What's Inside
- First cure for RP using stem cells.
- Injections for infants to stop premature Retinopathy, ,
- Eye cancers that can lead to blindness and death.
- Scientists use a bit of human brains in rats to cure blindness.
- And, about a dozen other articles about the science and medicine related to blindness from all over the world.-
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Editorial By Chris Hofstader
This was a pretty interesting week in the world of science and medicine stories related to blindness.
Personally, I find a lot of the articles in this issue interesting. Because my vision problem is retinitis pigmentosa, I found the article about a cure for it to be quite interesting. I'm also dubious of the claims made in the article and do not understand the vocabulary of ophthalmic research well enough to read the original paper to get a better understanding. It's certainly optimistic but I've heard the term stem cells tossed around so much in a lot of science articles but then never hear about more advanced studies.
I hope you enjoy Edition 22 of Science Briefs.
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. Do not take medical advice from this or any other web site or podcast without first consulting a professional.
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Science and Medicine
Kanpur's GSVM becomes 1st institute to cure blindness through stem cell transplants
Four patients got eyesight through stem cell transplants in Kanpur's GSVM. The institute has claimed that it is the first one in the country to do so. This story comes to us from: India Today.
Woman reveals how pregnancy triggered a rare condition that made her blind temporarily
Watch: Mum tells how pregnancy brought on a "terrifying" rare condition – which made her go blind. This story comes to us from Yahoo News.
Technology's Bane: Digital Vision Syndrome tricks woman's brain into thinking she's gone blind
A neurologist took to Twitter to talk about a case of a 30 year-old-woman whose brain tricked her into thinking that she's going permanently blind. This story comes to us from: Firstpost.
EYLEA® (aflibercept) Injection Approved as the First Pharmacologic Treatment for Preterm Infants with Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) by the FDA
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved EYLEA® (aflibercept) Injection to treat preterm infants with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Following this first pediatric approval, EYLEA is now indicated to treat five retinal conditions caused by ocular angiogenesis. This story comes to us from: Yahoo Finance.
Curing blindness thousands at a time around the world
Cataract surgery is a simple and common procedure, but many around the world go a lifetime without it. This story comes to us from: KENS 5.
Endogena Therapeutics receives FDA fast track designation for retinitis pigmentosa treatment
It is a leading cause of inherited blindness, with an estimated 1.5 million people worldwide presently affected. This story comes to us from: Ophthalmology Times.
Atsena Therapeutics to Present Positive Interim Encore Data from the Phase I/II Clinical Trial
a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on bringing the life-changing power of genetic medicine to reverse or prevent blindness, today announced that positive interim data from the ongoing Phase I/II clinical trial of ATSN-101 will be presented at the 46th Annual Macula Society Meeting, which is being held February 15-18 in Miami, FL. This story comes to us from: The Bakersfield Californian.
Visakhapatnam: incidence of eye cancer low, but neglect can cause blindness and even loss of life, say ocular oncologists
Certain cancers can be inherited, and those at risk should undergo routine eye screening for early detection and treatment, say doctors. This story comes to us from: The Hindu.
Scientists put part of human brain into rat to cure blindness
Experiment offers path to reverse blindness in people and heal serious brain injuries. This story comes to us from: The Independent.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University mapped genomic risk factors for the complex eye disease AMD
Researchers at Tel Aviv University identified a new genetic risk factor for the complex eye disease AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration), a leading cause for loss of eyesight at an advanced age. For the first time, the researchers identified proteins that play a key role in the development and functioning of the tissue affected by the disease, found their exact sites in the genome, and discovered the connection. This story comes to us from: EurekAlert.
Artificial tears product sold in Utah linked to blindness, death – St George News
St. George, Utah, Local residents who purchased a brand of artificial tears from Walmart or Amazon may want to check their medicine cabinet. This story comes to us from the St George News.
Healthcare marketers react to viral video where YouTuber MrBeast cures blindness in 1,000 people
YouTuber MrBeast has gone viral for a health-related stunt where he pays for eye surgery for low-income patients who had a form of curable blindness. This story comes to us from Medical, Marketing and Media.
100 million Nigerians are at risk of neglected tropical diseases: what the country is doing about it
While Nigeria has made progress in controlling some neglected tropical diseases, it should do more as it carries a heavy burden of these diseases, including some that cause blindness. This story comes to us from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Woman Goes Blind After Spending Hours On Her Smartphone; Here's What Happened
After using her phone a lot in the night for almost one and a half years, Manju, a 30 year old woman was given a diagnosis of blindness. This story comes to us from: Mashable India.
–End