Science Briefs – Edition 17

What's Inside

• People with Anton Syndrome don't know they're blind
• Stress can accelerate vision loss
• Lab grown retinal cells open doors to new research
• And, about 5 more articles about the science and medicine of blindness from all over the world

Editorial By Chris Hofstader

This was a pretty slow week for science news related to blindness. At the same time, Blindness Briefs, our general blindness news for the week, saw a lot of articles.

Disclaimer

World Blind herald does not write the stories to which we link in Science Briefs, we gather them, curate them and bring them to our readers. We are not scientists ourselves and cannot guarantee the validity of the stories in this digest. We do, however, want to be very clear that you should not attempt any of the medical interventions mentioned in Science Briefs without first consulting a professional ophthalmologist and discussing it with them first. Do not take medical advice from this or any other web site, podcast without first consulting a professional.

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Science and Medicine

I went blind after giving birth — and couldn't see my newborn

Lonfdon mom Sylvia Chengo, 34, noticed her eyesight deteriorating after the birth of her first child and never recovered full vision. This story comes to us from: New York Post.

Anton Syndrome: The People That Don't Know They Are Blind

In rare cases of stroke and brain damage, patients can lose their sight altogether. Disorientated and unaware of what’s happened, it can take clinicians days before they establish that the person has become blind. But what if the patient themselves don’t know that they are blind? In extremely rare circumstances, someone that has no sight at all will entirely believe, often to the point of anger, that they can see perfectly fine. With just 28 cases in recorded history, these people have been diagnosed with Anton syndrome. This story comes to us from: IFLScience.

QRCS concludes eye surgery, anti-blindness convoy in Somalia

Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has concluded its eye surgery and anti-blindness medical convoy, carried out at De Martino Public Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia. With a total cost of $85,535 (QR 311,776), the project was coordinated with Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Health, the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS), and the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Somalia. The 17-day project was aimed at providing medical assistance for poor and displaced people. This story comes to us from: ReliefWeb.

Stress could accelerate vision loss

Further proof of the deleterious effect of stress on health: according to a study published in Aging Cell, repeated stress forces the ocular tissue to accelerate its aging process, which leads to loss of vision. This story comes to us from: OI Canadian.

Lab-Grown Retinal Cells Open the Door to Treat Blindness and Degenerative Eye Diseases

Retinal cells grown from stem cells can reach out and connect with neighbors, according to a new study, completing a “handshake” that may show the cells are ready for trials in humans with degenerative eye disorders. Over a decade ago, researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison developed a way to grow organized clusters of cells, called organoids, that resemble the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. They coaxed human skin cells reprogrammed to act as stem cells to develop into layers of several types of retinal cells that sense light and ultimately transmit what we see to the brain. This story comes to us from: Neuroscience News.

[Managing low vision in an aging population][21]

According to the National Eye Institute, the number of patients with low vision is expected to increase, and the prevalence of low vision is expected to almost triple by the year 2050. This story comes to us from: Optometry Times.

I Took Diabetes Drug Qsymia for Weight Loss & Went Blind

If you've been on TikTok recently, you've likely seen the massive curiosity surrounding taking diabetes drugs for weight loss. What you may not have heard about are some of the darker stories and terrifying dangers associated with being on these types of drugs. Thirty-nine-year-old Susan Brown, for instance, took the diabetes drug Qsymia for weight loss and went blind. We spoke with Brown to hear her story and journey to recovery. This story comes to us from: Eat This, Not That.

Best Lutein Supplements: Top 5 Eye Vitamins For Vision Health In 2023

Editor: As I always include in the introduction to Science Briefs, do not take medical advice from a web site without first consulting a professional ophthalmologist as even substances like vitamins and other "supplements" can have dangerous side effects in some cases.

If you're considering buying an eye health supplement to enhance your eye sight, maintain general eye health, or slow the debilitating effects of any ocular diseases or disorders you're currently experiencing, it's crucial that you use the best product currently available. This story comes to us from: Outlook India.

Never Miss An Issue

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