by Dan Roberts Originally published and updated 2/2/09 A cataract causes clouding of the normally transparent lens of the eye. As the lens becomes more opaque, the rays of light are prevented from focusing on the retina, leading to symptoms such as blurriness, light sensitivity, glare, distortion, and fading of colors and vision. Cataracts are [Read More]
News
Echothiophate (ECHO) Therapy Causes a Stir in the Low Vision Community
by Dan Roberts November 2003 (Updated January 29, 2009) A Connecticut ophthalmologist has been reporting success from a deceptively simple treatment on patients with Stargardt’s disease and other non-neovascular forms of retinal disease. Dr. Gerard Michael Nolan has performed the treatment, called ECHO therapy, for nearly three years on more than 200 patients at the [Read More]
Vitamin C Can Lower CRP Levels
by Dan Roberts January 2009 A UC Berkeley study led by Gladys Block, PhD, suggests that 1,000 mg of daily supplemental vitamin C can lower concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), the marker associated with systemic inflammation. (Free Radical Biology and Medicine, Jan. 1, 2009). It suggests that a daily dose of supplemental vitamin C can [Read More]
Brain Reorganizes to Adjust for Loss of Vision
Atlanta (November 20, 2008) – A new study from Georgia Tech shows that when patients with macular degeneration focus on using another part of their retina to compensate for their loss of central vision, their brain seems to compensate by reorganizing its neural connections. Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss [Read More]
Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-8 Linked to Dry AMD
by Dan Roberts (Updated November 10, 2008) Concentration of two cytokines, interleukin-6 and interleukin-8, have been found in two different studies to be potential biomarkers for incidence of dry AMD. Cytokines are signaling compounds in the cells that are involved in a variety of immunological, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. Janice C. Law, MD, and her [Read More]