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How fruit flies achieve accurate visual behavior despite changing light conditions

Fruit flies have a unique mechanism to maintain stable visual processing even when light levels change rapidly, thanks to the identification of neuronal cell types and algorithms that spatially pool information on luminance. This discovery could provide insights into how visual information is processed in mammals, including humans.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 31, 2024

Retinal disorder diagnosis improved by new AI-powered medical imaging, study shows

Researchers have introduced DSFN to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnoses of retinal disorders. This AI-powered medical imaging technique combines retina images with vascular distribution information to accurately locate the fovea in complex clinical scenarios, enabling doctors to detect early signs of ocular diseases.

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalIEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 12, 2024

Combined whole eye and face transplant

The world's first combined whole eye and face transplant has demonstrated allograft survival, including rejection-free graft survival. The transplanted eye has maintained normal pressure, good blood flow, and some remaining structure and functions in the retina. Researchers are now focused on understanding how to restore sight.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA·DateSep 9, 2024

Closed eye imaging can track wakefulness, awareness, and pain in unresponsive conditions such as sleep, anesthesia, and intensive care

A breakthrough technology allows for touchless infrared imaging to monitor changes in pupil size and gaze direction behind closed eyes. This innovation can help identify wakefulness, awareness, and pain in sleep, anesthesia, and intensive care, enabling more accurate clinical decision-making.

SourceTel-Aviv University·JournalCommunications Medicine·DateSep 8, 2024

Unlocking the kaleidoscope of big cat eyes: The surprising evolution of felid eye color diversity

Researchers discovered that a 30-million-year-old feline ancestor had both brown and gray-eyed individuals, paving the way for modern felid iris color diversity. The study found a correlation between yellow eyes and round pupils, as well as an ancestral population with brown eyes only before gaining gray-eyed individuals.

Implementing diabetic retinopathy screening using in-clinic retinal photographs and automated software analysis increases screening rates for diabetic retinopathy among low-income minority patients

Implementing diabetic retinopathy screening using in-clinic retinal photographs and automated software analysis increased screening rates among low-income minority patients. The clinic's strategy, including patient tracking and selective eye dilation, reduced the insufficient exam rate and improved detection rates.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateJul 22, 2024

Cloudy waters causes African fish to develop bigger eyes

Researchers found that young African fish raised in cloudy water developed larger eye structures than those raised in clear water. As the fish age, they lose this ability to adapt. The study also showed that older fish have bigger brains and optic lobes, suggesting different sensory demands at various stages of life.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Experimental Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2024

Healing eyes with contact lenses

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a patented contact lens material that acts as a bandage for corneal wounds, releasing drugs in a controlled manner to enhance healing. The material, which uses collagen-based technology, achieves complete wound healing within five days in human cell culture studies.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalPharmaceutics·DateMar 21, 2024

Pupil response may shed light on who responds best to transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression

New studies from UCLA Health found that measuring pupil response to light before TMS treatment correlates with improved depression symptoms. Pupil size reflects activation of the autonomic nervous system, which is negatively impacted in people with depression. Researchers discovered a significant association between baseline pupil cons...

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalBrain Stimulation·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateOct 20, 2023

Accuracy of AI in estimating best-corrected visual acuity from fundus photographs in eyes with diabetic macular edema

Researchers developed an AI model to estimate best-corrected visual acuity from fundus photographs in patients with diabetic macular edema, achieving accuracy within one to two lines on a standard chart. The study's findings support the potential of AI in clinical settings, with opportunities for further improvement.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalJAMA Ophthalmology·DateJun 8, 2023

Eye drops slow nearsightedness progression in kids, study finds

A new clinical trial found that low-dose atropine eye drops are effective in slowing the progression of nearsightedness in children. The treatment showed significant improvements in limiting eyeglass prescription changes and inhibiting elongation of the eye, with a daily drop in each eye being enough to make a difference.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJAMA Ophthalmology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJun 1, 2023

Readers found to rely on word spelling rather than sound in reading

A study published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology found that Russian-speaking readers, including both children and adults, rely on orthographic information during parafoveal pre-processing. The participants were able to recognize words with incorrect letter order more easily than those with pseudohomophones.

SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalJournal of Experimental Child Psychology·DateMar 21, 2023

Combining multiple maps reveal new genetic risk factors for blindness

Researchers have identified a new genetic risk factor for adult-onset macular degeneration by combining multiple maps. The study reveals that variations in the TRPM1 gene promoter alter LHX2 transcription factor binding, reducing gene activity and increasing disease risk. This finding advances our understanding of AMD's complex pathology.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 17, 2023

Risk of heart disease can be predicted with simple eye test through artificial intelligence algorithm, research involving London's Kingston University finds

A new study using artificial intelligence has found that a simple eye test can accurately predict the risk of heart disease. The researchers developed an algorithm that can analyze retinal images to assess cardiovascular health, providing a non-invasive alternative to traditional risk scores.

SourceKingston University·JournalBritish Journal of Ophthalmology·TypeObservational study·DateNov 24, 2022

Eye test could screen children for autism

Researchers have found that children with autism show significant differences in their pupillary light reflexes, which can be used as a potential screening biomarker. The study demonstrates the parameters of interest that matter for detecting autism and validates earlier findings using monocular technology.

SourceWashington State University·JournalNeurological Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 22, 2022

Black patients found six times more likely to have advanced vision loss after glaucoma diagnosis than white patients

A new study found that Black patients are six times more likely to have advanced vision loss after a glaucoma diagnosis, highlighting the need for early eye screening in this population. The research analyzed nearly 210,000 participants and used artificial intelligence to identify visual field loss patterns.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalTranslational Vision Science & Technology·TypeImaging analysis·DateJul 25, 2022

Assaults with paintball guns cause more serious eye injuries than previously known, new study reports

A new study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology found that paintball gun assaults can cause vision-threatening emergencies, including ruptured globes and permanent blindness. The research revealed a significantly higher rate of severe eye injuries than previously known, with some patients requiring multiple surgeries.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology·DateJul 13, 2022

Faecal transplants reverse hallmarks of ageing

Scientists have found that transplanting faecal microbiota from young mice into old mice can reverse hallmarks of ageing in the gut, eyes, and brain. The study suggests that gut microbes play a role in regulating some of the detrimental effects of ageing, offering a potential solution in the form of gut microbe replacement therapy.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalMicrobiome·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 4, 2022