Gene :: Gene therapy for blindness clears hurdle in mice
University of Florida researchers have used an experimental therapy in mice to shut down a gene that plays a crucial role in a leading cause of inherited blindness.
Vision
Video Games :: Video games shown to improve vision
According to a new study from the University of Rochester, playing action video games sharpens vision. In tests of visual acuity that assess the ability to see objects accurately in a cluttered space, game players scored higher than their non-playing peers.
Learning :: Associative memory – Learning at all levels
“Green” means “go,” but what does “red” mean? Just about everybody says “stop” since we all have learned to imbue certain colors with meaning (or we would be road kill by now). Long thought to be limited to higher levels of information processing, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies successfully traced this type of associative learning to early stages of the visual processing pathway.
Myopia :: Study suggests wearing no-line bifocals slows myopia progression in some children
Certain children who wear a special kind of no-line bifocal lenses show signs of slower progression of myopia than those who wear more conventional lenses according to a new study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS).
Contact Lens :: ReNu MultiPlus contact lens solution may cause potential health risk
Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Lots GC6038 and GC6052 of the product ReNu MultiPlus contact lens solution because they contain higher than expected amounts of iron that could reduce the product?s effectiveness and cause serious eye injury from infection.
Eye :: Many Americans at high risk of vision loss do not have access to eye care
Data from a national survey suggest that an estimated 60 million American adults are at high risk of vision loss, according to a report published in the March issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Of those adults, one in 12 cannot afford eyeglasses when needed, and about one-half do not get dilated eye examinations on a yearly basis.
Obesity :: Obesity surgery can lead to memory loss, other problems
Weight loss surgery, such as gastric bypass surgery, can lead to a vitamin deficiency that can cause memory loss and confusion, inability to coordinate movement, and other problems, according to a study published in the March 13, 2007, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Eye :: Dry Eye Syndrome affects quality of life for nearly 5 million in the US
As a clinical diagnosis, Dry Eye Syndrome (DES) may not appear to be a major health issue, but in a study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology, researchers found that DES had a significant impact on quality of life.
Botulism :: Flora Foods recalls Cerignola Olives because of possible health risk
Flora Foods of Pompano Beach, Florida, is recalling its 25oz jars of “Cerignola Olives” (UPC 0-20038-00693-5) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.
Eye :: Why Graves’ disease attacks the muscle tissue behind the eyes
UCLA researchers have uncovered new clues that may explain why Graves’ disease attacks the muscle tissue behind the eyes, often causing them to bulge painfully from their sockets, as in the case of the late actor Marty Feldman.