Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

Novel face mask can diagnose Covid-19 in 90 minutes

Engineers at MIT and Harvard University have designed a novel face mask that can diagnose the wearer with Covid-19 within about 90 minutes. The masks are embedded with tiny, disposable sensors that can be fitted into other face masks and could also be adapted to detect other viruses.

28 Jun 2021

Study shows how inhibitory neurons play a key role to facilitate signal transmission

When looking at a complex landscape, the eye needs to focus in on important details without losing the big picture--a charging lion in a jungle, for example. Now, a new study by Salk scientists shows how inhibitory neurons play a critical role in this process.

25 Jun 2021

Research reveals how autonomic nervous system influences deep sleep in sleepwalkers

Somnambulism - otherwise known as sleepwalking - is a phenomenon which has fascinated the public and neurologists for decades, but a lot of what causes it remains a mystery.

25 Jun 2021

UCLA scientists discover how immune cells can be trained to fight potential threats

The body's immune cells naturally fight off viral and bacterial microbes and other invaders, but they can also be reprogrammed or "trained" to respond even more aggressively and potently to such threats, report UCLA scientists who have discovered the fundamental rule underlying this process in a particular class of cells.

24 Jun 2021

Study focuses on retinal roughness in Alzheimer’s disease

Over recent years, the retina has established its position as one of the most promising biomarkers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's.

23 Jun 2021

Racket sport padel related to increased risk of eye injuries

Several eye clinics around Sweden are seeing a rise in eye damage related to the racket sport padel. In an article in the Journal of the Swedish Medical Association (Läkartidningen), eye researchers affiliated with the University of Gothenburg state that padel is a potential high-risk sport for eye injuries, and that wearing protective goggles is a good idea.

23 Jun 2021

Eating 2.5 grams of pure natural cocoa powder improves daytime visual acuity

Eating 2.5 grams of pure natural cocoa powder serves to improve visual acuity in healthy young adults and in daylight conditions, according to research by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) and the ICTAN (Institute of Food and Nutrition Science and Technology) of the CSIC.

23 Jun 2021

Heidelberg researchers replicate rare genetic defect in fish model

A rare genetic defect that affects the so-called ALG2 gene can cause serious metabolic diseases in humans. It does so through the defective formation of proteins and sugar molecules.

23 Jun 2021

AI system can rapidly identify healthy, productive skin stem cells

Stem cell therapy is at the cutting edge of regenerative medicine, but until now researchers and clinicians have had to painstakingly evaluate stem cell quality by looking at each cell individually under a microscope.

23 Jun 2021

New method uses swabs from smartphone screens to accurately detect COVID-19

An accurate, non-invasive, and low-cost method of testing for COVID-19 using samples taken from the screens of mobile phones has been developed by a team led by UCL researchers at Diagnosis Biotech.

23 Jun 2021

Study: Subconscious changes in day-to-day movements can predict Alzheimer’s disease

As people go about their daily activities, complex fluctuations in their movement occur without conscious thought. These fluctuations -- known as fractal motor activity regulation (FMAR) -- and their changes are not readily detectable to the naked eye, but FMAR patterns can be recorded using a wristwatch-like device known as an actigraph.

23 Jun 2021

Women who use hormonal contraceptives face higher risk of developing glaucoma

Women who currently use hormonal contraceptives face more than a 2-fold higher risk of developing glaucoma, according to an analysis of electronic medical records for women aged 15-45 years from 2008 to 2018.

23 Jun 2021

Study shows that neurons establish functional connections only with one retina

The visual thalamus is classically known to relay visual stimuli coming from the retina to the cerebral cortex. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology now show that although neurons in the mouse visual thalamus connect to both eyes, they establish strong functional connections only with one retina.

21 Jun 2021

Deep learning could transform the ability to accurately interpret HIV test results

Pioneering technology developed by UCL and Africa Health Research Institute researchers could transform the ability to accurately interpret HIV test results, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

18 Jun 2021

Controlling brain state transitions using a molecule responsive to light

A study led by researchers from IBEC and IDIBAPS achieves, for the first time, the control of brain state transitions using a molecule responsive to light, named PAI.

18 Jun 2021

New details on transport protein could help develop drugs for neurological diseases

New details on the structure and function of a transport protein could help researchers develop drugs for neurological diseases that are better able to cross the blood-brain barrier.

18 Jun 2021

Precision medicine may lead to more effective treatments for ocular conditions

The most practical solution for drug delivery to the eyeball is topical, i.e. eye drops. However, a naturally occurring substance in tears actually can interact with the drug delivery system (DDS), hindering absorption of the drug and preventing it from getting into the cells it needs to target.

17 Jun 2021