Feature Channels: Vision

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The coronavirus pandemic has shifted many of our interactions online, with Zoom video calls replacing in-person classes, work meetings, conferences and other events. Will all that screen time damage our vision? Maybe not. It turns out that our visual perception is highly adaptable, according to research from Psychology Professor and Cognitive and Brain Sciences Coordinator Peter Gerhardstein’s lab at Binghamton University.

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The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) today announced the launch of a new audio and video podcast series providing consumers with critical information about the signs, symptoms and risk factors of retina disease and the importance of seeing a retina specialist for specialized care.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Tuesday.

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Innovative device ensures doctors obtain adequate fluid samples from the eye, helping with diagnosis and individualized treatment plans for patients.

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Imagine this: A patient learns that they are losing their sight because an eye disease has damaged crucial cells in their retina. Then, under the care of their doctor, they simply grow some new retinal cells, restoring their vision. Although science hasn’t yet delivered this happy ending, researchers are working on it – with help from the humble zebrafish. When a zebrafish loses its retinal cells, it grows new ones. This observation has encouraged scientists to try hacking the zebrafish’s innate regenerative capacity to learn how to treat human disease. That is why among the National Eye Institute’s 1,200 active research projects, nearly 80 incorporate zebrafish.

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Building upon years of research, a new study has demonstrated how a specific assessment of the eye could someday help properly diagnosis and monitor concussions.

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A novel approach to delivering gene therapy for retinal diseases eliminates the need for complex eye surgery and treats more damaged cells than existing methods, a team of UC Davis physicians and veterinary eye specialists has found.

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Mass Eye and Ear has received a five-year, $4 Million gift from Good Ventures to spur Dr. Joseph F. Arboleda-Velásquez's groundbreaking work into Alzheimer’s disease genetic resistance. This transformational gift will enable Dr. Arboleda-Velásquez to build upon the recent discovery of a genetic mutation that protected a woman who had a high familial risk for the condition and amyloid plaque deposits in her brain against early-onset Alzheimer’s.

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Topics in this issue: People with blindness have a refined sense of hearing; First-ever review of gender parity within psychological science; Friendly and open societies supercharged the early spread of COVID-19

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Laser pointers used to exercise pets may seem like safe and simple low-powered devices, but an Ohio teen learned the hard way that staring at the narrow beam can cause permanent eye damage.

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In a big step for ophthalmology, scientists created a method to view the inner workings of the eye and its diseases at the cellular level. Currently, researchers can only see a broad section of the retina. This new technology allows them to zoom into just one part of a cell. In their words, they have accelerated the process for vision restoration.

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During September’s Healthy Aging Month, America’s retina specialists urge the public to learn the signs and symptoms of retinal conditions that are more common with age, adopt healthy habits that protect sight, and seek care immediately if they experience sudden changes in vision rather than delaying care during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could lead to vision loss.

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Researchers have developed a mapping system for visually impaired pedestrians in urban spaces. The technology weighs the environmental and semantic data important to the visually impaired, and emphasizes safe, accessible, and navigable routes.

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New survey shows that pediatric specialists are struggling to keep their practices viable in the wake of the shutdown. As a result, children in America may suffer medical outcomes not anticipated in first-world countries.

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Surgeons at Mass Eye and Ear have replaced the ocular surface of four patients who each experienced chemical burns to one eye by using their own stem cells taken from the other healthy eye, in a technique known as “cultivated autologous limbal epithelial cell transplantation” (CALEC). These four cases, all part of an ongoing clinical trial supported by the National Eye Institute of the NIH, represent the first procedures of their kind to occur in the United States.

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Although good vision is important for children’s physical development and academic success, 24 percent of Chicago’s children and adolescents ages 1-17 have not had their vision tested, according to a survey of parents released by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).

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The American Cleaning Institute launched a partnership with the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Eye Institute (NEI) as part of the Packets Up! campaign to help educate families on the simple steps to prevent accidental eye exposures among children in the laundry room.

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Hosts Dedication for a Former Slave Who Became Country’s First African American Eye and Ear Specialist

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NIBIB-funded researchers have created nanoparticles for successful gene therapy of a mouse model of macular degeneration. The nanoparticle carriers have the potential to significantly expand the effectiveness of gene therapies for human eye diseases, including blindness.

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology shares back-to-online school checklist to protect kids’ eyes from too much screen time.

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It is known that different regions of the brain help us prioritize information so we can efficiently process visual scenes. A new study by a team of neuroscientists has discovered that one specific region, the occipital cortex, plays a causal role in piloting our attention to manage the intake of images.

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David Williams, PhD, has been selected as the 2021 RPB David F. Weeks Award for Outstanding Vision Research. The Weeks Award, funded through the generosity of Research to Prevent Blindness, an anonymous donor, and the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology, annually recognizes and celebrates an excellent vision researcher.

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Children wearing multifocal contact lenses had slower progression of their myopia, according to results from a clinical trial funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. The findings support an option for controlling the condition, also called nearsightedness, which increases the risk of cataracts, glaucoma and retinal detachment later in life. Investigators of the Bifocal Lenses In Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study published the results August 11 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Bifocal contact lenses aren’t just for aging eyes anymore. In nearsighted kids as young as 7 years old, multifocal contact lenses with a heavy dose of added reading power can dramatically slow further progression of myopia, new research has found.

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While pediatricians routinely screen infants and toddlers for vision problems, parents should also be aware of common eye conditions. With knowledge and action, they can help set up their children for healthy vision — for the classroom and beyond.

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Ophthalmology lost more patient volume due to the COVID-19 pandemic than any other medical specialty.

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology and Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) today announced the recipients of the Research to Prevent Blindness/American Academy of Ophthalmology Award for IRIS® Registry Research.

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New research shows significantly more people with diabetes got their critical annual dilated eye exam during the first two years following Medicaid expansion under the under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). However, this encouraging increase in the exam rate did not persist beyond two years.

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Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have for the first time identified stem cells in the region of the optic nerve, which transmits signals from the eye to the brain. The finding presents a new theory on why the most common form of glaucoma may develop and potential for new therapies.

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Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Health System has been ranked again as the nation’s best in ophthalmology by U.S News & World Report. This year marks the 19th time, and the 17th consecutive year, that Bascom Palmer has received the No. 1 ranking since the publication began surveying U.S. physicians for its annual “Best Hospitals” rankings 31 years ago.

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Wills Eye Hospital has earned a top national ranking for the 31st consecutive year on U.S. News & World Report’s Annual Best Hospital’s Survey.

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology is working to debunk common myths about sunglasses and offer tips to promote smart eye health choices.

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The inflammatory molecule interleukin-17A (IL-17A) triggers immune cells that in turn reduce IL-17A’s pro-inflammatory activity, according to a study by National Eye Institute (NEI) researchers.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every Tuesday throughout the duration of the outbreak.

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DALLAS – July 21, 2020 – Surgeons at UT Southwestern have developed and analyzed the benefits of a cutting-edge technique that provides patients with facial paralysis the ability to close their eyes. They concluded that the surgery – which is only performed at a handful of institutions around the world, including UTSW – not only allowed patients to blink and voluntarily close their eyes, but also protected them against the progressive damage to the cornea that’s typically seen with facial paralysis.

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Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have shown that the blood protein vitronectin is a promising drug target for dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss in Americans 60 years of age and older. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), also holds implications for Alzheimer’s and heart disease, which are linked to vitronectin.

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Grammy Award-winning country music artist Kix Brooks is the new chair of Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt Advisory Board, effective July 1, taking over for outgoing chair Allison DeMarcus. Louise Adams, who succeeds Judge Les Smith, was recently named the chair of the Vanderbilt Eye Institute (VEI) Advisory Board.

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New research by Welsh academics shows that a patient's pupils can reveal if they have suffered a traumatic experience in the past.

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Following a long-term diet that’s low in carbohydrates and high in fat and protein from vegetables may lower the risk of the most common subtype of glaucoma

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A just published survey of more than 1,300 U.S. cataract surgeons and nurses shows 93 percent believe that something needs to be done to reduce the excessive amount of waste produced by surgery.

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Cerebral (cortical) visual impairment (CVI) is a condition that interferes with the ability of the brain to process information from the eyes, and it has become a leading cause of visual impairment in the U.S.

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National survey finds appointment delays and cancellations were the greatest cause of concern; waiting for in-person appointments is greatly preferred over telemedicine.

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New findings reframe the traditional view of face blindness as a disorder arising strictly from deficits in visual perception of facial features Findings suggest prosopagnosia may be a more complex disorder rooted in multiple deficits Findings can help inform the design of tools to improve face recognition in those with the condition

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every Tuesday throughout the duration of the outbreak.

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The key components of electrical connections between light receptors in the eye and the impact of these connections on the early steps of visual signal processing have been identified for the first time, according to research published today in Science Advances by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

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The Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology, the research arm of the Henry Ford Health System Department of Ophthalmology, is accepting abstracts for The Eye, The Brain & The Auto 9th World Research Congress on Health and Modern Mobility: Autonomous Vehicles, Driver's Fitness to Function, and Naturalistic Driving Methods to be held Dec. 7-8, 2020. This will be a virtual event.

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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.