Feature Channels: Vision

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A new study suggests that most people with acute conjunctivitis, or pink eye, are getting the wrong treatment.

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Ophthalmologists at Massachusetts Eye and Ear are now offering a new type of minimally-invasive laser vision correction, the ReLEx® SMILE procedure.

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At present, the only FDA approved method of treating glaucoma is to lower eye pressure; this slows the progression of glaucomatous optic nerve damage but does not completely halt it, and certainly does not regenerate damaged nerve tissue.

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Wayne State University recently received a five-year, $1.925 million grant from the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health to test the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) — a newly recognized level of gene expression regulation — in bacterial keratitis – an infection of the cornea caused by bacteria — as well as to identify new therapeutic targets and alternative treatment strategies.

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The arrangement of the photoreceptors in our eyes allows us to detect socially significant color variation better than other types of color vision, a team of researchers has found. Specifically, our color vision is superior at spotting “social signaling,” such as blushing or other facial color changes—even when compared to the type of color vision that we design for digital cameras and other photographic devices.

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Pacific University (Ore.) Awards Larry Jones OD '85 its 2017 Kamelia Massih Prize for a Distinguished Optometrist

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Research scientists interested in applying for a 1-year, $40,000 Shaffer Grant should visit the Glaucoma Research Foundation website.

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Available evidence suggests that soft contact lenses can be safely prescribed to children and adolescents, with no increase in adverse effects compared to adults, according to a review in the June issue of Optometry and Vision Science, the official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

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The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) recently announced that Reza Dana, M.D, MPH, M.Sc., Director of Cornea and Refractive Surgery at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and a resident of Newton, Mass., will receive the prestigious Friedenwald Award.

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This study will explore the role of biomechanical differences in the optic nerve that may explain why individuals of African descent are at greatest risk of developing glaucoma.

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Program Focuses on Breakthrough Surgical Procedures and Development of New Technology

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Traditional eye drops, while the go-to medication option for glaucoma patients, still have lots of room for improvement. Dosing regimens can be difficult to manage or remember, irritation or redness can occur, and much of the medication gets blinked away before reaching the eye. Because of these challenges, researchers are working to make taking glaucoma medication easier.

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The visual cortex, the human brain’s vision-processing centre that was previously thought to mature and stabilize in the first few years of life, actually continues to develop until sometime in the late 30s or early 40s, a McMaster neuroscientist and her colleagues have found.

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Brian Samuels, M.D., says there is an increase of eye pressure throughout the morning, and that pressure comes and goes throughout the day. This fluctuation is a known risk factor for the progression of glaucoma.

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Whole genome sequencing (WGS), which is the process of determining an organism’s complete DNA sequence, can be used to identify DNA anomalies that cause disease. Identifying disease-causing DNA abnormalities allows clinicians to better predict an effective course of treatment for the patient. Now, in a series of recent studies, scientists at the University of Missouri are using whole genome sequencing through the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Consortium to identify genetic variants that cause rare diseases, such as progressive retinal atrophy and Niemann-Pick type 1, a fatal disorder in domestic cats. Findings from the study could help feline preservationists implement breeding strategies in captivity for rare and endangered species such as the African black-footed cat.

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In a study published in Scientific Reports, researchers from Magdeburg University (Germany) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong report that for rats and mice, repetitive transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS) may help preserve visual neurons from cell death after injury.

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In a small and preliminary clinical trial, Johns Hopkins researchers and their collaborators have shown that an experimental gene therapy that uses viruses to introduce a therapeutic gene into the eye is safe and that it may be effective in preserving the vision of people with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

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Led by researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, a study in mice finds that development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could be arrested by switching from a high-glycemic to a low-glycemic diet.

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Scientists at the University of Birmingham have developed a type of eye drop which could potentially revolutionise the treatment of one of the leading causes of blindness in the UK.

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The startle response, often recorded as an eye-blink reflex, is a defensive measure believed to reflect emotional processing. Patients with alcohol use disorders (AUDs) show abnormal startle-reflex responses to alcohol-related stimuli. This study examined startle-reflex responses to various visual stimuli among heavy drinkers, and assessed whether certain patterns predict the development of AUDs four years later.

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A new, personalized and noninvasive treatment using 3-D printed implants has been developed to help children born with abnormally small or missing eyes (microphthalmia/ anophthalmia, or MICA). The research is being presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) this week in Baltimore, Md.

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A generic glaucoma drug has been shown to halt the progression of myopia (nearsightedness), potentially offering rapid approval for a new treatment of an incurable condition. The research is being presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) this week in Baltimore, Md.

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On May 4th, RPB-supported researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis published a study identifying a biomarker that could help to predict glaucoma damage before vision loss.

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Six biological pigments called rhodopsins play well-established roles in light-sensing in the fruit fly eye. Three of them also have light-independent roles in temperature sensation. New research shows that a seventh rhodopsin, Rh7, is expressed in the brain of fruit flies where it regulates the fly’s day-night activity cycles. The study appears in Nature and was funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

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Researchers turned to the American Academy of Ophthalmology's eye disease clinical registry, the IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) to discover more information on myopic choroidal neovascularization which affects about 41,000 people in the United States.

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Scientists have developed a new method to clear antibiotic resistant bacteria from the surface of the eye – introducing a new strain of bacteria that preys on other microorganisms. The research is being presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) this week in Baltimore, Md.

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What: The annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology When: May 7-11 Where: Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD (1 W. Pratt St. Baltimore, MD 21201)

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Monthly eye injections of Avastin (bevacizumab) are as effective as the more expensive drug Eylea (aflibercept) for the treatment of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), according to a clinical trial funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health. After six monthly injections, treatment with either drug improved visual acuity on average from 20/100 to 20/40.

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Systemic therapy consisting of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants preserved vision of uveitis patients better – and had fewer adverse outcomes – than a long-lasting corticosteroid intraocular implant, according to a clinical trial funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI). After seven years, visual acuity on average remained stable among participants on systemic therapy but declined by an average of six letters (about one line on an eye chart) among participants who had the implant. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.

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A survey of adult participants seen in an urban eye hospital revealed that one-in-five study participants had clinically significant depressive symptoms. The research is being presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) this week in Baltimore, Md.

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Scientists have demonstrated the capacity to grow specialized neurons that relay visual data to the brain, creating a source of cells for future treatments of glaucoma and other optic neurodegenerative diseases. The research is being presented during a press conference at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) in Baltimore, Md., on Monday, May 8 from 9:30 – 10:15am.

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Using augmented-reality (AR) display systems, scientists have restored visual function in the amblyopic (lazy) eyes of patients outside of the currently accepted window for treatment. The research is being presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) this week in Baltimore, Md.

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Surgeons have successfully used a remote controlled robotic system to operate inside the human eye, paving the way for future robotic assistance in clinical treatments that require extreme precision and stability, such as the controlled delivery of gene therapy and stem cells. The research is being presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) this week in Baltimore, Md.

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Scientists have demonstrated that a machine learning algorithm, using images of patients’ retinas obtained over time, can predict the critical moment when early or intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) will progress into severe AMD. The research is being presented during a press conference at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) in Baltimore, Md, on Monday, May 8 from 9:30 – 10:15 am.

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Scientists have shown for the first time that gestational exposure to marijuana smoke in animals affects the development of the eye and these alterations seem to progress with age. The research is being presented during a press conference at the 2017 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) in Baltimore, Md., on Monday, May 8 from 9:30 – 10:15am.

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Research Examines Effectiveness of Leading Treatment Approaches

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Over 11,000 top eye and vision researchers and clinicians from around the world will attend the Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO), May 7-11, in Baltimore, Md., to explore cutting-edge findings in basic and clinical science. The theme and focus of this year's agenda is on creating stronger global connections and effective collaborations to accelerate vision research.

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For the first time, information about worldwide blindness and vision impairment is being projected onto NASA’s room-sized, global display system during the Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (May 7 – 11 at the Baltimore Convention Center).

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Mass. Eye and Ear is enhancing the care it brings to adult and pediatric retina patients with a new and innovative vitreoretinal surgical platform, known as the NGENUITY 3D Visualization System.

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Even objective, automated vision testing—using a device called an autorefractor—gives variable results in patients with Down syndrome, reports a study in the May issue of Optometry and Vision Science, the official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

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The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has opened the first stage of a federal prize competition designed to generate miniature, lab-grown human retinas. The retina is the light- sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. Over the next three years pending availability of funds, NEI plans to offer more than $1 million in prize money to spur development of human retina organoids.

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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a biomarker that appears linked to damage to cells in the retina of the eye. The marker may make it possible to better monitor the progression of glaucoma, as well as the effectiveness of treatment for the blinding disease.

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Graves' eye disease trial led by the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center shows success of 'breakthrough therapy" to reduce suffering and disfigurement.

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A map of the genome organization and DNA modifications that control growth of normal and cancerous retinal cells offers scientists a new path to understanding retinoblastoma and degenerative retinal diseases.

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The 4-star rating is Charity Navigator’s highest rating, indicating that “Glaucoma Research Foundation exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause.”

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Three researchers at the ARVO 2017 Annual Meeting will share their latest results, including: Who will get AMD? Teaching algorithms to predict who’s at risk; Restoring vision: New hope for retinal cell replacement, and Prenatal marijuana use: Potential long-term effects on babies’ eyes.

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Cell therapy company jCyte has received Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy designation from the FDA for their developmental retinitis pigmentosa therapy.

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Glaucoma Research Foundation, the nation’s most experienced foundation dedicated solely to glaucoma research and education, recently elected John G. Flanagan, PhD, FCOptom to its Board of Directors.

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Glaucoma Research Foundation has announced the most ambitious fundraising effort in its history with the public launch of The Cure is in Sight Campaign at its Annual Meeting and Dinner last week in San Francisco.

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Treating donor corneas with a cocktail of molecules prior to transplanting to a host may improve survival of grafts and, thus, outcomes in high-risk corneal transplant patients, according to a new study led by researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.