Vision Loss News and Research

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Diabetes threatens the eyesight of many unsuspecting Americans

Diabetes causes more new cases of legal blindness among working-age Americans than any other disease. If diabetics are monitored regularly by their ophthalmologist, this vision loss is almost always avoidable. Yet, tragically, more than half of all people living with diabetes do not get the recommended annual dilated eye exam. As the number of people with Type 2 diabetes rises in the U.S., the CDC projects that the number of adults with diabetic retinopathy will double by the year 2050. Yet 90 percent of diabetic eye disease can be prevented simply by proper regular examinations and treatment and by controlling blood sugar.

27 Oct 2010

Brain adapts to vision loss by increasing speed of tactile perception

People who are blind from birth are able to detect tactile information faster than people with normal vision, according to a study in the Oct. 27 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

27 Oct 2010

Salk discovers potential new target for MS

Scientists are closer to solving one of the many mysteries of multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, thanks to a recent study conducted at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The research revealed a previously unknown connection between two ion channels, which, when misaligned, can cause the many bizarre symptoms that characterize the condition.

26 Oct 2010

Autistic children with poor diet face risk of vision loss due to vitamin B12 deficiency

Autistic children with severely limited diets may be at risk for vision loss due to vitamin B12 deficiency, according to new research from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Doctors should consider this deficiency when evaluating and treating children with autism and vision loss, the authors said.

20 Oct 2010

Researchers report progress on two eye disease challenges at AAO-MEACO 2010 Joint Meeting

At the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Middle East-Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting today, researchers report progress on two top eye disease challenges treating advanced "dry" age-related macular degeneration, and preventing blindness in people with diabetes.

18 Oct 2010

2010 AAO-MEACO meeting focuses on genetic medicine

Genetic medicine is the focus of two presentations at today's Scientific Program of the 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Middle East-Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting. The AAO-MEACO meeting is in session October 16 through 19 at McCormick Place, Chicago. It is the largest, most comprehensive ophthalmic education conference in the world.

18 Oct 2010

Study finds no link between AMD treatments and increase in cardiovascular complication

Newer treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD)-including an intravitreous (into the eye) injection of a chemotherapy drug and use of a related compound approved for use against the eye disease-do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications or death when compared with existing therapies, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

12 Oct 2010

Researchers receive NIH award to investigate regenerative potential of retinal cells

Zhang and co-principal investigators Sheng Ding, PhD, from The Scripps Research Institute, and Thomas Reh, PhD from the University of Washington, received the highest possible scores for their proposal to investigate the regenerative potential of retinal cells. Their long-term goal is to restore visual function lost through diseases such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

30 Sep 2010

FDA approves fingolimod drug for multiple sclerosis

The first oral medication for multiple sclerosis was approved today by the Food & Drug Administration. Physicians praised the decision to approve the drug, called fingolimod, saying it would give multiple sclerosis patients new options for treatment.

23 Sep 2010

AMDAI launches 'Don't Surrender to AMD' public awareness campaign

Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which affects more than 10 million older Americans, continues to be the leading cause of vision loss in the United States. The global cost of the disease according to a recent report by AMD Alliance International (AMDAI) is estimated at $343 billion, underscoring the need for swift actions to raise awareness of prevention and treatment options.

18 Sep 2010

Pennsylvania Association for the Blind offers steps to prevent all sports-related eye injuries

It's back to school time! Kids are feeling excited and maybe a little nervous. New teachers, new friends and new sports seasons. Parents are scrambling to buy back-to-school clothes and equip their children with all the sports gear they need, like helmets, pads, braces and mouth guards. Parents are taking that extra step to prevent broken bones, bruises and chipped teeth, but what are they doing to prevent possible permanent vision loss, a scratched cornea, or fractured eye sockets?

3 Sep 2010

ThromboGenics second microplasmin Phase III trial for non-surgical treatment of VMA meets primary endpoint

ThromboGenics NV, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for eye disease, vascular disease and cancer announces that its second Phase III trial evaluating microplasmin for the non-surgical treatment of vitreomacular adhesion (VMA) has met its primary endpoint.

2 Sep 2010

FibroGen announces study results of recombinant human type III collagen in corneal damage

FibroGen, Inc., today announced results of a 2-year clinical study demonstrating that surgical implantation of biosynthetic corneas formulated with the company's proprietary recombinant human type III collagen (rhCIII) restored vision and promoted nerve regeneration (restoring sensitivity) in patients who had corneal damage and significant vision loss.

26 Aug 2010

August is National Immunization and Cataract Awareness Month

Childhood immunizations keep our children safe from a number of serious diseases. This is a good time of year to make sure your child is up-to-date on all of his/her immunizations. Continue reading to find out which vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend for children 6 and under.

16 Aug 2010

NeoStem, Schepens Eye Research Institute collaborate to develop therapies for AMD and Glaucoma

NeoStem, Inc., an international biopharmaceutical company with operations in the U.S. and China, announced today that it has entered into a sponsored research agreement (SRA) with the Schepens Eye Research Institute, a charitable corporation of Massachusetts and an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

12 Aug 2010

Scientific paper explains impact of visual cycle modulation in neurovascular retinopathy

Acucela, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing new treatments for blinding eye diseases, announced today that a scientific paper co-authored by Ryo Kubota, M.D., Ph.D., chairman, president and chief executive officer of Acucela, has been published in Experimental Eye Research. The paper, "Visual Cycle Modulation in Neurovascular Retinopathy" was also co-authored by scientists from Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston and demonstrates for the first time the impact of treatment with a visual cycle modulator (VCM) on retinopathy in an immature eye.

10 Aug 2010

Neurobiologists discover potential cure for degenerative vision diseases

Neurobiologists funded by the Office of Naval Research have discovered a potential cure for degenerative vision diseases leading to terminal blindness.

5 Aug 2010

Research links body weight to glaucoma risk

This month's Ophthalmology journal includes surprising research from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary on the relation of body weight to the risk for glaucoma. Also, from researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, comes the first specific map of how the development of myopic maculopathy, an illness that afflicts many severely nearsighted people, predicts which patients will be most susceptible to vision loss.

3 Aug 2010

Valproic acid halts vision loss in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School believe they may have found a new treatment for retinitis pigmentosa, a severe neurodegenerative disease of the retina that ultimately results in blindness. One of the more common retinal degenerative diseases, RP is caused by the death of photoreceptor cells and affects 1 in 4,000 people in the United States. RP typically manifests in young adulthood as night blindness or a loss of peripheral vision and in many cases progresses to legal blindness by age 40.

22 Jul 2010

Ampio Pharmaceuticals commences Optina Phase II clinical trial for diabetic macular edema

Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the initiation of a Phase II clinical trial of Optina™ for the treatment of diabetic macular edema, an early stage of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic macular edema is responsible for most vision loss in patients with diabetes mellitus.