Blindness News and Research

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Novel drug combination discovered to induce high rates of human beta cell proliferation

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have discovered a novel combination of two classes of drugs that, together, cause the highest rate of proliferation ever observed in adult human beta cells- the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin- without harming most other cells in the body.

12 Feb 2020

Novel melatonin receptor molecules potentially address circadian rhythm disturbances

Like breathing or blinking, behaviors regulated by our circadian rhythms, such as digestion and sleep-wake cycles, go unnoticed by most people.

10 Feb 2020

New treatment effective at reversing the manifestations of thyroid eye disease

Patients with thyroid eye disease who used the minimally invasive insulin-like growth factor I blocking antibody, teprotumumab, experienced improvement in their symptoms, appearance and quality of life, according to a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

10 Feb 2020

Gene therapy approach could pave the way for treatment of Stargardt disease

A leading Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Oxford has shared the details of his research which could pave the way for a new treatment for sight loss condition Stargardt disease.

7 Feb 2020

Patients stuck with bills after insurers don’t pay as promised

The more than $34,000 in medical bills that contributed to Darla and Andy Markley's bankruptcy and loss of their home in Beloit, Wisconsin, grew out of what felt like a broken promise.

7 Feb 2020

As VA tests keto diet to help diabetic patients, skeptics raise red flags

A partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and Silicon Valley startup Virta Health Corp. is focusing attention on the company's claim that it provides treatment "clinically-proven to safely and sustainably reverse type 2 diabetes" without medication or surgery.

3 Feb 2020

Regulating neuronal lipid metabolism helps axon regeneration after injury, study finds

Typical examples include paralysis due to a spinal cord injury and visual field atrophy or even complete blindness due to optic nerve atrophy in glaucoma patients.

30 Jan 2020

Diabetes Action Canada develops National Diabetes Repository to aid research

For diabetes researchers across Canada, data from patients is a critical tool in determining what projects will truly make a difference for people living with the disease.

29 Jan 2020

WVU program works towards preventing blindness in diabetic patients

When people think about the management of diabetes, A1C (hemoglobin) tests and foot exams usually come to mind. Often overlooked is the recommended retinal eye exam. This eye exam is crucial because many West Virginians with diabetes are at risk for blindness caused by diabetic retinopathy.

27 Jan 2020

Researchers identify novel cellular entry factor for AAV vector types

Researchers led by a team at Massachusetts Eye and Ear have identified a novel cellular entry factor for adeno-associated virus vector (AAV) types--the most commonly used viral vectors for in vivo gene therapy. AAVs are vectors-or vehicles--that are created from a virus that is made harmless by molecular engineering, and have shown promise transporting genetic therapy treatments to affected tissues.

23 Jan 2020

Study explores ways to stop cell death, induce regeneration to restore vision

Progress in research and technology is giving rise to an optimistic future for compensation and restoration of low vision, according to research in a special issue of Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, published by IOS Press.

22 Jan 2020

Lack of exposure to sunlight may increase metabolic syndrome risk

Yes, fat cells deep under your skin can sense light. And when bodies do not get enough exposure to the right kinds of light, fat cells behave differently.

21 Jan 2020

Cardiac and visual degeneration compensated by taurine supplement

Our genome consists of 20,000 genes, all of which may be capable of triggering disease. It is estimated that there are 7,000 unknown genes that cause recessive genetic diseases resulting from mutations in two copies of a gene that have been inherited from each parent.

21 Jan 2020

New genetic test to predict and prevent vision loss from glaucoma

Researchers have identified 107 genes that increase a person's risk of developing the eye disease glaucoma, and now developed a genetic test to detect those at risk of going blind from it.

21 Jan 2020

Fight for Sight funds research to investigate genetic risk of age-related macular degeneration

Eye research charity Fight for Sight is funding researchers from the University of Manchester to investigate the genetic risk of the UK’s leading cause of blindness, age-related macular degeneration.

20 Jan 2020

'Methylation clock' gene found to have functional role in aging of the eye

A lengthy-named gene called Elongation of Very Long Chain Fatty Acids Protein 2 or ELOVL2 is an established biomarker of age.

16 Jan 2020

Brain parasite makes rodents unafraid of cats, other predators

Cats have the power to control the minds of rodents, through a brain parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. The pathogen exerts a strange mind control on rodents that make them lose their fear of cats and become easier to catch.

15 Jan 2020

Mount Sinai ophthalmologists share tips for early detection of glaucoma

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and ophthalmologists at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai are urging high-risk groups to get comprehensive eye exams for early detection of this degenerative eye disease.

13 Jan 2020

UPMC implants first patient in the U.S. with new wireless retinal device

UPMC has implanted the first patient in the United States with a new wireless retinal device as part of a clinical trial aimed at restoring partial sight to patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration, a disease that leads to permanent blindness.

13 Jan 2020

Study shows that eye and brain pressure are physiologically connected

Researchers at the University of South Florida have discovered a novel feedback pathway from the brain to the eye that modulates eye pressure - a significant advancement in the effort to diagnose and treat glaucoma.

13 Jan 2020