OrCam, an Israel-based company, has developed a camera-based system which allows the visually impaired to both read and identify objects with a point of a finger. The OrCam device is a small camera connected by a thin cable to a portable computer in the wearer’s pocket. The system clips on to the wearer’s glasses with [Read More]
Category: Research and Developments
Gene Therapy Effective in Dogs With Cone-Rod Dystrophy
As reported October 29, 2013 in the journal Molecular Therapy, a French research team led by Fabienne Rolling, Ph.D., of INSERM has used gene therapy to restore vision in dogs affected by cone-rod dystrophy. CRD is caused by mutations in the gene RPGRIP1. In this study, retinal cone cell (central vision) function was significantly rescued [Read More]
Predictors of Advanced AMD Defined
According to members of the Three Continent AMD Consortium (3CC), prediction models for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) based on case-control studies have a tendency to overestimate risks. To provide more well-defined data, 3CC developed a prediction model for late AMD based on data from population-based studies. Using data from the Rotterdam Study, the Beaver Dam [Read More]
Statin Use Associated With Cataracts
Statin drugs are known to reduce cholesterol, which benefits the retina. The medications may, however, also increase the risk of cataracts, according to a report published September 19, 2013 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. An analysis of 6,972 subjects showed that those taking the medication had a 9% higher risk of cataract [Read More]
C3 Gene Variant Linked To Macular Degeneration
Researchers report that a change in the C3 gene, which plays a role in inflammation and in the body’s immune response, also contributes to macular degeneration. After sequencing DNA from 10 regions of the genome that had been previously linked to AMD in previous genetic studies, the researchers turned up two gene variants: one in the [Read More]