Feature Channels: Vision

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Shree Kurup, M.D., director of research in the ophthalmology department at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, will present the preliminary findings of a Phase 3 clinical trial on a new drug for the treatment of uveitis, a serious inflammatory condition of the uvea, the middle layer of the eye that provides most of the blood supply to the retina. The findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Retinal Specialists in Las Vegas from Aug. 25 to 29.

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For the first time, researchers decipher the retina’s neural code for brain communication to create novel, more effective prosthetic retinal device for blindness.

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Patients using cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may be at increased risk of developing age-related cataracts, according to a study - “Age-related Cataract Is Associated with Type 2 Diabetes and Statin Use”, in the August 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.

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Researchers from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Division and their collaborators have isolated an elusive human gene that causes a common form of Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a relatively rare but devastating form of early-onset blindness. The new LCA gene is called NMNAT1. Finding the specific gene mutated in patients with LCA is the first step towards developing sight-saving gene therapy.

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Targeting a key protein blocks two important pathways related to blood vessel leakage in diabetic retinopathy

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Watching 3D movies can "immerse" you in the experience—but can also lead to visual symptoms and even motion sickness, reports a study – “Stereoscopic Viewing and Reported Perceived Immersion and Symptoms”, in the July 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.

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Studies have consistently reported that women require reading glasses or bifocal lenses earlier than men. According to a recent Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science paper, the gender difference is caused by factors other than focusing ability, such as arm length or preferred reading distance, which should be considered when prescribing readers or bifocals.

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A group of computer science students at Drexel University worked with students from the Overbrook School for the Blind to develop a set of smartphone apps. The team integrated current visual-assistive technology and also customized social media app interfaces for visually impaired users.

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Scientists have found new evidence that people spot a face in the crowd more quickly when teeth are visible — whether smiling or grimacing — than a face with a particular facial expression. The new findings, published in the Journal of Vision, counters the long held “face-in -the-crowd” effect that suggests only angry looking faces are detected more readily in a crowd.

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Viewing Facebook and Flickr photos on a smart phone are becoming common practice. But according to a recently published Journal of Vision study, pictures on the small screen often appear distorted. Vision scientists found that perceptual distortions occur because picture takers do not take their viewing distance into account.

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A telephone intervention trial was associated with improvement in glaucoma medication adherence in both the treatment group and the control group but, when the two groups were compared, interactive telephone calls and tailored print materials did not significantly improve adherence, according to a report of a randomized controlled clinical trial published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, a JAMA Network publication.

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Cerebral damage and retinopathy of prematurity appear to be independently associated with visual impairment among preschool children who were born extremely premature, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, a JAMA Network publication.

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Suppose someone told you that researchers had discovered that a major cause of vision loss is treatable, and that the most promising new treatment is—playing video games? It may sound far-fetched, but those are the conclusions of a special article, “Removing the Brakes on Plasticity in the Amblyopic Brain,” in the June 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.

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When people close their eyes, they can form mental images of things that exist only in their minds. Neuroscientists studying this phenomenon at medical schools in the Texas Medical Center believe that there may be a way to use these mental images to help some of the estimated 39 million people worldwide who are blind.

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Mayo Clinic is first in the Southwest to treat evaporative dry eye using LipiFlow thermal pulsation system.

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iPhones and other smartphones can be a huge help to the visually impaired, but only 15 percent of vision doctors are recommending them to patients, according to a study presented at the 2012 ARVO Annual Meeting.

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Researchers hope to use fluorescent light bulbs to slow nearsightedness, which affects 40 percent of American adults and can cause blindness.

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New findings from a Canadian research team suggest that not only is there a real connection between vision and other senses, but that connection is important to better understand the underlying mechanisms that can quickly trigger sensory changes.

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The same technology used by astronomers to obtain clear views of distant stars is now being used by optometrists to perform incredibly detailed examinations of the living eye. An update on new developments in ocular imaging techniques—and how they may affect clinical vision care in the not-too-distant future—is presented in an article titled “Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope-based Microperimetry” published in a special May 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.

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Sloppy shipping of a donated human retina to an Indiana University researcher studying a leading cause of vision loss has inadvertently helped uncover a previously undetected mechanism causing the disease. The discovery has led researchers to urge review of how millions of dollars are spent investigating the cause of a type of age-related macular degeneration called choroidal neovascularization.

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Two drugs commonly used to treat AMD yield similar improvements in vision for patients receiving treatments on a monthly or as-needed basis, according to a study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Results from the largest genetic study of glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness and vision loss worldwide, showed that two genetic variations are associated with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), a common form of the disease.

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ARVO is pleased to host a presentation of the one-year results from the U.K.’s Inhibition of VEGF in Age-related Choroidal Neovascularisation (IVAN) study and the two-year results of the Comparison of Age-related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials (CATT) trial.

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Just because a driver has passed the motor vehicle administration’s vision test may not mean he or she is safe to drive. A recent study found that the frequency and distance at which drivers with moderate levels of blurred vision and cataracts recognize pedestrians at night was severely reduced, even when the drivers have passed the required vision test.

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A national consortium of researchers has published new findings that could change the standard of practice for those treating Fuchs’ Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD), a disease characterized by cornea swelling that can eventually lead to the need for corneal transplantation.

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Working in mice, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have devised a treatment that prevents the optic nerve injury that occurs in glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease that is a leading cause of blindness.

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Older drivers rated at high crash risk on a computerized vision test are more likely to have driving problems related to distractions in the car, reports a study in the April 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.

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Wide-diameter contact lenses are offering instant relief to people who suffer chronic dry eyes. The lens rests on the sclera, the white part of the eye. Major improvements in materials and design have sparked a resurgence in the use of scleral contact lenses.

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Rakesh Babu, an assistant professor of information studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is exploring ways to make the Internet and computers more accessible for the blind and visually impaired. Babu, who is blind himself, says his research on usability can also provide benefits to computer users with sight.

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Wii remotes are not all about fun and games. Scientists can use them to assess and diagnose children with an abnormal head position caused by eye diseases. As described in a recent Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science article, researchers developed a low-cost digital head posture measuring device with Nintendo Wiimotes to help diagnose this condition, medically called ocular torticollis.

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An app created by a Vanderbilt graduate student converts a tablet into a powerful tool for teaching math to visually impaired students.

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Myopia (nearsightedness) develops in children when the lens stops compensating for continued growth of the eye, according to a study in the March 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.

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Wolters Kluwer Health and the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) are pleased to announce the launch of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology (APJO). The new online journal is dedicated to facilitating exchange of expertise among ophthalmologists and visual scientists in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, is the publisher of record for the journal.

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U-M researchers take an important step in understanding retina regeneration, suggesting new possibilities for developing treatments in humans.

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Gene therapy for congenital blindness took another step forward, as researchers further improved vision in three adult patients previously treated in one eye. The patients were better able to see in dim light, with no adverse effects.

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After more than a decade on the market, extended-wear (EW) contact lenses still haven't caught on among patients and eye care professionals, reports the February 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.

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“Twitter Chat” Hosted by @MontefioreNews on January 26, at 2 pm EST, #Monte_GLC.

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Glaucoma is typically triggered when fluid is unable to circulate freely through the eye’s trabecular meshwork (TM) tissue. Intraocular pressure rises and damages the retina and optic nerve, which causes vision loss. In certain cases of glaucoma, this blockage results from a build-up of the protein myocilin. Georgia Tech Chemistry and Biochemistry Assistant Professor Raquel Lieberman focused on examining the structural properties of these myocilin deposits. She was surprised to discover that both genetically defected as well as normal, or wild-type (WT), myocilin are readily triggered to produce very stable fibrous residue containing a pathogenic material called amyloid.

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Wearing contact lenses can affect glaucoma measurements, a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine study has found.

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Dermatology expert offers ideas for younger-looking eyes.

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Pioneering vision study in mice will help revolutionize the study of brain function and mental disease.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Research offers potential treatment for macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

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Findings provide a better understanding of the effects of normal aging, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases on the performance of everyday cognitive tasks.

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Most people who wear contact lenses perceive themselves as following standard guidelines for lens wear and care—but only a tiny minority are actually compliant with all recommended care steps, according to a study in the November 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.

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Whether comparing a man and a woman or a parent and a baby, we can still see when two people of different age or sex are genetically related. How do we know that people are part of a family? Findings from a new study published in the Journal of Vision increases our understanding of the brain’s ability to see through these underlying variations in facial structure.

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Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and collaborators have discovered a powerful new protein in the eye of the fruit fly that may shed light on blinding diseases and other sensory problems in humans.

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An appreciation of nature and enjoyment of the outdoors is not limited to those who can see. But nature trails that offer interaction with forests and the natural environment are quite limited for people who are visually impaired or blind. Well-designed environmental education programs, such as New Jersey’s Sensory Awareness Trail, can offer a look at nature through all the senses.