Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

First Edition: August 3, 2011

Today's headlines showcase continuing reports about the impact the debt deal might have on health care providers, as well as how the agreement's "super committee" will be charged with finding spending reductions in Medicare, Medicaid and a range of other government programs.

3 Aug 2011

Super committee's muscle draws interest, questions

Some lawmakers are questioning the powerful panel's ability to recommend changes to entitlement programs and the tax code. This group must present a deficit-reduction package to Congress by Nov. 23. Failure to do so would lead to across-the-board cuts to high-priority programs such as defense spending and Medicare.

3 Aug 2011

Hydrogen sulfide protects blood vessels from diabetes complications

Hydrogen sulfide is a foul-smelling gas with an odor resembling that of rotten eggs. Sometimes called "swamp gas," this toxic substance is generally associated with decaying vegetation, sewers and noxious industrial emissions. And - as odd as it may seem - it also plays a critical role in protecting blood vessels from the complications of diabetes, according to a new study from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

3 Aug 2011

Akorn enters agreement to acquire minority ownership in Aciex

Akorn, Inc., a niche specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a minority ownership in Westborough, MA, based Aciex Therapeutics Inc., an ophthalmic drug development company with a focus on developing novel therapeutics to treat ocular diseases.

3 Aug 2011

Words+ introduces EyePro GS system

Words+, Inc., a leading provider of augmentative communication and assistive technology hardware and software for people with disabilities, announced today that it has launched EyePro GS™, a new product designed and manufactured in-house that allows a person to operate an augmentative communication system or computer by simply looking at the screen. Words+ is a wholly owned subsidiary of Simulations Plus, Inc..

2 Aug 2011

Akorn second quarter revenue grows 59% to $32.1 million

Akorn, Inc., a niche specialty pharmaceutical company, today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2011. The Company also separately announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a minority ownership in Westborough, MA, based Aciex Therapeutics Inc., an ophthalmic drug development company with a focus on developing novel therapeutics to treat front-of-eye diseases.

2 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 2, 2011

Today's headlines reveal how some specific elements of the debt-ceiling deal might impact Medicare providers.

2 Aug 2011

Research: 7 Tesla MRI can accurately detect brain scarring linked with epilepsy

Using state-of-the-art, 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, University of Minnesota Medical School researchers may have uncovered a better approach to diagnosing epilepsy.

2 Aug 2011

New liquid material shows promise for people with facial deformities

Biomedical engineers at Johns Hopkins have developed a new liquid material that in early experiments in rats and humans shows promise in restoring damaged soft tissue relatively safely and durably.

2 Aug 2011

To eliminate germs in contact lens, 'rub and rinse' works best

For cleaning soft contact lenses with multipurpose disinfection solutions, the "rub and rinse" technique is most effective for eliminating micro-organisms—even when using "no-rub" disinfection solutions, according to a report in the August issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.

2 Aug 2011

New endoscopic OCT system enables 3-D imaging of esophagus, colon cancers

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new imaging system that enables high-speed, three-dimensional (3-D) imaging of microscopic pre-cancerous changes in the esophagus or colon.

2 Aug 2011

FDA clears Derma Sciences' MEDIHONEY Hydrogel Wound and Burn Dressing

Derma Sciences, Inc., a medical device and pharmaceutical company focused on advanced wound care, today announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance for its patented MEDIHONEY Hydrogel Wound and Burn Dressing with Leptospermum honey.

2 Aug 2011

New software tools for fast, accurate reconstruction of neural networks

The human brain is the most complex of all organs, containing billions of neurons with their corresponding projections, all woven together in a highly complex, three-dimensional web. To date, mapping this vast network posed a practically insurmountable challenge to scientists.

30 Jul 2011

Education can help alleviate 'brain drain' of African health workers

In a post on the New York Time's "On the Ground" blog, Rwanda Works Director Josh Ruxin writes about two Rwandan cousins who are "fighting the international brain-drain trend that is dangerously affecting medicine in the developing world, and have committed themselves to building local medical capacity in their native country" by establishing a university and medical school, called the Kigali Medical.

29 Jul 2011

Patients with diabetes, depression more likely to develop serious eye disease

Patients with diabetes who also suffer from depression are more likely to develop a serious complication known as diabetic retinopathy, a disease that damages the eye's retina, a five-year study finds.

29 Jul 2011

RegeneRx to initiate enrollment in RGN-259 Phase 2 trial for dry eye syndrome

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. has announced that it is set to begin a Phase 2 clinical trial in 72 patients with dry eye syndrome.

29 Jul 2011

Solazyme launches anti-aging skincare line, Algenist at Space NK stores

Solazyme, Inc., a renewable oil and bioproducts company, has signed a distribution agreement with the United Kingdom's most innovative beauty retailer, Space NK, to expand the sales network of the company's luxury skincare line, Algenist, to include all 60 Space NK stores throughout the country.

28 Jul 2011

Scientists reveal complete three-dimensional atomic structure of an activated GPCR

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are popular drug targets, accounting for about one-third of approved drugs and many hundreds of drugs currently in development. They act as molecular switches that transduce extracellular signals by activating heterotrimeric G proteins located at the inside of the cell.

27 Jul 2011

Early detection critical in preventing vision loss among Baby Boomers

Probably the most worrisome health concern for Baby Boomers as they age is the increased possibility of visual impairment or vision loss. For this reason, early detection is critical in successfully preventing and treating eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, before they lead to major visual changes.

27 Jul 2011

New convenient device can track degenerative eye disease

An ophthalmologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center has helped create a convenient device that lets patients who have a degenerative eye disease better track vision changes.

27 Jul 2011