Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

Sleep helps consolidate, strengthen new memories

In study published today in Science, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center show for the first time that sleep after learning encourages the growth of dendritic spines, the tiny protrusions from brain cells that connect to other brain cells and facilitate the passage of information across synapses, the junctions at which brain cells meet.

6 Jun 2014

Study demonstrates link between obstructive sleep apnea and development of diabetes

In the largest study to date of the relationship between sleep apnea and diabetes, a new study of more than 8,500 Canadian patients has demonstrated a link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the development of diabetes, confirming earlier evidence of such a relationship from smaller studies with shorter follow-up periods.

6 Jun 2014

Researchers take step toward restoring natural, high-fidelity vision to blind people

In laboratory tests, researchers have used electrical stimulation of retinal cells to produce the same patterns of activity that occur when the retina sees a moving object. Although more work remains, this is a step toward restoring natural, high-fidelity vision to blind people, the researchers say.

6 Jun 2014

Ocugen's OCU100 gets FDA orphan drug designation for treatment of retinitis pigmentosa

Ocugen, Inc. and the University of Colorado today announced exclusive license agreements that allow for Ocugen to continue developing two drug candidates for the treatment for ophthalmology indications, and that one of the assets, OCU100, recombinant lens epithelium derived growth factor 1-326 (LEDGF1-326), received orphan-drug status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rare eye disease.

6 Jun 2014

Kaiser Permanente receives 32 environmental excellence awards from Practice Greenhealth

Kaiser Permanente has received a record 32 environmental excellence awards this year from Practice Greenhealth, the national membership organization for hospitals and health systems committed to environmentally responsible operations and care.

6 Jun 2014

Navigated brain stimulation system may help improve motor function for people recovering from stroke

Researchers at Shepherd Center are studying whether stimulating the brain before rehabilitation could yield greater gains in motor function for people recovering from stroke.

5 Jun 2014

RPB grants $500,000 to accelerate treatments for Retinitis Pigmentosa

Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB), the leading eye research foundation, is providing $500,000 to accelerate the development of treatments for Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) -- a family of retinal diseases that progressively create extreme tunnel vision, loss of night vision and leave affected patients legally blind by the age of 40.

5 Jun 2014

Novel technology to block human infections receives I-Corps grant

A novel technology developed at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) to block human infections by taking a lesson from fish has landed a $50,000 grant from the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program.

5 Jun 2014

CenterVue's next generation Macular Integrity Assessment receives FDA clearance

CenterVue, Inc., a leader in the design and manufacture of highly automated medical devices for the diagnosis and management of ocular pathologies, today announced FDA 510(k) clearance has been granted for the company's next generation Macular Integrity Assessment (MAIA).

4 Jun 2014

Scientists create 3-D silicon structures using water droplets

Researchers from the University of Twente in the Netherlands have taken the precise art of origami down to the microscopic scale.

4 Jun 2014

New nanomedicine allows glaucoma patients to do away with daily eye drops

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) have jointly developed a new nanomedicine that will allow glaucoma patients to do away with daily eye drops.

4 Jun 2014

New vaccine effective at preventing lung cancer in mice

Tweaking a protein expressed by most liver cancer cells has enabled scientists to make a vaccine that is exceedingly effective at preventing the disease in mice.

4 Jun 2014

Medicare to pay for hep C screenings for baby boomers

The decision comes amid controversy surrounding the costs of new drugs to treat the blood-borne virus. Meanwhile, two studies find that Medicare could save billions if doctors switched from an expensive eye medication to a similar, much cheaper one and, also, if Part D plans were selected based on the actual drugs patients take.

4 Jun 2014

State highlights: NYC mental health task force; Minn. seeks marijuana boss; N.C. disparities for gay community

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a new task force Monday to overhaul how New York City's corrections system treats the mentally ill -- both in jail and out -- following the grisly deaths of two inmates with psychological problems (6/2).

4 Jun 2014

Scientists design search engine to identify functionally linked genes

Our bodies are as vast as oceans and space, composed of a dizzying number of different types of cells. Exploration reaches far, yet the genes that make each cell and tissue unique have remained largely obscure.

4 Jun 2014

Study results suggest growing support for patient-centered care management

Primary care doctors practicing in a model of coordinated, team-based care that leverages health information technology are more likely to give patients recommended preventive screening and appropriate tests than physicians working in other settings, according to research published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

4 Jun 2014

Notre Dame professor receives GCE grant for global health and development research project

Marya Lieberman, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame, has received a Grand Challenges Explorations grant, an initiative funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Lieberman will pursue an innovative global health and development research project, titled "Printed test cards for rapid field screening of human and animal medications."

4 Jun 2014

Diverse group of researchers to address eye healthcare problems of the 21st century

For an individual the loss of sight is estimated by the RNIB to have a financial impact of -20k per year and the annual cost to the UK economy is around -6.5 billion in terms of direct healthcare costs and other costs such as unpaid carers and loss of employment.

3 Jun 2014

First Edition: June 3, 2014

Today's headlines include coverage of Medicare data released Monday indicating that 2012 charges for some common inpatient hospital procedures dramatically increased over the previous year.

From Medtronic 3 Jun 2014

CHLA researchers develop novel NextGen sequencing approach for retinoblastoma

Researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have developed a unique next-generation sequencing test for the gene linked to retinoblastoma. The new approach is both more comprehensive and can be conducted in less time than existing tests - enabling early detection of the cancer's genetic cause, which is critical for optimal treatment outcomes.

3 Jun 2014