Myopia is a disease, not a refractive error. Here's what that means
Myopia is a refractive error (blurred vision at a given distance) that affects about 30% of the world's population. This proportion is increasing so quickly that it is estimated it will reach 50% by 2050. The United States-based National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recently changed the way myopia is defined. NAS now considers myopia to be a disease rather than a refractive error.
Research shows just one hour of screen time increases risk of nearsightedness
Each hour a person spends squinting into a smartphone or staring at a screen increases their risk of nearsightedness, a new evidence review suggests.
Both high and low HDL levels are linked to age-related macular degeneration risk
University of California San Diego researchers have identified a U-shaped association between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) risk, with lower incidence of AMD in the middle range and peaks in both the lower and upper ranges. The team also discovered specific genetic variants related to HDL metabolism as contributing factors to AMD.
Treatment to preserve sight in children with rare genetic disorder shows promise in clinical trial
A new treatment that could prevent blindness in children with the CLN2 type Batten disease has been trialed by clinicians and researchers at UCL and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).
Empagliflozin linked to reduced progression of diabetic retinopathy
An investigation led by Brigham and Women's Hospital finds empagliflozin (sold as Jardiance) may reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression in patients with a history of nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) but showed no association with preventing new NPDR onset.
Sleep apnea associated with age-related macular degeneration
A Center for Eye Research Australia study has linked low levels of oxygen in the blood overnight—a common sign of obstructive sleep apnea—with wet age-related macular degeneration.
Experts define elements of brain-based visual impairment in children
Experts convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified five elements of a brain-based condition that has emerged as a leading cause of vision impairment starting in childhood in the United States and other industrialized nations.
How to avoid eye infections and what to do if you get one
Sir Elton John recently revealed on ABC's Good Morning America that he lost the sight in his right eye after suffering from an eye infection. With poor vision in his left eye too, John said. "It's been four months now since I haven't been able to see."
Light therapy might help ease 'dry' form of macular degeneration
Light therapy could be a useful treatment for the most common form of age-related macular degeneration, a new study says.
Scientists get closer to stopping macular degeneration
Scientists say they've discovered a protein that seems crucial to the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of blindness in older people.