Blindness News and Research

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Senegal becomes ninth African country to eliminate trachoma

The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Senegal as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Senegal becomes the ninth country in WHO's African Region to have achieved this feat.

15 Jul 2025

Novel AI-powered retina tracker detects eye disease in under one second

A novel AI-powered retina tracker can analyze retinal images with near-perfect accuracy in under one second, according to a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

15 Jul 2025

Burundi eliminates trachoma and sets example for disease control in Africa

The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Burundi as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making it the eighth country in WHO's African Region to reach this important milestone.

11 Jul 2025

Retinal cells rewire to preserve vision in retinitis pigmentosa

Scientists at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have discovered that certain retinal cells can rewire themselves when vision begins to deteriorate in retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye disease that leads to progressive blindness.

7 Jul 2025

Circadian misalignment in the blind may impact daily brain functions

This study investigates how blindness affects sleep, dreams, and spatial awareness, revealing links between circadian rhythms and cognitive performance.

7 Jul 2025

N2 deep sleep powers your next aha moment, study reveals

A new study in PLOS Biology shows that deep N2 sleep, rather than light N1 sleep, dramatically boosts the likelihood of “aha” moments in a challenging perceptual task. The researchers also reveal that aperiodic brain activity during sleep best predicts who will gain insight after a nap.

30 Jun 2025

Study identifies potential way to slow or block progression of age-related macular degeneration

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identifies a possible way to slow or block progression of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in people over age 50.

24 Jun 2025

Driving breakthroughs for the NF community at the 2025 NF Conference

A new era is unfolding for the NF community. With two FDA-approved treatments now on the market - including the first-ever therapy for adults with NF1 - and cutting-edge advances in AI, drug repositioning, and precision medicine, momentum is building like never before.

20 Jun 2025

Herpes virus reshapes the human genome's architecture to aid its replication

Viruses are entirely dependent on their hosts to reproduce. They ransack living cells for parts and energy and hijack the host's cellular machinery to make new copies of themselves.

19 Jun 2025

What matters more for diabetes risk: lifestyle or body weight?

A large, multi-ethnic US cohort study found that combining healthy lifestyle factors—non-smoking, regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and moderate alcohol consumption into a Lifestyle Risk Factor Index (LSRI) was linked to a significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes. However, BMI was a stronger predictor of diabetes risk, and the impact of lifestyle varied across ethnic groups.

18 Jun 2025

Study links gestational hypertension to increased seizure risk in offspring

A new study led by researchers at University of Iowa Health Care has revealed a significant association between high blood pressure during pregnancy (gestational hypertension) and an increased risk of seizures in children.

16 Jun 2025

Novel sensor quickly detects small amounts of methanol in breath

Breathalyzers are a frequently used tool to measure the amount of ethanol in someone's breath, which relates to their blood alcohol content. However, alcoholic beverages contaminated by methanol (sometimes called wood alcohol) are hard to identify and toxic if ingested.

11 Jun 2025

AI transforms sightseeing for visually impaired users

The VIPTour AI system empowers visually impaired individuals to explore unfamiliar environments, enhancing emotional engagement and cognitive mapping accuracy.

8 Jun 2025

New retinal prosthesis restores vision in blind mice and detects near-infrared light in macaques

A new prosthesis for the retina weaved with nanowires partially restored vision in blind mice and allowed detection of near-infrared light in macaques, according to a new study.

6 Jun 2025

Blood cell-free RNA signatures can predict preterm birth months in advance

Children born before 37 weeks of gestation have a considerably increased risk of dying before they reach the age of five.

25 May 2025

Powerful new toolkit targets vision loss in advanced retinal degeneration

Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) are a group of genetic disorders that lead to progressive vision loss as the light-sensing cells of the eye-the photoreceptors-die due to mutations in genes needed for their function and survival.

23 May 2025

EMA designates allopurinol as first orphan drug for the treatment of Marfan syndrome

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has designated allopurinol as the first orphan drug for the treatment of Marfan syndrome, a rare connective tissue disease which as no cure to date.

19 May 2025

USPSTF urges universal syphilis screening in pregnancy to prevent congenital infections

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) reaffirms its recommendation for universal syphilis screening in pregnancy, citing strong evidence for early detection and prevention of congenital syphilis. Despite ongoing disparities and rising rates, early screening and treatment remain essential to improving outcomes for mothers and infants.

18 May 2025

Cultural comfort: How pasta became Italy’s edible happiness ritual

A multi-method study of over 1,500 Italians found that pasta consumption is consistently associated with increased happiness, especially when eaten socially. Psychological traits like mindfulness and lower stress enhanced these positive emotional effects.

11 May 2025