Visual Impairment News and Research RSS Feed - Visual Impairment News and Research

The definition of vision impairment by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says a visually impaired person’s eyesight cannot be corrected to a “normal level”.
Research shows visually impaired individuals have greater risk of diminished balance

Research shows visually impaired individuals have greater risk of diminished balance

UC Davis Health System Eye Center research has found that visually impaired individuals and those with uncorrected refractive error - those who could benefit from glasses to achieve normal vision but don't wear glasses - have a significantly greater risk of diminished balance with their eyes closed on a compliant, foam surface than individuals with normal vision. [More]
New visual search rehabilitation game for visually impaired children

New visual search rehabilitation game for visually impaired children

Visually impaired children could benefit from a revolutionary new computer game being developed by a team of neuroscientists and game designers. [More]
Researchers find innovative approach to treat lazy eye disorder

Researchers find innovative approach to treat lazy eye disorder

A research team led by Dr. Robert Hess from McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre has used the popular puzzle video game Tetris in an innovative approach to treat adult amblyopia, commonly known as "lazy eye". [More]
Despite discovery of sight-saving drugs, AMD still causes severe vision loss in older Americans

Despite discovery of sight-saving drugs, AMD still causes severe vision loss in older Americans

Age-related macular degeneration continues to be the leading cause of visual impairment in the United States for people over age 65, according to a study recently published online in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. [More]
Imatinib can relieve and slow down progression of multiple sclerosis

Imatinib can relieve and slow down progression of multiple sclerosis

A drug that is currently used for cancer can relieve and slow down the progression of the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS) in rats, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE. [More]

Pediatric blindness etiology varies around the globe

The causes and prevalence of blindness in children vary markedly by geography, presumably as a proxy for socioeconomic factors influencing prevention and treatment schemes, conclude the authors of a literature review. [More]
Scientists discover 24 new genes that cause refractive errors and myopia

Scientists discover 24 new genes that cause refractive errors and myopia

​An international team of scientists led by King's College London has discovered 24 new genes that cause refractive errors and myopia (short-sightedness). [More]
'Better Vision' app can support visually impaired and dyslectic people

'Better Vision' app can support visually impaired and dyslectic people

To support visually impaired and dyslectic people in their efforts to read, the 'Better Vision' app has been developed: a functional and handy all-in-one app that magnifies text and reads English, German, Spanish or Dutch text out loud on iPhones, iPads (mini) and Android devices. [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]
Scientists closer to growing parts of the human eye in laboratories

Scientists closer to growing parts of the human eye in laboratories

A cure for congenital sight impairment caused by lens damage is closer following research by scientists at Monash University. [More]
Congenital sight impairment cure grows closer

Congenital sight impairment cure grows closer

A cure for congenital sight impairment caused by lens damage is closer following research by scientists at Monash University. [More]

Reprogramming eye cells that enable night vision may one day treat retinitis pigmentosa

Doctors may one day treat some forms of blindness by altering the genetic program of the light-sensing cells of the eye, according to scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. [More]

Researchers develop software package that adapts Facebook for visually impaired people

This new software was developed by researchers at the Department of Programming Languages and Systems of the University of Granada.. So far, there were only special social networks specifically developed for visually impaired people, such as Blindworlds. Researchers at the University of Granada have developed a software package that adapts Facebook for visually impaired people. [More]
University of Hertfordshire to lead two new Govt-funded projects into dementia research

University of Hertfordshire to lead two new Govt-funded projects into dementia research

Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire are leading two of the twenty-one new Government-funded projects into dementia research - to boost dementia diagnosis rates and trial ground-breaking treatments, as well as helping people with dementia live well with the condition today. [More]
Bionic devices: an interview with Dr Rylie Green

Bionic devices: an interview with Dr Rylie Green

Bionic devices are implants which replace biological functions which have been lost due to nerve damage. They use electrical signals to stimulate the remaining nerve cells following disease or injury. Although the term bionic was only coined in the late 1950s, the earliest bionic devices were cardiac pacemakers, developed in the early 1900s. However the first commercial implantable units were not available until the 1950s. [More]

Glaucoma likely to end in visual impairment

Visual impairment at the end of life is highly likely to occur in patients with glaucoma, show Dutch study results. [More]

Ethnic disparities remain in glaucoma testing

A decade’s worth of data show that Hispanic men and women are less likely than individuals of other race or ethnicity to undergo ocular imaging for glaucoma. [More]
Visual impairment and diabetes increase side by side

Visual impairment and diabetes increase side by side

Visual impairment that is not explained by refractive error is increasing, as is the prevalence of diabetes – particularly diabetes lasting 10 years or longer, show US study results. [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]

Mass. Eye and Ear opens new outpatient surgical center in Longwood/Mission Hill

Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Longwood, a new outpatient surgical center at 800 Huntington Avenue in the Longwood/Mission Hill area of Boston, opened today to patients. [More]