Vision Loss News and Research

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Dietary supplements can slow progression of age-related macular degeneration, NIH study confirms

The Age-Related Eye Disease Studies (AREDS and AREDS2) established that dietary supplements can slow progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in older Americans. In a new report, scientists analyzed 10 years of AREDS2 data.

2 Jun 2022

Gene therapy for degenerative retinal disease has no safety concerns but fails to improve vision loss

A 28-patient phase 1 gene therapy clinical trial for the degenerative retinal disease Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) found no significant safety concerns; however, treatment failed to improve or slow vision loss, with even the highest dose. LHON affects the optic nerve, which carries visual signals from the light-sensing retina to the brain.

1 Jun 2022

Study highlights the positive effects of Humanin G in reducing inflammation in AMD

A new research paper was published in Aging (Aging-US) on the cover of Volume 14, Issue 10, entitled, "Effect of Humanin G (HNG) on inflammation in age-related macular degeneration (AMD)."

31 May 2022

Scientists discover a new role for protein complex at the center of Bardet-Biedl syndrome

Scientists have identified a new role for a protein complex at the center of a human genetic disorder called Bardet-Biedl syndrome, or BBS, for which there is currently no cure.

31 May 2022

New drug inhibits growth of the most aggressive meningiomas

When a specific non-metastatic brain tumor — a meningioma — recurs after surgery and radiation treatment, a patient is normally out of options. No drugs are approved for these aggressive tumors, which occur in up to 20 percent of cases and can lead to patient disability or even death.

16 May 2022

Ocular toxoplasmosis found to be common among Australians

One in 150 Australians have retinal scars caused by the Toxoplasma parasite, according to new Flinders University analysis.

16 May 2022

Poor vision in older adults often mistakenly conflated with mild cognitive impairment

Millions of older people with poor vision are at risk of being misdiagnosed with mild cognitive impairments, according to a new study by the University of South Australia.

10 May 2022

Single-cell-resolution map of retinal pigment epithelium could help develop precise therapies for degenerative diseases

Researchers have identified distinct differences among the cells comprising a tissue in the retina that is vital to human visual perception.

6 May 2022

Hearing and vision impairment found to be independently associated with cognitive decline

A new nationally representative study published online in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease Reports found hearing impairment and vision impairment to be independently associated with cognitive impairment.

5 May 2022

Treatment for retinal vein occlusion yields long-lasting vision gains, study shows

New research shows that a treatment for retinal vein occlusion yields long-lasting vision gains, with visual acuity remaining significantly above baseline at five years.

21 Apr 2022

Study shows significant increase in survival rates of extremely pre-term babies

A new study co-authored by a University of Rochester Medical Center researcher has found that the survival rates of extremely pre-term babies has increased significantly in the past decade.

1 Apr 2022

Discovery provides a more precise picture of the retina's optical properties

Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have discovered that power-producing organelles in the eye's photoreceptor cells, called mitochondria, function as microlenses that help channel light to these cells' outer segments where it's converted into nerve signals.

2 Mar 2022

Mechanism behind how certain osmolytes cause kidney damage revealed

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have uncovered the mechanism by which osmolytes used to treat high fluid pressure in the eye and skull can cause kidney damage.

27 Feb 2022

Cognitive impairment in patients with long-COVID can be improved using brain stimulation

Many recovered COVID-19 patients continue to exhibit significant and long-lasting cognitive deficits in memory, attention, language comprehension and multitasking, as well as fatigue.

7 Feb 2022

Desipramine and L-cycloserine together reduce ceramide levels in the retina and enhance vision

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have discovered that the absence of Adiponectin receptor 1 protein (AdipoR1), one of the principal enzymes regulating ceramide homeostasis in the retina, leads to an accumulation of ceramides in the retina, resulting in progressive photoreceptor cell death and ultimately vision loss.

28 Jan 2022

NIH study provides a framework to evaluate Stargardt disease progression

National Eye Institute researchers developed and validated an artificial-intelligence-based method to evaluate patients with Stargardt, an eye disease that can lead to childhood vision loss.

25 Jan 2022

New report reveals the alarming global impact of Group B streptococcus

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) reveals the alarming global impact of Group B streptococcus (GBS) – a common bacterium that can be transmitted in the womb, during birth, or in the early weeks of life – leading to around 150,000 deaths of babies each year, more than half a million preterm births and significant long-term disability.

20 Jan 2022

Study finds improved survival rates for extremely preterm infants born in NIH-funded research network

The survival rate of extremely preterm infants born from 2013 through 2018 in a large network of U.S. research centers improved to 78.3%, compared to 76% for infants born in the network from 2008 to 2012, according to researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health.

18 Jan 2022

Study: Nearly 30% of people with blinding retinal disease can safely stop eye injection therapy

In a preliminary study of 106 people with "wet" age-related macular degeneration, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that as many as a third of those with the blinding retinal disease may someday be able to safely stop eye injection therapy without further vision loss.