by Ellen Troyer, MT MA, with Spencer Thornton, MD 1. Results of studies on diets rich in seafood (fish and shellfish) and heart disease provide moderate evidence that people who eat seafood at least once a week are less likely to die of heart disease than those who rarely or never eat seafood. 2. Published studies suggest that seafood [Read More]
News
FDA takes step to further reduce trans fats in processed foods
Trans fat intake has been associated with coronary heart disease and macular degeneration* The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods, are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food. The agency has opened a 60-day comment period [Read More]
Breakthrough Technology Helps People See With Their Ears
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]
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]
I Can't See What You Mean
by Dan Roberts, Editor-in-Chief Living Well With Low Vision I recently wrote about the challenges people with visual impairment face when listening to speech (“I Can’t See What You’re Saying“, October 4, 2013). In addition to audible confusion, as discussed in that article, our inability to see facial expressions can also cause difficulty understanding implicit [Read More]