http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/eye_care/ Learn about glaucoma symptoms and cataracts, as well as laser eye surgery and optic nerve regeneration. Read the latest medical research on diagnosis and new treatment options. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 13:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/eye_care/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135523.htm Researchers have shown in mice how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections between brain cells during normal development. This research sheds light on how brain activity influences brain development, and highlights the newly found importance of the immune system in how the brain is wired, as well as how the brain forms new connections throughout life in response to change. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115055.htm Acne patients who take oral medications like Accutane double their risk of developing an eye infection compared to those who do not, new research suggests. Researchers say that the use of inexpensive artificial tears or eyedrops, which are available over-the-counter at the local pharmacy, can minimize the risk. Wed, 23 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521141924.htm Students have applied for a provisional patent on their design and prototype of a prescription-medicine pill bottle for the blind and visually impaired -- an innovation that could benefit millions of users. Mon, 21 May 2012 14:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521141924.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132125.htm A device which could restore sight to patients with one of the most common causes of blindness in the developed world is being developed. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516120318.htm ACE2, a molecule that has been shown to prevent damage in the heart, is now proving to be protective of the major organs that are often damaged in diabetic patients. Wed, 16 May 2012 12:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516120318.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516093156.htm A method developed for training blind persons to “see” through the use of a sensory substitution device (SSD) has enabled those using the system to actually “read” an eye chart with letter sizes smaller than those used in determining the international standard for blindness. The device converts images from a miniature camera into "soundscapes," using a predictable algorithm, allowing the user to listen to and then interpret the visual information coming from the camera. Wed, 16 May 2012 09:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516093156.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514203927.htm Researchers have developed a genetic test that can accurately predict whether the most common form of eye cancer will spread to other parts of the body, particularly the liver. The test successfully classified tumors more than 97 percent of the time. Mon, 14 May 2012 20:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514203927.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144617.htm Using tiny solar-panel-like cells surgically placed underneath the retina, scientists have devised a system that may someday restore sight to people who have lost vision because of certain types of degenerative eye diseases. Sun, 13 May 2012 14:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144617.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508163228.htm Researchers hope to use fluorescent light bulbs to slow nearsightedness, which affects 40 percent of American adults and can cause blindness. Tue, 08 May 2012 16:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508163228.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152002.htm Not only is there a real connection between vision and other senses, but that connection is important to better understand the underlying mechanisms that can quickly trigger sensory changes, according to new research. Tue, 08 May 2012 15:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152002.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507165346.htm Researchers have discovered that a drug already prescribed to millions of people with diabetes could also have another important use: treating one of the world's leading causes of blindness. Mon, 07 May 2012 16:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507165346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507132017.htm The same technology used by astronomers to obtain clear views of distant stars is now being used by optometrists to perform incredibly detailed examinations of the living eye. Mon, 07 May 2012 13:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507132017.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120506160147.htm Two drug treatments (Lucentis and Avastin), are equally effective in treating neovascular or wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), according to new results. Sun, 06 May 2012 16:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120506160147.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120506160115.htm Eye color may be an indicator of whether a person is high-risk for certain serious skin conditions. A new study shows people with blue eyes are less likely to have vitiligo. Sun, 06 May 2012 16:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120506160115.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120504105857.htm Sloppy shipping of a donated human retina to a researcher studying a leading cause of vision loss has inadvertently helped uncover a previously undetected mechanism causing the disease. The discovery has led researchers to urge review of how millions of dollars are spent investigating the cause of a type of age-related macular degeneration called choroidal neovascularization. Fri, 04 May 2012 10:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120504105857.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426174104.htm Results from the largest genetic study of glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness and vision loss worldwide, showed that two genetic variations are associated with primary open angle glaucoma, a common form of the disease. The identification of genes responsible for this disease is the first step toward the development of gene-based disease detection and treatment. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 17:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426174104.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426143808.htm Transplanting tissue from newborn fetal membranes prevents blindness in patients with a devastating disease called Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a new study has found. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426143808.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426135400.htm Scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding the "dry" form of age-related macular degeneration known as geographic atrophy. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426135400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426104953.htm From an anatomical point of view, a normal, non-pathological eye is known as an emmetropic eye, and has been studied very little until now in comparison with myopic and hypermetropic eyes. The results show that healthy emmetropic women have a wider pupil diameter than men. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426104953.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426104851.htm They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Fortunately, this is not always true. Researchers have now discovered how the adult brain can adapt to new situations. Their study may be significant in developing treatments of neurodevelopmental disorders. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120426104851.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423184259.htm Real-time, 3-D microscopic tissue imaging could be a revolution for medical fields such as cancer diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery and ophthalmology. Researchers have developed a technique to computationally correct for aberrations in optical tomography, bringing the future of medical imaging into focus. The computational technique could provide faster, less expensive and higher-resolution tissue imaging to a broader population of users. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423184259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423131854.htm Researchers have developed a small, flexible endoscopic medical device fitted with a femtosecond laser "scalpel" that can remove diseased or damaged tissue while leaving healthy cells untouched. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423131854.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423104015.htm Scientists have developed nano-devices that successfully cross the brain-blood barrier and deliver a drug that tames brain-damaging inflammation in rabbits with cerebral palsy. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120423104015.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422232411.htm Scientists are designing new systems to help older people drive safely for longer in an effort to help them retain their independence. Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120422232411.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120420105831.htm Neuroscientists have observed correlations between increases in both soluble and plaque-forming beta-amyloid -- a protein implicated in the disease process -- and dysfunctional developments on several levels: individual cortical neurons, neuronal circuits, sensory cognition, and behavior. Their results show that these changes progress in parallel and that, together, they reveal distinct stages in Alzheimer's disease with a specific order in time. Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120420105831.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418135043.htm Scientists have shown for the first time that transplanting light-sensitive photoreceptors into the eyes of visually impaired mice can restore their vision. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120418135043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417143812.htm Children with Rett Syndrome, who cannot speak or use their hands to communicate and therefore were thought to be unable to understand and process information, do in fact exhibit meaningful visual search whereby they can process and prioritize information, new research shows. This leads researchers to believe that conventional testing is not robust enough and underestimates the patients' cognitive abilities. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 14:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417143812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417102358.htm Researchers have shown for the first time that caffeine intake can significantly increase the eye's ability to produce tears, a finding that could improve treatment of dry eye syndrome. Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120417102358.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120412182334.htm Scientists have identified which strains of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, the cause of toxoplasmosis, are most strongly associated with premature births and severe birth defects in the United States. The researchers used a new blood test to pinpoint T. gondii strains that children acquire from their acutely infected mothers while in the womb. Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120412182334.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120410150000.htm Just because a driver has passed the motor vehicle administration's vision test may not mean he or she is safe to drive. A recent study found that the frequency and distance at which drivers with moderate levels of blurred vision and cataracts recognize pedestrians at night was severely reduced, even when the drivers have passed the required vision test. Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120410150000.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120405131542.htm Medical researchers have gained new insight regarding the regulation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma -- an irreversible blinding disease that causes progressive visual impairment due to optic nerve damage and is the leading cause of blindness worldwide. Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120405131542.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120403171927.htm Working in mice, scientists have devised a treatment that prevents the optic nerve injury that occurs in glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease that is a leading cause of blindness. Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120403171927.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402094341.htm Estrogen causes wounds in women to heal slower than in men -- who have lower levels of estrogen -- says a new study. Researchers provide the first evidence that mild injury response in the eye is fundamentally different in males and females because of estrogen. Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402094341.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120329101625.htm Researchers have unraveled a critical regulatory mechanism controlling blood vessel growth that might help solve drug resistance problems in the future. Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120329101625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120327093125.htm In a widely noticed study, developmental psychologists reported that 14-month-old infants imitate an unusual action if it was chosen deliberately by the person they observed, but not if it could be attributed to external constraints. This selective imitation was put forth as evidence for an early understanding of rational action and action goals. Scientists now present a much simpler explanation for the finding. Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120327093125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120322113354.htm Wide-diameter contact lenses are offering instant relief to people who suffer chronic dry eyes. The lens rests on the sclera, the white part of the eye. Major improvements in materials and design have sparked a resurgence in the use of scleral contact lenses. Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120322113354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120321142909.htm When observing a fly buzzing around the room, we should have the impression that it is not the fly, but rather the space that lies behind it that is moving. After all, the fly is always fixed in our central point of view. But how does the brain convey the impression of a fly in motion in a motionless field? With the help of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scientists have identified two areas of the brain that compare the movements of the eye with the visual movements cast onto the retina so as to correctly perceive objects in motion. Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120321142909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120319134102.htm Researchers have demonstrated that a single, targeted x-ray treatment of an individual eye in young, glaucoma-prone mice provided that eye with apparently life-long and typically complete protection from glaucoma. They used sophisticated genomics methods to uncover some of the very first pathways to change during glaucoma in these mice. The first pathway they detected to change suggests a critical mechanism that could be responsible for the earliest damage that glaucoma inflicts on the optic nerve. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120319134102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120314165932.htm People with mild vascular disease that causes damage to the retina in the eye are more likely to have problems with thinking and memory skills because they may also have vascular disease in the brain, according to a new study. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:59:59 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120314165932.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120314101240.htm People with symptoms suggesting rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, or RBD, have twice the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment or Parkinson's disease within four years of diagnosis with the sleep problem, compared with people without the disorder, a new study has found. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120314101240.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120313185232.htm For the first time, scientists have made early retina structures containing proliferating neuroretinal progenitor cells using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells derived from human blood. Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120313185232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120309140154.htm How do we recognize a face? To date, most research has answered "holistically": We look at all the features -- eyes, nose, mouth -- simultaneously and, perceiving the relationships among them, gain an advantage over taking in each feature individually. Now a new study overturns this theory. Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:01:01 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120309140154.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308174651.htm The hair cells of the inner ear have a previously unknown "root" extension that may allow them to communicate with nerve cells and the brain to regulate sensitivity to sound vibrations and head position, researchers have discovered. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308174651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308132514.htm Wii remotes are not all about fun and games. Scientists can use them to assess and diagnose children with an abnormal head position caused by eye diseases. Researchers have now developed a low-cost digital head posture measuring device with Nintendo Wiimotes to help diagnose this condition, medically called ocular torticollis. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308132514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308101623.htm Scientists have found for the first time that a bacterial pathogen can literally mow down protective molecules, known as mucins, on mucus membranes to enter and infect a part of the body. Thu, 08 Mar 2012 10:16:16 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120308101623.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307094659.htm A new paradigm to explain glaucoma is generating brain-based treatment advances. A review article says that some top researchers no longer consider glaucoma solely an eye disease, but rather a neurologic disorder with some similarities to Parkinson disease and Alzheimer's. Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:46:46 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307094659.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307094143.htm Children with autism look away from faces when thinking, especially about challenging material, according to new research. Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120307094143.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120305150658.htm What good is half an eye? Evolutionary biologists studying the origins of vision get that question a lot, and new research points to a possible answer. New findings indicate that, even in the absence of eyes altogether, some creatures display a light-sensitivity that uses the same visual pathway that allows humans to see. Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:06:06 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120305150658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120301113258.htm Myopia (nearsightedness) develops in children when the lens stops compensating for continued growth of the eye, according to a new study. Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120301113258.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120228114040.htm We make our eye movements earlier or later in order to coordinate with movements of our arms, neuroscientists have found. Their study points to a mechanism in the brain that allows for this coordination and may have implications for rehabilitation and prosthetics. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120228114040.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120224110742.htm Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, especially in developed countries, and there is currently no known treatment or cure or for the vast majority of AMD patients. New research has identified genes whose expression levels can identify people with AMD, as well as tell apart AMD subtypes. It is estimated that 6.5% of people over age 40 in the US currently have AMD. There is an inheritable genetic risk factor but risk is also increased for smokers and with exposure to UV light. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 11:07:07 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120224110742.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216143955.htm Scientists have developed the first 3D look at the interaction between an immune sensor and a protein that helps bacteria move. Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120216143955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133437.htm A new study shows that Kineret (anakinra), a medication approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is effective in stopping the progression of organ damage in people with neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease. This rare and debilitating genetic disorder causes persistent inflammation and ongoing tissue damage. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133437.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152252.htm Gene therapy for congenital blindness took another step forward, as researchers further improved vision in three adult patients previously treated in one eye. The patients were better able to see in dim light, with no adverse effects. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208145955.htm Scientists have tapped onto the visual cortex of the congenitally blind by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs), enabling the blind in effect to "see" and even describe objects. SSDs are non-invasive sensory aids that provide visual information to the blind via their existing senses. For example, using a visual-to-auditory SSD in a clinical or everyday setting, users wear a miniature video camera connected to a small computer (or smart phone) and stereo headphones. The images are converted into "soundscapes," using a predictable algorithm, allowing the user to listen to and then interpret the visual information coming from the camera. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208145955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132257.htm A new study identifies specific cell-stress signaling pathways that link injury of the optic nerve with irreversible vision loss. The research may lead to new strategies that will help to protect vulnerable neurons in the retina after optic nerve damage and diseases. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201120736.htm There is definitely more than meets the eye where faces are concerned. Researchers are investigating the process of facial recognition, seeking to understand the complexity of what is actually taking place in the brain when one person looks at another. The studies target people who display an inability to recognize faces, a condition long known as prosopagnosia. The research is aimed at trying to understand the neural basis of the condition while also make inferences about what is going wrong in terms of information processing -- where in the stages that our brains go through to recognize a face is the system breaking down. A new paper details the most recent experimental results. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:07:07 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120201120736.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127162800.htm The eyes are the window into the soul -- or at least the mind, according to a new article. Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127162800.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224524.htm False negatives and positives plague the reading of mammograms, limiting their usefulness. Computer scientists have now shown that the accuracy of novice readers can be improved by nudging them visually to follow the scanpath of an expert radiologist. The "nudge" is a brief change in the brightness or warmth in the image in the peripheral field of view. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126224524.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126223607.htm Researchers have discovered that the most common receptor for the major neurotransmitter in the brain is also present in the eye, which may explain links between cataracts, epilepsy and use of a number of antiepileptic and antidepressant drugs. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:36:36 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120126223607.htm