Vision Loss News and Research

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Good news for patients suffering from dry age-related macular degeneration

Scientists have good news for patients who suffer from currently untreatable dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD). In a new study, researchers identified a potential target for future therapies to slow the progression of the blinding condition. Published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, the findings indicate that treatments currently used for other conditions could also work for dry AMD.

3 Nov 2015

Saint Louis University ophthalmologist offers tips to manage night vision issues

Owls and cats are at an advantage as the days get darker, but humans may notice their vision takes a hit during their evening commute home as daylight hours shrink.

31 Oct 2015

NAM announces election of three new members from UC San Diego School of Medicine

The National Academy of Medicine announced today the election of three new members from University of California, San Diego School of Medicine: Napoleone Ferrara, MD; Christopher K. Glass, MD, PhD; and Roberto Malinow, MD, PhD. Election to NAM is considered among the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.

20 Oct 2015

Penn researchers show that canine X-linked retinitis pigmentosa can be cured over the long term

Three years ago, a team from the University of Pennsylvania announced that they had cured X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, a blinding retinal disease, in dogs. Now they've shown that they can cure the canine disease over the long term, even when the treatment is given after half or more of the affected photoreceptor cells have been destroyed.

13 Oct 2015

NIH-funded researchers test new gene therapy to improve visual function in mice

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed a novel mouse model for the vision disorder Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), and found that they can use gene therapy to improve visual function in the mice. LHON is one of many diseases tied to gene mutations that damage the tiny energy factories that power our cells, called mitochondria.

6 Oct 2015

Adults with AMD are accurate, but slower in performing touch screen tasks

Older adults with central vision loss caused by age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have no problem with accuracy in performing touch screen tasks, according to a study in the October issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.

24 Sep 2015

Healthy diet and exercise can protect against AMD

People with a genetic predisposition for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) significantly increased their odds of developing the blinding eye disorder if they had a history of heavy smoking and consistently did not exercise or eat enough fruits and vegetables, according to an observational study of women funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

16 Sep 2015

Scientists elucidate genetic interaction that may prove key to development, progression of glaucoma

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have elucidated a genetic interaction that may prove key to the development and progression of glaucoma, a blinding neurodegenerative disease that affects tens of millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.

11 Sep 2015

Envision inaugurates 10th Annual Conference, honors outstanding achievements in low vision rehabilitation

Envision, the Wichita, Kan.-based not-for-profit organization that supports those who are blind and visually impaired, officially opened its 10th Annual Conference at The Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver this morning with a session honoring outstanding commitment to improving the quality of life of those who are blind and visually impaired and keynote addresses from two individuals representing the great athletic accomplishments those with vision loss can achieve.

11 Sep 2015

Researchers reveal molecular mechanism that controls remyelination

Researchers in Japan have revealed the molecular mechanism involved in the process of repair to damage of the myelin sheath. In vertebrates, axons extending from nerve cells are covered by insulating sheets called the myelin sheath, made with the cell membranes of oligodendrocytes, enabling fast electrical signaling through saltatory conduction.

4 Sep 2015

Allergan enters into agreement to acquire Aquesys and its XEN45 program

Allergan plc, a leading global pharmaceutical company, and AqueSys, Inc. a private clinical stage medical device company focused on developing ocular implants that reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) associated with glaucoma, today announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Allergan will acquire AqueSys in an all-cash transaction.

4 Sep 2015

Annual diabetic retinopathy screening for children with type 1 diabetes should begin at later age, study says

A new study has found that the occurrence of advanced forms of a diabetic eye disease remains low among children living with diabetes, regardless of how long they have had the disease or their ability to keep blood sugar levels controlled. Researchers are therefore recommending that most children with type 1 diabetes delay annual diabetic retinopathy screenings until age 15, or 5 years after their diabetes diagnosis, whichever occurs later.

2 Sep 2015

Gene therapy restores visual function in mouse model of LCA1

Mice lacking the protein retGC1, which is deficient in humans suffering Leber congenital amaurosis-1 (LCA1), a disorder that causes severe visual impairment beginning in infancy, received gene therapy to replace retGC1 and showed fully restored visual function that persisted for at least 6 months.

1 Sep 2015

Research with UWF imaging may change how diabetic eye disease is assessed and treated

For decades, clinicians have detected and monitored diabetic eye disease with standard retinal photographs that cover about a third of the retina. In recent years, an emerging class of ultrawide field (UWF) cameras has given a substantially larger view of the retina, providing new insight on the presentation and natural history of retinal disease.

28 Aug 2015

Omega-3 supplements fail to slow cognitive decline in older persons, NIH clinical study shows

While some research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids can protect brain health, a large clinical trial by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that omega-3 supplements did not slow cognitive decline in older persons. With 4,000 patients followed over a five-year period, the study is one of the largest and longest of its kind.

26 Aug 2015

‘Medical foods’ for patients with rare IEMs may cause harm when not carefully managed

Many "medical foods" are designed to help manage patients with rare inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs), and can help prevent serious and life-threatening complications. However, such special foods may cause harm in some patients when their use is not carefully monitored and managed, according to a research team led by scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

14 Aug 2015

Charlotte charity Taylor's Tale inspires new law to create treatments for rare diseases, spur growth in NC

Charlotte charity Taylor's Tale helped inspire a law designed to stimulate the creation of new treatments for rare diseases and spur economic development in North Carolina.

13 Aug 2015

Molecular on-off switch controls how mouse brain responds to vision loss

KU Leuven biologists have discovered a molecular on-off switch that controls how a mouse brain responds to vision loss.

13 Aug 2015

Scientists identify molecular pathway that can contribute to vision loss in macular degeneration

Scientists have identified a pathway that leads to the formation of atypical blood vessels that can cause blindness in people with age-related macular degeneration.

12 Aug 2015

BrightFocus announces recipients of 2015 research program grants

BrightFocus Foundation, which funds research worldwide on Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, today announced that its 2015 research program grants have been awarded to 58 scientists in 20 states and 7 foreign countries. Part of an $11 million research investment, the grants reflect the largest annual research funding in the foundation's history.

4 Aug 2015