Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

New eye-tracking device

The newest research device at The William and Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation looks more like something out of a science fiction movie than a tool for discovering learning patterns.

21 Jun 2004

Antarctic worms may hold the key to future storage of organ transplants

The secret to Antarctic worms’ survival in the most extreme conditions may have implications for future storage of organ transplants, say University of Otago researchers.

21 Jun 2004

SARS, the highly infectious respiratory virus, has been found in tears

The finding suggests that tear analysis could not only be an effective means of diagnosing the infection, but also an unrecognised source of its spread, if appropriate preventive measures are not taken, say the authors.

20 Jun 2004

Maple Ridge Care Centre fined for abuse of a resident

Maple Ridge Care Centre has been fined $5,000 (Statement of Violation) for abuse of a resident by an employee and attempts by staff to cover up the incident.

17 Jun 2004

$2 million to advance medical research in Australia

Fourteen leading medical research teams across Australia have been granted $2 million by the Commonwealth Government to advance their medical research projects.

17 Jun 2004

Soil-borne disease called allergic fungal sinusitis is on the rise

The bad news this summer is that a destructive, soil-borne disease called allergic fungal sinusitis (AFS) is on the rise -- at least according to the up tick in cases referred to specialist Steven Schaefer, MD, chairman of the Department of Otolaryngology at The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

16 Jun 2004

Support for the medical use of marijuana

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau has announced his support for the medical use of marijuana. The District Attorney was joined by Montel Williams in announcing support for legislation introduced by New York State Assemblyman Richard Gottfried.

16 Jun 2004

New material, cellular perfluoroelastomers could revolutionise surgery and save lives

The proprietary material was originally developed by the Manchester based company to make artificial blood vessels, used to replace diseased arteries which can lead to heart attacks and strokes, and is capable of making significant improvements in surgery for vascular disease.

16 Jun 2004

Cholesterol lowering medications may reduce risk of glaucoma

Long-term use of statins, medications commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol, may be associated with a reduced risk of glaucoma among patients with cardiovascular diseases and high cholesterol, according to an article in the June issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 Jun 2004

Fruit consumption may protect against age-related maculopathy (ARM)

Eating fruit may help protect against the development of age-related maculopathy (ARM), an eye disease that can cause blindness, according to an article in the June issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

15 Jun 2004

Eye drops may prevent the onset of glaucoma in African Americans

Eye drops that reduce elevated pressure inside the eye can delay or possibly prevent the onset of glaucoma in African Americans at higher risk for developing the disease, researchers have found.

14 Jun 2004

New insights into the way the brain blends and balances information from different senses

New research has found that the brain continues to accept ambiguous visual information about an object in motion even when it conflicts with more reliable information that we can touch.

12 Jun 2004

The Population Health Complex to improve the health of all New Zealanders

Research teams dedicated to improving the health of all New Zealanders now have a new home at The University of Auckland’s Population Health Complex. The new purpose-built complex is located at the University’s Tamaki Campus, which is distinguished by its collaborative, inter-disciplinary, and research-intensive profile.

11 Jun 2004

Advertising restrcitions on some over the counter medicines likely to be lifted

Regulations to remove the current ban on advertising certain over the counter (OTC) medicines to the public were laid in Parliament today

9 Jun 2004

Research may help treat muscular dystrophies and other muscle diseases caused by glycosylation defects

Expressing high levels of a sugar-adding protein known as LARGE in mice that lack the protein can prevent muscular dystrophy in these animals, according to studies by researchers at the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.

7 Jun 2004

Tongue Display Unit allows blind people to see with their tongue

The Tongue Display Unit (TDU) can activate areas that are normally reserved for visual information and are unused when someone suffers from congenital blindness.

2 Jun 2004

Treating post-traumatic stress disorder

Trinity Western University researchers are conducting comparative studies for three treatments of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that, in the last 10 years, have helped reduce and eliminate PTSD symptoms in female victims of sexual assault.

2 Jun 2004

Suprising discovery in the retinas of colorblind people may help understanding of a number of eye disorders

The discovery of a surprise lurking in the retinas of colorblind people may have ramifications for understanding a number of eye disorders. Using a technique called “adaptive optics,” which was originally developed to help astronomers see more clearly through the Earth’s atmosphere.

2 Jun 2004

How to safely look at Venus passing across the face of the Sun

People could permanently damage their eyesight and even risk blindness if they look directly at Venus passing across the face of the Sun on June 8th warned the Government's Chief Medical Officer today as he offered eye-safe alternatives.

2 Jun 2004

Health Canada serious warning against use of Thermonex capsules

Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Thermonex capsules, which are being advertised for weight loss, water loss and to help boost thyroid output. This product could cause serious adverse effects, including death.

1 Jun 2004