Vision Loss News and Research

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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

New method identifies preferred retinal locations in both eyes of patients with central vision loss

Eyes with central vision loss adapt by developing a new fixation point in a different part of the retina, called the preferred retinal location (PRL). Now for the first time, a new method makes it possible to identify PRLs in both eyes simultaneously, reports a study in the August issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.

29 Jul 2015

New study suggests novel ways to treat serous retinal detachment

Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in older individuals. AMD and other serious chronic eye problems that affect younger individuals result when fluid accumulates abnormally under or within the retina. A new study published in The American Journal of Pathology shows for the first time that the release of substances from mast cells may be a causal factor in this type of eye pathology, and inhibitors of this release may offer new ways to treat serous retinal detachment.

22 Jul 2015

Current and new treatments for AMD: an interview with Dr Alan Cruess, AMD Alliance International

For two decades beginning in the late 1970’s through 2001, clinicians relied upon laser photocoagulation in the treatment of wet AMD caused by choroidal neovascularization. Attempts to obliterate the neovascular lesions often led to acute central visual loss and often, even with modest success, the lesions recurred with even more vision loss.

21 Jul 2015

Antibiotics may increase risk of juvenile arthritis

Taking antibiotics may increase the risk that a child will develop juvenile arthritis, according to a study from Rutgers University, University of Pennsylvania and Nemours A.I. duPont Hospital for Children published today in Pediatrics.

21 Jul 2015

UM researchers discover new gene behind neurodegenerative conditions

Researchers at the University of Miami have discovered and characterized a previously unknown disease gene linked to the degeneration of optic and peripheral nerve fibers. The study titled "Mutations in SLC25A46, encoding a UGO1-like protein, cause an optic atrophy spectrum disorder" is published in the journal Nature Genetics.

14 Jul 2015

Researchers compare effectiveness of two stem cell types in treating retinal degeneration

By growing two types of stem cells in a "3-D culture" and measuring their ability to produce retinal cells, a team lead by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers has found one cell type to be better at producing retinal cells.

3 Jul 2015

Hartmuth Kolb named recipient of 2015 Alzheimer Award

The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease is proud to announce that Hartmuth Kolb, PhD, Head of Neuroscience Biomarkers, Johnson & Johnson, San Diego, CA, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2015 Alzheimer Award presented by the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in recognition of his outstanding work on the importance and imaging of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

26 Jun 2015

Researchers advance stem cell therapy to block vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have taken a significant step forward in their efforts to use stem cells to block vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy, a condition that affects millions of people with diabetes.

25 Jun 2015

'Bionic eye' improves visual function, quality of life for people with retinitis pigmentosa

The three-year clinical trial results of the retinal implant popularly known as the "bionic eye," have proven the long-term efficacy, safety and reliability of the device that restores vision in those blinded by a rare, degenerative eye disease.

24 Jun 2015

Ontario announces $25 million investment to support new treatments for people with chronic diseases

Ontario is investing $25 million over five years to support new treatments and therapies for people living with chronic diseases, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and diabetes.

23 Jun 2015

New study launched in Liberia to better understand health consequences of Ebola virus disease

The Liberia-U.S. clinical research partnership known as PREVAIL has launched a study of people in Liberia who have survived Ebola virus disease (EVD) within the past two years. The study investigators hope to better understand the long-term health consequences of EVD, determine if survivors develop immunity that will protect them from future Ebola infection, and assess whether previously EVD-infected individuals can transmit infection to close contacts and sexual partners.

18 Jun 2015

Injectable drug ocriplasmin improves vision in patients with symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion

In two ancillary studies of two multi-center international clinical trials led by the University of Southern California Eye Institute, the injectable drug ocriplasmin appears to improve vision among patients suffering from symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion (VMA), a condition related to the aging eye that could cause permanent vision loss if left untreated.

18 Jun 2015

Research finding could help develop artificial retinas for people with vision loss

Driving a car at 40 mph, you see a child dart into the street. You hit the brakes. Disaster averted. But how did your eyes detect that movement? It's a question that has confounded scientists. Now, studying mice, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have an answer: A neural circuit in the retina at the back of the eye carries signals that enable the eye to detect movement.

17 Jun 2015

Manchester first to implement Congenica's Sapientia technology to provide fast, accurate diagnosis for genetic diseases

10,000 new patients a year are treated by the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine (MCGM) for a range of rare diseases including cancers, developmental disorders and disabilities including hearing and vision loss - diagnosis can be time-consuming and invasive.

10 Jun 2015