial, 60% of participants accurately interpreted visual language and navigated a virtual environment with the help of the device.
Researchers have successfully treated a chicken model of LCA1, a form of childhood blindness, using gene therapy. Six out of seven treated chicks developed sight, despite only a small percentage of receptor cells being infected by the virus. This study demonstrates the potential for gene therapy to treat this form of blindness in humans.
Researchers at the University of Florida have successfully restored vision to chickens with a genetic defect causing blindeness. Five out of seven treated chickens displayed near-normal visual behavior and responded to light, offering hope for an eventual vision-restoring therapy for children with inherited childhood blindness.
A new point-of-care assay for C trachomatis has shown higher specificity and sensitivity than the standard TF technique, allowing for more targeted treatment of trachoma. The study's findings suggest a major re-think in how trachoma control is conducted in Africa.
Researchers at the NIH successfully introduced a light-absorbing protein into mouse retinal cells, enabling them to send signals to the brain and regain some visual function. The study suggests that this approach could be used to treat various forms of retinal degenerative eye diseases.
A study found that a single mass antibiotic treatment does not prevent the return of eye infections in communities with high disease prevalence. Infection rates rose again after 2 years, highlighting the need for repeated treatments or other measures to eliminate infection.
Researchers used virtual-reality displays to show that humans can't accurately judge size and distance when motion is present. Instead, they prefer a stable representation of the world independent of head and eye movements.
A global study estimates that 60.5 million people will have glaucoma by 2010, with 3 out of 4 cases being open angle glaucoma. By 2020, this number is projected to reach 80 million, mostly affecting women and people from Asia. The disease will also increase rapidly in India, causing significant blindness worldwide.
The Case Department of Ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve University has been awarded a $110,000 grant by the Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) organization. The grant will support research into blinding eye diseases.
Case Western Reserve University professor Eric Pearlman has received a prestigious vision research grant to study the immunology of the eye. The grant will help researchers understand the immunological basis of diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
New treatments for Leber congenital amaurosis have been developed in mice, providing effective means of restoring retinal function. The treatments combine gene therapy and oral administration of vitamin A-like compounds, showing promise for treating this blindness-causing eye disease.
A study published in PNAS found that even when the primary visual cortex is temporarily shut down, the brain can still process visual information unconsciously. Researchers used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to induce temporary blindness in nine volunteers with normal vision.
Researchers have successfully tested combining two treatments to restore retinal function in a mouse model of human inherited blindness. The combination of oral retinoids and gene therapy offers effective means for treating this devastating disease, with potential applications for wider age ranges of patients.
A novel genetic testing tool has been developed to screen for multiple retinal disease genes on a single microchip, offering faster and more accurate diagnoses for conditions like RP. The arRP-I chip is 23% less expensive than current sequencing methods and can detect both known and novel mutations.
A study of Hispanic individuals found a high prevalence of visually significant cataract, with rates higher than in African American or white populations. Language and financial barriers were identified as key factors hindering access to cataract surgery.
Researchers have discovered a genetic finding that may hold the key to unlocking treatments for farsightedness and nearsightedness. The MFRP protein, found in a rare eye disorder called nanophthalmos, regulates eye growth and refraction, making it a promising target for correcting severe refractive errors.
Researchers identify PLEKHA1 as a key gene associated with age-related macular degeneration (ARM), a leading cause of untreatable blindness in the elderly. The discovery may lead to the development of DNA tests to identify individuals at increased risk and new preventive strategies.
Research by Vanderbilt University psychologist David Zald found that emotional images can lead to a phenomenon known as 'emotion-induced blindness,' where individuals fail to detect subsequent visual images. This effect is linked to personality traits, with those scoring high on harm avoidance being more affected.
Researchers at UCLA have identified Rpe65 as a crucial enzyme in the regeneration of rhodopsin visual pigment in the retina after light exposure. This breakthrough could lead to a gene therapy cure for Leber congenital amaurosis, an inherited disease causing up to 20% of childhood blindness.
Scientists at the University of Florida have developed a gene therapy that prevents blindness in mice with retinoschisis, a rare genetic disorder. The treatment involves injecting a healthy version of the human RS1 gene to prevent cyst formation and restore vision in affected eyes.
USC researchers successfully implanted six blind patients with a retinal prosthesis, enabling them to detect light, identify objects, and perceive motion. The device shows promise for treating degenerative eye diseases like retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration.
Researchers found that rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with anti-inflammatory drugs were 10 times less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration. This study suggests that anti-inflammatory drugs may be a promising approach for treating the intractable disease.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology found that smoking doubles the risk of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the UK. The study suggests that up to 30,000 cases of visual impairment may be attributable to smoking, highlighting the importance of quitting smoking and promoting p...
Researchers found that blind participants were more accurate than sighted individuals in estimating the size of familiar objects. This is because blind individuals rely on manual representations, while sighted individuals may use inaccurate visual-memory representations.
Researchers find that moderate light exposure causes complete retinal degeneration within a month, but lower levels cause slower and reversible damage. This study provides new insights into the interaction of genetics and environment in causing eye disease and suggests potential treatments for preventing blindness.
A twin study found that genetic factors contribute substantially to the development of AMD, accounting for 46-71% of disease severity variation. Environmental factors also play a role, with unique environment contributing 19-37% and shared environment 28-64% to AMD grade and specific macular measures.
Researchers have identified a gene mutation in Complement Factor H as a key factor in the development of age-related macular degeneration. This complex disease affects millions of Americans, with family history being a significant risk factor.
Researchers at Michigan Medicine found that mutations in NPHP5 produce defects in cilia, leading to kidney failure and retinitis pigmentosa. The study reveals a common molecular mechanism causing both diseases.
Researchers at UT Southwestern have identified a protein called HIF-2a, which may help treat premature blindness caused by retinopathy of prematurity. The study found that controlling this protein could prevent or treat ROP before it happens, offering new hope for premature babies.