by Dan Roberts Researchers have found that facilitated patient support groups can significantly improve visual quality of life (VQoL) for visually impaired people. Twenty-nine groups of up to six patients each were recruited for participation in a “peer group emotional support service” facilitated by trained counselors for a period of six months. Their responses to [Read More]
News
Improving Autophagy Function Reduces Drusen
by Dan Roberts Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland have discovered that a cleaning mechanism in the center of the retina may be faulty in people who develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD). A cleaning process called autophagy helps clear cellular waste deposits (drusen) that can build up in the retinal tissue. If autophagy diminishes, [Read More]
Doctors Don’t Like Talking to Patients
An editorial by Frank J. Weinstock, M.D., F.A.C.S. Reprinted with permission from Opthalmology Management (May 1999) If you’re frustrated by your doctor’s lack of social skills, you’re not alone. It’s a problem common enough that doctors themselves sometimes have to remind one another of the importance of good communication with their patients. Here is an editorial [Read More]
Study of aquaporins could hold clues to cataract
Researchers have achieved dynamic, atomic-scale views of a protein needed to maintain the transparency of the lens in the human eye. The work, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, could lead to new insights and drugs for treating cataract and a variety of other health conditions. Aquaporin proteins form water channels between [Read More]
Recognizing Cataract
Watch for Vision Changes as You Age As life goes on, we all start to notice certain changes that are a natural part of aging. Maybe our joints aren’t as flexible as before, or our hearing just isn’t what it used to be. Our vision, too, may be less sharp than it once was. One [Read More]