MedWorm: Blindness

Gene Therapy Proves Effective In Treating Blindness

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:00 +0100

Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have conducted a recent study, published in Science Translational Medicine which focuses on gene therapy for congenital blindness. The scientists were able to improve sight in 3 adult patients who had previously been treated in one eye. The researchers used the same treatment on the second eye of the patients, and they were able to see in low-light situations and also find their way around. There were no conflicting effects reported... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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More Success With Gene Therapy for Blindness

The Doctors Lounge - Health News — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0100

Repeat treatment improves vision for three adults with rare eye disease (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Health News)

Gene Therapy Helps People With Inherited Blindness See

WebMD Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:20:03 +0100

Functionally blind for many years, Tami Morehouse calls the gene therapy that partially restored her sight nothing short of a miracle. (Source: WebMD Health)

New report details PBA-state partnerships

Modern Medicine — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The positive effects on vision health that have arisen from partnerships between Prevent Blindness America affiliates and their respective state public health entities are detailed in the organization’s latest report. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Funding focuses on blinding eye disease

Modern Medicine — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Blinding eye diseases will be the focus of $350,000 in research funded by Research to Prevent Blindness at the John A. Moran Eye Center of the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, and in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Increased [3H]D‐aspartate release and changes in glutamate receptor expression in the hippocampus of the mnd mouse

Journal of Neuroscience Research — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:17:27 +0100

AbstractNeuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are a group of hereditary childhood diseases characterized mainly by lipopigment accumulation and a multisystemic pattern of symptoms including mental retardation, seizures, motor impairment, and blindness. The mnd mouse, carrying a mutation in the Cln8 gene, has been proposed as a model of epilepsy with mental retardation (EPMR, ornorthern epilepsy). We recently showed neuronal hyperexcitability and seizure hypersusceptibility in mnd mice. To elucidate the cellular mechanisms related to hippocampal hyperexcitability, the glutamatergic transmission and the expression of postsynaptic glutamate receptors were investigated in hippocampus. A significant increase in either spontaneous or KCl‐stimulated overflow of [3H]D‐aspartate was found in mn...

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Ethiopia: Experts Pledge to Eradicate 'Neglected' Diseases

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:44:30 +0100

[IRIN] London - Ten little-known but debilitating diseases will be high on the agenda of the world's pharmaceutical chiefs, health ministers and donor governments after they pledged their support for a World Health Organization (WHO) initiative to wipe out guinea worm, river blindness, trachoma, leprosy, bilharzia and intestinal worms, among other "neglected" diseases. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

Blindness From Open-angle GlaucomaBlindness From Open-angle Glaucoma

Medscape Today Headlines — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0100

This study explains the criteria involved. BMC Ophthalmology (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Recovery of visual function in patient with melanoma-associated retinopathy treated with surgical resection and interferon-beta

Documenta Ophthalmologica — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:16:47 +0100

We report on a 33-year-old woman who was treated for a cutaneous malignant melanoma on a left finger by surgical resection and chemotherapy including local injections of interferon-beta in 2007. In March 2009, the melanoma had metastasized to her left hand, and she underwent metastasectomy and monthly local injections of interferon-beta. She developed shimmering vision, photopsia, blurred vision, and night blindness in her left eye in April 2009 and visited our clinic. At our initial examination, her best-corrected visual acuity was 1.5 OD and 1.2 OS, and ophthalmoscopy showed that the retina appeared normal in both eyes. However, there was a mild narrowing of retinal arteries in the left eye. Humphrey field analyzer (HFA) showed a reduction in retinal sensitivity within the central ...

Incidence of visual impairment and blindness in indigenous Australians within central Australia: the Central Australian Ocular Health Study

Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: This study has demonstrated rates of incident bilateral blindness and visual impairment among the indigenous Australian population within central Australia which are substantially higher than those from the non‐indigenous population. Services need to address the underlying causes of this incident vision loss to reduce visual morbidity in indigenous Australians living in central Australia.© 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (Source: Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology)

Grapes found to help prevent age-related blindness even better than lutein

NaturalNews.com — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Lutein has long been hailed for its ability to help protect against, and even reverse, the devastating effects of age-related macular degeneration. But a new study published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggests that grapes may work even better than... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

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Prevalence and incidence of ocular trauma in North China: the Beijing Eye Study

Acta Ophthalmologica — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: In the adult population of Greater Beijing with an age of 40+ years, the prevalence of ocular trauma was 1.6 ± 0.2% and was associated with male gender, rural residence and alcohol consumption. The age‐standardized ocular trauma prevalence of 1.7 ± 0.01% was comparable with figures from Caucasian populations. The 5‐year incidence of ocular trauma of 2.6 ± 0.3% was associated with male gender, younger age and lower income. (Source: Acta Ophthalmologica)

Discuss eye health during AMD Month

Modern Medicine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

February is Age-related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month, and Prevent Blindness America is offering a dedicated online resource for patients and caretakers to learn more about the retinal disease. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Synergistic effects of CNS‐directed gene therapy and bone marrow transplantation in the murine model of infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis

Annals of Neurology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Paradoxical Embolus and Endophthalmitis

Ophthalmology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We describe a young, otherwise healthy Australian woman with unilateral metastatic panophthalmitis and blindness associated with congenital cardiac anomalies. (Source: Ophthalmology)

Gene therapy: An eye for gene repair

Nature — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Nature 482, 7383 (2012). doi:10.1038/482008e Gene therapy in dogs can reverse retinal defects that lead to blindness in humans.William Beltran and Gustavo Aguirre at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and their group targeted a form of retinitis pigmentosa. This is a common cause of blindness in which mutations (Source: Nature)

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Med Sci Monit 2012; 18(2):PR1-3 "A69S and R38X ARMS2 and Y402H CFH gene polymorphisms as risk factors for neovascular age-related macular degeneration in Poland – a brief report"

Medical Science Monitor — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The etiologic role in ARMD of A69S ARMS2 and Y402H CFH gene variants were confirmed in a Polish population for the first time. R38X variant of ARMS2 seems to be protective from wet ARMD. (Source: Medical Science Monitor)

Therapeutic targeting of the complement system in age‐related macular degeneration: a review

Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe last decade has produced pivotal change in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of global blindness. In this time, the complement system has featured as a unifying theme for several elements of new evidence: initially, the discovery of complement proteins within drusen and subsequently, the association between AMD and mutations in various complement pathway genes, most notably complement factor H. Increasingly, a wealth of data are pointing towards a role for chronic local inflammation and complement activation in the patho‐aetiology of AMD. These findings have paved the way for the exploration of a new paradigm of therapy in AMD management; targeting of specific molecular constituents in the comple...

Cone-rod dystrophy can be a manifestation of Danon disease

Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:12:17 +0100

Conclusions This is the first description of CRD in Danon disease. The retinal phenotype was a late onset but severe dystrophy characterized by loss of photoreceptors and RPE cells. With this report, we highlight the importance of a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination in the clinical work-up of Danon disease. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Case ReportPages 1-6DOI 10.1007/s00417-011-1857-8Authors Alberta A. H. J. Thiadens, Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, NL-3000 CA, Rotterdam, NetherlandsNiki W. R. Slingerland, Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus Medical Center, P.O. Box 2040, NL-3000 CA, Rotterdam, NetherlandsRalph J. Florijn, Departments of Clinical and Molecular Ophthalmogenetics, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscien...

Remedies for Glaucoma

About.com Eating Disorders — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Find out how self-care strategies can help protect your eyes from glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness in the U.S. (Source: About.com Eating Disorders)

The emerging role of stem cells in ocular neurodegeneration: hype or hope?

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Jindal N, Mukhopadhyay A, Anand A Abstract Affecting over a hundred million individuals worldwide, retinal diseases are among the leading causes of irreversible visual impairment and blindness. Thus, an appropriate study models, especially animal models, are essential to furthering our understanding of the etiology, pathology, and progression of these diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of retinal disorders in the context of biotherapeutic approaches in these disorders. PMID: 22290231 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry)

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Neuromyelitis Optica: An Antibody-Mediated Disorder of the Central Nervous System

Clinical and Developmental Immunology — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 11:22:18 +0100

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a recurrent inflammatory disease that preferentially targets the optic nerves and spinal cord leading to blindness and paralysis. The hallmarks of NMO include bilateral optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis. Woman and African Americans are overrepresented in the US patient population. NMO is associated with the NMO-IgG biomarker, which targets the aquaporin-4 water channel on astrocytes. The humoral pathology of NMO lesions include IgG and IgM deposits and infiltration by granulocytes suggesting that the NMO-IgG may be involved in the pathogenesis of disease. This review of the recent NMO literature covers the clinical features, epidemiology, radiology and pathology of disease and includes discussion of the important basic science res...

Circadian rhythm disruption in severe sepsis: the effect of ambient light on urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin secretion

Intensive Care Medicine — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:42:36 +0100

Conclusions Circadian rhythm was disrupted in patients with severe sepsis, as reflected by disordered diurnal variation of urinary 6-SMT excretion. Light levels were low, exhibited limited diurnal variation, and did not entrain circadian rhythms in these patients. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory OriginalPages 1-7DOI 10.1007/s00134-012-2494-3Authors Avelino C. Verceles, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 S. Paca St, Second Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USALeann Silhan, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 S. Paca St, Second Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USAMichael Terrin, Division of Pulmonary and Cr...

Downregulation of apoptosis-inducing factor in Harlequin mice induces progressive and severe optic atrophy which is durably prevented by AAV2-AIF1 gene therapy

Brain — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The Harlequin mutant mouse, characterized by loss of function of apoptosis-inducing factor, represents a reliable genetic model that resembles pathologies caused by human mitochondrial complex I deficiency. Therefore, we extensively characterized the retinal morphology and function of Harlequin mice during the course of neuronal cell death leading to blindness, with the aim of preventing optic atrophy. Retinas and optic nerves from these mice showed an isolated respiratory chain complex I defect correlated with retinal ganglion cell loss, optic atrophy, glial and microglial cell activation. All of these changes led to irreversible vision loss. In control mice, retinas AIF1 messenger RNA was 2.3-fold more abundant than AIF2, both messenger RNAs being sorted to the mitochondrial surface. In ...

Nigeria: Bionic Eye - Hope for the Visually-Impaired

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:28:15 +0100

Leadership (Abuja)-Blindness is the most severe form of visual impairment, which deprives people of the ability to see or move about unaided. It effectively robs people of the comfort and satisfaction that come with performing daily chores, even with the aid of glasses or contact lenses. However, scientists have developed a technology called bionic eye, which goal is to restore the sense of vision to people living with blindness, especially those with an eye condition known as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

Management of periorbital and orbital cellulitis

Paediatrics and Child Health — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:16:38 +0100

Abstract: Swelling of the tissues surrounding the eye is a relatively common presentation in paediatric practice. Many of the mild, pre-septal cases of periorbital inflammation and infection are caused by insect bites, trauma and conjunctivitis. Frequently infection spreads from the ethmoid sinuses and invades orbital tissues. The distinction between pre-septal and orbital involvement can be difficult based on clinical examination only, and the research base supporting management of periorbital and orbital cellulitis is limited. This review addresses the role of investigations and the multi-disciplinary approach needed in order to establish accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatment and prevention of serious complications including blindness and venous sinus thrombosis. (Source: Paediatrics...

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Nodding syndrome - South Sudan, 2011.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Abstract In November 2010, the Ministry of Health of the proposed nation of South Sudan requested CDC assistance in investigating a recent increase and geographic clustering of an illness resulting in head nodding and seizures. The outbreak was suspected to be nodding syndrome, an unexplained neurologic condition characterized by episodes of repetitive dropping forward of the head, often accompanied by other seizure-like activity, such as convulsions or staring spells. The condition predominantly affects children aged 5-15 years and has been reported in South Sudan from the states of Western and Central Equatoria and in Northern Uganda and southern Tanzania. Because of visa and security concerns, CDC investigators did not travel to South Sudan until May 2011. On arrival,...

Mass. Eye and Ear awarded $150,000 grant from Research to Prevent Blindness

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary) Research to Prevent Blindness has granted Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary cornea specialist James Chodosh, M.D., M.P.H., a $150,000 Senior Scientific Investigator Award. RPB Senior Scientific Investigator Awards support nationally recognized scientists conducting eye research at medical institutions in the United States. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Blindness eased by historic stem cell treatment

New Scientist - Health — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:21:42 +0100

People with eye degeneration report better vision after controversial treatment based on human embryonic stem cells (Source: New Scientist - Health)

Researchers Develop Gene Therapy That Could Correct A Common Form Of Blindness

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

A new gene therapy method developed by University of Florida researchers has the potential to treat a common form of blindness that strikes both youngsters and adults. The technique works by replacing a malfunctioning gene in the eye with a normal working copy that supplies a protein necessary for light-sensitive cells in the eye to function. The findings are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences online. Several complex and costly steps remain before the gene therapy technique can be used in humans, but once at that stage, it has great potential to change lives... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Development and application of a next-generation-sequencing (NGS) approach to detect known and novel gene defects underlying retinal diseases

Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: In summary, this unbiased and time-efficient NGS approach allowed mutation detection in 75% of control cases and in 57% of test cases. Furthermore, it has the possibility of associating known gene defects with novel phenotypes and mode of inheritance. (Source: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases)

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Iridescent colour production in hairs of blind golden moles (Chrysochloridae).

Biology Letters — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Snyder HK, Maia R, D'Alba L, Shultz AJ, Rowe KM, Rowe KC, Shawkey MD Abstract Relative to other metazoans, the mammalian integument is thought to be limited in colour. In particular, while iridescence is widespread among birds and arthropods, it has only rarely been reported in mammals. Here, we examine the colour, morphology and optical mechanisms in hairs from four species of golden mole (Mammalia: Chrysochloridae) that are characterized by sheens ranging from purple to green. Microspectrophotometry reveals that this colour is weak and variable. Iridescent hairs are flattened and have highly reduced cuticular scales, providing a broad and smooth surface for light reflection. These scales form multiple layers of light and dark materials of consistent thickness, strikingly...

Dark-Dwelling Fish Converge on Blindness

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:43:08 +0100

When Mexican tetra fish moved into dark caves long ago, they evolved to deal with the dark by becoming albino…and going blind. And new research shows that the changes various cave fish populations went through occurred repeatedly--a massive, textbook example of convergent evolution. The study is in the journal BioMed Central Evolutionary Biology . [Martina Bradic et al., " Gene flow and population structure in the Mexican blind cavefish complex ( Astyanax mexicanus ) " ] [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Stem cell therapy 'safe for eye condition'

NHS News Feed — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:55:00 +0100

Conclusion This was a small clinical trial that assessed the safety of using stem cell technology to treat one person with Stargardt’s macular dystrophy and one person with dry age-related macular degeneration. Specifically, it looked at the use of retinal cells that had been made from human embryonic stem cells. The primary focus of this research was to see whether this procedure would be safe, not whether it was effective. The researchers found that neither of the patients had problems with abnormal cell growth, tumour formation, graft rejection or any other pathological reaction or safety issues, all of which are potential problems in this type of treatment. The researchers followed the patients over four months but say that further follow-up is needed to observe the long-term effec...

Video: Seeing through stem cells

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:48:22 +0100

Medical researchers may have found a way to reverse the leading cause of blindness in older people. Medical correspondent Dr. John LaPook takes a look at this new stem cell treatment. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

New insights into the regulation of Myosin light chain phosphorylation in retinal pigment epithelial cells.

International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:36:02 +0100

Authors: Ruiz-Loredo AY, López-Colomé AM Abstract The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays an essential role in the function of the neural retina and the maintenance of vision. Most of the functions displayed by RPE require a dynamic organization of the acto-myosin cytoskeleton. Myosin II, a main cytoskeletal component in muscle and non-muscle cells, is directly involved in force generation required for organelle movement, selective molecule transport within cell compartments, exocytosis, endocytosis, phagocytosis, and cell division, among others. Contractile processes are triggered by the phosphorylation of myosin II light chains (MLCs), which promotes actin-myosin interaction and the assembly of contractile fibers. Considerable evidence indicates that non-muscle myosin II act...

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Retinitis Pigmentosa In Dogs Cured By Gene Therapy

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0100

Members of a University of Pennsylvania research team have shown that they can prevent, or even reverse, a blinding retinal disease, X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa, or XLRP, in dogs. The disease in humans and dogs is caused by defects in the RPGR gene and results in early, severe and progressive vision loss. It is one of the most common inherited forms of retinal degeneration in man... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Stemming blindness: The eyes have it

Health Facts and Fears — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Medical researchers have high hopes for human embryonic stem cells: There are numerous diseases that might be treated by transplanting cells generated from such stem cells, which have the capacity to mature into a wide variety of specialized tissues. (Source: Health Facts and Fears)

The role of cytokines and pathogen recognition molecules in fungal keratitis - Insights from human disease and animal models.

Cytokine — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Leal SM, Pearlman E Abstract Fungal infections of the cornea are an important cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide, with contact lens wear being the main risk factor in the USA and other industrialized countries, and traumatic injury being the main risk factor in developing countries. In this review, we highlight recent advances in the understanding of the host response to Aspergillus and Fusarium species in infected human corneal tissue and in mouse models of fungal keratitis. PMID: 22280957 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Cytokine)

Clinically unsuspected retinal hemangioblastoma in a blind eye as the initial manifestation of von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Pathology, Research and Practice — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

We describe the microscopic findings of a clinically unsuspected retinal hemangioblastoma in an eye removed for pain and blindness. Although the patient was otherwise in good health, further investigation revealed von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. Retinal hemangioblastomas are small benign tumors than can be easily overlooked in histological examination of an eye. Awareness of the context in which retinal hemangioblastoma can be found may be the most important factor in recognizing this lesion microscopically. PMID: 22281434 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Pathology, Research and Practice)

Video: Stem Cell treatment could aid leading cause of blindness

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:14:40 +0100

A UCLA eye surgeon has developed a possible stem cell treatment for Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older Americans. Dr. Jon LaPook explains how it works. (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

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Stem cells offer first glimpse of blindness treatment

USATODAY.com Health — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:55:40 +0100

The research published online Monday in the journal Lancet is the first results from the use of embryonic stem cells in humans. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Vision improves modestly in patients after human embryonic stem cells transplants

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:00:32 +0100

Researchers at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute and colleagues who successfully transplanted specialized retinal cells derived from human embryonic stem cells into the eyes of two legally blind patients report that the transplants appear safe and that both patients have experienced modest improvement in their vision. The preliminary findings, published online Jan. 23 in the journal The Lancet, represent a milestone in the therapeutic use of stem cells and may pave the way for a new therapy to treat eye diseases, the researchers said. Because this is the first time physicians have applied the power of regenerative medicine to eye disease, the clinical trials are being watched closely by scientists, stem-cell therapy advocates and the public. The patients — a woman in her...

Vision improves modestly in patients after human embryonic stem cell transplants

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:00:32 +0100

Researchers develop gene therapy that could correct a common form of blindness

ScienceDaily Headlines — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:34:34 +0100

A new gene therapy has the potential to treat a common form of blindness that strikes both youngsters and adults. The technique works by replacing a malfunctioning gene in the eye with a normal working copy that supplies a protein necessary for light-sensitive cells in the eye to function. Several complex steps remain before the gene therapy technique can be used in humans, but once at that stage, it has great potential to change lives. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Stem Cell Treatment For Blindness Shows Promise In Trials

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0100

The first published results of trials using cells derived from human embryonic stem cells appear to show they have passed an initial safety hurdle. In The Lancet this week, researchers report that two nearly blind patients, one with Stargardt's macular dystrophy and the other with dry age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in developed countries), showed measurable improvements in vision that lasted for more than four months after receiving injections of retinal pigment epithelium cells derived from human embryonic stem cells... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Study: Stem cells may ease blindness in some

CTV Health — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:18:19 +0100

Scientists are reporting hints that embryonic stem cells can ease blindness in some people. (Source: CTV Health)

Diabetes has not been defeated | Barbara Young

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:12:38 +0100

Ninety years after the first use of insulin to treat diabetes, preventable complications and early deaths are a scandalImagine a medical condition with no known cause that mostly affects children and young adults. The only treatment is a starvation diet, but the disease will eventually kill everyone it touches, often within weeks or months of diagnosis.This was the situation for people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the early part of the 20th century. Today we celebrate the 90th anniversary of the scientific breakthrough that changed all that: on this day in 1922, insulin was first used to treat a patient with type 1 diabetes. This medical landmark has helped lift the death sentence that type 1 diabetes used to mean. Most people with the condition now live long and healthy lives.On this...

How Protein In Teardrops Annihilates Harmful Bacteria

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A disease-fighting protein in our teardrops has been tethered to a tiny transistor, enabling UC Irvine scientists to discover exactly how it destroys dangerous bacteria. The research could prove critical to long-term work aimed at diagnosing cancers and other illnesses in their very early stages. Ever since Nobel laureate Alexander Fleming found that human tears contain antiseptic proteins called lysozymes about a century ago, scientists have tried to solve the mystery of how they could relentlessly wipe out far larger bacteria... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Risk Of Blindness Halved Over Last Decade

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most frequent cause of blindness in the Western World. A report from the University of Copenhagen and Glostrup Hospital in Denmark shows the number of new cases of blindness and severe visual loss in Denmark has been halved during the last ten years. The study just published in American Journal of Ophthalmology examined the records of 11,848 new cases of legal blindness. The rate of blindness from AMD fell from 522 cases per million inhabitants aged 50 years or older in 2000, to 257 cases per million in 2010, a reduction by over 50 per cent... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Mass. Eye and Ear granted $30,000 medical eye research fellowship

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary) Research to Prevent Blindness has awarded Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, a $30,000 Medical Student Eye Research Fellowship. The award will support the work of Mamta Shah. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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Researchers develop gene therapy that could correct a common form of blindness

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Florida) A new gene therapy has the potential to treat a common form of blindness that strikes both youngsters and adults. The technique works by replacing a malfunctioning gene in the eye with a normal working copy that supplies a protein necessary for light-sensitive cells in the eye to function. Several complex steps remain before the gene therapy technique can be used in humans, but once at that stage, it has great potential to change lives. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

SUNY Downstate receives grant from research to prevent blindness

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(SUNY Downstate Medical Center) Capping SUNY Downstate Medical Center's growth into a major center for eye research, Research to Prevent Blindness has awarded SUNY Downstate a four-year challenge grant of $220,000 to spur the development of advanced research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of blinding diseases. Douglas R. Lazzaro, MD, professor and chair of ophthalmology, is the principal investigator. RPB is the world's leading voluntary organization supporting eye research. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Early Diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy

Neuromics — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:32:00 +0100

The earlier the diagnosis the better the outcome. This is especially true with autoimmune diseases like Diabetic Retinopathy (DR). DR is the leading cause of blindness among persons of working age in the industrialized world. Here I feature a publication that shows axoglial alterations at the distal portion of the optic nerve could be the first structural change in the diabetic visual pathway. This could prove good news for discovering better therapies thus preventing blindness: Diego C. Fernandez, Laura A. Pasquini, Damián Dorfman, Hernán J. Aldana Marcos, Ruth E. Rosenstein. Early Distal Axonopathy of the Visual Pathway in Experimental Diabetes. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2011.09.018Oligodendrocytes are responsible for insulating axons. Disruptions in the formation of oligodendrocytes could ...

Alcohols and glycols

Medicine — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:58:54 +0100

Abstract: Ethanol is a central nervous system depressant and a peripheral vasodilator, thereby causing coma, hypothermia and hypotension in severe poisoning. Hypoglycaemia, particularly in children, is observed together with acid–base disturbances, which are common (respiratory acidosis is observed more frequently than metabolic acidosis, and metabolic alkalosis may be observed in those vomiting and hypovolaemic). Lactic acidosis (usually mild) is an uncommon but potentially serious complication. Haemodialysis may be considered if the blood ethanol concentration exceeds 7500 mg/L and severe metabolic acidosis is present.The principal features of severe methanol poisoning are metabolic acidosis and blindness. The first priority of management is to inhibit methanol metabolism using either ...

Association Between Vision Impairment and Health Among a National Cohort of 87 134 Thai Adults. - Yiengprugsawan V, Seubsman SA, Sleigh AC.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:05:52 +0100

This study analyzes a cohort of 87134 Thai adults, reporting odds ratios (ORs) and calculating population ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Changing Trends of Blindness: The Initial Harvest From Translational Public Health and Clinical Research in Ophthalmology

American Journal of Ophthalmology — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:51:05 +0100

All ophthalmologists and vision researchers are aware of the profound adverse effects of blindness on our patients' health and quality of life. From a societal perspective, visual loss comes with an exorbitant price tag, with an estimated global cost of nearly $3 trillion for the 733 million people living with low vision and blindness worldwide. With unceasing population growth and aging demographics, these numbers are expected to spiral upward. In this issue of the Journal, however, contemporary surveillance data from 2 large population-based studies shed some light on our battle against blindness and offer hope that the tide may be turning because of new public health initiatives and novel clinical treatments that have been translated from research in recent years. (Source: American Jour...

Incidence of Legal Blindness From Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Denmark: Year 2000 to 2010

American Journal of Ophthalmology — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:51:05 +0100

Conclusion: From 2000 to 2010 the incidence of legal blindness from AMD fell to half the baseline incidence. The bulk of the reduction occurred after the introduction of intravitreally injected inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor in 2006. (Source: American Journal of Ophthalmology)

Time Trends in the Incidence and Causes of Blindness in Israel

American Journal of Ophthalmology — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:51:05 +0100

Conclusions: Contemporary interventions in ophthalmology combined with widely available universal free access to healthcare seem to be effective in causing a major reduction in the incidence of blindness. (Source: American Journal of Ophthalmology)

Blindness and Long-term Progression of Visual Field Defects in Chinese Patients With Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma

American Journal of Ophthalmology — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:51:05 +0100

This study assumes greater importance in trying to identify risk factors for progression in primary angle-closure glaucoma. (Source: American Journal of Ophthalmology)

The Challenge of Children with Special Needs

Psych Central — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:35:58 +0100

Labels abound, some of them distasteful, some inaccurate, some just in vogue, others useful to understanding and planning. I am speaking about children who have substantial special needs. They may be diagnosed with complex disorders such as Autism, Asperger’s, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, Tourette’s, or Mental Retardation. All are challenging to identify reliably, and even more challenging to treat effectively. We can add the physical disabilities of blindness, deafness, and a multitude of serious medical disorders that strike children and significantly limit their ability to function. Each of these disorders has books, websites, and national organizations devoted to them. Parents often know more about the specific disorder than any individual professional ...

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Silver [video] | @GrrlScientist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:49:00 +0100

what do anti-microbials, photography and Argentina have in common? This week's element is silver, a lustrous, ductile and malleable transition metal with the atomic number 47. Its elemental symbol, Ag, comes from the Latin, argentum, which means "white" or "shining". Interestingly, after overthrowing Spanish rule, Argentina renamed itself for silver to honour that country's mineral wealth as her people sought to make a fresh start. Silver is notable because it has the highest thermal conductivity of any metal and the highest electrical conductivity of any element -- even more so than copper (although silver's greater expense prevents it from replacing copper for most uses). It also has the highest reflectivity of any metal. These three qualities make silver useful for a wide variety of com...

Invention Makes Children Eye Exams Inexpensive, Comprehensive, And Simple To Administer

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Eighty-five percent of children's learning is related to vision. Yet in the U.S., 80 percent of children have never had an eye exam or any vision screening before kindergarten, statistics say. When they do, the vision screenings they typically receive can detect only one or two conditions. Three researchers at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma are working to change that with an invention that makes children eye exams inexpensive, comprehensive, and simple to administer... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Extended Pain Relief For Laser Eye Surgery Patients Via Contact Lenses

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Scientists are reporting development of contact lenses that could provide a continuous supply of anesthetic medication to the eyes of patients who undergo laser eye surgery - an advance that could relieve patients of the burden of repeatedly placing drops of medicine into their eyes every few hours for several days. Their report appears in ACS' journal Langmuir. Anuj Chauhan and colleagues explain that more than 1 million laser eye correction procedures are performed each year in the U.S. The surgery enables most patients to see clearly without eye glasses or contact lenses... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Glaucoma Origins May Lead Potential Cure

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. Nearly 4 million Americans have the disorder, which affects 70 million worldwide. There is no cure and no early symptoms. Once vision is lost, it's permanent. New findings at Georgia Tech, published in January during Glaucoma Awareness Month, explore one of the many molecular origins of glaucoma and advance research dedicated to fighting the disease. Glaucoma is typically triggered when fluid is unable to circulate freely through the eye's trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Report shows risk of blindness halved over last decade

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Copenhagen) Age-related macular degeneration is the most frequent cause of blindness in the Western World. A report from the University of Copenhagen and Glostrup Hospital in Denmark published today shows the number of new cases of blindness and severe visual loss in Denmark has been halved during the last ten years. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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This Week in Science

Science: Current Issue — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Quantum Blindness

This Week in Science — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

While quantum computers offer speed advantages over their classical counterparts, the technological challenges facing their eventual realization suggest that they will need to be located in specialized facilities. Thus, interaction … [Read more] (Source: This Week in Science)

Attending to music decreases inattentional blindness - Beanland V, Allen RA, Pammer K.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:13:29 +0100

This article investigates how auditory attention affects inattentional blindness (IB), a failure of conscious awareness in which an observer does not notice an unexpected event because their attention is engaged elsewhere. Previous research using the atten... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Did you see the unicycling clown? Inattentional blindness while walking and talking on a cell phone - Hyman Jr IE, Boss SM, Wise BM, McKenzie KE, Caggiano JM.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:13:29 +0100

We investigated the effects of divided attention during walking. Individuals were classified based on whether they were walking while talking on a cell phone, listening to an MP3 player, walking without any electronics or walking in a pair. In the first st... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Vitamin D Could Help Combat The Effects Of Aging In Eyes

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have found that vitamin D reduces the effects of ageing in mouse eyes and improves the vision of older mice significantly. The researchers hope that this might mean that vitamin D supplements could provide a simple and effective way to combat age-related eye diseases, such as macular degeneration (AMD), in people. The research was carried out by a team from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London and is published in the current issue of the journal Neurobiology of Ageing... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Thinking of getting pregnant? Rubella leaflet now available in other languages

NHS Networks — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Catching German measles (rubella) during pregnancy can have very serious implications for an unborn baby. It can, for example, lead to the baby being born with serious disabilities such as blindness and deafness. The risk of having a miscarriage is also increased. The Tamil and Bengali translations of this leaflet have been produced by Sense, the charity for deafblind people (Source: NHS Networks)

Results favor primary use of artificial cornea

Modern Medicine — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:35:51 +0100

Results from a retrospective study show that the Boston Type I keratoprosthesis (Boston KPro, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary) is a safe and effective primary method for visual rehabilitation in eyes with corneal blindness not related to autoimmune conditions, said Kathryn A. Colby, MD, PhD. (Source: Modern Medicine)

March 30 is PBA grant application deadline

Modern Medicine — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:35:50 +0100

March 30 is the application deadline for the Prevent Blindness America 2012 Investigator Awards, research grants that fund public health projects seeking to end unnecessary vision loss and blindness. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Focus on Glaucoma Origins Continues Path Toward Potential Cure

Diabetes News from dLife.com — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:49:34 +0100

January 17, 2012 (Newswise) — Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. Nearly 4 million Americans have the disorder, which affects 70 million worldwide. There is no cure and no early symptoms. Once vision is lost, it’s permanent. New findings at Georgia Tech, published in January during Glaucoma Awareness Month, explore one of the many molecular origins of glaucoma and advance research dedicated to fighting the disease. read more (Source: Diabetes News from dLife.com)

Vitamin D 'may stop AMD sight loss'

NHS News Feed — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:46:00 +0100

Conclusion This small animal study showed that injections of vitamin D over six weeks decreased the accumulation of one age-related protein and decreased inflammation in the retina of seven mice compared to seven control mice. The response of the eye to light stimuli differed between the two groups of mice. The newspapers and the research article itself said that this research suggests that vitamin D supplementation may represent a beneficial route for those at risk of a type of vision loss called age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the aim of this animal study was not to see whether vitamin D treatment prevented AMD (or a mouse model version it). It is far too early to say whether this vitamin D could prevent AMD as there have not yet been trials in humans. The study had look...

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Survival Without Disability to Age 5 Years After Neonatal Caffeine Therapy for Apnea of Prematurity [Original Contribution]

JAMA — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion Neonatal caffeine therapy was no longer associated with a significantly improved rate of survival without disability in children with very low birth weights who were assessed at 5 years. (Source: JAMA)

Cortical blindness after contrast-enhanced CT scan in a patient of sarcoidosis - Is it related to posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome?

Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Vinit Suri, Ritu Agarwal, Nilesh Jadhao, Gulshan K AhujaAnnals of Indian Academy of Neurology 2011 14(4):298-300Transient cortical blindness (TCB) is a well known but rare complication of administration of contrast agent. In this case report, we present a 53-year-old woman who is a follow-up case of sarcoidosis and developed TCB with focal neurological symptoms following contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral T2/Flair hyperintensities in parieto-occipital, high frontal, and cerebellar hemispheres with involvement of corpus callosum. Clinically and radiologically patient improved significantly in 4 days. The exact mechanism is still speculative and its possible relationship with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is briefly discus...

An unusual case of Takayasu's arteritis: Evaluation by CT angiography

Annals of Indian Academy of Neurology — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Mukund Vidhate, Ravindra Kumar Garg, Rajesh Yadav, Neera Kohli, Praveen Naphade, HK AnuradhaAnnals of Indian Academy of Neurology 2011 14(4):304-306Takayasu's arteritis is a chronic, idiopathic, medium and large vessel vasculitis involving aorta and its main branches. Frequent neurological manifestations include postural syncope, seizures, and blindness. Stroke, as presenting feature of Takayasu's arteritis, is unusual. CT angiography reveals characteristic involvement of aortic arch and its branches. Involvement of intracranial vasculature is rather unusual. We are describing an unusual patient of Takayasu's arteritis who presented with recurrent disabling syncopal attacks and had extensive involvement of intracranial vasculature. CT angiography revealed severe involv...

Trauma focused CBT for PTSD in young children is feasible, and may reduce PTSD symptoms

Evidence-Based Mental Health — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

QuestionQuestion Is trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) feasible and effective in young children with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other comorbid conditions? Patients 64 children aged between 36 and 83 months (mean age 5.3 years, 66.2% male, 59.5% African–American, 35.1% white) who experienced a recent life-threatening trauma and had ≥4 PTSD symptoms of which one had to be either a re-experiencing symptom or an avoidance symptom. The symptoms could come from either the DSM-IV or an alternative diagnostic algorithm proposed for DSM-V. Main exclusions: head trauma (Glasgow Coma Scale score of 7 or less), autistic disorder, blindness, mental retardation, deafness, not speaking English. Setting Outpatient study of children recruited via battered women's ...

Glaucoma Measurements Can Be Affected By Contact Lenses

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A study about how wearing contact lenses affects glaucoma measurements has been named the top presentation at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine's annual St. Albert's Day research symposium. First author of the study is Marie Brenner, a fourth-year student at Stritch School of Medicine. Brenner and colleagues studied the effects of contact lens wear on retinal nerve fiber layer measurements, which ophthalmologists use to diagnose and manage glaucoma... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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[Comment] Solving the trachoma elimination puzzle, one piece at a time

LANCET — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Once a disease that accounted for about 80% of US public health service spending and the impetus for establishing the Moorfields Eye Hospital in the UK, trachoma is now isolated mostly to developing countries. Yet it remains the leading preventable cause of blindness worldwide, with an estimated 1·3 million people blind and 8·1 million individuals with trichiasis and at risk of becoming blind. WHO has set 2020 as the target year for eliminating blinding trachoma worldwide. That year is fast approaching, and much work remains—trachoma is endemic in more than 50 countries. (Source: LANCET)

Grapes may help prevent blindness in aged

Health News - UPI.com — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 01:26:35 +0100

NEW YORK, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Eating grapes over a lifetime may slow or help prevent age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness in the elderly, U.S. researchers say. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Negative electroretinograms in the pediatric and adult population

Documenta Ophthalmologica — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:16:13 +0100

Conclusions The overall frequency of negative ERGs in this large retrospective review was 4.0%. Negative ERGs were most common among male children and least common among female adults. Despite the growing number of new diagnoses associated with negative ERGs, CSNB, and XLRS appear to be the most likely diagnoses for a pediatric patient who presents with a negative ERG. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original Research ArticlePages 1-8DOI 10.1007/s10633-011-9301-2Authors Johnstone M. Kim, Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USAJohn F. Payne, Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USAJiong Yan, Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USAClaire S. Barnes, Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, ...

Gene Identified As A New Target For Treatment Of Aggressive Childhood Eye Tumor

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project findings help solve mystery of retinoblastoma's rapid growth in work that also yields a new treatment target and possible therapy New findings from the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project (PCGP) have helped identify the mechanism that makes the childhood eye tumor retinoblastoma so aggressive. The discovery explains why the tumor develops so rapidly while other cancers can take years or even decades to form... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Age-Related Blindness May Be Warded Off By Grapes

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Can eating grapes slow or help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a debilitating condition affecting millions of elderly people worldwide? Results from a new study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggest this might be the case. The antioxidant actions of grapes are believed to be responsible for these protective effects. The study compared the impact of an antioxidant-rich diet on vision using mice prone to developing retinal damage in old age in much the same way as humans do... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Anatomic Differences in Early Blindness: A Deformation‐Based Morphometry MRI Study

Journal of Neuroimaging — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONSDBM is an effective method for detecting entire brain structural changes in blindness. Visual deprivation actually alters the local structural organization during the early critical periods of neurodevelopment. Volume increases outside the occipital lobe detected with DBM may suggest compensatory adaptations. J Neuroimaging 2012;XX:1–6. (Source: Journal of Neuroimaging)

MINIREVIEW: Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Dysregulation in RP [Molecular Bases of Disease]

Journal of Biological Chemistry — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Retinitis pigmentosa is characterized by loss of night vision, followed by complete blindness. Over 40 genetic loci for retinitis pigmentosa have been identified in humans, primarily affecting photoreceptor structure and function. The availability of excellent animal models allows for a mechanistic characterization of the disease. Metabolic dysregulation and oxidative stress have been found to correlate with the loss of vision, particularly in cones, the type of photoreceptors that mediate daylight and color vision. The evidence that these problems actually cause loss of vision and potential therapeutic approaches targeting them are discussed. (Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry)

Sturge Weber Syndrome with Concomitant Infantile Vein of Galen Aneurysmal Malformation: Role of Multi-modality Imaging in Diagnosis

EJVES Extra — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Discussion: This experience underscores the value of imaging in revealing this complex angio-architecture, which is necessary in the diagnosis and management. (Source: EJVES Extra)

UK Ophthalmology Receives Grant to Prevent Blindness

UK College of Medicine News — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:29:31 +0100

Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) has awarded a grant of $100,000 to the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine to support research into the causes, treatment and prevention of blinding diseases. (Source: UK College of Medicine News)

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Increasing Need For Rehabilitation For Eye Disease

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Visual rehabilitation will continue to increase in importance in the near future, particularly because the number of older patients is rising. Susanne Trauzettel-Klosinski summarizes the present state of knowledge in the current issue of the Deutsches Arzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108[51/52]: 871-8). Diseases of the eyes and visual pathways can lead to various impairments in everyday living and require specific rehabilitation. For example, central deficits in the visual field disturb the ability to read, while peripheral deficits make it difficult to orientate oneself... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Control Of A "Blind" Neuroreceptor With An Optical Switch

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

When nerve cells communicate with one another, specialized receptor molecules on their surfaces play a central role in relaying signals between them. A collaborative venture involving teams of chemists based at Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversitÃ¤t (LMU) in Munich and the University of California in Berkeley has now succeeded in converting an intrinsically "blind" receptor molecule into a photoreceptor... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

ED Eye Care In Florida - A Payment Review

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0100

A major part of Florida's emergency department eye care is reimbursed through Medicaid or paid for directly by the patients. According to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, these findings may be beneficial in strategic planning as the debate over how best to implement the nation's new health care reform law progresses... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Dilated Eye Exams For Medicare Beneficiaries Cost Effective, USA

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0100

A study published Online First in the Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, suggests that it "would be highly cost-effective" to replace visual acuity screenings for new Medicare enrollees with coverage of a dilated eye exam for healthy patients who enter the government insurance program for the elderly. At the age of 65 years, individuals are able to enroll in Medicare. As part of a Welcome to Medicare health evaluation ,within 12 months of enrollment, they are supposed to receive a visual acuity screening and other preventive health checks. The U.S... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New Research Helps Explain How The Brain Decides What Is A Face And What Just Resembles One

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Objects that resemble faces are everywhere. Whether it's New Hampshire's erstwhile granite "Old Man of the Mountain," or Jesus' face on a tortilla, our brains are adept at locating images that look like faces. However, the normal human brain is almost never fooled into thinking such objects actually are human faces. "You can tell that it has some 'faceness' to it, but on the other hand, you're not misled into believing that it is a genuine face," says Pawan Sinha, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Grapes may help prevent age-related blindness

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Fleishman-Hillard, Inc.) Can eating grapes slow or help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a debilitating condition affecting millions of elderly people worldwide? Results from a new study published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine suggest this might be the case. The antioxidant actions of grapes are believed to be responsible for these protective effects. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Molecular mechanisms of diabetes and atherosclerosis: Role of adiponectin.

Endocrine, Metabolic and Immune Disorders Drug Targets — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Kishida K, Funahashi T, Shimomura I Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease characterized by inadequate beta-cell response due to progressive insulin resistance that typically accompanies physical inactivity and weight gain. T2DM is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality related to the associated atherosclerotic cardiovascular risks and diabetic vasculopathies, including microangiopathies (e.g., blindness and renal failure) and macroangiopathies (atherosclerosis). The increasing global prevalence of T2DM is linked to the rising rates of obesity, especially abdominal obesity. Visceral fat accumulation is upstream of obesity-related disorders including atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ACVD), and is associated with impaired insulin sensitivit...

Lipofuscin can be eliminated from the retinal pigment epithelium of monkeys.

Neurobiology of Aging — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Julien A S, Schraermeyer A U Abstract Lipofuscin is a cytologic hallmark of aging in metabolically active postmitotic cells including neurons, cardiac muscle cells, and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). High levels of lipofuscin are involved in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the main cause of blindness in the elderly population in the western world. Degradation and exocytosis of lipofuscin by RPE cells have not been observed in vivo until now, and no drug is known to eliminate the intracellular amount of lipofuscin. Here, we show that in monkeys treated with a small molecule belonging to the tetrahydropyridoethers class (n = 36 of 48 monkeys), RPE cells significantly release lipofuscin. In 4 eyes, macrophages were detected which had taken u...

Survival and complications following Gamma Knife radiosurgery or enucleation for ocular melanoma: a 20-year experience

Acta Neurochirurgica — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:38:18 +0100

Conclusions Using 35 Gy led to a dramatic decrease in complications, vision loss and salvage enucleation, while not compromising patient survival. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Clinical ArticlePages 1-6DOI 10.1007/s00701-011-1252-6Authors Eduard B. Dinca, The National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Rd, Sheffield, S10 2JF UKJohn Yianni, The National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Rd, Sheffield, S10 2JF UKJeremy Rowe, The National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Rd, Sheffield, S10 2JF UKMatthias W. R. Radatz, The National Centre for Stereotactic Radiosurgery, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Rd, Sheffield, S10 2JF UKDaniel Preot...

Methanol poisoning: two case studies of blindness in Indonesia. - Koehrer P, Creuzot-Garcher C, Bron AM.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:09:00 +0100

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Prevalence and causes of low vision and blindness in Tehran Province, Iran. - Soori H, Ali JM, Nasrin R.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:09:00 +0100

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and low vision selected population at Tehran province, Iran in 2006. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural and urban population of Tehran province, Iran. ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Off duty: an eye-opening experience

BMA daily feed — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:49:00 +0100

An ophthalmology student puts learning into practice by helping to reduce avoidable blindness in Ghana (Source: BMA daily feed)

Flexible Adult Stem Cells, Right There In Your Eye

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

In the future, patients in need of perfectly matched neural stem cells may not need to look any further than their own eyes. Researchers reporting in the January issue of Cell Stem Cell, a Cell Press publication, have identified adult stem cells of the central nervous system in a single layer of cells at the back of the eye. That cell layer, known as the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), underlies and supports photoreceptors in the light-sensitive retina. Without it, photoreceptors and vision are lost... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The importance of recognizing juvenile idiopathic arthritis‐associated uveitis and preventing blindness from it

Arthritis Care and Research — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractJuvenile idiopathic arthritis is largely associated with uveitis, one of the leading preventable causes of blindness worldwide. Screening for childhood uveitis is underappreciated, with ocular complications seen in up to 86.3% of patients 3 years after initial diagnosis as a consequence of delayed diagnosis and/or imprudent chronic employment of corticosteroid monotherapy. Many patients are legally blind upon initial presentation to an ophthalmologist. Long‐term follow‐up studies over 20 years reveal surprisingly poor outcomes. A step‐ladder approach to treatment with corticosteroid‐sparing therapy is vital to keeping stubborn ocular inflammation from causing permanent complications, with consideration of the discordance between ocular and systemic disease activity and resp...

Confronting The Urgent Challenge Of Diabetes: An Overview [Overview Of The Crisis]

Health Affairs — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The rising tide of diabetes has an unacceptable human and societal toll. Rates of all major forms of diabetes are increasing at enormous individual and societal cost: 8.3 percent of the US population is afflicted today, and financial costs reached $174 billion for 2007. A major cause of blindness, renal failure, amputation, and cardiovascular disease, diabetes also increases the risk of cancer and dementia and more than doubles individual health care costs. Control of glucose, blood pressure, and lipids improves outcomes. Yet diabetes management is nonetheless suboptimal, particularly in disproportionately affected poor and minority populations. Safer, less burdensome, and more personalized approaches to therapy are needed. People at high risk for type 2 diabetes must be identifi...

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SFRP1 promoter methylation and expression in human trabecular meshwork cells.

Experimental Eye Research — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Mao W, Rubin JS, Anoruo N, Wordinger RJ, Clark AF Abstract Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. In primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients, impaired trabecular meshwork (TM) function results in elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), which is the primary risk factor of developing optic neuropathy. Our previous studies showed that Wnt signaling pathway components are expressed in the human TM (HTM), and the Wnt inhibitor, secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) is elevated in the glaucomatous TM (GTM). Elevated SFRP1 increased IOP in mice eyes and in perfusion cultured anterior segments of the human eye. However, the cause of elevated SFRP1 in the GTM remains unknown. Promoter methylation plays a key role in regulating SFRP1 expression in certain cancer ...

Fighting the Flood of Facebook

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:27:50 +0100

Do our children lack skills that our grandparents had in abundance? The modern child and teenager is substituting face-to-face interaction with cyber-relationships. This electronic dis-intermediation can impair a child's ability to develop the wide array of skills that are critical to interpersonal relations. read more (Source: Psychology Today Parenting Center)

Cross-presentation and genome-wide screening reveal candidate T cells antigens for a herpes simplex virus type 1 vaccine

Journal of Clinical Investigation — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:06:50 +0100

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) not only causes painful recurrent oral-labial infections, it can also cause permanent brain damage and blindness. There is currently no HSV-1 vaccine. An effective vaccine must stimulate coordinated T cell responses, but the large size of the genome and the low frequency of HSV-1–specific T cells have hampered the search for the most effective T cell antigens for inclusion in a candidate vaccine. We have now developed what we believe to be novel methods to efficiently generate a genome-wide map of the responsiveness of HSV-1–specific T cells, and demonstrate the applicability of these methods to a second complex microbe, vaccinia virus. We used cross-presentation and CD137 activation–based FACS to enrich for polyclonal CD8+ T effe...

CDI, Activation, and Current Density, CaV1.4 Splice Variants [Gene Regulation]

Journal of Biological Chemistry — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The CaV1.4 voltage-gated calcium channel is predominantly expressed in the retina, and mutations to this channel have been associated with human congenital stationary night blindness type-2. The L-type CaV1.4 channel displays distinct properties such as absence of calcium-dependent inactivation (CDI) and slow voltage-dependent inactivation (VDI) due to the presence of an autoinhibitory domain (inhibitor of CDI) in the distal C terminus. We hypothesized that native CaV1.4 is subjected to extensive alternative splicing, much like the other voltage-gated calcium channels, and employed the transcript scanning method to identify alternatively spliced exons within the CaV1.4 transcripts isolated from the human retina. In total, we identified 19 alternative splice variations, of which 16 variatio...

For Kids With Near-Vision Disorder, Treatment Reduces Problems At School

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0100

For children with convergence insufficiency (CI) who have difficulty focusing on objects close up effective treatments can help to reduce problems at school, reports a study in the January issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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RKS donates online to PBA

Modern Medicine — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Throughout 2012, Real Kids Shades, manufacturer of children’s ultraviolet protective eyewear, has agreed to donate $1 to Prevent Blindness America for every donation collected through its online store. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Latitude And Gender Influences Glaucoma Risk

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0100

When it comes to whether or not you will develop exfoliation syndrome (ES) -- an eye condition that is a leading cause of secondary open-angle glaucoma and increased risk of cataract as well as cataract surgery complications -- age, gender and where you live does matter. "Although many studies from around the world have reported on the burden of the disease, some aspects of the basic descriptive epidemiologic features, which may help shed light on the cause, are inconsistent," said Louis Pasquale, M.D... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Differential activations of PKC/PKA related to microvasculopathy in diabetic GK rats

AJP: Endocrinology and Metabolism — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Microvasculopathy is the most serious and predictable threat to the health of diabetic patients, which often results in end-stage renal disease, blindness, and limb amputations. Up to the present, the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. Here, it was found that the differential activations of PKC/PKA were involved in diabetic microvasculopathy in diabetic GK rats. By real-time PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme activity assay, upregulation of PKC was prominent in kidney but was not significant in liver and brain. The expression and activity of PKA were lowered in kidney but comparable in brain and liver during diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, the generation of reactive oxygen species, production of nitric oxide, and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase i...

Cross-presentation and genome-wide screening reveal candidate T cells antigens for a herpes simplex virus type 1 vaccine.

Herpes — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Jing L, Haas J, Chong TM, Bruckner JJ, Dann GC, Dong L, Marshak JO, McClurkan CL, Yamamoto TN, Bailer SM, Laing KJ, Wald A, Verjans GM, Koelle DM Abstract Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) not only causes painful recurrent oral-labial infections, it can also cause permanent brain damage and blindness. There is currently no HSV-1 vaccine. An effective vaccine must stimulate coordinated T cell responses, but the large size of the genome and the low frequency of HSV-1-specific T cells have hampered the search for the most effective T cell antigens for inclusion in a candidate vaccine. We have now developed what we believe to be novel methods to efficiently generate a genome-wide map of the responsiveness of HSV-1-specific T cells, and demonstrate the applicability of these ...

The importance of rheological parameters in the therapy of the dry form of age-related macular degeneration with rheohaemapheresis.

Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this study, we describe changes in the levels of rheological efficacy indicators after rheohaemapheresis and their clinical significance in the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Seventy-two patients with AMD were randomised; 34 controls, and 38 patients were treated with rheohaemapheresis (separator Cobe Spectra + Evaflux filter). After the procedures, α2-macroglobulin levels decreased by approximately 58%, fibrinogen by approximately 65%, IgM by approximately 67%, LDL cholesterol by approximately 71%, apolipoprotein B by approximately 65%, and lipoprotein (a) by approximately 42%. These decreases correspond with a decrease in blood and plasma viscosity (14/12%), clinical improvement (arrest of disease progression, even visual improvement in some cases), and heretofor...

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Vitamin D rejuvenates aging eyes by reducing inflammation, clearing amyloid beta and improving visual function.

Neurobiology of Aging — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Lee V, Rekhi E, Kam JH, Jeffery G Abstract Vitamin D(3) plays a key role in immune regulation and may protect against the aging process. A focal point for age-related changes is the outer retina of the eye where there is high metabolic demand resulting in a gradual increase in extracellular deposition, inflammation, and cell loss giving rise to visual decline. Here, we demonstrate that vitamin D(3) administration for only 6 weeks in aged mice significantly impacts on this aging process. Treated mice showed significant reductions in retinal inflammation and levels of amyloid beta (Aβ) accumulation, which is a hallmark of aging. They also had significant reductions in retinal macrophage numbers and marked shifts in their morphology. These changes were reflected in a signifi...

Profound defects in pupillary responses to light in TRPM‐channel null mice: a role for TRPM channels in non‐image‐forming photoreception

European Journal of Neuroscience — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this study we show that pupillary light responses are significantly attenuated in both Trpm1−/− and Trpm3−/− animals. Trpm1−/− mice exhibit a profound deficit in the pupillary response that is far in excess of that observed in mice lacking rods and cones (rd/rd cl) or melanopsin, and cannot be explained by defects in bipolar cell function alone. Immunolocalization studies suggest that TRPM1 is expressed in ON bipolar cells and also a subset of cells in the ganglion cell layer, including melanopsin‐expressing photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (pRGCs). We conclude that, in addition to its role in bipolar cell signalling, TRPM1 is involved in non‐image‐forming responses to light and may perform a functional role within pRGCs. By contrast, TRPM3−/− mice display a m...

Interfacing the neural system to restore deficient functions: From theoretical studies to neuroprothesis design.

Comptes Rendus Biologies — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Guiraud D Abstract Electrical stimulation is a valuable technical solution to treat severe deficiencies related to nervous system. It is particularly interesting when no medical treatment exists as for cardiac deficiencies, deafness, blindness or complete paralysis. However, activating excitable cells such as neurons or muscle fibers to recover functions remains a difficult scientific and technological challenge. Indeed, both the function to restore and the way to activate selectively the desired target are not fully understood. The article describes how both theoretical studies based on experiments, and technological developments based on electrophysiology knowledge may help in the development of highly effective solutions. Existing systems such as pacemakers and cochlear...

Denali Concrete Management Inc. Announces The Commencement Of Patient Enrollment For The Phase 3 Dry Eye Syndrome Study

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Denali Concrete Management Inc. (OTCBB: DCMG) announced that it has commenced patient enrollment for a phase 3 clinical study of the safety and efficacy of CF101, daily administered orally, in patients with moderate-to-severe Dry Eye Syndrome. This multi-center clinical trial is conducted in the United States, Europe and Israel. The randomized, double-masked clinical trial will include 231 patients who will be randomized to receive 2 doses of CF101 and Placebo, for a period of 24 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint will be complete clearing of corneal staining... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Wolbachia and its implications for the immunopathology of filariasis.

Endocrine, Metabolic and Immune Disorders Drug Targets — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Genchi C, Kramer LH, Sassera D, Bandi C Abstract Filarial infections are characterized by immunopathological phenomena, that are responsible for the onset of often dramatic pathological outcomes, such as blindness (Onchocerca volvulus) and elephantiasis (W. bancrofti). In addition, the long-term survival (as long as 10 years) of these parasites in otherwise immunocompetent hosts indicates that these nematodes are capable of manipulating the host immune response. The ground-breaking discovery of the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia, which resides in most filarial nematodes causing disease, has led to increasing interest in the role it may play in immuno-modulation, pro-inflammatory pathology and other aspects of filarial infection. Indeed, Wolbachia has been shown to be res...

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Durezol And Durasal, Don't Get Them Mixed Up, FDA Warns

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 02:00:00 +0100

Eye drug Durezol (difluprednate ophthalmic emulsion) and wart remover Durasal (salicylic acid) may sound similar, but getting them mixed up can happen, and with potentially serious consequences, the Food and Drug Administration has warned doctors, pharmacists and other health care professionals. The Agency cites a case in which a pharmacist dispensed the wart-remover instead of eye drops to an eye-surgery patient, resulting in serious injury. Durezol is prescribed for patients with inflammation linked to eye surgery... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Risk Factors for Vision Loss After Spine Surgery Identified

MedlinePlus Health News — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:00:00 +0100

Rare complication occurs in as many as one out of every 1,000 spine surgeries, researchers say Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: After Surgery, Spine Injuries and Disorders, Vision Impairment and Blindness (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Eritrea: Campaign Undertaken to Prevent Blindness in Nacfa Sub-Zone

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:40:46 +0100

The branch office of the Ministry of Health in the Northern Red Sea region disclosed that campaign has been undertaken in Nacfa sub-zone to prevent blindness. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

Recent Advances in Diagnostic Strategies for Giant Cell Arteritis

Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:50:04 +0100

Abstract Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a systemic vasculitis that affects the aorta and its major branches. Involvement of the ciliary artery can result in ischemic optic neuropathy and subsequent blindness, which is typically irreversible. If GCA is suspected, treatment with glucocorticoids should be initiated promptly to prevent further vision loss. However, given the need for prolonged therapy with glucocorticoids and the morbidity associated with their use, diagnosis should be confirmed. Clinical features and laboratory findings are neither sensitive nor specific for GCA. The mainstay of diagnosis remains histopathologic examination of a section of the superficial temporal artery. Several imaging studies have been used to evaluate the temporal artery but, at present, t...

Breakthrough In Treatment To Prevent Blindness

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

A UCSF study shows a popular treatment for a potentially blinding eye infection is just as effective if given every six months versus annually. This randomized study on trachoma, the leading cause of infection-caused blindness in the world, could potentially treat twice the number of patients using the same amount of medication. "The idea is we can do more with less," said Bruce Gaynor, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Francis I. Proctor Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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PBA tools help promote eye health

Modern Medicine — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has launched a free program designed to help ophthalmologists and others build public awareness of eye and vision basics, common adult vision disorders, eye safety precautions, and proactive behaviors that give the best chance for a lifetime of healthy vision. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Erratum: Reply to “More on color blindness”

Nature Methods — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Erratum: Reply to “More on color blindness” Nature Methods 9, 110 (2012). doi:10.1038/nmeth0112-110 Author: Bang Wong (Source: Nature Methods)

The day a drug company boss saw the light

FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:41:04 +0100

FT seasonal appeal: Roy Vagelos, the former chief executive of Merck, describes his decision to give away a medicine for river blindness (Source: FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare)

ORNL Image Analysis Prowess Advances Retina Research

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Armed with a new ability to find retinal anomalies at the cellular level, neurobiologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have made a discovery they hope will ultimately lead to a treatment for cancer of the retina. While much work remains, Oak Ridge National Laboratory's specialized tracing algorithm allows researchers to analyze thousands of cells instead of just a few dozen. This tool has helped reveal a previously undiscovered role of Rb, the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene in the developing retina... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Ocular Distribution, Spectrum of Activity and In-Vivo Viral Neutralization of a fully humanized Anti-Herpes simplex virus IgG FAb fragment, following topical application.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Berdugo M, Larsen IV, Abadie C, Deloche C, Kowalczuk L, Touchard E, Dubielzig R, Brandt CR, Behar-Cohen F, Combette JM Abstract Herpes simplex ocular infection is a major cause of corneal blindness. Local antiviral treatments exist but are associated with corneal toxicity, and resistance has become an issue. We evaluated the biodistribution and efficacy of an anti-HSV humanized IgG FAb fragment (AC-8, 53 kDa) following repeated topical administration. AC-8 was found in the corneal epithelium, anterior stroma, sub-epithelial stromal cells and retinal glial cells, with a preferential entry through ocular limbus. AC-8 was active against 13 different strains of HSV-1 with MEC(50) and MEC(90) values ranged from 0.03 to 0.13 μg/mL indicating broad-spectrum activity. The in vivo...

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New Insights in the Clinical Understanding of Behçet's Disease.

Yonsei Medical Journal — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 03:59:07 +0100

Authors: Cho SB, Cho S, Bang D Abstract Behçet's disease is a chronic relapsing multisystemic inflammatory disorder characterized by four major symptoms (oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, skin lesions, and ocular lesions) and occasionally by five minor symptoms (arthritis, gastrointestinal ulcers, epididymitis, vascular lesions, and central nervous system symptoms). Although the etiology of Behçet's disease is still unknown, there have been recent advances in immunopathogenic studies, genome-wide association studies, animal models, diagnostic markers, and new biological agents. These advances have improved the clinical understanding of Behçet's disease and have enabled us to develop new treatment strategies for this intractable disease, which remains one of the leading cause...

Face and Voice Recognition May Be Linked in the Brain, Research Suggests

NYT Health — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:11:52 +0100

New research helps explain why a person with face blindness may still have difficulty determining who a person is even after he or she has begun to speak. (Source: NYT Health)

Methanol poisoning: two case studies of blindness in Indonesia

International Ophthalmology — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:44:52 +0100

We report two recent cases of methanol intoxication in French patients living in Bali. These intoxications were secondary to the consumption of adulterated liquor. Both patients presented acute bilateral loss of vision a few days after methanol ingestion with no sign of recovery. The fundus showed bilateral optic atrophy that was well correlated with retinal nerve fibre layer thickness measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and compatible with toxic optic neuropathy. In one of the patients, macular swelling in one eye was observed. Electroretinograms were normal contrasting with abolished visual evoked potentials. Methanol was isolated from a sample of the beverage with gas chromatography. Methanol intoxication may occur in Asia and therefore adequate information ...

ORNL Image Analysis Prowess Advances Retina Research

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Male Gender and Obesity Up Risk for Postop Blindness (CME/CE)

MedPage Today Primary Care — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0100

(MedPage Today) -- Men and heavier patients who have spine surgery may be at a greater risk for postoperative blindness, researchers found. (Source: MedPage Today Primary Care)

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Genome-wide association study in RPGRIP1−/− dogs identifies a modifier locus that determines the onset of retinal degeneration

Mammalian Genome — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:37:12 +0100

This study establishes a unique model of canine RD requiring homozygous mutations at two distinct genetic loci for the manifestation of early-onset RD. Content Type Journal ArticlePages 1-12DOI 10.1007/s00335-011-9384-9Authors Keiko Miyadera, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ES UKKumiko Kato, Department of Veterinary Medical Science, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, JapanMike Boursnell, Centre for Preventive Medicine, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU, UKCathryn S. Mellersh, Centre for Preventive Medicine, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU, UKDavid R. Sargan, Department...

Diagnosis and Treatment Outcome of Mycotic Keratitis at a Tertiary Eye Care Center in Eastern India

BMC Ophthalmology - Latest articles — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

This study reports the epidemiological characteristics, microbiological diagnosis and treatment outcome of mycotic keratitis at a tertiary eye care center in eastern India. Methods: A retrospective review of medical and microbiology records was done for all patients with laboratory proven fungal keratitis. Results: Between July 2006 and December 2009, 997 patients were clinically diagnosed as microbial keratitis. While no organisms were found in 25.4% (253/997) corneal samples, 23.4% (233/997) were bacterial, 26.4% (264/997) were fungal (45 cases mixed with bacteria), 1.4% (14/997) were Acanthamoeba with or without bacteria, 23.4% (233/997) were microsporidial with or without bacteria. Two hundred fifteen of 264 (81.4%, 215/264) samples grew fungus in culture while 49 corneal scrapings we...

Breakthrough in treatment to prevent blindness

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 19:07:07 +0100

A new study shows a popular treatment for a potentially blinding eye infection is just as effective if given every six months versus annually. This randomized study on trachoma, the leading cause of infection-caused blindness in the world, could potentially treat twice the number of patients using the same amount of medication. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Ocular TB guinea pig model holds promise

Modern Medicine — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

A new guinea pig model may hasten development of an early diagnostic test for tuberculosis that could prevent permanent eye damage and blindness in those with the disease. (Source: Modern Medicine)

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FDA Collaborates To Work Against Rare Cataract Condition

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:00:00 +0100

Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS) is a rare condition that can occur after cataract surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in collaboration with other Government agencies, unveiled a program today to monitor medical devices used in cataract surgery in an effort to stem outbreaks of the rare, inflammatory condition... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

e-conome: an automated tissue counting platform of cone photoreceptors for rodent models of retinitis pigmentosa

BMC Ophthalmology - Latest articles — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: The automated platform e-conome used here for retinal disease is a tool that can broadly accelerate translational research for neurodegenerative diseases. (Source: BMC Ophthalmology - Latest articles)

Proteomic analysis and identification of aqueous humor proteins with a pathophysiological role in diabetic retinopathy.

Journal of Proteomics — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: (Clinical Proteomics). PMID: 22200677 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Journal of Proteomics)

Migraine With Binocular BlindnessMigraine With Binocular Blindness

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 04:00:00 +0100

This study examines its prevalence, and possible etiology. Headache (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Researchers Discover Hereditary Predisposition Of Melanoma Of The Eye

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Ohio State University researchers have discovered a hereditary cancer syndrome that predisposes certain people to a melanoma of the eye, along with lung cancer, brain cancer and possibly other types of cancer. The hereditary cancer syndrome is caused by an inherited mutation in a gene called BAP1, researchers say. The findings suggest that BAP1 mutations cause the disease in a small subset of patients with hereditary uveal melanoma and other cancers. Uveal melanoma is a cancer of the eye involving the iris, ciliary body, or choroid, which are collectively known as the uvea... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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An insight into the sialome of Simulium guianense (DIPTERA:SIMULIIDAE), the main vector of River Blindness Disease in Brazil

BMC Genomics - Latest articles — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our results contribute to understanding the role of Simulium saliva in transmission of Onchocerca volvulus and evolution of salivary proteins in black flies. It also consists of a platform for mining novel anti-hemostatic compounds, vaccine candidates against filariasis, and immuno-epidemiologic markers of vector exposure. (Source: BMC Genomics - Latest articles)

Scientists Develop Animal Model For TB-Related Blindness

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0100

Working with guinea pigs, tuberculosis experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere have closely mimicked how active but untreated cases of the underlying lung infection lead to permanent eye damage and blindness in people. Lead study investigator and Johns Hopkins infectious disease specialist Petros Karakousis, M.D., says the new animal model should hasten development of a badly needed, early diagnostic test for the condition... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Dissociating spatial attention and awareness in emotion-induced blindness. - Most SB, Wang L.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:35:12 +0100

Emotional stimuli attract spatial attention, sometimes improving perception at their location. But they also can disrupt awareness of targets at their location, a phenomenon known as emotion-induced blindness. Such discrepant findings might reflect the imp... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Scientists Develop Animal Model for TB-Related Blindness- 12/15/11

Johns Hopkins Medicine News — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:41:25 +0100