Visual Impairment News and Research

Latest Visual Impairment News and Research

World Sight Day to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment

World Sight Day, celebrated on October 8th, is an annual day of awareness to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment as a major public health issue. World Sight Day is coordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) under the global initiative of VISION 2020. This year, the theme for World Sight Day is Gender and Eye Health.

8 Oct 2009

Study finds that visual impairment in T1D patients may be decreasing

People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in recent years are less likely to develop diabetes-related vision loss than those diagnosed in earlier years, says a new study funded by the National Eye Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health. Forecasts of visual impairment prevalence in T1D patients may need to be amended, the researchers suggest, since current predictions assume that the earlier incidence rates will continue.

3 Oct 2009

ORBIS' Childhood Blindness Initiative aims to develop 50 pediatric ophthalmology centers across India

ORBIS International's flagship Flying Eye Hospital arrived in Jaipur, India with its international team of volunteer eye care specialists and global sponsor Alcon, Inc. (NYSE: ACL), the world's leading eye care company.

1 Oct 2009

Adaptive Eyewear's endeavors to build vision infrastructure in Rwanda

Adaptive Eyewear, a UK-based not-for-profit organisation which aims to provide vision correction solutions to people in the developing world, was recognized yesterday at the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Fifth Annual Meeting for its exemplary approach to address the significant shortage of eye care specialists and lack of vision infrastructure in Rwanda. Adaptive Eyewear's commitment to the people of Rwanda was announced at the session "Driving Disruptive Innovation at the Base of the Pyramid" on Wednesday 23rd September at 2:45pm.

25 Sep 2009

Health Net is the national sponsor of the 2nd National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic

Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is honored to serve as a national sponsor of the 2nd National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, to be held Sept. 20–25, 2009, in San Diego.

19 Sep 2009

1.4 million Nigerians over the age of 40 will become blind by 2020: Study

By 2020, 1.4 million Nigerians over age 40 will lose their sight, and the vast majority of the causes are either preventable or treatable, according to the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Study Group.

9 Sep 2009

Working mothers suffer from vision impairment as they age

For working mothers -- the ultimate multitaskers -- seeing clearly is essential to getting the job done. Yet, new research reveals that as they age, changes in their vision are impacting the ability of most moms to perform everyday activities at home and on the job.

8 Sep 2009

Veterans with visual or mobility impairments play golf in Iowa City

More than 100 Veterans with visual or mobility impairments, blindness and other disabilities hit the golf course at the National Veterans TEE Tournament, September 6 - 10, in and around Iowa City, Iowa.

7 Sep 2009

Masimo SET pulse oximetry technology implemented in Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Masimo (Nasdaq: MASI), the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) and Measure-Through Motion and Low-Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced today that Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of 'America's Best Children's Hospitals', has completed its system-wide conversion to Masimo SET pulse oximetry technology.

26 Aug 2009

PediaVision device to detect eye disorders in autistic children

PediaVision, a company dedicated to solving the critical problem of undiagnosed vision problems affecting thousands of children, today announced a breakthrough in the use of the PediaVision Assessment Solution for autistic children.

25 Aug 2009

Remarkable vision improvements after gene therapy for inherited blindness

One year after a trio of young adults received gene therapy for an inherited form of blindness, researchers have documented that the patients are still experiencing the same level of remarkable vision improvements previously measured within weeks.

13 Aug 2009

Giant pituitary adenoma can be safely removed through nasal route

It’s even worse than being told you have a brain tumor: having a tumor so large, it’s in a category all its own. Giant pituitary adenoma is a so-called “benign” tumor that can cause visual loss and impair many of the body’s most basic functions. But fortunately, even the largest of these giant tumors—which can grow to the size of an egg and invade nearby structures--can be treated effectively using a multimodality approach starting with minimally invasive surgery through the nose, according to a new study at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center.

12 Aug 2009

Corrected vision impairment could prevent billions of dollars in lost productivity annually

Corrected vision impairment could prevent billions of dollars in lost productivity annually, according to a study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of School of Public Health, the International Centre for Eyecare Education, the University of New South Wales and the African Vision Research Institute.

2 Jun 2009

62nd World Health Assembly closes with resolutions on public health

The 62nd World Health Assembly, which brought together health ministers and senior health officials from WHO's Member States, closed today with the adoption of resolutions on a variety of global health issues including primary health care, the prevention and control of multidrug- resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, public health, innovation and intellectual property and pandemic influenza preparedness. The Health Assembly also passed the Programme Budget for 2010 -2011.

22 May 2009

A glimpse at vision: First impressions count

Human beings far outpace computers in their ability to recognize faces and other objects, handling with ease variations in size, color, orientation, lighting conditions and other factors.

29 Apr 2009

Visual impairment will increase as population ages, but treatment can mitigate effects

Health care providers can expect a significant increase in age-related macular degeneration as the baby boom generation reaches retirement age, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

13 Apr 2009

New therapies expected to help reduce future burden of age-related macular degeneration

The prevalence of the eye disease age-related macular degeneration is projected to increase substantially by 2050, but the use of new therapies is expected to help mitigate its effects on vision, according to results of simulation modeling reported in the April issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

13 Apr 2009

Stem cell therapy used to restore transparency in corneas

Stem cells collected from human corneas restore transparency and don't trigger a rejection response when injected into eyes that are scarred and hazy, according to experiments conducted in mice by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

12 Apr 2009

Digital photo album puts focus on kids' health

Modern moms and dads snap thousands of photos, recording every drooling smile and flailing attempt to crawl.

8 Apr 2009

Positive phase 3 uveitis trial results for voclosporin

Isotechnika Inc. has announced that their partner, Lux Biosciences, Inc., reported the results from the three Phase 3 LUMINATE trials investigating voclosporin oral capsule (LUVENIQ or LX211) for the treatment of uveitis.

29 Mar 2009