Ophthalmology News and Research

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Ophthalmology is the specialized field of medicine that focuses on the health of the eye. It includes the anatomy, physiology and diseases that may affect the eye. Historically, the science of ophthalmology encompassed all aspects of visual function, both in health and in illness. Additionally, ophthalmology also includes animal eyes as ocular function and optic diseases are similar among humans and animals.

Scientists discover new mechanism of drug resistance in hospital microbes

Hospitals struggle to prevent the infections that complicate treatment for cancer, joint replacement, heart surgery and other conditions. Hospital-acquired infections are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, leading to approximately 100,000 deaths and more than $30 billion in additional health care costs yearly.

14 Jul 2011

New owl study reveals advantage of stereopsis

Using owls as a model, a new research study reveals the advantage of stereopsis, commonly referred to as stereovision, is its ability to discriminate between objects and background; not in perceiving absolute depth.

12 Jul 2011

African-Americans with glaucoma have higher oxygen levels than Caucasians

Measuring oxygen during eye surgery, investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered a reason that may explain why African-Americans have a higher risk of glaucoma than Caucasians.

12 Jul 2011

AHAF awards 22 new grants to scientists worldwide for innovative vision research

The American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF), a nonprofit organization with a history of funding cutting-edge research on age-related diseases, announced today that it has awarded 22 new grants totaling nearly $2.2 million to scientists worldwide who are studying glaucoma and macular degeneration. The two conditions are the leading causes of irreversible vision loss and blindness in the U.S.

8 Jul 2011

Healthy diet might help reduce risk of macular degeneration

Eating a diet high in vitamin D, as well as the nutrients betaine and methionine, might help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, according to new research conducted by Tufts Medical Center scientists. Their study of identical twins from the US World War II Twin Registry also found that the more a person smoked, the higher their risk of developing macular degeneration.

6 Jul 2011

STAAR Surgical completes first procedures to implant Visian ICL V4c design

STAAR Surgical Company, the leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive refractive lenses that go inside the eye, today announced the completion of the first procedures to implant its recently CE Mark-approved Visian Implantable Collamer Lens V4c design.

27 Jun 2011

Growth-braking tumor-suppressor gene slows growth of childhood brain tumors

Johns Hopkins researchers have found a likely explanation for the slow growth of the most common childhood brain tumor, pilocytic astrocytoma. Using tests on a new cell-based model of the tumor, they concluded that the initial process of tumor formation switches on a growth-braking tumor-suppressor gene, in a process similar to that seen in skin moles.

24 Jun 2011

Cedars-Sinai receives National Eye Institute grant to develop gene therapy for corneal disease

Cedars-Sinai stem cell researchers investigating ways to prevent eye problems in diabetic patients have been awarded a $3 million grant from the National Eye Institute to develop gene therapy in corneal stem cells to alleviate damage to corneas that can cause vision loss.

17 Jun 2011

Children's Medical Center to open new $21M Specialty Care Center in Southlake

Children's Medical Center will debut its new Specialty Care Center in Southlake on June 18, a $21 million expansion which will serve children in one of the state's fastest-growing cities and the surrounding communities.

16 Jun 2011

OCuSOFT, Ardeo partner to distribute novel dry eye therapy in the U.S. and Canada

OCuSOFT, Inc., an ophthalmic pharmaceutical research, development and supply company today announced an exclusive multiyear agreement with Ardeo Health, LLC to distribute a novel dry eye therapy under license from Novagali Pharma S.A. of Evry, France, Nova23041.

15 Jun 2011

LA/hypnosis combination during surgery can aid healing process, reduce drug use and hospital stay time

Using a combination of hypnosis and local anaesthesia (LA) for certain types of surgery can aid the healing process and reduce drug use and time spent in hospital, anaesthesiologists have found. The combination could also help avoid cancer recurrence and metastases, according to new research to be presented today at the European Anaesthesiology Congress in Amsterdam.

13 Jun 2011

Premier healthcare alliance awards new agreements for ophthalmology products

The Premier healthcare alliance has announced that new agreements for ophthalmology products have been awarded.

10 Jun 2011

Schepens, Mass. Eye and Ear to create world's largest ophthalmology research center

The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary and Schepens Eye Research Institute announced today that they are combining forces to create the world's largest and most robust basic and clinical ophthalmology research enterprise with full spectrum bench-to-bedside research that will translate more quickly into better treatment for blinding diseases and ultimately cures.

10 Jun 2011

Medical management preferred over surgery for pediatric orbital cellulitis

Researchers from Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, R.I., report that medical management may be preferred over surgery for children with orbital cellulitis, an acute infection of the tissues surrounding the eye. They have determined the criteria for surgical intervention should be dependent upon the size of a subperiosteal abscess (SPA).

9 Jun 2011

New Westchester Montefiore Laser and Eye Center to offer ophthalmology services

The new Montefiore Laser and Eye Center recently opened its doors to provide comprehensive care to Westchester patients at the Montefiore Medical Specialists of Westchester in Scarsdale, New York. Seven board-certified ophthalmologists from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Montefiore Medical Center provide patients with specialty emphasis in pediatric ophthalmology, oculoplastic surgery, glaucoma, cornea and laser refractive surgery.

8 Jun 2011

MSU professor to lead acetazolamide clinical trial on idiopathic intracranial hypertension

A rare but increasingly more common disease striking overweight, younger women is the focus of a clinical trial at Michigan State University, where an osteopathic physician is testing the effectiveness of a certain drug against a potentially blindness-causing ailment.

8 Jun 2011

Silencing two microRNAs may help treat age-related macular degeneration

Blocking two tiny molecules of RNA - a chemical cousin of DNA - appears to suppress the abnormal growth of blood vessels that occurs in degenerative eye disorders, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.

7 Jun 2011

Merge Healthcare, Ophthalmic Imaging Systems enter definitive merger agreement

Merge Healthcare, a leading provider of healthcare enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions, and Ophthalmic Imaging Systems, a leading provider of digital imaging and informatics solutions for ophthalmology and other medical specialties, today announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Merge Healthcare will acquire OIS.

6 Jun 2011

Positive data from Biogen Idec's AVONEX clinical trial on multiple sclerosis presented at CMSC 2011

Biogen Idec today announced the findings from a randomized, multicenter, dose-blinded clinical trial that evaluated the effect of AVONEX dose titration, or gradual dose escalation, on flu-like symptoms associated with the therapy.

6 Jun 2011

Denali, Can-Fite sign agreement to conclude ophthalmology spinoff

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a biotechnology company developing small molecule drugs for the treatment of inflammatory, ophthalmic, and liver diseases, traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, signed today an agreement to spin off its ophthalmic indications to a US based public company, Denali Concrete Management Inc.

6 Jun 2011