http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Astigmatism-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 25 May 2012 04:20:39 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/Regular-Vitamin-D-Intake-may-Help-Prevent-Vision-Loss-96238-1.htm Increasing vitamin D intake could help people avoid age related illnesses, especially the loss of vision, a new study conducted by researchers at the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London. Researchers conducted the experiment on a group of middle aged mice and found that increasing the intake of vitamin D reduced the levels of toxic protein that has been linked with a number of age related illnesses including loss of vision, Alzheimer's disease and heart diseases. Lead researcher ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Regular-Vitamin-D-Intake-may-Help-Prevent-Vision-Loss-96238-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Medicare-Visual-Acuity-Screening-can-be-Replaced-With-Dilated-Eye-Exams-96018-1.htm A study being published Online First by the IArchives of Ophthalmology/I, one of the JAMA/Archives journals has revealed that replacing visual acuity screenings for new Medicare enrollees with coverage of a dilated eye exam for healthy patients entering the government insurance program for the elderly "would be highly cost-effective". People can enroll in Medicare after they turn 65 and are supposed to receive a visual acuity screening and other preventive health checks as part of a Welcome ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Medicare-Visual-Acuity-Screening-can-be-Replaced-With-Dilated-Eye-Exams-96018-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Electronic-Contact-Lens-to-Monitor-Blood-Sugar-95884-1.htm Researchers at Microsoft are in the process of developing electronic contact lenses with glucose sensor to monitor sugar levels wirelessly. The initiative by Microsoft Research and the University of Washington, would be a big help to people with Type I diabetes patients, who must keep a check on their blood sugar on a daily basis by actually drawing blood several times a day. Although tear film can show blood sugar levels but getting it from the eye is extremely difficult. A ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Electronic-Contact-Lens-to-Monitor-Blood-Sugar-95884-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Humans-Clear-Sight-Clarified-by-Cornea-Gene-94774-1.htm When it comes to vision a transparent cornea is vital, it is the very reason for eye to have evolved to nourish the cornea without blood vessels. But for millions of people around the world, diseases of the eye or trauma spur the growth of blood vessels and can cause blindness. A new Northwestern Medicine study has identified a gene that plays a major role in maintaining clarity of the cornea in humans and mice -- and could possibly be used as gene therapy to treat diseases that cause blindness....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Humans-Clear-Sight-Clarified-by-Cornea-Gene-94774-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Patients-With-Glaucoma-Vision-Loss-Have-Greater-Fall-Risk-93255-1.htm Patients suffering from serious vision loss due to glaucoma could be at significantly higher risk of falling down frequently, according to researchers from Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Among the 70 people who were part of the study, 40% claimed to have fallen badly, while 20% reported having repeated falls.The strongest risk factor for falls was noted among glaucoma sufferers with more extensive loss in their lower peripheral vision.It has been advised that these patients should bring ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Patients-With-Glaucoma-Vision-Loss-Have-Greater-Fall-Risk-93255-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/CooperVision-Issues-Another-Statement-Over-Contact-Lens-Recall-91899-1.htm Following the pressure applied by Food and Drug Administration US based eye-care company, CooperVision has released its second announcement regarding the recall of more than 600,000 Avaira Toric contact lenses. The company had first issued the statement on August 19 after it was found that the lenses were linked to pain, red eye and blurred vision by wearers. However on Tuesday, the FDA said that more effort needs to be made by CooperVision in order to alert its customers over the potential risks posed by the lenses....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/CooperVision-Issues-Another-Statement-Over-Contact-Lens-Recall-91899-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Early-Glaucoma-Detection-Could-Prevent-Further-Vision-Loss-91671-1.htm Early detection and diagnosis of open angle glaucoma important so that treatment can be used in the early stages of the disease developing to prevent or avoid further vision loss. Writing in a forthcoming issue of the IInternational Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics/I, researchers in the US have analyzed and ranked the various risk factors for open angle glaucoma so that patients can be screened at an earlier stage if they are more likely to develop the condition. Glaucoma ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Early-Glaucoma-Detection-Could-Prevent-Further-Vision-Loss-91671-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Screening-Post-Mild-Stroke-Important-to-Identify-Depression-Vision-Loss-91562-1.htm On the surface they appear unaffected, but people who have mild strokes may live with hidden disabilities, including depression, vision problems and difficulty thinking, according to a study released today at the Canadian Stroke Congress. The study calls for new guidelines for the treatment and management of mild strokes, which account for two-thirds of all strokes and usually involve a hospital stay of one to five days. Co-author Annie Rochette, Ph.D, of the University of Montreal, and her ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Screening-Post-Mild-Stroke-Important-to-Identify-Depression-Vision-Loss-91562-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Stem-Cell-Trial-to-Reverse-Incurable-Vision-Loss-90990-1.htm Doctors at the Moorfield Eye Hospital in London will be conducting the first ever trial in Europe to try and reverse incurable sight loss by injecting stem cells into the eyes of 12 volunteers. The controversial trial has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and will involve injecting more than 200,000 stem cells behind one of the retinas with the doctors hoping that it will reverse the process of macular degeneration, also known as Stargardt disease....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Stem-Cell-Trial-to-Reverse-Incurable-Vision-Loss-90990-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Microwave-Treatment-May-End-Cornea-Transplants-85686-1.htm A new microwave treatment could prevent hundreds of cornea patients a year needing a transplant. In a new treatment specialists are using microwave probe to heat the cornea to around 60 degree Celsius, a procedure that corrects rugby-ball eye - the abnormal shape caused by keratoconus, reports Sky News. The temperature causes the front of the eye to shrink, restoring a normal spherical shape. This is then 'locked-in' with a burst of ultra-violet light, preventing further deterioration of the eye....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Microwave-Treatment-May-End-Cornea-Transplants-85686-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Special-Contact-Lens-To-Prevent-Short-Sightedness-84877-1.htm A special contact lens can slow the progression of myopia. In certain cases it could halt the short sight problem altogether. The special lens gently reshapes the front surface of the eye during sleep at night, a new study suggests. The finding suggests that orthokeratology (OK) lenses may help to reduce the growing incidence and severity of myopia throughout the world, and especially in Asia. "The race is on around the world to develop clinical techniques to deal with the myopia epidemic in East ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Special-Contact-Lens-To-Prevent-Short-Sightedness-84877-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-may-Prevent-Vision-Loss-in-AMD-Patients-83537-1.htm Elderly women under the age of 75 years who suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could prevent vision loss by taking Vitamin D. More than 1,300 women were observed by researchers from University of Buffalo who found that those women under the age of 75 years who had high levels of vitamin D in their blood and whose vitamin consumption from various food sources was also high had the least risk of losing their vision due to AMD. According to the researchers, women whose vitamin D consumption ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-D-may-Prevent-Vision-Loss-in-AMD-Patients-83537-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vision-Loss-in-Eye-Disease-Slowed-Down-by-Novel-Cell-Therapy-83442-1.htm The benefit of using a neurotrophic factor to treat a severe form of age-related macular degeneration called geographic atrophy (GA)has been highlighted by the results of a clinical trial. The finding could offer hope to millions suffering from GA. A phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of GA has become the first study to show the benefit of a therapy to slow the progression of vision loss for this disease. Lead author Kang Zhang of the University of California, San Diego, Shiley ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vision-Loss-in-Eye-Disease-Slowed-Down-by-Novel-Cell-Therapy-83442-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Fish-Consumption-Cuts-Age-related-Vision-Loss-Risk-in-Women-82252-1.htm Women who regularly consume fish and omega-3 fatty acids have a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston collected data on 38,022 women, who had not been diagnosed with AMD. Information on their eating habits, including their intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, was collected and their eye health tracked over 10 years. The researchers found that women ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Fish-Consumption-Cuts-Age-related-Vision-Loss-Risk-in-Women-82252-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Enzyme-Deficiency-Behind-Age-Related-Vision-Loss-80976-1.htm Deficiency of an enzyme called DICER-1 could lead to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a most common form of vision loss and blindness. The discovery has been effected thanks to research conducted with help from Australian eye donors. AMD affects one in every seven Australians over 70 and is a leading cause of blindness among the elderly. Patients suffering the disease experience difficulties reading or recognising faces. The research findings could lead to new treatments for this previously untreatable disease....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Enzyme-Deficiency-Behind-Age-Related-Vision-Loss-80976-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Single-Donor-Cornea-Helped-Two-Patients-80383-1.htm Good results were shown with a new surgical approach that used a single donor cornea and two patients were helped from this who had different corneal diseases. In the United States keeping pace with demand for donated corneal tissue for use in transplant surgery is a cause for concern, while in Europe and Asia shortages lead to treatment delays. Dr. Cursiefen's new approach restored good vision to patients who had Fuchs' dystrophy (degeneration of certain corneal cells) or keratoconus (thin, cone-shaped ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Single-Donor-Cornea-Helped-Two-Patients-80383-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Molecular-Medicine-Could-Avert-and-Restore-Vision-Loss-79280-1.htm Molecular medicine can be used to prevent and restore lost vision when the issues of age-related vision loss of catastropic proportions is rising from 17 million patients in recent times to 55 million by the year 2050. These are the words of Stuart Richer, OD, PhD, speaking at the 10th annual meeting and International Conference on Recent Trends in Therapeutic Advancement of Free Radical Science, in Chennai, India today. Dr. Richer says modern medicine is just beginning to evaluate data ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Molecular-Medicine-Could-Avert-and-Restore-Vision-Loss-79280-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Womans-Cornea-and-Iris-Affected-by-a-Worm-78610-1.htm A worm affected a woman's cornea and the iris of her right eye, in what was reported to be an unusual case, in Bihar, India. Radha Devi, a 20 year-old patient, got operated on Saturday at nearby charitable hospital in the region and is out of danger now. She felt irritation in her right eye ten days ago. After examining her eyes, doctors in the region found it very unusual case and decided to consult specialists from the country and abroad. Dr. Sanjay Kumar, an eye surgeon, examined ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Womans-Cornea-and-Iris-Affected-by-a-Worm-78610-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Artificial-Cornea-Gives-Sight-To-Blind -78497-1.htm A new artificial cornea has helped to give a sight to a man who had been blind for ten years. Norman Simpson, who badly damaged the front of his one eye in an accident, had dropped the hope to see again as corneal transplants from donor eyes failed, reports Sky News. But the artificial cornea - the window at the front of the eye - has improved his vision so much he can read newspapers and see his wife again. "The first person I saw was Carmel. She came up to me and I could see her smiling face....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Artificial-Cornea-Gives-Sight-To-Blind -78497-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-Deficiency-Post-Weight-Loss-Op-Can-Lead-to-Vision-Loss-in-Infants-71506-1.htm Vision loss in newborns is a potential fallout of vitamin deficiency after weight loss surgery, a new study has deemed. Researchers documented the case of a woman who had undergone biliopancreatic diversion surgery for obesity seven years before the birth of her child. At nine weeks gestation, the mother was diagnosed with severe deficiencies of Vitamins A, D and K, as well as iron-deficiency anaemia, which had been undetected prior to this point. Despite treatment, her serum vitamin ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-Deficiency-Post-Weight-Loss-Op-Can-Lead-to-Vision-Loss-in-Infants-71506-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Laser-Free-Procedure-for-Short-Sight-68888-1.htm Scientists are saying that a new type of procedure could be a safer alternative to corrective eye laser surgery. According to a new Cochrane Systematic Review, the new corrective procedure called insertion of phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs) could be comparatively safer and more popular, despite the fact that it doesn't differ too much from the conventional laser surgery process. Both procedures work by changing the path of the light entering the eye and bringing images into focus in the right place....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Laser-Free-Procedure-for-Short-Sight-68888-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Progress-of-Nearsightedness-may-be-Reduced-by-New-Contact-Lens-68648-1.htm A contact lens that may reduce the progress of nearsightedness, or myopia has been detailed in a new study. The international team of researchers tested the contact lens by fully correcting the central vision but reducing the relative peripheral farsightedness, or hyperopia. The study, presented at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology this week, studied 100 myopic Chinese children, ages 7-14. Test subjects were provided ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Progress-of-Nearsightedness-may-be-Reduced-by-New-Contact-Lens-68648-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Optician-Saves-9-year-old-Girl-Whose-Brain-Tumor-was-Missed-Six-Times-by-Docs-66657-1.htm A nine-year-old girl was saved by an optician who managed to spot a plum-sized brain tumor that had been missed by doctors six times. Shanice Bailey was diagnosed with schwannoma, a rare tumor that was pressing her brain stem and had left her paralyzed. The girl was taken to GPs six times between September 2009 and January 2010 only to be told she had asthma. Her mother Laura took her to Specsavers optician Nadia Ahmed when Shanice developed a squint in her eye. The growth was immediately spotted by Ms Ahmed, who advised immediate action....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Optician-Saves-9-year-old-Girl-Whose-Brain-Tumor-was-Missed-Six-Times-by-Docs-66657-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Promising-Outcomes-With-Newer-Cornea-Transplant-Surgery-65784-1.htm A new analysis of data collected from the Cornea Donor Study (CDS) Investigator Group's 2008 Specular Microscopy Ancillary Study (SMAS) has revealed that one year post-surgery, patients who underwent Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) experienced greater cell loss overall compared to those who underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). However, the study, published in the March issue of Ophthalmology, showed that cell loss in DSAEK patients plateaued more quickly than in those who underwent PKP....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Promising-Outcomes-With-Newer-Cornea-Transplant-Surgery-65784-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Tamiflu-Causes-Vision-Loss-in-Brit-Woman-64099-1.htm It is being reported that a 19-year-old woman has lost her vision after taking Tamiflu. A National Health Services helpline advised Samantha Millard to take the medication, and within 72 hours Millard was in the hospital on life support. Millard, from Bicester in Oxfordshire, England, has developed Stevens-Johnson syndrome that causes skin to peel off. She is also suffering from toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome, which has made her visually impaired. Tests have revealed she never had the H1N1 virus....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Tamiflu-Causes-Vision-Loss-in-Brit-Woman-64099-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Cell-Density-in-Cornea-may-Predict-Graft-Failure-63576-1.htm The Cornea Donor Study (CDS) Investigator Group has identified a new predictor of cornea transplant success. New analysis of data from the 2008 Specular Microscopy Ancillary Study (SMAS), a subset of the CDS, found that the preoperative donor cell count of endothelial cells, previously considered to be an important predictor of a successful transplant, did not correlate with graft success. Instead the study found that a patient's endothelial cell count six months post-cornea transplant is a better ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Cell-Density-in-Cornea-may-Predict-Graft-Failure-63576-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Stem-Cells-may-Help-Fight-Vision-Loss-62690-1.htm A new technique developed at the North East England Stem Cell Institute in Newcastle has used stem cells to cure blindness in eight people caused by a condition called Limbal Stem Cell Deficiency. The latter is caused by any injury to surface of the cornea such as that caused by disease, chemical burning or physical injury. Sajjad Ahmad, the pioneer of this new technique, said that the success of the technique was evidence that a patient's own stem cells could be used to treat vision loss. The ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Stem-Cells-may-Help-Fight-Vision-Loss-62690-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Laser-Eye-Surgery-Does-Not-Adversely-Affect-Cornea-in-the-Long-Run-60714-1.htm Laser eye surgery that corrects vision does not lead to later problems with the cornea - at least not after nine years, a new study has found. Two types of laser surgery-photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK)-are often used to correct refractive errors such as nearsightedness. However, little is known about how these procedures affect the cornea, the transparent membrane covering the eye, on the cellular level over the long term. Sanjay V....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Laser-Eye-Surgery-Does-Not-Adversely-Affect-Cornea-in-the-Long-Run-60714-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vision-Loss-in-Optic-Nerve-Sheath-Meningiomas-Reduced-by-Fractionated-Stereotactic-Radiotherapy-60530-1.htm Researchers from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital have found that a specialized type of radiation therapy offers the same local control in optic nerve sheath meningiomas and has fewer adverse effects on vision as compared to surgery. The investigators presented their data at the 51st ASTRO Annual Meeting. Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy is a more precise, targeted type of radiation therapy that allows an effective dose of radiation to tumor, but helps spare other structures around it....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vision-Loss-in-Optic-Nerve-Sheath-Meningiomas-Reduced-by-Fractionated-Stereotactic-Radiotherapy-60530-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/US-FDA-Launches-LASIK-Study-59622-1.htm The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced the launch of a study to assess the problems faced by patients after LASIK surgery. The Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) is a surgical procedure that uses an eximer laser to permanently change the shape of the cornea, but there have been complaints of pain and discomfort from a number of patients. And hence the study called the LASIK Quality of Life Collaboration Project, in which the FDA will be working with the National Eye Institute and the U....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/US-FDA-Launches-LASIK-Study-59622-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Cancer-Drug-Improves-Vision-Loss-in-Diabetics-Cataract-Surgery-Patients-55807-1.htm Researchers have found that the cancer drug bevacizumab medication may prove useful in improving vision loss in diabetic patients, as well as in those who have undergone cataract surgery. Use of bevacizumab (Avastin) can benefit diabetic patients with macular edema as well as people who develop cystoid macular edema after cataract surgery. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the major threat to vision in working-age people. In type 2 diabetes patients, retinopathy vision loss most ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Cancer-Drug-Improves-Vision-Loss-in-Diabetics-Cataract-Surgery-Patients-55807-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Saffron-can-Help-Fight-Vision-Loss-52983-1.htm A new study says that the spice saffron could hold the secret to preventing eye sight loss in old age. It is commonly used in Indian, Spanish and Italian cuisine. Study's scientists, who are based at the University of L'Aquila, in Italy, and Sydney University, in Australia, have discovered that saffron can protect against some of the most common forms of blindness. Through the study, researchers revealed that eating saffron on daily basis helped to make the delicate cells in the eye needed ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Saffron-can-Help-Fight-Vision-Loss-52983-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Preventing-LASIK-Infections-and-Ensuring-Compliance-in-Glaucoma-Patients-52326-1.htm New insights on why some corneal transplants fail, why some patients skip their glaucoma medications, and why preventing infections after LASIK is a growing concern are some of the major topics covered in the June issue of IOphthalmology,/I the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. HRBPatients at Higher Risk for Corneal Transplant Failure/BResearchers analyzed data for 1,090 participants in the Cornea Donor Study (CDS), a multicenter, controlled clinical trial, to find factors linked with corneal transplant failure....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Preventing-LASIK-Infections-and-Ensuring-Compliance-in-Glaucoma-Patients-52326-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Protein-protein-Interaction-Explains-Vision-Loss-in-Genetic-Diseases-51168-1.htm The mystery of genetic disease is only partially solved with the identification of a mutated gene. Often, the pattern of disease - the features or disorders associated with it - vary in type and severity among those who are affected. Scientists, physicians and patients all ask why. In this week's journal INature Genetics,/I an international consortium of researchers, including some from Baylor College of Medicine, provide not only an explanation for the variations of vision loss in people ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Protein-protein-Interaction-Explains-Vision-Loss-in-Genetic-Diseases-51168-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Adult-Vision-Loss-Restored-by-Stem-Cell-Therapy-49949-1.htm Researchers say that the restoration of lost vision in older adults might be available by 2012 thanks to stem cell therapy. Scientists at University College London aim to kick off patient trials of the treatment for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 2012. If the tests prove successful, a treatment could be available four years later. The research team are developing a treatment using embryonic stem cells to replace the cells lost in the eyes of people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD)....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Adult-Vision-Loss-Restored-by-Stem-Cell-Therapy-49949-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Contact-Lens-Wear-Gives-Social-Benefit-To-Kids-48223-1.htm Study says kids wearing contact lenses are more confident of the way they look, their athletic abilities, and acceptance by their friends as compared to children who wear eyeglasses. Thus, according to the researchers, nearsighted children as young as eight years old reap social benefits from wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. While doctors generally wait to prescribe contact lenses until children are in their early teens, nearsighted children often are diagnosed with myopia and ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Contact-Lens-Wear-Gives-Social-Benefit-To-Kids-48223-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-B-Folic-Acid-Combo-may-Reduce-Age-related-Vision-Loss-Risk-47875-1.htm Taking a combination of vitamins B6 and B12 and folic acid appears to decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration in women, according to a report in the February 23 issue of IArchives of Internal Medicine/I, one of the IJAMA/Archives/I journals. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in older Americans, according to background information in the article. Treatment options exist for those with severe cases of the disease, but the only known prevention method is to avoid smoking....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-B-Folic-Acid-Combo-may-Reduce-Age-related-Vision-Loss-Risk-47875-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Infrared-Light-Could-be-Useful-In-Treatment-of-Vision-Loss-47659-1.htm Infrared light can reduce the severe damage caused to eyesight by exposure to bright light scientists, say Australian scientists. Their world-first finding opens the possibility for one day successfully and painlessly treating some forms of vision loss caused by overexposure to sunlight or artificial light. "It has been known for some time that infrared light, at certain wavelengths, can promote healing of various body cells. We decided to carry out a series of experiments to see if it could restore ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Infrared-Light-Could-be-Useful-In-Treatment-of-Vision-Loss-47659-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Tunable-Eye-Glasses-To-Be-Distributed-In-India-Soon-45541-1.htm A British scientist has designed a unique pair of glasses that can be adjust by a wearer without any optician's help, and one million pairs of which will soon be distributed in India. Prof Joshua Silver is hopeful that his self-adjusting glasses could enable a billion people in the developing world to receive spectacles for the first time within just over a decade. Silver, a retired Oxford University physics professor, is even preparing to launch an ambitious scheme in India to distribute one million pairs in a year....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Tunable-Eye-Glasses-To-Be-Distributed-In-India-Soon-45541-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/High-Temperatures-Reduces-Contact-Lens-Solutions-Anti-fungal-Properties-43983-1.htm A contact lens solution loses its anti-fungal properties when exposed to high temperatures, according to a new study. Published in the Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, the study involved the same contact lens solution that was implicated in the epidemic of the eye infection Fusarium keratitis, which occurred between 2004 and 2006. Background information in the article suggests that Bausch and Lomb launched in 2004 its ReNu with MoistureLoc, which contains ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/High-Temperatures-Reduces-Contact-Lens-Solutions-Anti-fungal-Properties-43983-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Study-Says-Contact-Lens-Cases-are-Home-to-Pathogenic-Amoebae-43172-1.htm Contact lens cases are often contaminated with Acanthamoeba which cannot be killed by normal contact lens solution, according to a new Spanish study. Published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, the study report describes Acanthamoeba as one of the most common types of protozoa in soil, which is often found in fresh water. The researchers behind the study say that most species eat bacteria, and some can cause infections in humans. They have revealed that one of the diseases caused ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Study-Says-Contact-Lens-Cases-are-Home-to-Pathogenic-Amoebae-43172-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Diabetics-More-Likely-to-Suffer-from-Vision-Loss-42920-1.htm Visual impairment is more common in people with diabetes than those without the disease, according to a new study. "Diabetic retinopathy [damage to the retina caused by diabetes], one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes, is considered to be one of the major causes of blindness and low vision," the researchers said. It has been brought to light that even though diabetic patients may try to keep a safe distance from diabetic retinopathy by controlling glucose and blood ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Diabetics-More-Likely-to-Suffer-from-Vision-Loss-42920-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Intake-of-Oily-Fish-Once-a-Week-may-Prevent-Vision-Loss-in-Old-Age-40400-1.htm Intake of oily fish once a week may reduce age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of blindness and poor vision in the elderly, says a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Of the two, wet AMD is the main cause of vision loss. A team of researchers across seven European countries and co-ordinated by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine sought to investigate the association between fish intake ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Intake-of-Oily-Fish-Once-a-Week-may-Prevent-Vision-Loss-in-Old-Age-40400-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Glaucoma-Could-Be-Monitored-by-Smart-Contact-Lens-39176-1.htm A novel contact lens with a built-in pressure sensor that could help monitor conditions such as glaucoma has been developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis, US. The device is based on a new technique, which can embed conducting circuits in the organic polymer traditionally used to make contact lenses. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is an elastic, transparent and gas-permeable organic polymer that can be cast-moulded into a range simple shapes. It is widely used in ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Glaucoma-Could-Be-Monitored-by-Smart-Contact-Lens-39176-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Natural-Contact-Lens-Moisturizer-39160-1.htm A new study says that body fluids could make great contact lens moisturizers in what may be welcome news for contact lens users struggling to combat dryness. Findings from researchers at Hamilton's McMaster University show that a common fluid found in the body can be used as a natural moisturizing agent in the lenses. This is a step up from the current wave of self-moisturizing contact lenses that use synthetic materials as a wetting agent to prevent eye dryness and increase wearer comfort....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Natural-Contact-Lens-Moisturizer-39160-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-Supplements-may-Prevent-Vision-Loss-from-AMD-If-Taken-Correctly-37572-1.htm Correct usage of vitamin supplements may be able to prevent vision loss in people suffering from AMD, new researchers by the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has found.. However, they discovered that a majority of patients lack a clear understanding of supplement use in AMD treatment. The researchers found that almost 40 percent of those who appeared to benefit from specific vitamin/mineral supplements were either not taking the supplements or not using the recommended dosage....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Vitamin-Supplements-may-Prevent-Vision-Loss-from-AMD-If-Taken-Correctly-37572-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Anti-HIV-Drugs-Linked-to-Decreased-Vision-Loss-37112-1.htm Researchers from Harvard Medical School, Boston, and Inserm U848, France have revealed that anti-HIV drugs may be useful in reducing vision loss. The study conducted using a mouse model has shown that anti-HIV drugs known as protease inhibitors may reduce the cause of some forms of vision loss. Vision loss often occurs due to the death (by a process known as apoptosis) of nerve cells in the eye (known as photoreceptors) after retinal detachment. During the study, mouse with retinal detachment ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Anti-HIV-Drugs-Linked-to-Decreased-Vision-Loss-37112-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Artificial-Cornea-in-Near-Future-36989-1.htm Scientists in California have expressed confidence that artificial corneas that can restore sight to at least 1 million people across the globe may soon be a reality. Curtis Frank, Christopher Ta, David Myung, and Jennifer Cochran point out that disease or injury to the cornea - the clear tissue covering the front of the eye - is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. Although treated in developed countries with transplants from donors, cornea transplants are unavailable in many ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Artificial-Cornea-in-Near-Future-36989-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/FDA-Plans-to-Study-the-Outcome-of-Lasik-Eye-Surgery-in-Patients-35934-1.htm Lasik eye surgery has come in for some flak by a few patients who are unhappy with their vision, post surgery. According to the FDA about 5 percent of patients are not happy with the surgery, prompting the agency to embark on a detailed study on Lasik eye surgery patients. Federal health officials were witness to complaints from patients, disappointed with the quality of vision after lasik eye surgery. They complained of great pain and discomfort. Some of them also experienced double vision and blurred vision post surgery....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/FDA-Plans-to-Study-the-Outcome-of-Lasik-Eye-Surgery-in-Patients-35934-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Army-Hospital-Gets-Its-First-Lasik-Surgery-Centre-34578-1.htm The first ever Kerato-Refractive Surgery (Lasik Surgery) Centre of the Armed Forces was inaugurated at Army Hospital (Research and Referral), in New Delhi today by Lieutenant General Yogendra Singh, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services in the presence of Major General O P Mathew, Commandant, Army Hospital (R and R). Lasik surgery will help in correction of complex refractive errors and the problems of the anterior surface of the eye ball. Lieutenant General Yogendra Singh brought out that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Army-Hospital-Gets-Its-First-Lasik-Surgery-Centre-34578-1.htm