Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

Pig stem cell transplants key to future research into retina treatment

A team of American and Chinese scientists studying the role of stem cells in repairing damaged retina tissue have found that pigs represent an effective proxy species to research treatments for humans. The study, published in STEM CELLS, demonstrates how cells can be isolated and transplanted between pigs, overcoming a key barrier to the research.

13 Apr 2011

Older women with high vitamin D status less likely to have early AMD

Women under the age of 75 with high vitamin D status were less likely to have early age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in adults, a University at Buffalo study has shown. The disease affects approximately 9 percent of Americans aged 40 and older.

12 Apr 2011

Study: Patients with glaucoma experience psychological problems

Fear of the unknown is one of the greatest issues facing patients with glaucoma - the second leading cause of blindness worldwide after cataracts - according to research in the April issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing. People also worry about how the eye disease, which can be hereditary, will affect other members of their family.

11 Apr 2011

Planned Parenthood funding a major stumbling block in budget negotiations

On the brink of a painful government shutdown, the Obama administration readied furlough notices for hundreds of thousands of workers Friday as Republican and Democratic leaders accused each other of refusing to give ground on a deal to keep operations running. ... Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid accused the Republicans of blocking a compromise because they were determined to make it harder 'for women to get cancer screenings' -- a Planned Parenthood funding reference.

11 Apr 2011

Two new studies on Veterans Affairs health care system

As recently as the 1990s, the Veterans Affairs health care system had a subpar reputation for quality, but two new studies of standard quality metrics, both led by Amal Trivedi, assistant professor of community health at Brown University and a physician at the Providence VA Medical Center, show that the system that cares for more than 5 million patients has improved markedly in the last decade.

8 Apr 2011

People with red eyes are considered sad, unhealthy and less attractive

Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder, but a new study reveals that the reverse is also true; unattractiveness is in the eye of the beheld. Research published in Ethology finds that people with bloodshot eyes are considered sadder, unhealthier and less attractive than people whose eye whites are untinted, a cue which is uniquely human.

8 Apr 2011

IBM discovers biodegradable nanoparticles that seek out and destroy drug-resistant bacteria

IBM's announcement of the first biodegradable nanoparticles that can seek out and destroy drug-resistant bacteria caps off a century of healthcare and life sciences innovation from IBM.

8 Apr 2011

Long-term delivery of CNTF slows loss of visual acuity caused by geographic atrophy

A phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of a severe form of age-related macular degeneration called geographic atrophy (GA) has become the first study to show the benefit of a therapy to slow the progression of vision loss for this disease. The results highlight the benefit of the use of a neurotrophic factor to treat GA and provide hope to nearly one million Americans suffering from GA.

8 Apr 2011

Bayer, Regeneron initiate two VEGF Trap-Eye Phase 3 trials in Diabetic Macular Edema

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Bayer HealthCare announced that they have initiated the first of two Phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the efficacy and safety of VEGF Trap-Eye, an investigational new agent for the treatment of certain eye diseases, in the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema.

8 Apr 2011

NSU to introduce new physical therapy program in Tampa

Nova Southeastern University will have a grand opening ceremony on Thursday, April 27 to launch the university's first physical therapy program in the Tampa Bay area.

8 Apr 2011

Shionogi launches CUVPOSA for pediatric chronic severe drooling

Shionogi Inc., the U.S.-based group company of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., today announced the U.S. commercial availability of CUVPOSA™ (glycopyrrolate) oral solution, the first and only FDA-approved treatment to reduce chronic severe drooling in patients aged 3 to 16 with neurologic conditions associated with problem drooling, such as cerebral palsy.

7 Apr 2011

Patients with type 2 diabetes can benefit from metformin than other drugs

New research suggests that several commonly prescribed drugs for type 2 diabetes may not be as effective at preventing death and cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and stroke, as the oral anti-diabetic drug, metformin.

7 Apr 2011

Optometrists congratulate Ontario government for progressive health policy

Ontarians will enjoy better access to eye health care now that optometrists can prescribe medications for sight-threatening conditions like eye infections and glaucoma.

7 Apr 2011

Johns Hopkins scientists identify autism gene linked to severity of social interaction deficits

With the help of two sets of brothers with autism, Johns Hopkins scientists have identified a gene associated with autism that appears to be linked very specifically to the severity of social interaction deficits.

7 Apr 2011

Protecting skin from sun's ultraviolet radiation is best way to avoid potential skin problems

Summertime means plenty of fun in the sun for many. "I would burn on Saturday and Sunday, peel by Wednesday and be back on the water by the next Saturday doing the same thing," says Thomas Randall, a man in his 70s who spent much of his youth at a lake or a beach trying to tan a pale complexion. But countless hours of sun exposure have taken a toll on his skin, and he now needs regular examinations to search for pre-cancerous moles.

7 Apr 2011

A2AAR-selective agonists may prevent permanent vision damage from traumatic optic nerve injury

Scientists want to protect the optic nerve when the eye takes a blow on the battlefield or in a car wreck.

7 Apr 2011

Gender gap in general surgery specialty shrinking

The gender gap among United States Medical Graduates (USMG) in the traditionally male-dominated specialty of general surgery is shrinking, according to study results published in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. These findings align with the overall trend of increasingly equal gender enrollment of medical students.

6 Apr 2011

Neurotech’s NT-501 intraocular implant slows progression of vision loss in GA subjects

Neurotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that it was reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that its product candidate NT-501 slowed progression of vision loss in patients with geographic atrophy (GA) associated with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a Phase 2 study.

6 Apr 2011

Scientists identify biological pathways that mediate IgA nephropathy

For the first time, researchers have found five regions in the human genome that increase susceptibility to immunoglobulin A nephropathy, a major cause of kidney failure worldwide - systematically identifying those that point to a tendency for IgA nephropathy, or a protection against it.

6 Apr 2011

LA County introduces new HIV/AIDS advertising campaign

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Office of AIDS Programs and Policy announces today the launch of its multi-media advertising campaign aimed at fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles County. Beginning this week, the bi-lingual Erase Doubt campaign will be seen throughout LA County on bustails, at community events, in bars and nightclubs, and online.

6 Apr 2011