Visual Impairment News and Research

Latest Visual Impairment News and Research

University of Hertfordshire to lead two new Govt-funded projects into dementia research

Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire are leading two of the twenty-one new Government-funded projects into dementia research - to boost dementia diagnosis rates and trial ground-breaking treatments, as well as helping people with dementia live well with the condition today.

17 Jan 2013

Bionic devices: an interview with Dr Rylie Green

Bionic devices are implants which replace biological functions which have been lost due to nerve damage. They use electrical signals to stimulate the remaining nerve cells following disease or injury. Although the term bionic was only coined in the late 1950s, the earliest bionic devices were cardiac pacemakers, developed in the early 1900s. However the first commercial implantable units were not available until the 1950s.

14 Jan 2013

SLU researchers to test new screening method for MPS disorders among infants

Researchers at Saint Louis University have received a five-year, $2.5 million National Institutes of Health grant to test a new method of screening newborns for a group of rare, but serious genetic disorders that affect approximately 200 babies born in the U.S., each year.

11 Jan 2013

Glaucoma likely to end in visual impairment

Visual impairment at the end of life is highly likely to occur in patients with glaucoma, show Dutch study results.

2 Jan 2013

Ethnic disparities remain in glaucoma testing

A decade’s worth of data show that Hispanic men and women are less likely than individuals of other race or ethnicity to undergo ocular imaging for glaucoma.

19 Dec 2012

Visual impairment and diabetes increase side by side

Visual impairment that is not explained by refractive error is increasing, as is the prevalence of diabetes – particularly diabetes lasting 10 years or longer, show US study results.

14 Dec 2012

$Study finds increase in prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment in the U.S.$

Study finds increase in prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment in the U.S.

The prevalence of nonrefractive visual impairment (not due to need for glasses) in the U.S. has increased significantly in recent years, which may be partly related to a higher prevalence of diabetes, an associated risk factor, according to a study in the December 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Dec 2012

Mass. Eye and Ear opens new outpatient surgical center in Longwood/Mission Hill

Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Longwood, a new outpatient surgical center at 800 Huntington Avenue in the Longwood/Mission Hill area of Boston, opened today to patients.

11 Dec 2012

Scientists evaluate two different strategies to treat Usher syndrome

After years of basic research, scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) are increasingly able to understand the mechanisms underlying the human Usher syndrome and are coming ever closer to finding a successful treatment approach. The scientists in the Usher research group of Professor Dr. Uwe Wolfrum are evaluating two different strategies. These involve either the repair of mutated genes or the deactivation of the genetic defects using agents.

6 Dec 2012

U.K. NICE issues final draft guidance on Alimera Sciences’ ILUVIEN

Alimera Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the research, development and commercialization of prescription ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, today announced that the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued final draft guidance indicating that ILUVIEN is not recommended for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular edema (DME) considered insufficiently responsive to available therapies.

30 Nov 2012

IL17RC-mediated immune responses can be crucial in causing AMD

Changes in how genes in the immune system function may result in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of visual impairment in older adults, based on preliminary research conducted by National Institutes of Health (NIH) investigators.

29 Nov 2012

Word recognition patterns change as people grow older

Unique research into eye-movements of young and old people while reading discovers that word recognition patterns change as we grow older

23 Nov 2012

Study provides first picture of college enrollment and STEM participation for young adults with ASD

It's a popularly held belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) gravitate toward STEM majors in college (science, technology, engineering mathematics).

16 Nov 2012

UK lacks pathways through social and clinical care for eye patients

UK study results reveal that emotional and family support is lacking for individuals with visual impairment.

2 Nov 2012

Mass. Eye and Ear opens new outpatient surgical center in Longwood/Mission Hill area of Boston

Massachusetts Eye and Ear, along with the Beal Companies, LLP, today celebrated the grand opening of its new outpatient surgical center at 800 Huntington Avenue in the Longwood/Mission Hill area of Boston. The location will provide access to Mass. Eye and Ear's world-class physicians and surgeons, and outpatient services.

1 Nov 2012

Ranibizumab improves driving prospects for AMD patients

Treatment with ranibizumab can preserve and even improve the perceived driving ability of patients with age-related macular degeneration, show the results of two randomized trials.

10 Oct 2012

Government investment in eye examinations may boost the economy

Governments could add thousands of millions of dollars to the global economy simply by investing in eye examinations and the provision of glasses for some 703 million people who need them, according to a study published this month in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

6 Oct 2012

Ranibizumab injections keep those with AMD driving longer

The advanced neovascular, or “wet,” form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), left untreated, is the most common cause of vision loss among the elderly and a leading reason for their loss of driving privileges. But results of a new study, published in the online version of the journal Ophthalmology, suggest that monthly injections of ranibizumab improve eye chart test results required for a driver’s license, build driver confidence and keep those with AMD driving longer.

3 Oct 2012

Level of vision, not gain in letters seen, marks success of AMD treatment

The number of patients with a particular level of vision may be a better mark of the success of treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration than the gain or loss of letters able to be seen in logMAR chart testing, suggest researchers.

1 Oct 2012

pSivida reports revenues of $699,000 for fourth quarter 2012

pSivida Corp., a leader in developing sustained release, drug delivery products for treatment of back-of-the-eye diseases, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.

25 Sep 2012