Medicare Covers Annual Eye Exams for Diabetics

November is American Diabetes Month. To prevent diabetes-related vision loss, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends people with diabetes get a dilated eye exam each year.   One in four Americans age 65 or older has diabetes, putting them at increased risk for vision loss and blindness. Fortunately, diabetes-related vision loss is largely preventable with [Read More]

Diet, exercise, smoking habits, and genes interact to affect AMD risk

NIH-funded study points to converging factors that drive disease-related inflammation People with a genetic predisposition for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) significantly increased their odds of developing the blinding eye disorder if they had a history of heavy smoking and consistently did not exercise or eat enough fruits and vegetables, according to an observational study of [Read More]

GuideMe Books: A New Concept in Publishing

Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, has launched a unique new resource, “GuideMe”, designed for those who have been diagnosed with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) or Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). The intent of the GuideMe books is to simulate as accurately as possible a post-diagnosis consultation with a doctor or therapist. They [Read More]

Ocata's Stem Cell Trials Entering Phase 2

Results from First Cohort Expected in the Second Quarter of 2016 Acucela (formerly Ocata) has announced that the first patient has been enrolled in the company’s Phase 2 clinical trial using Ocata’s proprietary RPE cells in patients with atrophic (dry) age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The purpose of the trial is to evaluate safety and explore efficacy as compared [Read More]