Articles tagged with Blindness
A study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggests that grapes can provide more antioxidant protection for the eyes than lutein, a common supplement. Grapes were found to offer dramatic protection against oxidative damage of the retina and prevent blindness in mice consuming them.
A new UCSF study shows a popular antibiotic treatment for trachoma can be administered every six months, reducing treatment costs and potentially treating twice as many patients. Researchers found a significant decrease in trachoma prevalence, even elimination in some villages, regardless of treatment frequency.
Researchers found that treating patients with low-level non-invasive current stimulation for 10 days significantly reduced visual impairment and improved vision-related quality of life. The study showed a 41% shrinkage of visual field loss in treated patients compared to those receiving sham treatment.
Researchers at Wayne State University developed a novel gene therapy approach to restore vision in people with age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. A license agreement has been signed with RetroSense Therapeutics, paving the way for Phase I clinical trials.
The University of Nevada, Reno has received a grant to explore how video games can be played without visual feedback to help visually impaired adolescents increase their physical activity. The project, VI Fit, aims to develop novel interaction techniques that utilize the user's body as a display device.
Professor Peter J. Coffey's pioneering stem cell research aims to replace damaged retinal pigment epithelium cells in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Clinical trials using his therapy are expected to begin in 2012, offering hope for preventing blindness and restoring sight.
A live-attenuated Chlamydia bacteria-based vaccine has been shown to protect monkeys from developing severe eye disease and blinding trachoma. The vaccine demonstrated robust immune responses and prevented infection in up to 50% of vaccinated monkeys.
Researchers have analyzed and ranked various risk factors for open angle glaucoma to enable earlier screening. The study found that certain factors such as age, smoking history, visual field test results, and Cup-to-Disk ratio significantly increase the risk of developing OAG.
The University of Pennsylvania has received a $12.5 million grant from the NIH to accelerate medical research into new therapies for inherited forms of blindness and lung cancer. Researchers aim to use gene therapy and microscopic imaging tools to develop innovative treatments, potentially improving millions of lives.
University of Pennsylvania researchers have identified a gene responsible for early retinal degeneration, a disease causing blindness in dogs. The study suggests that this gene may be involved in the control of photoreceptor cell division, potentially leading to the development of therapies to regenerate retinal cells and restore vision.
Researchers found that a species of cavefish, Phreatichthys andruzzii, has an unusual circadian clock that ticks at an extremely long period, unaffected by eye loss. The study suggests that the fish's clocks can be regulated by feeding behaviour, but not light exposure.
Researchers discovered that defective eye cells in a rare disease lead to photoreceptor cell failure, causing sight loss. The study provides a target for treatment and may help understand broader retinal degenerative diseases.
Researchers at Dynamic Eye and UB have developed sunglasses that detect bright spots of light and darken specific parts of the lens to block glare. The technology reduces direct glare 10-100 times more than any other sunglasses, allowing users to see more clearly in glare situations.
Researchers from Ruhr-University Bochum discover that mutations in the CCDC66 gene are responsible for retinitis pigmentosa, a leading cause of inherited blindness. They also develop a genetic test for diagnosis and predictively breeding in dogs, with potential implications for human patients.
A patient who was blind in his right eye for 55 years had functional vision restored after surgery at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary. The treatment involved monoclonal antibody therapy and retinal reattachment surgery, successfully improving the patient's vision to a distance of five meters.
Researchers have successfully used induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to correct a genetic defect in gyrate atrophy, a rare blinding disorder. The study demonstrates the potential for iPS cells to repair damaged retinal pigment epithelium cells and restore vision.
A computer modeling study suggests that ranibizumab can reduce the magnitude of legal blindness and visual impairment caused by age-related macular degeneration in non-Hispanic white individuals. The model estimated that monthly ranibizumab usage could prevent 16,268 cases of legal blindness and 34,702 cases of visual impairment.
Research suggests the thalamus acts as a center for transmitting migraine pain, regulating its intensity and sensitivity to environmental stimuli. This new understanding may lead to future treatments targeting the thalamus.
Researchers at USC are creating a high-tech navigation system to help the visually impaired, including a guide vest that provides tactile messages to alert users about objects in their path. The system uses cameras and SLAM software to build maps of the environment, enabling users to avoid falls and injuries.
Blind individuals who have learned to echolocate use the 'visual' part of their brain to process clicks and echoes, allowing them to sense their surroundings and perform tasks like mountain biking and basketball. This study provides insight into the neural basis of natural human echolocation in blind experts.
Researchers found blind echolocators' brains process clicks and echoes in the 'visual' part of their brain, enabling independence. Sighted controls did not show similar echo-related activity.
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have discovered a modified form of vitamin A that slows the formation of detrimental dimers, leading to improved vision and ocular health in mice with Stargardt's disease. The study provides hope for treating age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt's disease.
Daily practice enhances tactile sensitivity in blind participants, with proficient Braille readers showing exceptional performance. The study's findings challenge the long-held assumption that vision loss alone contributes to improved tactile abilities.
A recent study by Schepens Eye Research Institute found that a bioptic telescope on one lens of glasses used for low vision driving may not prevent the wider view of the road with the second eye. The study, published in May 2011 Archives of Ophthalmology, suggests that individuals wearing such telescopes can detect targets in the area ...
Researchers found that glaucoma patients worried about going blind, managing their condition, and affecting their families. They also valued peer support and internet information, but often struggled to understand it due to declining vision.
A study by Dr. Olivier Collignon found that the brain's visual cortex can rewire itself to process sound information in people born blind. The research suggests that the brain's plasticity allows it to adapt and develop new functions even without visual experience.
In people born blind, parts of the visual cortex are recruited for language processing, overturning the idea that language processing occurs in highly specialized brain regions. The study suggests that brain function is more dynamic and adaptable than previously thought.
Researchers found that the Stripe of Gennari develops in blind individuals from birth and remains intact, suggesting a role in processing tactile stimuli. This could contribute to improved Braille reading abilities and enhanced sense of touch.
A study by Hebrew University and French researchers reveals that the brain's Visual Word Form Area is co-opted for reading regardless of sensory input modality. Brain scans show identical activity patterns in blind and sighted readers, suggesting a task-oriented approach to reading.
Researchers found that statin drugs can prevent free radicals from killing nerves important to maintaining vision in people with diabetes. The study suggests that oral treatment with atorvastatin can restore proper levels of nerve growth factor and preserve neurons in the retina.
Researchers found that the brain area responsible for reading is active in blind individuals who read Braille, challenging the idea of sensory specialization. The study suggests that the brain is a task-oriented system that can adapt to new tasks without prior experience.
A team of researchers led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati has discovered a molecular mechanism implicated in geographic atrophy, the major cause of untreatable blindness in the industrialized world. The study identified Alu RNA toxicity as the underlying cause and developed two potential therapies to prevent geographic atrophy.
Researchers discovered that melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells contribute to conventional image-forming vision, particularly brightness perception. This finding suggests these cells could support vision in people with advanced retinal degeneration.
Researchers found that brains of congenitally blind individuals showed greater reorganization of the visual cortex, which processes motion, compared to sighted individuals who became blind at a later age. This suggests that early life plays a crucial role in shaping brain function and that retraining may be possible.
Researchers tested beta carotene's effects on retinitis pigmentosa, a cluster of hereditary disorders causing incurable blindness. One-third of patients showed improved visual function after taking the nutrient for 90 days, while two-thirds had no response.
Researchers found that blind individuals use specialized modules in the visual cortex to process spatial location, analysis of space, patterns, and motion. This neural plasticity enables them to refine their sense of sound and touch, exceeding sighted people's abilities.
Australian blind computer programmers James Teh and Michael Curran developed NVDA, a synthetic voice program that reads computer screen words as the cursor moves. The free software has been downloaded over 50,000 times and is available in 27 languages.
Researchers at the University of Maryland have discovered how Mexican blind cavefish evolved adaptations to compensate for their loss of vision, including an enhanced vibration attraction behavior to detect food sources. This study provides new insights into the link between behavior, genetics, and evolution in these unique organisms.
Neurobiologists funded by the Office of Naval Research have discovered a potential cure for degenerative vision diseases, restoring vision in mice with congenital macular degeneration. The research has significant future implications for treating eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, which affects over 2 million worldwide cases.
Researchers at UMass Medical School have found valproic acid to halt vision loss in patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a severe neurodegenerative disease that causes blindness. The study suggests that low-dose valproic acid could be an effective treatment for photoreceptor loss associated with RP.
A study by Johns Hopkins University found that blind mice can form low-acuity images using special photosensitive cells in their retinas. This discovery suggests that a blind person could be trained to use these cells to perform simple tasks requiring low visual acuity.
Dr. Qingxian Lu has received a $60,000 grant from the Research to Prevent Blindness organization to investigate the role of MerTK in retinitis pigmentosa, a group of genetic disorders causing night blindness and vision loss.
A recent study discovered that blind individuals' brains represent tools in the same regions as sighted people, while non-tool objects don't trigger the same brain activity. This finding suggests a highly constrained organization of brain processing, which may be built-in by genetics.
Researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center have found a way to use gene therapy to treat retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that causes blindness. The treatment involves delivering genetic therapies directly to light-sensitive cells in the retina using nanoparticle technology.
Researchers found harbor seals can track fish fins up to 35 seconds after passing, using the structure of vortices and jets in the wake. Guided by their whiskers, seals accurately detected fin direction with over 90% accuracy.
A new study by Durham University has found that a computer-based technique can improve the ability of partially-sighted people to 'see' better. The research tested patients with hemianopia, a condition affecting their visual field, and found that they became faster and more accurate at detecting objects on a computer screen.
A genome-wide association study has identified three new genetic loci significantly associated with quantitative eye colour variation, explaining over 50% of the trait's variance. The study used high-resolution full-eye photographs to quantify human eye colour along multiple dimensions.
The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study found that US Latinos develop visual impairment, blindness, diabetic eye disease, and cataracts at higher rates than non-Hispanic whites. Researchers also identified specific risk factors for these conditions, including diabetes and age.
Veterinary scientists at Penn have successfully used a viral vector to target rod cells in the retina, a critical step towards developing gene therapies for inherited blindness. The study demonstrates the potential of this approach to correct diseases such as X-linked and autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.
Scientists have successfully used gene therapy to restore vision in mice with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease. The treatment involved the use of compacted DNA nanoparticles, which improved structural and functional vision in affected mice, without any adverse effects.
A new gene discovery in orange corn has significant implications for addressing vitamin A deficiency-related blindness and child mortality. Increasing beta-carotene levels in cereal grains can be an economical approach to tackling these deficiencies, especially in developing countries.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University are developing a new retinal implant technology that can stimulate cell growth in the retina, potentially leading to improved vision. The technology uses electrodes to merge retinal nerves with nano-sized carbon tubes, allowing for the growth of living neurons on a synthetic structure.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have found that the first sign of injury in glaucoma occurs in the brain, where neuronal communication with the optic nerve is compromised. This discovery offers new insights into the disease and potential treatment targets.
Scientists have discovered a new gene, TSPAN12, that is faulty in patients with Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), a type of inherited blindness. The research found that mutations in this gene can cause FEVR by disrupting blood vessel development in the retina.
A new study found that glial cells can switch from protecting neurons to killing them when triggered by proNGF. The process can lead to vision loss and blindness. Researchers hope to find ways to block proNGF's effects to prevent this damage.
A team of scientists has discovered a new link between a common form of inherited blindness and the AHI1 gene. They found that patients carrying a specific genetic alteration were more likely to have retinal blindness, and some forms may be treatable with gene therapy.
Interleukin-6 is a key mediator of inflammation in diabetic retinopathy, inducing vascular inflammation and tissue destruction. An interleukin-6 antibody may prevent damage by targeting this inflammatory response.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center identified a new visual pathway that underlies sensitivity to light during migraines. This pathway involves melanopsin photoreceptors and converges on specific neurons in the brain, which become electrically active during migraine, leading to pain intensification.
A UCLA study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology found that older women who quit smoking had a significantly lower risk of developing advanced age-related macular degeneration. The research, led by Dr. Anne Coleman, followed 1,958 women over five years and showed that even after age 80, quitting smoking can reduce AMD risk.
Major reductions in infectious and nutritional causes of childhood blindness have led to increased focus on congenital and developmental cataracts. Further research is needed to address these issues with targeted interventions.