Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

BVA unveils wide-view neurostimulator concept, prototype bionic eye

Bionic Vision Australia today unveils their wide-view neurostimulator concept - a bionic eye that will be implanted into Australia's first recipient of the technology.

31 Mar 2010

Vision CRC scientists discover new technology to control myopia

Scientists from the Vision Cooperative Research Centre in Australia today announced that myopia, or short-sightedness, can be controlled with new technology. This ground breaking discovery was based on research conducted by Vision CRC partners - the University of Houston College of Optometry and the Brien Holden Vision Institute, located at the University of New South Wales.

31 Mar 2010

States mull joining health care reform lawsuits or keeping out of it

The Associated Press/New York Times: Indiana has joined the lawsuit brought by 13 states challenging the constitutionality of a mandate on Americans to carry health insurance in the new health reform law. "State Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Monday that Indiana would be added to an amended version of the lawsuit against the law that is expected to be filed soon" (3/29).

31 Mar 2010

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals reports net income of $2.7M for 2009 against year-ago loss

NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company developing first-in-class, anti-infective compounds for the treatment and prevention of antibiotic-resistant infections, today reported full-year and fourth quarter financial results for 2009. The company also highlighted recent progress of its proprietary and partnered development programs.

30 Mar 2010

LCT receives approval for New Zealand Phase II human trial of DIABECELL

Living Cell Technologies Limited, a global company pioneering the development of a cell implant to treat diabetes, today announced that it has received approval to advance to the next phase of its New Zealand Phase II human clinical trial with its groundbreaking DIABECELL®. The approval follows a positive assessment from the New Zealand Data Safety and Monitoring Board of the first four patients to receive its DIABACELL® implants.

30 Mar 2010

How the health legislation will affect consumers

The Los Angeles Times explores some key questions: Will insurers continue to raise premiums; when will the Medicare "doughnut hole" close; and, "how do I sign up for my new insurance?" In answer to the last one, the Times writes, "Although there are some provisions that take effect this year, such as bans on lifetime limits and the denial of coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, the part of the bill that provides new insurance options does not take effect until 2014" (Geiger, 3/28).

30 Mar 2010

Alcon acquires right to market DUREZOL ophthalmic corticosteroid in U.S.

Alcon, the world's leader in eye care, announced today that it received regulatory approval and finalized the acquisition of the rights in the United States for DUREZOL™ emulsion and the global rights, excluding Latin America, for ZYCLORIN™ from Sirion Therapeutics, Inc.

30 Mar 2010

UCSF approach may one day be used to create new periods of plasticity in human brain

UCSF scientists report that they were able to prompt a new period of "plasticity," or capacity for change, in the neural circuitry of the visual cortex of juvenile mice. The approach, they say, might some day be used to create new periods of plasticity in the human brain that would allow for the repair of neural circuits following injury or disease.

27 Mar 2010

Cut in Medicare reimbursement to physicians will jeopardize timely surgical care

The results of a new member survey by the nation's Surgical Coalition shows that the more than 21 percent pay cut to physicians that is scheduled to take effect April 1 will make it difficult, if not impossible, for already financially strapped surgical practices to continue to treat Medicare patients. A majority of the more than 14,000 surgeons and anesthesiologists who responded to the survey indicated that they will be forced to make significant changes in their practices if the cut goes into effect and that timely access to surgical care will be jeopardized if Medicare payments continue to decline.

27 Mar 2010

Biophotonics: Light to cure disease

Biophotonics, or photomedicine, is a relatively unknown discipline, though it has existed for years now. You may have even benefited from it without realizing it. Some of the greatest advances of this field can be found in applications for the areas of oncology, dermatology, ophthalmology, surgery and cardiology.

27 Mar 2010

READ 3 study for DME begins enrolling participants

A Phase II clinical trial for a promising treatment for diabetic eye disease has begun enrolling participants.

27 Mar 2010

SENSIMED Triggerfish developed to diagnose and treat patients with glaucoma

STMicroelectronics, the world's leading supplier of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) devices for consumer and portable applications, has announced that it will develop and supply a wireless MEMS sensor that acts as a transducer, antenna and mechanical support for additional read-out electronics in a breakthrough platform developed by Swiss company Sensimed AG.

26 Mar 2010

New topical drug may help treat diabetic eye disease

Early-stage human clinical trials showed that a new topical drug was safe and had biological effects in a type of diabetic eye disease, and may offer researchers a new approach to prevent and treat diabetic macular edema.

26 Mar 2010

New experiments may hold clues for controlling cancer

A protein discovered in fruit fly eyes has brought a Johns Hopkins team closer to understanding how the human heart and other organs automatically "right size" themselves, a piece of information that may hold clues to controlling cancer.

26 Mar 2010

Artist and scientist examine principles of visual perception

A novel research project spearheaded by the University of Leicester and part-funded by The Leverhulme Trust aims to shed new light on the way people perceive art.

26 Mar 2010

How does a heart know when it's big enough?

25 Mar 2010

EMA accepts MAA filing of ViroPharma's Cinryze for HAE

ViroPharma Incorporated today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has accepted the filing of its Marketing Authorization Application for Cinryze for acute treatment and prophylaxis against hereditary angioedema, which was submitted through the centralized procedure in March 2010. ViroPharma is seeking European approval for both prevention and treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema.

25 Mar 2010

American Association of Poison Control Centers: K2 herbal marijuana substitute spurred poison calls

K2, an herbal marijuana substitute also known as "spice," is a blend of herbs sprayed with a synthetic marijuana-like drug, and has spurred at least 112 calls to U.S. poison centers since 2009, including 59 calls since March 1, 2010.

25 Mar 2010

Isotechnika Pharma releases fourth quarter financial results; reviews operational and scientific highlights for 2009

Isotechnika Pharma Inc. has released its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009 and provided a review of the Company's operational and scientific highlights for 2009

25 Mar 2010

Head trauma can cause loss of smell and taste sensations

The ability to taste and smell can be lost or impaired after a head injury, according to a new study by scientists from the Universit- de Montr-al, the Lucie Bruneau Rehabilitation Centre, as well as the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal. Published in the journal Brain Injury, the investigation established that mild to severe traumatic brain injury could cause olfactory loss.

25 Mar 2010