Eye Health News and Research

Latest Eye Health News and Research

Scientists coax bright white light from zinc oxide

Duke University and United States Army scientists have found that a cheap and nontoxic sunburn and diaper rash preventative can be made to produce brilliant light best suited to the human eye.

18 Dec 2008

Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging predicts effects of multiple sclerosis flare-ups on optic nerve

One of the most pernicious aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS) - its sheer unpredictability - may finally be starting to yield to advanced medical imaging techniques.

17 Dec 2008

People with blindness from cataract are poorer than those with normal sight

A new study conducted in three developing countries-Kenya, the Philippines, and Bangladesh-finds that people with cataract-induced visual impairment are more likely to live in poverty than those with normal sight.

16 Dec 2008

MRI scans can predict effects of multiple sclerosis 'flare-ups' on optic nerve

One of the most pernicious aspects of multiple sclerosis (MS) - its sheer unpredictability - may finally be starting to yield to advanced medical imaging techniques.

16 Dec 2008

Continuous positive airway pressure improves sleeping glucose levels in type 2 diabetics with obstructive sleep apnea

A study in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests that screening type 2 diabetes patients for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and treating those who have OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy could improve the management of their hyperglycemia and might favorably influence their long-term prognosis.

15 Dec 2008

Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) shown to delay new episodes of depression

New data suggest that Cymbalta (duloxetine HCl) 60 mg to 120 mg once daily delayed the onset of a new episode of depression in patients who had previously responded to the medication and who had recurrent depressive disorder, defined in the study as those patients who experienced at least three depressive episodes in the previous five years, compared with placebo (p < .001).

14 Dec 2008

Warning on heavy toilet seats and toddler penis injuries

UK doctors have expressed considerable concerns about the growing trend for heavy wooden and ornamental toilet seats after a number of male toddlers were admitted with crush injuries to their penises.

11 Dec 2008

Cause of uveal melanoma discovered, most common eye cancer

A University of British Columbia geneticist has discovered a gene mutation that can cause the most common eye cancer - uveal melanoma.

10 Dec 2008

New spinal deformity classification system

A University of Cincinnati (UC) neurosurgeon who has spent his career helping people with severe spine problems stand up straight has spearheaded the creation of a new spinal deformity classification system.

10 Dec 2008

FDA grants compassionate case for use of novel wet age-related macular degeneration treatment

NeoVista, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved the company's "compassionate case" waiver to utilize its novel wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treatment on a patient with an advanced form of the disease who did not meet criteria for inclusion into current NeoVista investigational treatment protocols.

10 Dec 2008

Save money wih generics

Today, more than ever, consumers can opt for generic equivalents of brand-name medications at substantial cost savings.

10 Dec 2008

Amblyopia treatment times could be drastically reduced

Amblyopia is thought to affect up to 2.5 per cent of people and accounts for around 90 per cent of all children's eye appointments in the UK. Occlusion therapy - patching the normal eye for lengthy periods to 'train' the affected eye - is the main treatment for amblyopia.

10 Dec 2008

Cases of major eye disease projected to increase among diabetics

Based on projected increases in the prevalence of diabetes, the number of people with diabetes-related retinal disease, with glaucoma and with cataracts is estimated to increase significantly by 2050, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

8 Dec 2008

Men have more red in their faces and women have more green

Michael J. Tarr, a Brown University scientist, and graduate student Adrian Nestor have discovered this color difference in an analysis of dozens of faces.

8 Dec 2008

Presbyopia may affect more than 1 billion worldwide

It is estimated that more than 1 billion individuals worldwide in 2005 had presbyopia, or age-related difficulty in seeing objects nearby, with an estimated 410 million with the condition unable to perform tasks requiring near vision, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

8 Dec 2008