Aqueous Humor and Nerve Degeneration Advances
In vision diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, once functional vision is lost, there is no way to restore it. That’s why adults between the ages of 18 to 65 are advised to have yearly eye exams. These exams can detect not only changes in vision but the first signs of glaucoma, macular degeneration […]
Genes & Nanoparticles: Innovations in Treatment Approaches
Numerous vision diseases, such as glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and, to a certain degree, diabetic retinopathy, have a genetic basis. Wouldn’t it be great to learn about the genetic makeup of these and other vision diseases so that treatments can start earlier, when they are most effective? Two research projects are studying both what is going […]
Insects and Circadian Rhythm
It is no secret that the eye and the brain work together for both vision and regulating the circadian rhythm. Yet, what is going on at the cellular level and deep within the brain that allows for vision and the sleep/wake cycle to work correctly. Well, as you can guess research is taking place in […]
Evolution, Circadian Rhythm & How They Relate to the Eye
The eye is like a security camera that captures images that are both at rest and in motion. From our eyes, images travel through the retina and go to the brain. This information allows us to perform a myriad of tasks from reading, creating a meal to navigating from Point A to Point B. In […]
Eyesight Enhanced: Advancements in Bionic Implants and Eye Drops
Wouldn’t it be nice if there were fixes for vision diseases, such as macular degeneration and retinal vein occlusion, that could maintain vision, and in some cases improve vision—not just keep the disease from getting worse? Well, wouldn’t you know it, research done at Stanford University and Columbia University, showed that it is possible to […]
Always Something to Learn
Studying nonhuman eye tissue can lead to insight into how vision develops and the mechanisms that make vision possible. Sometimes, this research leads to new tools or it uncovers novel cellular processes in the eye. Two research projects, one at New York University (NYU) discovered new cells types in the visual system of fruit flies, […]
The Science of Seeing: Unraveling Human Vision & Primate Color Perception
Call us biased, but we think vision is very cool. The images that our eye sees are encoded as visual information in the brain and the images enable us to see, navigate and learn. No wonder the eyes are considered the front of the brain, and biomedical research is uncovering different aspects of vision that […]
Retinopathy of Prematurity: Breakthroughs in Treatment and Diagnosis
Having a child born prematurely poses numerous challenges for the parents. There is the additional time spent in the hospital, as well as concerns about the life and health of the baby. One concern is the potential development of retinopathy of prematurity, a form of blindness. Retinopathy of prematurity happen when a premature baby comes […]
Newts and Zebrafishes—Oh My!
A little over 100 years ago, scientist were studying fruit flies to learn more about genetics. Since they were easy to capture and breed, scientists were able to study multiple generations in a short period of time. The information that they found lead to the mapping of regions that correspond to the fly’s physical traits. […]
3D Printing for Vision
3D Printing is a manufacturing method whereby a three-dimensional object is created layer by layer. This process is used in the aerospace and automotive industries and for biomedical use. One way 3D Printing is used for biomedical purposes is for vision. Baylor University used 3D Printing as a way for blind and low vision persons […]