Eye News and Research

Latest Eye News and Research

Eyelash growth product can damage vision

American consumers are being warned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the dangers of a product which promises to increase eyelash growth.

19 Nov 2007

Older children more likely to develop cross-eye and lazy eye

In a study of more than 6,000 Los Angeles-area children – the largest study of its kind – researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) found that both strabismus (commonly known as cross-eyed or wall-eyed) and amblyopia (often referred to as lazy eye) were more prevalent in older children than in younger children.

16 Nov 2007

Nasty new cold virus claims lives across the U.S.

A nasty new version of the virus which causes the common cold is spreading across the United States.

15 Nov 2007

What happens when alcohol-dependent subjects view alcohol associated pictures?

Several studies demonstrated that alcohol-dependent patients show altered responses to alcohol-related cues. It is assumed that the regular association of these cues with the ingestion of alcohol leads to conditioned reactions, motivating reward or relief craving and instigating drug intake.

13 Nov 2007

Telemedicine may play in the diagnosis of eye diseases

Two studies being presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's 2007 Annual Meeting suggest that telemedicine may have a significant role to play in the diagnosis of eye diseases, increased patient compliance and patient access to quality care.

13 Nov 2007

New insights into cataracts

Using the tools and techniques of soft condensed matter physics, a research team in Switzerland has demonstrated that a finely tuned balance of attractions between proteins keeps the lens of the eye transparent, and that even a small change in this balance can cause proteins to aggregate and de-mix.

13 Nov 2007

Improved surgery technique for endothelial disease of the cornea

In a research presentation today at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Annual Meeting, Massimo Busin, MD, department head and professor of ophthalmology at the Villa Serena Hospital, Forli, Italy, described a technique that significantly improved results in patients being treated for endothelial disease of the cornea, the transparent covering of the front of the eye that provides much of its optical power.

13 Nov 2007

Correcting poor vision in nursing home residents may decrease symptoms of depression

Nursing home residents who received eyeglasses for uncorrected refractive error were found to have improved quality of life and decreased symptoms of depression when compared to those with refractive error who had not received eyeglasses, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

13 Nov 2007

Microfluidics chips used to watch worm behavior

They wriggle and turn and explore new territory until they find something edible, and then they stay the course until the food disappears.

13 Nov 2007

New approaches to wet age-related macular degeneration treatment

Two particularly notable research presentations at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Annual Meeting described new approaches to the treatment of "wet" Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of severe vision loss in the western world in people over age 50.

13 Nov 2007

MedPAC finds uneven quality in newer Medicare Advantage plans

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission officials at a meeting on Friday expressed concern over data showing differences in quality among newer Medicare Advantage plans and increasing enrollment in private fee-for-service MA plans, CQ HealthBeat reports.

12 Nov 2007

Fenofibrate intervention and event lowering in diabetes

Fenofibrate is the first and only widely available lipid modifying agent to demonstrate significant protection to the eye of patients with type 2 diabetes, reducing the need for laser therapy in a wide spectrum of patients which should decrease the risk of progressive loss of vision.

6 Nov 2007

Revolutionary surgical procedure for a type of decapitation

A revolutionary surgical procedure by a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Mississippi Medical Center has helped restore almost complete function to a patient who suffered a virtual decapitation.

6 Nov 2007

U-M study finds shorter sleep duration for 9- to 12-year-old kids is associated with increased risk for being overweight

Diets high in fat and sugar may not be the only things contributing to American children's expanding waistlines. Research findings from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital suggest that kids who aren't getting enough sleep also may be at an increased risk for being overweight.

5 Nov 2007

Artificial organs targeted in medical technology venture

The University of Bern is bringing together its established areas of expertise in the field of medical technology. The outstanding international reputation of medical technology teaching and research in Bern is to be further enhanced in the long term by the creation of new assistant professorships.

5 Nov 2007

New approach to peak flow monitoring

When it comes to asthma monitoring, the eye is the key; according to Associate Professor Helen Reddel, who has spent years researching and refining a new peak expiratory flow chart.

2 Nov 2007

Immune cell age plays role in retinal damage in age-related macular degeneration

Studying a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older Americans, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found age is key in determining whether damaging blood vessels will form beneath the retina and contribute to vision loss.

2 Nov 2007

Visual field loss increases the risk of falls in older adults

Visual field loss (specifically peripheral visual fields) is the primary vision component that increases the risk of falls, according to a study published this month in Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science, a peer-reviewed monthly publication of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).

31 Oct 2007

Visual field loss increases risk of falls in older adults

Rockville, MD þu Visual field loss (specifically peripheral visual fields) is the primary vision component that increases the risk of falls, according to a study published this month in Investigative Ophthalmology and Vision Science, a peer-reviewed monthly publication of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO).

29 Oct 2007

Computer-based test to measure optimal visual acuity in age-related macular degeneration

A computer-based method for evaluating the eye's ability to distinguish object details and shape in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could provide a more accurate way to assess the effectiveness of eye surgery or vision rehabilitation interventions with devices and training, according to a Canadian study.

29 Oct 2007