Articles tagged with Blindness
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A team of experts from the University of Manchester and Imperial College London discovered a gene called melanopsin that causes nerve cells to become photoreceptive. Activating this gene in non-light-sensitive cells makes them sensitive to light, which may provide a new approach to treating visual loss.
Scientists at Imperial College London and the University of Manchester have discovered a way to activate melanopsin, a gene that makes nerve cells responsive to light. This breakthrough could lead to new therapies for forms of blindness such as retinitis pigmentosa.
Blind individuals with superior localization skills exhibit increased activity in the visual cortex while performing monaural tasks. This suggests that the visual cortex is specifically recruited to process subtle monaural cues more effectively.
Researchers found that engineered fruit flies with resistant rhodopsin protein retained vision twice as long as normal flies, but eventually developed blindness due to delayed decay of rhodopsin. The study suggests that degradation of visual proteins contributes to vision loss and may help reduce blindness severity in rare individuals.
Researchers discovered that constant light causes visual impairment through a separate mechanism from retinal degeneration. A decline in rhodopsin concentration leads to blindness, and inhibiting its degradation may reduce the severity of visual impairment.
A University of Utah study suggests that a type of cellular waste may be responsible for a form of blinding eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa. The researchers found that a mutation in the carbonic anhydrase 4 gene can lead to photoreceptor degeneration, highlighting the potential for new treatments targeting this process.
Researchers have created a system that detects pedestrian crossings in front of a person using a single camera, measuring road width and traffic light color to ensure safe crossing. The device uses projective geometry and 'projective invariant' calculation to accurately detect crossings in images.
A recent study has identified PITX3 gene mutations as a significant cause of congenital posterior polar cataracts in four unrelated families. This finding offers new hope for preventing and treating this condition, which is the leading cause of blindness globally among children. The researchers believe that identifying these gene mutat...
A Université de Montréal study reveals that early- and late-onset blind subjects excel in spatial hearing tests, distinguishing sounds from ambient noise. This improvement may stem from increased time spent developing the sense of hearing and compensatory cortical adaptations.
Research reveals that both early- and late-onset blind individuals possess supra-normal auditory abilities in far-space, surpassing those of sighted subjects. This challenges the long-held belief that only early-blind individuals can develop superior spatial hearing skills.
The Schepens Eye Research Institute will combine forces with experts from other biomedical and technological fields to develop a center for curing eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The three-year grant will fund the planning and piloting phase of an interdisciplinary research center.
A new portable device called the Newton TM has been developed to detect glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness. The device is more accurate than previous models and can be used in various positions, making it ideal for early detection and treatment.
Researchers found that 'early blind' subjects excelled in recognizing changes in pitch, a skill impaired in both sighted and late-blind individuals. This study demonstrates the brain's capacity for reorganization in response to early sensory loss.
A study found latanoprost to be safe and well-tolerated in reducing intraocular pressure (IOP) for patients with primary open-angle and exfoliation glaucoma. The researchers also reported a mild incidence of increased iris pigmentation, primarily affecting patients with green-brown or yellow-brown eyes.
Researchers induced temporary blindness in six volunteers with normal vision to study how the brain processes visual information for basic eye movements. The results show that part of the older visual system still functions by encoding visual information unconsciously.
Researchers at Stanford have developed a chip that uses chemicals to stimulate neurons, offering new possibilities for treating age-related macular degeneration. The device has the potential to deliver small amounts of drugs precisely where they're needed and enable real-time chemical analysis of living tissues.
Glaucoma is a group of disorders that progressively damage the optic nerve, affecting 66 million people worldwide. Early detection through comprehensive eye assessments, including optic disc examination, is crucial for limiting vision loss and advancing treatment. Current therapies can limit vision loss if identified in early stages.
A study found that prolonged sun exposure, especially in teens and 30s, increases the risk of age-related maculopathy. Wearing hats and sunglasses also reduces this risk by half.