Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

Investments in EHRs could reap major benefits in better patient care, health outcomes

Research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine gives cause for optimism that federal investments in electronic health records (EHRs) could reap major benefits in better patient care and health outcomes.

2 Sep 2011

Contraceptive pill prevents loss of eye sight

Scientists at University College Cork (UCC) have shown that the active component (Norgestrel) of the contraceptive 'Mini Pill' prevents the loss of sight in mice that have degenerative eye conditions that normally lead to blindness.

2 Sep 2011

Tips for parents to identify children with vision problems

Nearly 80 percent of what a child learns during their first 12 years is obtained through their vision. Though vision problems may seem easy to identify, they actually can be difficult for parents to discern. Still, parents need to be attentive since vision disorders are the fourth-most-common disability in children in the U.S.

2 Sep 2011

Rapid sideline visual test effectively detects concussions in collegiate athletes

A sideline visual test effectively detected concussions in collegiate athletes, according to a team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

2 Sep 2011

Princeton researchers match images of brain activity with complex thought

In an effort to understand what happens in the brain when a person reads or considers such abstract ideas as love or justice, Princeton researchers have for the first time matched images of brain activity with categories of words related to the concepts a person is thinking about. The results could lead to a better understanding of how people consider meaning and context when reading or thinking.

2 Sep 2011

Age-related lens yellowing linked to sleep disorders

A natural yellowing of the eye lens that absorbs blue light has been linked to sleep disorders in a group of test volunteers, according to a study in the September 1 issue of the journal Sleep. As this type of lens discoloration worsened with age, so did the risk of insomnia.

2 Sep 2011

Insight into molecular basis of Enhanced S-Cone Syndrome

A new research report published in The FASEB Journal will help ophthalmologists and scientists better understand a rare genetic disease that causes increased susceptibility to blue light, night blindness, and decreased vision called Enhanced S-Cone Syndrome or Goldman-Favre Syndrome.

2 Sep 2011

Inadequate sleep linked to high blood pressure: Study

In the study, men with the lowest level of the deeper stages of slumber, known as slow-wave sleep, had an 80 percent higher chance of developing high blood pressure than men with the highest level of this restorative sleep. The link held regardless of other factors, such as obesity or how long the men slept.

31 Aug 2011

Nova Southeastern University's medical school plans to expand residency programs

Nova Southeastern University's (NSU) medical school announced plans to expand its affiliated residency programs following recent Congressional legislation to increase the number of residency spots in Florida.

31 Aug 2011

NSU's iPad program treats spinal cord injuries

A little iPad can go a long way. At Nova Southeastern University (NSU), the tiny, flat screen, touch pad is being used by the Occupational Therapy Department researchers to treat disabled patients who suffer from spinal cord injuries and other disabilities.

31 Aug 2011

Alcon chooses Bruker ContourGT-X8 Optical Surface Profiler

Bruker announced today that Alcon Corporation has selected the Bruker ContourGT-X8 Optical Surface Profiler to provide non-destructive, non-contact reference metrology for critical dimensioning and 3D characterization of Alcon's current and next-generation intra-ocular lenses.

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 30 Aug 2011

Study may help explain plague's rapid evolution and aid in development of therapeutics

In the evolutionary blink of an eye, a bacterium that causes mild stomach irritation evolved into a deadly assassin responsible for the most devastating pandemics in human history. How did the mild-mannered Yersinia pseudotuberculosis become Yersinia pestis, more commonly known as the Plague?

30 Aug 2011

Latest Perspectives in General Physiology series examines sensory mechanisms

The latest Perspectives in General Physiology series examines the mechanisms of visual, aural, olfactory, and tactile processes that inform us about the environment. The series appears in the September 2011 issue of the Journal of General Physiology.

30 Aug 2011

Bird flu on the rise again

Avian or bird flu is showing signs of a resurgence, while a mutant strain – that cannot be prevented by vaccination - could be spreading in Asia, the United Nations has warned. This mutant strain appeared in Vietnam and China and its risk to humans cannot be predicted, veterinary officials said.

30 Aug 2011

Optical treatment strategies to correct peripheral vision may slow progression of myopia

New scientific evidence on how feedback from the eye affects visual development may lead to more effective approaches to treating myopia (nearsightedness) in children, reports a paper in the September issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

29 Aug 2011