Archive for July, 2010
Infants with eyelid tumors benefit from new test.
07.27.2010Amblyopia is failure of vision to develop fully in infants despite normal eyes. It can occur from various causes, including strabismus (crossed eyes), undiagnosed need for strong eyeglasses, and most severely when the vision is blocked due to a drooping eyelid.
One of the benign tumors of the eyelid, known as hemangiomas, can cause amblyopia so severe that it is called “Ambyopia Ex Anopsia.”
Researchers have developed a simple vision test to detect early signs of amblyopia in infants with hemangiomas of the eyelid. Hemangiomas are vascular birthmarks on either the upper or lower eyelids. While the birthmarks usually resolve over time on their own, they can lead to permanent reduction in vision (amblyopia). Amblyopia is seen in 43-60% of patients with eyelid hemangiomas.
Although this capillary hemangioma of an infant's eyelid looks severe and debilitating, it responds and disappears in response to minor treatments, including steroid injections.
The new test works by measuring brain responses to changes in the alignment of two lines.? Eyes affected by the hemangiomas have brainwave responses that are markedly reduced.
This new test is significant because many times there is no clinical evidence of amblyopia. Early detection will then allow these children to receive the necessary treatment. This test may also prove effective in detecting visual problems associated with other eyelid problems.
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Implantable Eye Telescope Receives FDA Approval
07.26.2010The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Implantable Miniature Telescope for treating patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This visual prosthetic device is the first of its kind and will aid those patients with the most advanced form of AMD which is the leading cause of blindness in America’s senior citizens.
This revolutionary telescope implant is designed to improve the visual acuity of the patient. End-stage AMD causes the patient to suffer severe to profound central vision loss in both eyes. The Implantable Miniature Telescope reduces the impact of the blind spot caused by end-stage AMD.
Created by Dr. Isaac Lipshitz, the Implantable Miniature Telescope is smaller than a pea and is implanted in one eye. The telescope delivers enlarged central vision images over a large area of the retina to enhance central vision. Peripheral vision is provided by the non-operated eye.
The approval of this device adds a new treatment option for those suffering from the devastating effects of end-stage AMD.*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Yellow Flowers Held the Key to Treatment of Eye Disease, This Pioneer Discovered
07.16.2010A pioneer in the fight against age-related macular degeneration (AMD)? has passed away. Rod Ausich was the inventor who discovered that Lutein could be a powerful tool in preventing AMD.
Dr. Ausich was a scientist and executive at Kemin Industries and created FloraGLO Lutein. FloraGLO Lutein is the premier Lutein used exclusively in all VisiVite ocular nutritional formulas. Lutein helps reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration and is derived from the petals of marigold petals.
At the time of the discovery, Mr. Ausich was working as the Research and Development director for the agriculture unit of Kemin Industries. Rod was asked to research the possibility of using Lutein as a food colorant. Rod quickly realized the potential that Lutein could have on vision health. It took two years to bring Lutein into commercial production.
Ausich joined Kemin in 1994 as as the Director of Research and Development for Kemin Industries. He was president of Kemin Health, a division of Kemin Industries, until late 2009, when his health began to worsen.
?Rod was a true pioneer in the fight against blindness caused by AMD,?? Chris Nelson, Kemin Industries president and CEO, said in a statement.? ?A founding father of Kemin Health, his leadership and guidance led Kemin Health to become a preeminent supplier of lutein worldwide. Millions of people have benefited from his work and his legacy will be remembered by many.?*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
New Study Proves Vision screenings unreliable in kids.
07.14.2010Linear charts are the current method used in vision screenings for? adolescent children. This method of screening may be unreliable in diagnosing farsightedness and astigmatism in school-aged children.
Researchers published the results of their findings in the July 2010 issue of Archives of Ophthalmology . Over 2,000 children were assessed in the study. A comprehensive eye exam was given which included using a logMAR chart to measure uncorrected visual acuity. In addition, those in the study were given special drops to assess the lenses of their eyes and the curve of the corneas were measured as well.
The visual acuity score accurately identified children with nearsightedness but there was no reliable cutoff score for farsightedness or astigmatism.? These findings meant that children who actually had significant farsightedness and astigmatism would not have been directed to seek treatment.
Authors of the study concluded that more accurate screening methods need to be developed that will reliably detect these visual problems in children and adolescents.*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
Sugar junkies more likely to get macular degeneration
07.12.2010The admonition that “we are what we eat” has been repeated down through the years. What we eat can protect us from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) as well. A recent study finds that a regular diet of both protective nutrients and foods with a low-glycemic index can prevent AMD.
The powerhouse nutrients which were found to provide the most protection are vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, and DHA. These nutrients in combination with the “slow carb” diet seemed to lower the risk of developing AMD in those who participated in the study.
Researchers examined the diet and other data of more than 4,000 women and men, aged 55 to 80 who were participants in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). The intake of several nutrients was ranked and then a compound score was calculated to estimate their dietary effect on AMD. Associations between individual and combined dietary nutrients were evaluated through the scoring system as well.*
Andrea Schumann
Staff Writer
