Biologists at New York University and the University of Würzburg have identified, in greater detail, how the retina’s cellular hardware is used in color preference. The findings, published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), enhance our understanding of how eyes and the brain process color. Light can serve as an attractive or repulsive landmark for orientation - we identify an object or a light source at a certain location in visual space, then approach it or retreat from it. This process, called phototaxis, was the focus of the PNAS study…

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of severe vision loss among Americans ages 65 and over. Knowing your risk factors, being aware of your family history, and keeping regular appointments with your Eye M.D. can help reduce your risks for vision loss from macular degeneration. In its most severe form, known as wet AMD, the disease can lead to permanent loss of central vision which is essential for driving, reading, and recognizing faces…

As you read this, you may notice that the word directly in front of you is clear, but all the surrounding words are hard to make out. For most people, this effect - known as ‘crowding’ - is not a problem. However, for the millions of people worldwide who have lost their central vision through eye disease such as macular degeneration, it can make everyday tasks such as reading or recognising friends a challenge…

Diabetic retinopathy could be associated with poorer memory and diminished brain power in people with Type 2 diabetes, according to new research announced this week at Diabetes UK’s Annual Professional Conference. The study looked at 1,066 people with Type 2 diabetes aged between 60 and 75 years. Participants completed seven tests looking at memory, logic and concentration to establish their level of brain function. Those with retinopathy had worse average scores on most of the individual tests as well as on general cognitive ability compared to those without the condition…

pSivida Corp. (NASDAQ:PSDV) (ASX:PVA) (FF:PV3), a leader in the development of ophthalmic sustained release drug delivery products, with two of the only three such products approved by the FDA for treatment of back of the eye diseases, said that 24-month data from the FAME Phase 3 study for Iluvien presented at Angiogenesis 2010 included additional efficacy and safety data that reinforced the positive top-line results reported in December 2009 by pSivida and its licensee, Alimera Sciences, Inc. Peter A…

Researchers at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute are now a step closer to deciphering a leading cause of blindness in the United States - glaucoma. In a recent study, David Calkins, Ph.D., director of Research at the VEI, discovered that the first sign of injury in glaucoma actually occurs in the brain. Glaucoma is generally considered a disease of the eye in which sensitivity to ocular pressure causes damage to the retina and optic nerve, which are components of the central nervous system and do not regenerate…

On March 1, the first eye patients will enter an innovative new $132 million facility that expands the University of Michigan Health System’s capacity for eye care, research and education, and unites diabetes researchers as they work to accelerate the search for a cure and prevention of diabetes. The Brehm Tower at the W.K. Kellogg Eye Center Complex includes 230,000 square feet spanning eight stories and makes a striking addition to the skyline of the medical campus. It is adjacent to the existing Kellogg Eye Center research tower on Wall Street in Ann Arbor built in 1985…

In light of the recent tragedy in Haiti, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) has granted complimentary membership for 2010 and 2011 for all Haitian ophthalmologists. Their membership in the Academy offers a wealth of educational benefits, including waived registration for the annual meeting, online subscriptions to Ophthalmology as well as EyeNet Magazine, access to the Ophthalmic News and Education (O.N.E.™) Network, and a worldwide community of over 29,000 ophthalmologists…

New research from Hong Kong suggests that green tea may protect against eye diseases such as glaucoma because the researchers found green tea antioxidants called catechins present in various tissue structures in the eyes of laboratory rats after they had ingested green tea…

Bayer HealthCare AG and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: REGN) announced that VEGF Trap-Eye showed positive results in a Phase II study in patients with Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). The primary endpoint of the study, a statistically significant improvement in visual acuity over 24 weeks compared to the standard of care in DME, macular laser treatment, was met. Visual acuity improvement was measured by the mean number of letters gained over the initial 24 weeks of the study…