Diabetic Retinopathy News and Research RSS Feed - Diabetic Retinopathy News and Research

In the initial stages, people with diabetic retinopathy may not notice their vision changing. Diabetics sometimes experience rapid changes in blood sugar that can temporarily cause blurry vision even when retinopathy is not present. If a person notices a few specks or spots floating in his visual field, this may mean he has developed proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the growth of abnormal new blood vessels on the retina and optic nerve. High blood sugar levels have been linked in studies to retinal blood vessel abnormalities. Blurred vision may occur when the macula--the small area at the center of the retina--swells as it fills with fluid that has leaked from retinal blood vessels. Because damage to the eye often develops slowly, early detection of diabetes and control of blood sugar through diet and medications can make a crucial difference in saving vision.

Effective diabetic retinopathy treatments include laser photocoagulation for early to moderate stages and a microsurgery called vitrectomy for repair of eyes with extensive damage. Injectable and oral medications that act on abnormal blood vessels to control diabetic retinopathy before vision loss occurs are now in development. Early detection would be key to the effectiveness of these treatments, also.
Research on total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

Research on total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, one type of "blue baby" syndrome, is a potentially deadly congenital disorder that occurs when pulmonary veins don't connect normally to the left atrium of the heart. [More]
New skin cancer drug successfully tested in humans

New skin cancer drug successfully tested in humans

A new class of drug targeting skin cancer's genetic material has been successfully tested in humans for the first time, opening the way to new treatments for a range of conditions from skin cancers to eye diseases. [More]
Alimera announces availability of ILUVIEN in U.K. for chronic DME treatment

Alimera announces availability of ILUVIEN in U.K. for chronic DME treatment

Alimera Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, today announced that ILUVIEN®, the first sustained release pharmaceutical product for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular edema, is now available in the United Kingdom. [More]

Acucela begins phase 2b/3 clinical trial of emixustat hydrochloride to treat GA associated with dry AMD

Acucela Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing new treatments for sight threatening eye diseases, today announced that a phase 2b/3 clinical trial investigating emixustat hydrochloride in subjects with geographic atrophy associated with dry age-related macular degeneration has been initiated. [More]
Ceregene announces top-line data from CERE-12 Phase 2b clinical study for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene announces top-line data from CERE-12 Phase 2b clinical study for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene, Inc. today announced the top-line data from its double-blind, randomized, controlled Phase 2b clinical study of CERE-120 (AAV-neurturin), a gene therapy product designed to deliver the neurotrophic factor neurturin, for Parkinson's disease. [More]

Research shows diabetes trials worldwide failing to address key issues relating to condition

An analysis of diabetes trials worldwide has found they are not addressing key issues relating to the condition with almost two thirds focusing on drug therapy while only one in ten addresses prevention or behavioural therapies. [More]
Researchers work on stem cell treatments to halt vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy

Researchers work on stem cell treatments to halt vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy

Researchers at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute and the Indiana Center for Vascular Biology at Indiana University School of Medicine are on the cusp of perfecting stem cell treatments that would halt - and potentially reverse - vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy. [More]
Vision CRC develops retinal camera for detection of blinding eye disease and general health disorders

Vision CRC develops retinal camera for detection of blinding eye disease and general health disorders

The most advanced technology for use in real-time detection and assessment of common blinding eye disease and general health disorders will soon be available to the world with stimulus funding provided for development by the Australian Government's CRC Program. [More]
Novel approach uses adult stem cells to save sight of diabetes sufferers

Novel approach uses adult stem cells to save sight of diabetes sufferers

Scientists at Queen's University Belfast are hoping to develop a novel approach that could save the sight of millions of diabetes sufferers using adult stem cells. [More]
Intravitreal ranibizumab shows little benefit after hemorrhage

Intravitreal ranibizumab shows little benefit after hemorrhage

Ranibizumab given intravitreally offers no clear benefit in the treatment of vitreous hemorrhage due to proliferative diabetic retinopathy, a randomized clinical trial indicates. [More]

National Eye Institute’s booklet and videos help people adapt to life with low vision

A 20-page large-print booklet and a series of videos to help people adapt to life with low vision are available from the National Eye Institute (NEI), a part of the National Institutes of Health. The materials were released during Low Vision Awareness Month, February 2013. [More]
Polypill could reduce CVD and stroke in Latin Americans by up to 21% at lower cost

Polypill could reduce CVD and stroke in Latin Americans by up to 21% at lower cost

A single combination pill could reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke in Latin Americans by up to 21 percent at a cost of about $35 per quality adjusted life year gained, according to a study led by a University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health research team. [More]
New study finds that adults with diabetes in Ontario get fewer government-funded eye exams

New study finds that adults with diabetes in Ontario get fewer government-funded eye exams

A new study has found that adults with diabetes in Ontario are getting significantly fewer government-funded eye exams than they were a decade ago, a key component of high-quality diabetes care essential to preventing diabetes-related eye complications. [More]
Study finds increase in prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment in the U.S.

Study finds increase in prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment in the U.S.

The prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment (not due to need for glasses) in the U.S. has increased significantly in recent years, which may be partly related to a higher prevalence of diabetes, an associated risk factor, according to a study in the December 12 issue of JAMA. [More]

Perimetry identifies visual function changes in diabetic retinopathy

Perimetry could be adopted as a method to measure changes in visual function among individuals with diabetic retinopathy, show promising results from a prospective longitudinal study undertaken in Sweden. [More]

Cost of glaucoma revealed

The first 6 months after an open-angle glaucoma diagnosis are the most costly within the first 2 years of having the condition, report US researchers. [More]
Weill Cornell to purchase innovative equipment to help detect and treat diabetic retinopathy

Weill Cornell to purchase innovative equipment to help detect and treat diabetic retinopathy

Weill Cornell Medical College's ophthalmology services for diabetic patients received a boost last month, courtesy of a grant from the New York City Council secured by Councilwoman Jessica Lappin. [More]

Aerpio Therapeutics commences AKB-9778 Phase 1b/2a trial in diabetic macular edema

Aerpio Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies for vascular diseases by targeting the Tie2 pathway, today announced that it has dosed the first patient in a Phase 1b/2a trial of AKB-9778 for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). [More]

Age at diabetes onset linked to macular edema onset

Older age at onset of Type 1 diabetes significantly increases the risk for developing clinically significant macular edema, show study findings. [More]

Factors predictive of successful DME treatment revealed

The pretreatment central subfield thickness in the eyes of patients with diabetic macular edema is the strongest predictor of outcome after one year of treatment with ranibizumab, with a reduction linked to better visual acuity outcomes, report researchers. [More]