Visual Impairment News and Research

Latest Visual Impairment News and Research

Early-age cataract surgery increases central corneal thickness

When congenital cataract surgery is performed at an early age, central corneal thickness increases, show study results published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

25 Jul 2012

Ocular Therapeutix announces results from sustained release OTX-TP1 study on glaucoma

Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. announced today initial results of their sustained release travoprost-loaded punctum plug feasibility study for the treatment of glaucoma. This travoprost punctum plug (OTX-TP1) was evaluated for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure in subjects with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension over a 30 day period.

24 Jul 2012

Pfizer receives positive opinion from EMA CHMP for crizotinib to treat ALK-positive NSCLC

Pfizer announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending that crizotinib be granted conditional marketing authorization in the European Union (EU), for the treatment of adults with previously treated anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

21 Jul 2012

Number of blind persons decline in Germany

The numbers of people in Germany who are blind or visually impaired is going down. Robert P. Finger and his co-authors present their findings in the current edition of Deutsches -rzteblatt International.

21 Jul 2012

Blindsight in monkeys is available in everyday environments

The visual information from eyes is sent into the brain unconsciously even if you are not aware. One of examples of unconscious seeing is a phenomenon of "blindsight" [Subjects have no awareness, but their brains can see] in subjects with visual impairment, caused by the damage of a part of the brain called the visual cortex.

29 Jun 2012

Senior citizens report fewer visual impairment problems than their counterparts

Today's senior citizens are reporting fewer visual impairment problems than their counterparts from a generation ago, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study. Improved techniques for cataract surgery and a reduction in the prevalence of macular degeneration may be the driving forces behind this change, the researchers said.

29 Jun 2012

Cerebral damage risks vision in children born prematurely

Cerebral damage and retinopathy of prematurity are independently associated with the risk for visual impairment in 4-year-old children who were born prematurely, show Danish study results.

22 Jun 2012

Parents not totally responsible for child’s eyesight

Research from Guangzhou, China shows that a high proportion of children with myopia do not have highly myopic parents, indicating that environmental as well as genetic factors contribute to the development of the eye condition.

15 Jun 2012

New method enhances adhesion of injected CECs for successful corneal transplantation

Regenerative medicine, or the use of specially grown tissues and cells to treat injuries and diseases, has been successful in treating disorders of a number of organs, including heart, pancreas, and cartilage. However, efforts to treat disorders of the corneal endothelium, a single cell layer on the inner surface of the cornea, with regenerative techniques have been less effective. Now, a group of scientists has developed a method that enhances the adhesion of injected corneal endothelial cells (CECs), allowing for successful corneal transplantation to repair pathological dysfunctions.

14 Jun 2012

Cerebral damage, ROP may increase risk of visual impairment in extremely preterm children

Cerebral damage and retinopathy of prematurity appear to be independently associated with visual impairment among preschool children who were born extremely premature, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, a JAMA Network publication.

13 Jun 2012

Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly covers some of the biggest challenges facing public health

The Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly concluded Saturday after adopting 21 resolutions and three decisions on a broad range of health issues. The six days of discussions involved nearly 3000 delegates, including health ministers and senior health officials from amongst the 194 WHO Member States, as well as representatives from civil society and other stakeholders.

28 May 2012

Study reveals difficulties in self-management of diabetes

A new study from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London reveals the many difficulties faced by people with diabetes in self-managing their disease.

11 Apr 2012

Changes in corneal thickness occur in patients at early stages of FECD

A national consortium of researchers has published new findings that could change the standard of practice for those treating Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD), a disease characterized by cornea swelling that can eventually lead to the need for corneal transplantation.

10 Apr 2012

Monitoring necessary for early intervention in Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy patients

10 Apr 2012

Key finding in regulation of intraocular pressure in glaucoma

A six-year collaboration between two faculty members of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine has yielded new insight regarding the regulation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma - an irreversible blinding disease that causes progressive visual impairment due to optic nerve damage and is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

6 Apr 2012

Recycled glasses costs twice as much as ready-made glasses

You might feel good sending your old reading glasses to a developing country. But a recent international study, led by the International Centre for Eyecare Education (ICEE), a collaborating partner in the Vision CRC, in Sydney, suggests it is far better to give $10 for an eye examination and a new pair of glasses if you want to help someone in desperate need, and it is far better for building capacity in these communities.

5 Apr 2012

Poor countries must adapt health systems to meet chronic care needs of aging population, WHO says

"Health systems, particularly in poorer countries, need to adapt to meet the chronic care needs of older people as the shift to aging populations gathers pace in low- and middle-income countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) said" Wednesday in a briefing paper to mark World Health Day, observed on Saturday, the Guardian reports.

5 Apr 2012

3 million Australians to develop diabetes by 2025

According to the latest figures, one in three of today's young Australians will go on to develop diabetes. A new assessment of national health data released by Diabetes Australia today shows 1.5 million Australians currently have diabetes. It says the diabetes rate is likely to at least double in Australia over the next decade, and predicts 3 million people will have type 2 diabetes by 2025.

18 Mar 2012

MRI reveals microgravity-induced intracranial hypertension in astronauts

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the eyes and brains of 27 astronauts who have spent prolonged periods of time in space revealed optical abnormalities similar to those that can occur in intracranial hypertension of unknown cause, a potentially serious condition in which pressure builds within the skull.

13 Mar 2012

Workshop increases pharmacy and medical students' empathy

One year ago, a landmark study led by Mohammadreza Hojat, Ph.D., research professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Thomas Jefferson University, quantified a relationship between physicians' empathy and their patients' positive clinical outcomes, suggesting that a physician's empathy is an important factor associated with clinical competence.

24 Feb 2012