Archive for March, 2010
Yet another smoking risk –eye inflammation (uveitis)
03.12.2010Uveitis, an inflammation of the eye’s middle layer of tissue, is responsible for about 10 percent of blindness in the United States. And smoking may increase the risk of contracting uveitis.
Researchers found that smokers were 2.2 times more likely to contract uveitis than patients who had never smoked. One particularly notable relationship was found between smoking and inflammatory central macular edema which is the swelling of the central area of the retina.
The compounds contained in cigarette smoke trigger inflammation of the blood vessels within the eye which may lead to uveitis. Uveitis can damage many structures within the eye including the iris and the retina. If any symptoms of uveitis such as eye redness, pain, blurred vision and sensitivity are noted, you should be examined by an eye care professional.*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Hormone Replacement Therapy in Women linked to cataracts
03.09.2010Women who are using or who had used Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) have higher rates of cataract removal than women who have never used HRT. This was the finding of an eight-year study of more than 30,000 postmenopausal Swedish women.
Results of the study showed that the risk for cataract removal was increased by 14 percent in women who had previously used HRT and an 18 percent increase was noted in current HRT users as compared to women who did not use HRT. The longer HRT was used resulted in an increased risk. In addition, women using HRT who consumed more than one alcoholic drink a day had a 42 percent increased risk compared to women who did not use HRT or drank alcohol.
Cataracts are more common in postmenopausal women than in men which indicates that hormonal differences play a role in their development. Estrogen receptors have been found in the eye’s lens. The lens is the area that becomes cloudy and inflexible upon formation of a cataract. The exogenous estrogens which are used in HRT increase C-reactive protein levels which have been linked with cataract development.*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Brain holds first signs of glaucoma
03.08.2010Predominantly considered a disease of the eye, scientists have discovered that the first signs of injury in glaucoma actually take place in the brain.
The details of the discovery are in this week’s Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. The revelation will prompt researchers to look at glaucoma in a new light.
Typically, glaucoma therapies have revolved around lowering ocular pressure within the eye. The increased ocular pressure causes damage to the retina and optic nerve (both parts of the central nervous system). Blindness is the end result if glaucoma is not detected early.
The results of this new study, however, directs the focus to studying neuronal activity in the middle of the brain where the optic nerve forms its first connections. This new approach to addressing glaucoma will lead to new targets for potential treatment of the debilitating disease.*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Mechanism that causes blindness in diabetics is discovered.
03.04.2010A researcher has discovered the process which causes retinal cells to die causing blindness in diabetic patients. It has long been known that high blood sugar levels from diabetes damage blood vessels in the eye. The new discovery isolates the siah-1 protein as being a key component in the vascular damage in the eyes which leads to diabetic retinopathy.
The January 29th issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry has the details of the research.
Previous studies showed that high sugar levels cause GAPDH, another protein, to build up in the nuclei of Muller cells which are located in the retina. What scientists didn’t know was how the GAPDH was getting in the nuclei.
The siah-1 protein delivers GAPDH into the nucleus of Muller cells. When GAPDH accumulates in the nuclei, the Muller cells die which leads to the vascular damage. While production of GAPDH cannot be regulated, it is hoped that scientists will be able to stop the production of siah-1. If there is no siah-1 to transport the GAPDH to the nuclei, then diabetic retinopathy would no longer occur.
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
