Fear of the unknown, and of being alone, are the worst of all fears, and, therefore, the biggest challenges in coping with progressive vision loss. Conquering those fears can open doors of opportunities never thought possible. As this month’s International Low Vision Support Group presenter, Dan Roberts, introduces his childhood monster and talks about how […]
Researchers have looked at a sample population of senior adults newly diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration (exudative, or neovascular, AMD) and found that those who received either Lucentis or Avastin injections* were 19% less likely to be admitted to a long-term care facility during the follow-up period. The reason? The introduction of anti-VEGF therapy […]
Kellogg retina surgeons implant Argus II Retinal Prosthesis, or ‘bionic eye,’ for two patients with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Retina surgeons at the University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center have performed the first – and second – surgeries in the United States to implant an artificial retina, or “bionic eye,” since the U.S. Food and […]
Courtesy: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health (NEI/NIH) Glaucoma is sometimes called the “silent thief of sight” because it slowly damages the eyes and can cause irreparable harm before there is any vision loss. But this disease is stealthy in more ways than one. Glaucoma has been known at least since antiquity, and yet, […]
by Dan Roberts Optometrists and ophthalmologists are human. And like the rest of us humans, they can get tired, impatient, frustrated, despondent, and hurt. Unfortunately, professional decorum requires that they maintain a good front by either bottling up their thoughts or venting them at home–neither of which are necessarily good options. For that reason, I […]
A 10-year follow-up study of participants in the original AREDS trial has been completed. The Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group revealed new statistics on the risk and rate of progression from early to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Participants aged 55 to 80 years with no AMD or AMD of varying severity were followed […]
Researchers at Oxford University have reported successful findings from their Phase 1/2 clinical testing of the CHM gene for treatment of choroideremia. Choroideremia is a rare disease affecting mostly males that leads to blindness. In the multicentre clinical trial, six male patients (aged 35—63 years) all showed improvement after replacement of the malfunctioning gene. The […]
In a press release today, Prevent Blindness America, the nation’s oldest eye health and safety organization, announces that it has revised its name to “Prevent Blindness”. This action acknowledges that the organization recognizes a growing global reliance on the Internet for information about eye health. Future articles in this section will, therefore, pertain not only […]
January is National Glaucoma Month The best years are yet to come. With more free time, you can set your sights on wonderful places to go and people to see. Just make sure you keep an eye on glaucoma. Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damages the eye’s optic nerve, which carries visual signals […]
A new study has found further evidence of the risk of cataracts caused by cigarette smoking. A report published January 2, 2014 in JAMA revealed that smoking more than 15 cigarettes per day was associated with a 42% higher likelihood of cataract development compared to those have never smoked. In people who quit smoking for […]