Blindness News and Research

RSS

Ex-eye bank workers say pressure, lax oversight led to errors

William Lopez remembers clearly the day in June 2017 when he says he was asked to call the spouse of a college friend who had just died and ask for her eyes.

20 Nov 2024

Measles outbreaks increase worldwide with inadequate immunization coverage

Worldwide, there were an estimated 10.3 million cases of measles in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Inadequate immunization coverage globally is driving the surge in cases.

14 Nov 2024

Study reveals inadequacy of time extensions for Braille users in complex exams

Students often appear for high-stakes tests that hold significant weight in determining their futures. One such examination, the Common Test for University Admissions, currently allows examinees using braille an extended examination time of 1.5 times the standard duration.

8 Nov 2024

AI-READI consortium launches groundbreaking diabetes data study

Researchers today (Nov. 8, 2024) are releasing the flagship dataset from an ambitious study of biomarkers and environmental factors that might influence the development of type 2 diabetes.

8 Nov 2024

Johns Hopkins study offers new hope for wet AMD patients

A new study from researchers at Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medicine explains not only why some patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (or "wet" AMD) fail to have vision improvement with treatment, but also how an experimental drug could be used with existing wet AMD treatments to save vision.

4 Nov 2024

Scientists discover novel compound to combat age-related blindness

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Christopher Cioffi, Ph.D., Thomas and Constance D'Ambra Professor in Organic Chemistry, has been collaborating with Konstantin Petrukhin, Ph.D., Professor of Ophthalmic Science at Colombia University, to develop compounds to treat dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt disease - both blindness-causing diseases.

28 Oct 2024

Unlocking the secrets of Usher syndrome

The mistakes are small but carry severe consequences: In Usher syndrome, genetic mutations cause both hearing and vision loss. Cell biologist Professor Uwe Wolfrum from Mainz University is researching the molecular background of this rare genetic disorder - supported by foundations and, not least, by affected individuals themselves

28 Oct 2024

Surge in GLP-1 drug use for obesity coincides with drop in bariatric surgery

Researchers from Mass General Brigham and collaborators found that use of GLP-1 drugs to treat obesity more than doubled from 2022 to 2023 while rates of surgery dropped by one quarter.

26 Oct 2024

Daily pistachio consumption linked to improved eye health

A new study from researchers at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University has found that consuming pistachios daily may significantly improve eye health by increasing macular pigment optical density (MPOD), due to the plant pigment lutein, a key factor in protecting the eyes from blue (visible) light and age-related damage.

24 Oct 2024

AI models match ophthalmologists in diagnosing infectious keratitis

Eye care specialists could see artificial intelligence help in diagnosing infectious keratitis (IK), a leading cause of corneal blindness worldwide, as a new study finds that deep learning models showed similar levels of accuracy in identifying infection.

22 Oct 2024

Long-term antiviral treatment may protect vision from shingles

Taking an antiviral medication for a year may prevent vision damage associated with shingles that affects the eye, according to new research led by faculty from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

21 Oct 2024

Long-term low-dose antiviral treatment reduces eye disease risk from shingles

Long-term, low-dose antiviral treatment reduces the risk for potentially vision-damaging bouts of inflammation and infection, as well as pain, which occur when shingles affects the eye, according to new research presented October 19 at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) in Chicago.

20 Oct 2024

WHO confirms elimination of trachoma in South Asia

The world moved closer to eliminating trachoma this month after the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed India and Pakistan as being free of the disease, a leading cause of blindness.

16 Oct 2024

Exploring the challenges of auditory magic tricks

Magic tricks make the impossible seem possible. Magicians have long captivated audiences with visual tricks, such as pulling a bunny from a hat or sawing someone in half, but tricks that rely on sound are scarce.

7 Oct 2024

Researchers boost natural defenses to fight cataracts and delay the need for surgery

Researchers have reviewed strategies to increase glutathione levels in the eye lens, focusing on endogenous molecular mechanisms to prevent cataracts by countering oxidative stress.

3 Oct 2024

Using advanced AI screening tools to improve early detection of myopic maculopathy

Myopia, also known as nearsightedness, is on the rise, especially among children.

3 Oct 2024

Do long genes hold the key to understanding the genetic underpinnings of aging?

Review highlights the growing evidence that aging is linked to reduced expression of long genes, offering insights into potential anti-aging therapies based on gene length.

19 Sep 2024

Study may represent a possible surgery-free strategy for managing cataracts

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and their collaborators have identified a protein, known as RNF114, that reverses cataracts, a clouding of the eye's lens that occurs commonly in people as they age.

18 Sep 2024

NIH-funded study compares eyelid surgeries for Trachomatous trichiasis

Trachomatous trichiasis, a potentially blinding condition where inward-turned eyelashes scratch the front of the eye, can successfully be treated by either of the two most common types of eyelid surgery, according to findings from a large comparison trial funded by the National Institutes of Health.

18 Sep 2024

Study reveals link between socioeconomic inequality and the risk of age-related macular degeneration

A recent study conducted by researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Fudan University has revealed a significant association between socioeconomic status (SES) inequality and the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

16 Sep 2024