Feature Channels: Vision

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Scientists use nanoparticle-delivered gene therapy to limit blinding retinal disease in rodents.

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Tiny eye movements can be used as an index of humans’ ability to anticipate relevant information in the environment independent of the information’s sensory modality, a team of scientists has found.

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology today announced plans to expand the Ophthalmology family of journals to include Ophthalmology Science, an online open access journal.

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Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a member hospital of Mass General Brigham, is entering into an exclusive licensing agreement with Biogen to develop a potential treatment for inherited retinal degeneration due to mutations in the PRPF31 gene, which are among the most common causes for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Ophthalmic Trauma are concerned that trips to the hospital for fireworks-related injuries will mirror this spike in fireworks sales.

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Exercise can slow or prevent the development of macular degeneration and may benefit other common causes of vision loss, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, new research suggests.

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A new approach in ophthalmology that offers a revolutionary alternative to corneal transplantation has just been developed by researchers and clinicians in North America, Europe, and Oceania.

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Doug Sawyer was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, 11 years ago.

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A new study published in Frontiers in Neurology has found a distinctive neurological pattern among U.S. Embassy staffers and family members who were injured three years ago while stationed in Havana, Cuba. By analyzing videos taken during initial clinical evaluations, researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found staffers with neurological impairments had similar changes in eye movements and pupil responses.

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The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) and ARVO Foundation for Eye Research announce the opening of nominations for their respective awards, including three new awards— the Genentech Career Development Award for Underrepresented Minority Emerging Vision Scientists, the Achievements in Eye and Vision Advocacy Award, and the Emerging Advocate Award—on July 1, 2020.

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On July 8, the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR) in conjunction with the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) will host the Fifth Annual Dry Eye Awareness Month Congressional Briefing entitled How Lifestyle Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Can Affect Vision.

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The brain’s ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) receives signals from the eye, but it is not associated with classical image-forming. For decades little was known about this brain region’s cellular structure and purpose. In a new study, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC neuroscientists reveal newly identified brain cell subtypes unique to this region that form a striking layered formation.

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Alzheimer's disease in its early stages affects the integrity of small blood vessels in the retinas of patients, according to a recent study led by Cedars-Sinai. This discovery holds promise for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's through the retina, a back-of-the-eye organ that is an extension of the brain and easily accessible for live, noninvasive imaging.

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Researchers seeking to unravel the mysteries of how our amazingly complex brains do what they do, often start with the eye. An extension of neural tissue connecting the eye and brain, the retina, the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye has long been a model for scientists to explore how the brain works.

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After a brain injury, cells that normally nourish nerves may actually kill them instead, a new study in rodents finds. This “reactive” phenomenon may be the driving factor behind neurodegenerative diseases like glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness.

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The National Eye Institute (NEI) has established an office to accelerate progress in regenerative medicine for eye disease and vision disorders.

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DALLAS – June 17, 2020 – The molecular changes that lead to Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) occur decades before the disease causes blurry vision and other noticeable symptoms in patients, new research by UT Southwestern scientists shows. This insight into this earliest stage of FECD may eventually lead to new ways of screening for and treating the common condition, which affects an estimated 4 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 40.

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New NEI-supported research provides insight into the eye conditions associated with Marfan syndrome, where weakened zonule fibers cause vision problems.

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Introduced by Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Roger Marshall, MD, (R-Kan.) and Ami Bera, MD, (D-Calif.), this legislation would help protect America’s seniors from unnecessary delays in care by streamlining and standardizing prior authorization under the Medicare Advantage program, providing much-needed oversight and transparency of health insurance for America’s seniors.

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Researchers who made a knock-in mouse-model of the genetic disorder retinitis pigmentosa 59, or RP59, expected to see retinal degeneration and retinal thinning. They surprisingly found none, calling into question the commonly accepted — though never proved — mechanism for RP59.

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Chinese and Australian researchers have combined studies of more than 170,000 people and found conclusive evidence that regular physical exercise reduces the risk of age-related cataracts, the cause of blindness in an estimated 13 million people worldwide.

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Research to Prevent Blindness announces exciting changes to its flagship grant, the RPB Career Development Award, by increasing both the amount of funding and the number of awards funded.

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The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) invites members of the press to cover the latest advances in retina science and practice during its virtual 38th Annual Scientific Meeting July 24-26.

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This week, tear gas and rubber bullets blinded at least two Americans and caused serious eye injuries in many others. Life-altering eye injuries are a common result of urban warfare and rioting, worldwide. The American Academy of Ophthalmology condemns this growing problem.

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The National Eye Institute (NEI) has funded development of a handheld pediatric vision scanner that easily and accurately screens for amblyopia, or “lazy eye.” The device could facilitate earlier identification of children who need vision-saving treatment when therapy is likely to be more effective. It also could reduce unnecessary referrals to ophthalmologists.

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The 4-star rating is Charity Navigator's highest possible rating and indicates that Glaucoma Research Foundation adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way.

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he systematic review was conducted by a large, international collaborative of researchers, front-line and specialist clinicians, epidemiologists, patients, public health and health policy experts of published and unpublished literature in any language.

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The discovery further challenges the accepted scientific dogma that the lens is shut out from the immune protection.

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If you wear contact lenses, eyeglasses or safety glasses, you may be wondering how to best handle eyewear to protect from the coronavirus (COVID-19) and other infections.

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As all 50 states begin to reopen to some degree, the American Academy of Ophthalmology wants to share how ophthalmologists are working to protect their patients and staff.

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Anyone who’s ever tried to find something in a hurry knows how helpful it is to think about the lost item’s color, size and shape. But surprisingly, traits of an object that you can’t see also come into play during a search, Johns Hopkins University researchers found.

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A new artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm developed by researchers at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE) can rapidly and accurately detect age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss in the United States.

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Experts from UAB’s School of Optometry and UAB Callahan Eye Hospital and Clinics provide guidance for keeping your eyes safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

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More than 200 ophthalmologists from 40 states today are Zooming or teleconferencing with lawmakers and their staffs in Washington, D.C. to push for congressional support for measures that will help physician practices survive the COVID-19 pandemic and to restore patients’ timely access to sight-saving treatments.

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Research to Prevent Blindness and the Allergan Foundation announce new grants to increase funding for innovative research from early-career vision scientists.

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Wills Eye Ophthalmologists are once again prominently listed among Philadelphia Magazine’s Annual Top Doctors list in its May 2020 issue. On the list, Wills Eye Physicians from every subspecialty within the field of ophthalmology are named.

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Glasses to stop myopia or nearsightedness in children have been shown to work in a multi-site trial of 256 children and will go on sale later this year outside the United States.

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The glaucoma specialist and researcher from Glaucoma Center of San Francisco is also a medical editor for the Gleams newsletter published by Glaucoma Research Foundation and lecturer at the annual Glaucoma 360 Symposium in San Francisco.

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Babies born prematurely who require treatment to prevent blindness from retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) could be treated with a dose of Avastin (bevacizumab) that is a fraction of the dose commonly used for ROP currently. Results from the dose-finding study were published April 23 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The study was conducted by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) and supported by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

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National Eye Institute (NEI) researchers profiling epigenomic changes in light-sensing mouse photoreceptors have a clearer picture of how age-related eye diseases may be linked to age-related changes in the regulation of gene expression. The findings, published online April 21 in Cell Reports, suggest that the epigenome could be targeted as a therapeutic strategy to prevent leading causes of vision loss, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

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Health care providers across the Las Vegas Valley were facing an unprecedented challenge, worsened by a lack of supplies to protect themselves. A local medical community group reached out: Could the UNLV College of Engineering help fill the gap for personal protection equipment, such as face shields? The college put together a task force.

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If you’re not supposed to touch your face, should contact lens wearers shift to glasses during the COVID-19 pandemic? David Chu, assistant professor of ophthalmology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, discusses contact lens safety precautions and how the virus might affect eyes.

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Researchers have discovered a technique for directly reprogramming skin cells into light-sensing rod photoreceptors used for vision, sidestepping the need for stem cells. The lab-made rods enabled blind mice to detect light after the cells were transplanted into the animals’ eyes.

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According to physiatrist Max Fitzgerald, MD, we should focus on routines that prevent our muscles from getting tight and causing pain. This is increasingly important as we are dealing with both the emotional and physical toll of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The 2020 Power List is out and six Wills Eye Hospital faculty Ophthalmologists are named among the most influential figures in the field based on their scope of knowledge and professional achievements. Director of the Wills Eye Ocular Oncology Service Carol L. Shields, MD was listed the #1 most influential ophthalmologist in the world and the only female physician to make the top 10. Leaders were selected based on nominations from readers of the U.K.-based news magazine, The Ophthalmologist that publishes the list. The final top 100 list was released in March 2020.

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology shares eye health tips and advice to keep you safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have defined a crucial window of time that mice need to key in on visual events.