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VISION UPDATE Feature Article Archives
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Issue #: 55 |
Feature Article: XRAY VISION
To keep your perception sharp, you need two key things, lutein and zeaxanthin, which sound like villains but are not. Macular tissue, the clump of photoreceptors on each retina degenerates faster than the rest of the eye, and as it does, you no longer see clearly, so you lose the ability to read and to drive, says Steve Pratt, M.D., author of SuperFoods Rx. There is a big smudge in the center of everything.
Researchers at Heinrich Heine University in Germany found that lutein and zeaxanthin help filter blue light, which may wreck macular tissue. People with high levels of these two phytonutrients are at lower risk of both macular degeneration and cataracts, Dr. Pratt says.
Dr. Pratt recommends 12 milligrams (mg) a day of the two nutrients combined, or 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cooked spinach, one of the best sources. Cooking concentrates the greens and their powers.
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Issue #: 54 |
Feature Article: New warnings possible after 38 reports of eye damage
An investigation into whether Vigra and other popular impotence treatment may cause permanent eye damage is unlikely to lead to a recall, federal officials and medical experts said Friday, but could prompt new warnings.
The Food and Drug Administration is looking into 38 reports of eye damage in men who took Vigra, four involving Cilis, and one with Levitra. About 30 million men worldwide have taken the treatment.
We haven t been able to determine that there is a cause and effect due to the treatment, FDA spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino said. But we are taking it seriously.
Most of the men who suffered eye damage did not go completely blind, but lost part of their vision in one eye. Complicating the FDA s investigation, many of the patients had other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, that would make them vulnerable to the particular kind of eye problem.
The condition -- nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION -- involves damage to the optic nerve caused by an interruption of blood supply.
Trevino said the FDA is talking with Pfizer Inc., Vigra s manufacturer, about formally disclosing the risk in its prescribing literature for doctors. Eli Lilly & Co., which makes Cilis, recently changed its information to acknowledge reports of eye damage.
It s way out of proportion, said Dr. Steven Schwartz, chief of the retina division at the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. He sent three cases to the FDA, but as in the other reports received by the agency, the patients had other risk factors for NAION.
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Issue #: 53 |
Feature Article: Now You See It
Tired of wearing contacts but a lousy candidate for laser surgery? Look no further: An implantable lens has been FDA approved for people who can not undergo LASIK. LASIK reshapes corneal tissue, but people with extreme nearsightedness often do not have enough tissue to be removed, says R. Doyle Stulting, MD., Ph.D., a professor of ophthalmology at Emory University. Enter the Verisyse lens. In studies, 92 percent of people saw their vision improve to at least 20/40. If you have nearsightedness from -5 to -2O, visit http://visioninfocus.com.
More Information
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Issue #: 52 |
Feature Article: Stem Cells Give Sight To Blind Woman
Doctors have taken stem cells from a dead donor and transplanted them into a blind woman, allowing her to see for the first time in years.The pioneering surgery was carried out on Deborah Catlyn, who was blind in one eye through a childhood accident and lost the sight in her other eye after acid was thrown in her face at a nightclub.She feared she would not see her new daughter, Miracle, but just a month after the baby was born, Deborah had the operation.
Surgeons grew the cells in a laboratory to form a thin layer and after 12 days the sheet of stem cells was draped over the front of Deborahs eye and held in place by a biological bandage made from part of a placenta.
Within three weeks the bandage melted away, leaving the stem cells to repair the cornea - the transparent window at the front of the eye.
Deborah had been told she would be blind for life but her sight is good enough for her to drive.
More than 20 patients have had the operation at the Queen Victoria Hospital in Sussex and surgeons believe the risks involved are far lower than in a traditional cornea transplant.
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Issue #: 51 |
Feature Article: Flaxseed Oil Relieves Dry Eye Symptoms
Some eye care providers recommend flaxseed oil as a nutritional supplement for treating dry eye, caused by factors such as living in an arid climate. (Flaxseed oil of course should be taken orally, and never applied directly to the eye).
Flaxseed oil contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids thought to help restore the oily portion of a tear film that moistens the eye. Studies indicate positive results, though the remedy does not work for everyone.
Some researchers say including fish oil as a supplement makes flaxseed oil even more effective. For optimal results, you should use the freshest possible sources of flaxseed oil.
Dry eye symptoms include a sensation of having grit or a foreign object in the eye. If symptoms persist, make sure you contact an eye care provider who might recommend other, more traditional remedies.
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Issue #: 50 |
Feature Article: What is glaucoma?
When the pressure increases in the eyeball causing damage to the optic nerve and also causing a loss of vision the person who is affected is said to have glaucoma. In the normal eye there is fluid, which is produced in the posterior chamber. This fluid then passes through the pupil and into the anterior chamber after which it drains through the outflow channels. Although a small amount of pressure is required to keep the shape of the eyeball intact, when the flow of this fluid is blocked by an obstruction the pressure increases producing blind spots in the visual field and a loss of peripheral vision. There are several types of glaucoma including open- angle glaucoma, subacute angle-closure glaucoma, congenital glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. The most common type of glaucoma seldom occurs before the age of 40 may have no symptoms at all until some degree of blindness has occurred.
With all forms of glaucoma the treatment is more successful if it has began early in the condition. With open angle glaucoma medicated eye drops are given to control the condition. With closed angle glaucoma there are several medications that can be given to quickly decrease the pressure in the eye and laser therapy is available to allow drainage. Acute closed angle glaucoma is considered a medical emergency and is treated immediately either laser surgery or medications to reduce the pressure. Glaucoma that is caused by injury or disease will depend on the cause. In some cases corticosteroids are given to decrease the inflammation with medication to keep the pupils enlarged.
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Issue #: 49 |
Feature Article: Impantable Micro Chips
Do you know you can have a chip implanted in your dog to identify him if he gets lost? The same technology is now available for humans - and it s not about identity, it s about health.
A team at Stanford (Palo Alto, California) has developed a prototype of a chip that can be implanted in the eves of people who suffer from macular degeneration, an incurable, progressive disease that slowly robs those afflicted of their sight. The chip is light-activated and can sample biochemicals in the body (hopefully reporting its findings back to doctors through a minuscule transmitter) and can dispense medication.
Chips are being developed to treat all kinds of diseases, including diabetes.
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Issue #: 47 |
Feature Article: New Lasik Procedure
Eighty percent of Lasik surgery is done using blades on the eyes, but now there is a new version of the surgery that is done completely with a laser. It is called Intralase Lasik with the Allegretto wave laser, and there is only one in San Antonio. Optometrists say it is more predictable and accurate than standard or Custumvue Lasik.
More Information
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Issue #: 46 |
Feature Article: Bidding Goodbye To Blindness
In late 2004, the FDA approved Macugen for wet age-related macular degeneration, a disease that affects the central vision. This drug helps preserve vision and limit progression of wet AMD to legal blindness. Another such drug, Retaane, is also up for FDA-approval.
Macular degeneration is deterioration or breakdown of the macula, a small area in the retina at the back of the eye that allows you to see fine details clearly, read and drive. There are two types of macular degeneration — dry and wet. The condition almost always starts as the dry form, but about 15 percent of those with dry AMD eventually develop the wet form, which progresses faster and therefore causes more severe vision loss. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness for those aged 55 and older in the United States, affecting more than 10 million Americans, according to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation.
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Issue #: 45 |
Feature Article: Indian scientists treat 160 eye patients using adult stem cells
Researchers in India have used adult stem cells in the successful treatment of over 160 patients with damaged retinas. The announcement was made by Dr D Balasubramaniam, director of Hyderabad s L V Prasad Eye Institute, who was speaking at a science conference in Ahmedabad. The team based in Hyderabad have been using adult stem cells for several years. What is exciting is the extent of their success. While so many researchers from around the world remain fixated by failed attempts to use stem cells from embryos, scientists in Hyderabad have been forging ahead in returning sight to the blind.
The procedure pioneered by Indian researchers involves the removal of adult stem cells from the limbic region of the patients own eyes. These stem cells are then used to reconstruct damage regions, including the retina and the cornea.
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Issue #: 44 |
Feature Article: It s Time to Quit
A recent article in Reuters Health Information (RHI) states that cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing age- related cataracts, clouding of the lens in the eye that impairs vision. Study results published in the August 9 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association suggest that quitting does reduce cataract risk -- and also provides evidence that only some smoking-related damage to the lens is reversible.
Compared with men who continued to smoke, men who had quit less than 10 years before study entry had an approximately 20% reduced risk of cataract diagnosis after adjustment for other cataract risk factors and average number of cigarettes smoked per day or age at starting smoking, according to Dr. William G. Christen of Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues.
The study found that men who had quit smoking had a 23% reduced risk of cataract diagnosis and a 28% reduced risk for cataract extraction -- a surgical treatment -- compared with men who currently smoked.
The researchers conclude that their findings show that smoking cessation reduces the risk of cataract primarily by limiting total smoking-related damage to the lens, but also that some damage in the lens may not be reversed with smoking cessation, underscoring the importance of early cessation of smoking and, preferably, the avoidance of smoking altogether.
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Issue #: 43 |
Feature Article: Study links PC use with glaucoma
Heavy use of computers may be linked to the development of a progressive eye disease, researchers claim.
A study in Japan has found that staring at a screen could be related to glaucoma, which can lead to blindness.
The latest study, by the Toho School of Medicine, Tokyo, finds the risk is particularly strong for the short-sighted.
Glaucoma is more common in old age and happens when the optic nerve in the eye is damaged, leading to visual abnormalities. The exact causes are unknown.
The researchers questioned 10,000 workers at four Japanese companies with an average age of 43.
The researchers, writing in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, say that those classified as heavy computer users tend to be younger and male.
The team says there appears to be a significant link between visual problems and heavy computer use among those with either long or short sight.
A third of these workers were found to have suspected glaucoma. The researchers conclude: Computer stress is reaching higher levels than have ever been experienced before.
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Issue #: 42 |
Feature Article: Eyedrops for Kids
Good news for parents of children with lazy eye, or amblyopia. A study in Ophthalmology found that kids who got Atropine eye drops twice on weekends improved their vision as much as children who got drops every day. What is more, the weekend drop treatment turned out to be about as beneficial as wearing an eye patch daily. Talk to your doctor for further details.
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Issue #: 41 |
Feature Article: What is Wavefront Lasik eye surgery?
Now an enhanced version of LASIK, known as wavefront LASIK, is available. This improved system allows eye surgeons to customize the procedure for each eye, providing the possibility of even better vision.
Adapted from technology used in astronomy, wavefront LASIK is a procedure that uses an array of microsensors and a laser. A wave of light from a laser beam is sent through the eye to the retina. This light is reflected out of the eye, and the sensor measures the irregularities at the front of the wave of light as it emerges from the eye. This produces a precise three-dimensional map of the visual system, including the corneas imperfections, or aberrations. Thousands of people have the same eyeglass prescription, but because the map is so precise, no two people have the same wavefront measurements.
These wavefront data are translated into a mathematical formula the surgeon uses to program corrections into the ultraviolet cold laser, which vaporizes tissue to reshape the cornea. This new wavefront technology has a better chance of reducing higher- order aberrations that cause glare, haloes and blurry images.
Concerns about quality of vision and nighttime glare with previous forms of LASIK prevented many people from having their vision corrected. In Food and Drug Administration trials, the majority of patients who had custom LASIK found their night vision to be better after the procedure than it was with their glasses or contact lenses. One FDA study showed More than 70 percent of custom LASIK patients saw better than 20/20.
Wavefront LASIK may not be for everyone because it removes more corneal tissue than conventional LASIK. Patients with thin corneas, high degrees of aberration, severely dry eyes or conditions that affect the lens or vitreous fluid inside the eye may not be good candidates. However, many of these patients may still be good candidates for conventional LASIK.
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Issue #: 40 |
Feature Article: A Gentler Way To Remove Cataracts
Age-related cataracts are a leading cause of vision loss. A cataract is where the lens in your eye becomes cloudy over time, which leaves you with blurry vision.
Doctors treat it by taking out the cloudy lens and putting in an artificial one that s clear. Now there is a new technique for removing that lens.
To remove cataracts, Dr. Raymond Nisi uses a new instrument called AquaLase. It breaks up and removes the cataract using pulses of water.
The traditional technique is similar, but uses ultrasound waves instead of water. This can be damaging to the eye.
Ultrasound energy can cause friction heat. This can cause a corneal burn which is rare but it can happen. AquaLase is a little more friendly to the eye, gentle to the eye, explains Dr. Nisi.
Which can mean a faster recovery. The end result is the same -- the difference is with the AquaLase you can expect to see clearly sooner.
The possible complications are the same as any cataract procedure and Dr. Nisi recommends the AquaLase only for mild to moderate cataracts. The traditional method is still best if your cataract severely is thickened.
The surgery itself takes only about 15 minutes and most people are back to work the next day.
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Issue #: 39 |
Feature Article: Baby Boomers At Risk for Blindness
Research has recently accelerated as the first baby boomers have entered late middle age, the years when macular degeneration typically strikes. Estimates show as many as 6.3 million Americans could suffer from the condition by 2030.
The disease comes in two forms, called wet and dry. About 70 percent of patients have the dry form, a thinning of the macular tissues and changes in its pigmentation. The rest have the wet condition, with bleeding in and around the retina, opaque deposits and scar tissue.
Much about the condition, its causes, treatment and prevention, remains a mystery. Smoking is certainly linked to the wet form of the disease.
Dietary factors
Some research has associated macular degeneration with high levels of saturated fat, low carotenid pigments and other dietary substances. Dr. Matthew Benz, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine, recommends a diet of fresh fruit and dark green, leafy vegetables (like collards and spinach). But, Benz also warns patients against commercial products that claim to prevent or cure the condition.
There are many purported treatments and cures with no science behind them, Benz said. People should be very skeptical of all these claims.
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Issue #: 38 |
Feature Article: Stem cells may be grown into human Retina
Advanced Cell Technology Inc., the closely held company that cloned a human embryo in 2001, coaxed embryonic stem cells to develop into the eye s retinal cells, according to a study.
The retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye that focuses images and sends them as electrical signals to the brain. Investigators grew the retinal cells in a laboratory culture, researchers said in this year s third quarterly journal of Cloning and Stem Cells.
Scientists are testing whether the material is safe and performs the functions of retinal cells in animals. Within two years, the cells might be tested in people for retina damage, Robert Lanza, the Worcester, Massachusetts-based company s chief medical officer, said in a phone interview.
``Millions of patients with retinal degeneration could benefit from these cells in the future, said Lanza, an author of the study.
The new technique used no animal products, which eliminates one transplant risk of transmitting diseases to people, the company said.
By Bloomberg News
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Issue #: 36 |
Feature Article: Lens Implant For Nearsighted Approved
(AP) An implantable lens to correct the vision of nearsighted people won approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday, September 13 2004.
The lens is permanently implanted in the eye and can offer an alternative to glasses, contact lenses and laser surgery.
The approval covers the Artisan lens made by Ophtec USA Inc. Its president Rich McCarley said the product could be available to surgeons in two weeks. He said the price has not been determined.
Unlike the implanted lenses that replace the eye s normal lens to correct cataracts, this lens is implanted in front of the natural lens. FDA said it is intended to reduce or eliminate nearsightedness in adults with healthy eyes. It should not be used in people who have more than minor astigmatism, the agency said.
The agency is requiring the company to do a follow-up five-year study of users of the lens to determine any side effects.
One possible concern, the FDA said, is the loss of endothelial cells in the corneas of patients who received the implants. These cells form a layer on the undersurface of the cornea and are essential to keeping the cornea clear.
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Issue #: 35 |
Feature Article: Get your beta-carotene from mangoes
Carrots have the rep, but go with mangoes. They re loaded with beta-carotene and vitamins C and E, three antioxidants that protect your eyes from vision-altering free-radical damage. We know that these antioxidants help decrease vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration, says Peter Kaiser, M.D., a retinal surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. Hate mangoes? Eat a kiwi. Research shows that high blood pressure may increase the risk of blindness in old age. Kiwis are packed with potassium, a natural BP buster.
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