StemCell Therapy

EAST HANOVER, N.J., Oct. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Novartis today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved BEOVU (brolucizumab-dbll) injection, also known as RTH258, for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD)1. BEOVU is the first FDA-approved anti-VEGF to offer both greater fluid resolution versus aflibercept and the ability to maintain eligible wet AMD patients on a three-month dosing interval immediately after a three-month loading phase1 with uncompromised efficacy.

Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here:https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8554151-novartis-beovu-brolucizumab-fda-approval/

"BEOVU meets our goals in clinical practice for treating wet AMD: improving vision and drying retinal fluid," said Dr. Pravin U. Dugel, Managing Partner, Retinal Consultants of Arizona; Clinical Professor, Roski Eye Institute, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California; and principal investigator of the HAWK clinical trial. "With BEOVU, greater fluid reduction was demonstrated through larger decreases in retinal thickness and a higher proportion of patients with drier retinas. Coupled with the potential to treat patients with quarterly injections, this approval may change the way we approach the treatment of wet AMD."

The approval of BEOVU was based on findings from the Phase III HAWK and HARRIER clinical trials, in which BEOVU demonstrated non-inferiority versus aflibercept in mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at year one (week 48)1,2. In both clinical trials, approximately 30% of patients gained at least 15 letters at year one1,2. In HAWK and HARRIER, BEOVU showed greater reduction in central subfield thickness (CST) as early as week 16 and at year one, and fewer patients had intra-retinal (IRF) and/or sub-retinal fluid (SRF)2. Retinal fluid is a key marker of disease activity6.

Wet AMD is a chronic, degenerative eye disease caused by an excess of VEGF, a protein that promotes the growth of abnormal blood vessels underneath the macula, the area of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision7,8. Fluid that leaks out of these abnormal blood vessels disrupts the normal retinal structure and ultimately damages the macula8-10. The BEOVU molecule is engineered to deliver the highest concentration of drug, providing more active binding agents than other anti-VEGFs2. By inhibiting VEGF, BEOVU suppresses the growth of abnormal blood vessels and the potential for fluid leakage into the retina2.

"The approval of BEOVU delivers on the Novartis commitment to reimagining treatments for patients suffering from serious visual impairment," said Marie-France Tschudin, President, Novartis Pharmaceuticals. "The product labels of existing treatments state that they are not as effective when dosed every 12 weeks. BEOVU is the first to offer less frequent dosing in the first year of therapy while maintaining its effectiveness. This gives more time for wet AMD patients to focus on what's important in their lives."

In HAWK and HARRIER, eligible patients could be maintained on a three-month dosing interval immediately after the loading phase1,2. At year one, over half of patients were maintained on the three-month dosing interval (56% in HAWK and 51% in HARRIER)1,2. The remaining patients in the study were treated on a two-month dosing schedule1,2.

BEOVU exhibited an overall safety profile comparable to aflibercept. BEOVU is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections, active intraocular inflammation or with known hypersensitivity to brolucizumab or any of the excipients in BEOVU1. Hypersensitivity reactions may manifest as rash, pruritus, urticaria, erythema or severe intraocular inflammation1.

The most common adverse events (5% of patients) with BEOVU were vision blurred, cataract, conjunctival hemorrhage, vitreous floaters and eye pain1,2.

Wet AMD distorts central vision and ultimately causes blindness and loss of independence11,12. Estimates suggest that in 2020, 1.75 million people in the U.S. will be living with wet AMD13-15, making it a growing public health concern. Early symptoms of wet AMD include blurry or wavy vision8. As the disease progresses, patients lose central vision so it becomes difficult to see objects directly in front of them8.

"As sight disappears, so does a person's connection to the world," said Dawn Prall, Founder and Executive Director, The Support Sight Foundation. "We welcome a new treatment that helps maintain vision and has the potential for quarterly treatments, which can reduce the burden on patients and their caregivers and help people with wet AMD keep doing what they love with the people they love."

With this approval, Novartis is offering BEOVU Your Way in the U.S. This program provides personalized, one-on-one support for patients and caregivers, with access to a care specialist committed to understanding patients' unique needs and preferences. Novartis is proud to be partnering with patient advocacy organizations to deliver educational materials for patients and caregivers, with the goal of empowering wet AMD patients to live safely and independently.

About BEOVU (brolucizumab-dbll)

BEOVU (brolucizumab-dbll) is the most clinically advanced humanized single-chain antibody fragment (scFv)2,16. Single-chain antibody fragments are highly sought after in drug development due to their small size, enhanced tissue penetration, rapid clearance from systemic circulation and drug delivery characteristics16-18.

The proprietary innovative structure results in a small molecule (26 kDa) with potent inhibition of, and high affinity to, all VEGF-A isoforms17. BEOVU is engineered to deliver the highest concentration of drug, providing more active binding agents than other anti-VEGFs2,16. In preclinical studies, BEOVU inhibited activation of VEGF receptors through prevention of the ligand-receptor interaction17-19. Increased signaling through the VEGF pathway is associated with pathologic ocular angiogenesis and retinal edema20. Inhibition of the VEGF pathway has been shown to inhibit the growth of neovascular lesions and suppress endothelial cell proliferation and vascular permeability20.

About the HAWK and HARRIER studies

With more than 1,800 patients across nearly 400 centers worldwide, HAWK (NCT02307682) and HARRIER (NCT02434328) are the first and only global head-to-head trials in patients with wet AMD that prospectively demonstrated efficacy at week 48 using an innovative q12w/q8w regimen, with a majority of patients on q12w immediately following the loading phase2. Both studies are 96-week prospective, randomized, double-masked multi-center studies and part of the Phase III clinical development of BEOVU2. The studies were designed to compare the efficacy and safety of intravitreal injections of brolucizumab 6 mg (HAWK and HARRIER) and 3 mg (HAWK only) versus aflibercept 2 mg in patients with wet AMD2.

About wet age-related macular degeneration

Wet AMD is a leading cause of severe vision loss and legal blindness in people over the age of 65 in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia, impacting an estimated 20 million people worldwide4,5,11. It is estimated that 1.75 million people in the U.S. will be living with wet AMD in 202013-15. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels form underneath the macula, the area of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision8-10. These blood vessels are fragile and leak fluid, disrupting the normal retinal architecture and ultimately causing damage to the macula8-10.

Early symptoms of wet AMD include distorted vision (or metamorphopsia) and difficulties seeing objects clearly8,21. Prompt diagnosis and intervention are essential10. As the disease progresses, cell damage increases, further reducing vision quality8. This progression can lead to a complete loss of central vision, leaving the patient unable to read, drive or recognize familiar faces and potentially depriving them of their independence8,12. Without treatment, vision can rapidly deteriorate22.

About Novartis in ophthalmology

At Novartis, our mission is to discover new ways to improve and extend people's lives. In ophthalmology, we develop and deliver life-changing medicines and therapies for diseases and conditions from front to back of the eye, enabled by data and transformative technologies. Our ophthalmic solutions reach more than 150M people per year, from premature infants to the elderly.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

BEOVU (brolucizumab-dbll) injection is indicated for the treatment of Neovascular (Wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

CONTRAINDICATIONS

BEOVU is contraindicated in patients with ocular or periocular infections, active intraocular inflammation or known hypersensitivity to brolucizumab or any of the excipients in BEOVU. Hypersensitivity reactions may manifest as rash, pruritus, urticaria, erythema, or severe intraocular inflammation.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Endophthalmitis and Retinal Detachments

Intravitreal injections, including those with BEOVU, have been associated with endophthalmitis and retinal detachments. Proper aseptic injection techniques must always be used when administering BEOVU. Patients should be instructed to report any symptoms suggestive of endophthalmitis or retinal detachment without delay and should be managed appropriately.

Increase in Intraocular Pressure

Acute increases in intraocular pressure (IOP) have been seen within 30 minutes of intravitreal injection including with BEOVU. Sustained IOP increases have also been reported. Both IOP and perfusion of the optic nerve head must be monitored and managed appropriately.

Thromboembolic Events

Although there was a low rate of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) observed in the BEOVU clinical trials, there is a potential risk of ATEs following intravitreal use of VEGF inhibitors. Arterial thromboembolic events are defined as nonfatal stroke, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or vascular death (including deaths of unknown cause). The ATE rate in the two controlled 96-week neovascular AMD studies (HAWK and HARRIER) during the first 96-weeks was 4.5% (33 of 730) in the pooled brolucizumab arms compared with 4.7% (34 of 730) in the pooled aflibercept arms.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Serious adverse reactions including endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, increases in intraocular pressure, and arterial thromboembolic events have occurred following intravitreal injections with BEOVU.

The most common adverse events (5% of patients) with BEOVU were vision blurred, cataract, conjunctival hemorrhage, vitreous floaters and eye pain.

As with all therapeutic proteins, there is a potential for an immune response in patients treated with BEOVU. Anti-brolucizumab antibodies were detected in the pre-treatment sample of 36% to 52% of treatment naive patients. After initiation of dosing, anti-brolucizumab antibodies were detected in at least one serum sample in 53% to 67% of patients treated with BEOVU. Intraocular inflammation was observed in 6% of patients with anti-brolucizumab antibodies detected during dosing with BEOVU. The significance of anti-brolucizumab antibodies on the clinical effectiveness and safety of BEOVU is not known.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures and requirements for increased pricing transparency; our ability to obtain or maintain proprietary intellectual property protection; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; general political and economic conditions; safety, quality or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Novartis

Novartis is reimagining medicine to improve and extend people's lives. As a leading global medicines company, we use innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need. In our quest to find new medicines, we consistently rank among the world's top companies investing in research and development. Novartis products reach more than 750 million people globally and we are finding innovative ways to expand access to our latest treatments. About 108,000 people of more than 140 nationalities work at Novartis around the world. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a U.S. affiliate of Novartis, is located in East Hanover, NJ. Find out more at http://www.novartis.com.

Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis or follow @NovartisNews for the latest News & Media Updates at https://twitter.com/novartisnews

For Novartis multimedia content, please visit http://www.novartis.com/news/media-library

For questions about the site or required registration, please contact media.relations@novartis.com

References

Novartis Media RelationsE-mail: media.relations@novartis.com

Novartis Investor RelationsCentral investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944E-mail: investor.relations@novartis.com

Central

North America

Samir Shah

+41 61 324 7944

Sloan Simpson

+1 862 778 5052

Pierre-Michel Bringer

+41 61 324 1065

Cory Twining

+1 212 778 3258

Thomas Hungerbuehler

+41 61 324 8425

Isabella Zinck

+41 61 324 7188

2019 Novartis Novartis 10/19 BVU-1381171

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/novartis-receives-fda-approval-for-beovu-offering-wet-amd-patients-vision-gains-and-greater-fluid-reductions-vs-aflibercept-300933773.html

SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

The rest is here:
Novartis receives FDA approval for BEOVU, offering wet AMD patients vision gains and greater fluid reductions vs aflibercept - BioSpace

Optical illusions can use colour, light and patterns to create images which can be deceptive or misleading to our brains.

The information gathered by the eye is then processed by the brain, creating a perception that in reality, does not match the true image.

Which is why Lenstore , the masterminds behind a number of Pac-Mac optical illusion , have shared yet another mind-boggling brainteaser for people to get their heads around.

The motion blindness illusion will leave you scratching your head for days can you really see what's going on?

To understand what is going on, first start by focusing on the red and green flashing dot in the middle of the spinning blue grid.

You should find that the three non-flashing dots around it will begin to disappear sporadically sometimes one or two at a time, or all three simultaneously.

Then you will see that the illusion works because of "motion-induced blindness".

Motion-induced blindness (MIB) is a phenomenon of visual disappearance or perceptual illusions observed in the lab, in which stationary visual stimuli disappear as if erased in front of an observer's eyes when masked with a moving background.

Meanwhile, this isn't the only optical illusion to baffle the internet in recent weeks.

Previously, Lenstore unveiled the Pac-Mac optical illusion which is seriously confusing.

According to the website, focus on the cross in the centre of the red circles popping in and out of sight.

You will find that space in the red circles leave behind are replaced by green spot afterimages.

After a while, you might find that the red spots seem to disappear altogether (due to Troxler's fading).

Troxler's fading is an optical illusion affecting visual perception.

When one fixates on a point for a short time, an unchanging stimulus away from the point will fade away and disappear.

You will find a great example of Troxler's fading when you look at this optical illusion as something very odd happens when you stare at it for 30 seconds .

Visit link:
Optical illusion with motion blindness goes viral can you see what's going on? - Daily Star

Filmmaker Cole Sax wants to introduce audiences to Joanaly Laniohan and her husband, Virgilio, who live in the Philippines.

Cataracts had rendered Joanaly blind for two years, and Virgilio had added the role of his wifes caretaker to being the familys provider until the opportunity came for a free and simple surgery that could restore Joanalys sight.

Sax, who graduated from Park City High School in 2011, will tell the Laniohans story when he screens his new documentary short, Second Sight, at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, in honor of World Sight Day, at the Broadway Centre Cinemas in Salt Lake City. The 30-minute screening, presented by the Salt Lake Film Societys MAST program, is free and open to the public.

MAST (Media Accellerator Studio), is a nonprofit program founded by Salt Lake Film Societys CEO Tori A. Baker and Miles Romney, a Tony-winning Broadway fundraiser and co-producer, that develops artists into entrepreneurs.

I think its pretty relatable that someone would do anything to care for someone they love Cole Sax, Second Sight fillmmaker

The idea to make Second Sight came from Saxs childhood, when he was introduced to vision health by Park City opthamologist Dr. Jeffrey Tabin, who travels around the globe to stop unnecessary blindness caused by cataracts with his nonprofit, The Himalayan Cataract Project.

Cataract blindness affects nearly 40 million people around the world and is brought on by malnutrition and overexposure to sunlight, according to Sax.

For those in developing countries it is a death sentence, taking people out of work and causing a significant decrease in life expectancy, he said. I knew it was a story I wanted to share at some point.

After graduating high school, Sax studied film at the University of Utah and secured a job in the local filmmaking industry. Nearly three years ago, Sax and his friends learned of film grants offerd by Musicbed, a licensing and production company, and began brainstorming ideas.

Inspired by Dr. Tabins work, we decided to do a documentary that would focus on one persons journey of trying to understand what they have and learning about the free 10-minute surgeries that would make it possible for them to see again within 24 hours, Sax said. It was a powerful story and pretty straightforward and we submitted it to the initiative.

Their idea was selected out of 6,000 submissions.

We were given the grant, and they provided us with a bunch of gear, Sax said. But to make the film we wanted to make, we needed to make more money. So we hunted for a nonprofit to come onboard to help budget-wise and to help promote the film.

Sax and his group connected with See International, a nonprofit that works in over 40 countries, where it has provided more than half a million sight-restoring surgeries.

They came on board and gave us all the access we needed, and we ended up going to the Philippines to film our movie, Sax said.

Sax and his crew met the Laniohans from a list of 60 other families. After Sax met with the Lahioans, he found his story.

She had been blind for two years, and I felt I could also put myself in the shoes of her husband Virgilio, who had to become the caretaker, he said. I think its pretty relatable that someone would do anything to care for someone they love.

Sax and his crew shot the film over nine days last October and finished editing it this March.

After completing the film, Sax decided to build a digital website, secondsight.seeintl.org, where the film could live and garner some new donors and support.

If people cant attend Thursdays screening, they can watch the film on the website and learn about the issue, he said.

Sax said one of the biggest challenges of making Second Sight was making a quality and thought-provoking film that focused on his subjects plight.

You want to be sensitive to their story and their journey, he said. We also had a responsibility to be authentic, because we asked people to invest in our film. So we were committed to deliver something that those who gave us grants and donated money would be equally proud of.

Upon release a few months ago, Second Sight was selected for a string of 2019 festivals including Hollyshorts, Rhode Island International Film Festival, DC Shorts and the Hawaii International Film Festival, to name a few.

Its rewarding to have an audience for the project to get people to understand what the experience has been like for this family, let alone millions of people with cataracts worldwide, Sax said. There has been a positive response and people feel connected to the characters in the film, and to me that is powerful, especially if they want to get involved in some capacity or get involved in a larger project.

Second Sight is one of Saxs more personal films, because of his own experience with sight issues.

During high school, I noticed a bunch of black specks in my vision, and after I went to opthamologist, I was told I had eye floaters, which is very common, he said. Then after shooting in the Philippines, I noticed I had a hard time focusing on the monitor for long periods of time, and I was getting sensitive to light.

Sax got his eyes checked and was informed he had intermediate uveitis, an autoimmune disease in the eye.

They told me there was a lot of scar tissue that had built up, but that the uveitis was dormant, which it has been for a few months, now, he said. So in a way, Ive come full circle with this film and my personal life.

See original here:
Park City High alumnus Cole Sax creates 'Second Sight' and will screen his film in Salt Lake City - The Park Record

Photo: Depositphotos.com

Researchers at Eindhoven University have been given a 2.9m grant for their work on the development of artificial wombs for premature babies,

The grant, from the EUs Horizon fund, comes a year after the artificial womb concept was first presented at Dutch Design Week. The grant, the researchers say, will make it possible to produce a working prototype within five years.

The artificial womb will act as both incubator and artificial respirator but, the researchers say, its more natural because it resembles a real womb more closely.

Our goal with the artificial womb is to help extremely premature babies get through the critical period of 24 to 28 weeks, says Guid Oei, gynecologist at MMC and part-time professor at the university.

The chances of survival for these babies are low; approximately half of the babies that are born at 24 weeks die. And the ones that survive often suffer from lifelong chronic disorders such as brain damage, respiratory problems and eye conditions that can possibly cause blindness.

Different technologies will be used in developing the womb, says Frans van de Vosse, project coordinator and professor of cardiovascular biomechanics.

The system, he said, will continually monitors the babys condition. Think of heart rate and oxygen supply, but also of brain and muscle activity, he said. Smart computer models that simulate the babys condition provide the doctor with immediate support in the decision-making process with regard to the artificial wombs settings.

University researchers also also developing a practice doll that can accurately simulate extremely premature babies in an intensive care ward. This, the team says, will make it possible to evaluate the artificial womb in a realistic test setting before it is used in clinics.

DutchNews.nl has been free for 13 years, but now we are asking our readers to help. Your donation will enable us to keep providing you with fair and accurate news and features about all things Dutch. Donate via Ideal, credit card or Paypal.

Continued here:
EU boost for Eindhoven artificial womb project, prototype in five years - DutchNews.nl

THEO Campbell has had a furious row with fellow Love Islander Idris Virgo who claimed he is FAKING his blindness in one eye.

The pair clashed online as their private conversations were leaked to fans.

9

9

Theo shared a snap of Idris telling fans: "Think it's fake tbh" after being told about Theo's "lost vision".

Alongside the image, he tweeted: "You missed out the part where youre telling youre little people Im lying about my eye.. only a idiot like yourself would lie about such a thing.

"And that fact youre putting our convo on Twitter just proves once again what a BEG you are. BEG BEG BEG such a loser."

Theo added: "Youre boring. You didnt get an invite to the reunion because you had 0 personality on the show.

9

9

9

9

"Everyone else should, only you shouldnt.

"And because your a puppet thats why you wont get casted again. I duno why you try so hard online to make noise. But carry on its laughable."

Refusing to back down, Idris replied: "Who are you again? People only know who you are because of your girlfriend other than that youre irrelevant. Man had to shoot him self with a cork to get clout."

9

9

Theo went blind in his right eye after being hit by a champagne cork in a freak accident in August.

The 28-year-old was forced to undergo two rounds of surgery after his eye "split in half".

He's been supported by his Love Island girlfriend Kaz Crossley who slammed trolls who had accused Theo of making it up.

After someone spotted Theo had worn his eyepatch on both eyes, Kaz barked: "I dunno it must of mirrored on the front camera u lot saying this have way too much time. Haters will say it's fake[sic]."

9

For now, Theo has lost his visionbut he is remaining positive that one day he will regain it.

He said recently: "I always preach about being patient and having hope.

Exclusive

DOUBLE DUTY Hollyoaks Mitchells secret twin is already in the village hints actor Imran

Exclusive

STRICTLY GLUM DANCING Kevin Clifton moans 'told you so' after he & Anneka get Strictly boot

HAPPY ENDING Corrie star moved in with husband & got pregnant within SIX weeks of 1st date

OH DAM! Josie Gibson swears & screams as she nearly plunges into freezing water live on air

NATE WHO HE SAYS Nate reveals his real identity in Emmerdale with 'dire consequences'

Exclusive

EX-CITING TRIP Katie Price texting ex toyboy Charles despite taking Kris Boyson on a break

"I think the body, especially my body can heal from anything so I am going to get some vitamins and a lot of darkness."

Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220.

We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.

See the article here:
Theo Campbell has furious row with Love Island co-star Idris Virgo after he claims Theo is FAKING his - The Sun

HTC filed a motion to dismiss Motivas claim for willful infringement. HTC asserted that Motiva has failed to adequately allege that HTC had knowledge of the patents-in-suit. HTC also argued that Motivas factual allegations of willful blindness are insufficiently specific and otherwise unsupported as an evidentiary matter to state a claim for willful infringement.

In analyzing the motion to dismiss, the district court noted that Motiva did not allege actual knowledge for the pre-suit period, but also explained that Motiva was not required to do so as willful blindness could supply the requisite knowledge. Warsaw Orthopedic, Inc. v. NuVasive, Inc., 824 F.3d 1344, 1347 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (recognizing that the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that willful blindness can supply the requisite knowledge for indirect infringement) (citing Commil USA, LLC v. Cisco Sys., Inc., 135 S. Ct. 1920, 1926 (2015); see also Global-Tech Appliances, Inc. v. SEB S.A., 563 U.S. 754, 766 (2011).

Accordingly, the district court looked at whether the allegations of willful blindness were pleaded sufficiently. The district court examined two of the factual allegations pleaded by Motiva and found that either were sufficient to satisfy the plausibility standard under the Supreme Courts decision in Twombly. Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 556 (2007).

Motiva first alleged that HTC has a policy or practice of not reviewing the patents of others. The district court noted that creating a policy prohibiting review of patents is a specific kind of deliberate action[] to avoid learning of potential infringement. See Global-Tech, 563 U.S. at 768. This allegation, which the district court had to accept as true at this stage of litigation, raised a reasonable expectation that discovery will reveal evidence of the nature, scope, and wording of that policy, in support of Motivas claims of willful blindness. The district court concluded that [s]ince Motiva has alleged that HTC has such a specific policya policy prohibiting review of patentsMotiva has plausibly alleged that HTC was willfully blind.

Second, Motiva alleged that HTC performed specific acts to implement and enforce this policy. The district court explained that Motiva specifically alleges that HTC executed its policy prohibiting review of patents by instructing its employees to not review the patents of others. Again, the district court found that [s]imilar to the allegations related to the existence of HTCs policy, these allegations plausibly suggest that additional discovery will reveal evidence in support of Motivas claim. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 556. Motivas allegations plausibly suggest that discovery will reveal what instructions were given by HTC, to whom they were given, and whether HTCs employees complied. Id. at 556. Accordingly, Motiva has adequately alleged willful blindness on this factual basis as well.

As a result, the district court denied the motion to dismiss and concluded that the requirements of Twombly are met when a plaintiff identifies the existence of a specific policy of willful blindness or specific acts of willfully blind conduct. Either factual allegationthe existence of the policy or its implementation in the form of specific acts of willfully blind conductis sufficient to state a claim at the pleading stage.

Motiva Patents, LLC v. HTC Corp., Case No. 9-18-CV-00180-JRG-KFG (E.D. Tex. Sept. 27, 2019)

See original here:
Motiva v. HTC: Allegations of Willful Blindness Sufficient to Defeat Motion to Dismiss a Claim for Willful Infringement - Lexology

First test plate of the Ishihara CVD test.

The original Ishihara color blindness test was introduced in early last century and since then, it is by far the most well known color vision deficiency test all around the world. Dr. Shinobu Ishihara from Japan produced three different test sets which are widely used and which all based on the same pseudoisochromatic plates.

This test is actually designed to be used in a booklet and is usually executed by an eye doctor.But I have made an onlince version of the test, available right here on Colblindor.

The online test is based on the 38 plates edition and will give you a little feedback at the end of the test.

As this test is only made to check for red-green color blindness, any other form of CVD can not be detected. And at the endif you likeyou can even share your test result with your friends.This way they can see how you performed and try the test themselves if they like to.

Be aware: This test consist of scanned plates. The colors are not exactly the same as in the original version. You also have to consider, that every computer screen has different color settings and therefore the test results might alter between different trials.

If you would like to see all the 38 plates in an overview, you can find them at Ishihara Test for Colour Deficiency 38 Plates Edition.

Read more here:
Ishihara 38 Plates CVD Test - color-blindness.com

A stunningly powerful novel of man's will to survive against all odds, by the winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature. This is a shattering work by a literary master.The Boston GlobeA New York Times Notable Book of the Year A Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" which spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and raping women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides seven strangersamong them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tearsthrough the barren streets, and the procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. A magnificent parable of loss and disorientation and a vivid evocation of the horrors of the twentieth century, Blindness has swept the reading public with its powerful portrayal of man's worst appetites and weaknessesand man's ultimately exhilarating spirit.

Originally posted here:
Blindness by Jos Saramago, Paperback | Barnes & Noble

Color Blind Test | Test Color Vision by Ishihara Test for Colorblindness

Color Blind Test info: Around the world, approximately 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women are affected by color blindness. This fairly common condition often goes undiagnosed, because patients do not realize they arent seeing colors like other people do. yet testing for color blindness is simple and doesnt even require a trip to the doctor. You can do it easily online using your computer. Simply look at the symbols below and enter the numbers that you can see. You will get an instant result that will help you know whether or not you are struggling with color blindness.How does the Color Blind Test work? This test, known as the Ishihara Test, makes numbers out of dots that are a different color than the dots surrounding them. Someone who is color blind sees all of these dots as the same color, whereas someone with normal vision can distinguish the different colors. Ishihara Test a type of Color Blind Test is a fast and simple way to determine whether or not you are struggling.Color Blind Test or the Ishihara test contains of a number of colored plates, known as Ishihara plates. All of the plates contains a circle of dots appearing in random order of color and size. Most people will view the images differently (mostly Arabic numbers). Those with certain types of color blindness will see different numbers from those not affected by color blindness.A color code happens when there is some information in the color of items being analysed. These codes cannot be easily explained by those who have color blindness. This is the main reason as to why, color should not be the sole criteria to provide information. The ideal way to to avoid color coding or color differences is to use Good graphic design to give information. This not only helps the color blind people, but is also helpful to the normal vision people.External info: Ishihara test Wikipedia

Look at the pictures below, and enter the numbers that you see in the corresponding boxes.

Are you concerned about your results? Did you struggle to see several of the numbers? Did you find yourself guessing instead of confidently entering the answers? If the test shows that you may be color blind, and you feel that color blindness is affecting your everyday life, then there is good news for you. Color blindness treatment is available to help you see the full range of colors that other people see.

The ColorCorrection System from ColorMax offers an easy, personalized solution to the problem of color blindness. This system has helped hundreds of people just like you overcome color blindness and the challenges it can cause. Whether you have known for a long time that you are color blind or just found out using this test, there is a solution. Reach out to our team today to learn more about the ColorCorrection system and how it can help you see colors clearly again.

The number pictured above is actually ' + rightanswer + '. ' + addinfo + '

Everyone should see the number 12 including people that are color blind.

Go here to read the rest:
Color Blind Test | Test Color Vision by Ishihara Test for ...

It's logical to think that you see whenever your eyes are open. But the reality is that attention plays a major role in visual perception. One of the primary reasons why you may fail to notice things like obvious bloopers in movies, for example, is a psychological phenomenon known as inattentional blindness. When you focus hard on one thing, such as the actions of the main character in a film, you might not notice unexpected things entering your visual field.

The term "inattentional blindness" was first coined by psychologists Arien Mack, Ph.D., and Irvin Rock, Ph.D., who observed the phenomenon during their perception and attention experiments. "Because this inability to perceive, this sighted blindness, seemed to be caused by the fact that subjects were not attending to the stimulus but instead were attending to something else...we labeled this phenomenon inattentional blindness (IB)," they explained.

One of the best-known experiments demonstrating inattentional blindness is the "invisible gorilla test" carried out by Christopher Chabris, Ph.D. and Daniel Simons, Ph.D. In this experiment, researchers asked participants to watch a video of people tossing a basketball, and the observers were told to count the number of passes or to keep track of the number of throws versus bounce passes. Afterward, the participants were asked if they had noticed anything unusual while watching the video. In most of the tests, approximately 50 percent of the participants reported seeing nothing out of the ordinary.

But in reality, something odd had happened. In some instances, a woman dressed in a gorilla suit strolled through the scene, turned to the camera, thumped her chest, and walked away. While it may seem impossible that the participants missed such a sight since their attention was focused elsewhere and on a demanding task, the gorilla basically became invisible.

Rather than focusing on every tiny detail in the world around us, we tend to concentrate on things that are most important, relying on our existing schemas to "fill in the blanks." This is highly economical. As our attentional, cognitive, and processing resources are limited, this allows us to dedicate them to what matters most, while still allowing us to have complete, seamless experiences.

One of the reasons why people so often "miss the gorilla," so to speak, is simply because the stimulus lacks what is known as ecological validity. A gorilla showing up in the middle of a basketball game is unlikely to happen in a real-world setting, so we are less likely to notice it. It is essentially ruled out as a component that will help you better understand or carry out the task at hand.

That said, while we do sometimes fail to miss things in the world around us, we are generally pretty good at noticing information that is relevant to us, such as a car speeding toward us or a deer jumping out of the trees into the road. Of course, this is not always the case.

We all experience inattentional blindness from time to time, such as in these potential situations:

There are certain factors that can affect inattentional blindness. Drs. Simons and Chabris did an experiment similar to the invisible gorilla experiment, but in this one, the participants had to count the number of passes made by either the team in black or the team in white.

Out of the participants who were counting passes made by the white team, only 42 percent saw the gorilla, but for the participants who counted passes made by the black team, 83 percent saw the gorillawho was also dressed in black, illustrating the impact of similarity between the unexpected stimulus (gorilla) and task-relevant stimuli (members of the black team).

In the "Encyclopedia of Human Memory, psychologist Kristin Mauldin notes that inattentional blindness is similar to change blindness, which is when you miss a change in a stimulus that was there before. In inattentional blindness, you miss a new stimulus, often because of your own expectations.

A Word From Verywell

Though it is not possible to avoid all instances of inattentional blindness, it's important to remember this very natural occurrenceparticularly when you are in a disagreement with someone about the full scope of a situation. Your brain is sophisticated enough to help you register and interpret visual cues that it thinks will provide you with the most value. But, in its efforts, visual informationboth important and notcan sometimes get overlooked.

Read the rest here:
Inattentional Blindness in Psychology - Verywell Mind

The hoopoe said: 'Your heart's congealed like ice;When will you free yourself from cowardice?Since you have such a short time to live here,What difference does it make? What should you fear?The world is filth and sin, and homeless menMust enter it and homeless leave again.They die, as worms, in squalid pain; if weMust perish in this quest, that, certainly,Is better than a life of filth and grief.If this great search is vain, if my beliefIs groundless, it is right that I should die.So many errors throng the world - then whyShould we not risk this quest? To suffer blameFor love is better than a life of shame.No one has reached this goal, so why appealTo those whose blindness claims it is unreal?I'd rather die deceived by dreams than giveMy heart to home and trade and never live.We've been and heard so much - what have we learned?Not for one moment has the self been spurned;Fools gather round and hinder our release.When will their stale, insistent whining cease?We have no freedom to achieve our goalUntil from Self and fools we free the soul.To be admitted past the veil you mustBe dead to all the crowd considers just.Once past the veil you understand the WayFrom which the crowd's glib courtiers blindly stray.If you have any will, leave women's stories,And even if this search for hidden gloriesProves blasphemy at last, be sure our questIs not mere talk but an exacting test.The fruit of love's great tree is poverty;Whoever knows this knows humility.When love has pitched his tent in someone's breast,That man despairs of life and knows no rest.Love's pain will murder him and blandly askA surgeon's fee for managing the task -The water that he drinks brings pain, his breadIs turned to blood immediately shed;Though he is weak, faint, feebler than an ant,Love forces him to be her combatant;He cannot take one mouthful unawareThat he is floundering in a sea of care. Farid Attar, The Conference of the Birds

Here is the original post:
Blindness Quotes (211 quotes) - goodreads.com

Matthew 23:16-26

"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.' "You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? "And, 'Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.' read more."You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? "Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. "And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. "And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. "You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. "You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

See more here:
50 Bible Verses about Blindness

Glaucoma is a disease that damages your eyes optic nerve. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve.

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old. But blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment.

In a healthy eye, excess fluid leaves the eye throughthe drainage angle, keeping pressure stable.

There are two major types of glaucoma.

This is the most common type of glaucoma. It happens gradually, where the eye does not drain fluid as well as it should (like a clogged drain). As a result, eye pressure builds and starts to damage the optic nerve. This type of glaucoma is painless and causes no vision changes at first.

Some people can have optic nerves that are sensitive to normal eye pressure. This means their risk of getting glaucoma is higher than normal. Regular eye exams are important to find early signs of damage to their optic nerve.

This type happens when someones iris is very close to the drainage angle in their eye. The iris can end up blocking the drainage angle. You can think of it like a piece of paper sliding over a sink drain. When the drainage angle gets completely blocked, eye pressure rises very quickly. This is called an acute attack. It is a true eye emergency, and you should call your ophthalmologist right away or you might go blind.

Here are the signs of an acute angle-closure glaucoma attack:

Many people with angle-closure glaucoma develop it slowly. This is called chronic angle-closure glaucoma. There are no symptoms at first, so they dont know they have it until the damage is severe or they have an attack.

Angle-closure glaucoma can cause blindness if not treated right away.

Visit link:
What Is Glaucoma? - American Academy of Ophthalmology

Color blindness occurs when you are unable to see colors in a normal way. It is also known as color deficiency. Color blindness often happens when someone cannot distinguish between certain colors. This usually happens between greens and reds, and occasionally blues.

In the retina, there are two types of cells that detect light. They are called rods and cones. Rods detect only light and dark and are very sensitive to low light levels. Cone cells detect color and are concentrated near the center of your vision. There are three types of cones that see color: red, green and blue. The brain uses input from these cone cells to determine our color perception.

Color blindness can happen when one or more of the color cone cells are absent, not working, or detect a different color than normal. Severe color blindness occurs when all three cone cells are absent. Mild color blindness happens when all three cone cells are present but one cone cell does not work right. It detects a different color than normal.

There are different degrees of color blindness. Some people with mild color deficiencies can see colors normally in good light but have difficulty in dim light. Others cannot distinguish certain colors in any light. The most severe form of color blindness, in which everything is seen in shades of gray, is uncommon. Color blindness usually affects both eyes equally and remains stable throughout life.

Color blindness is usually something that you have from birth but you can also get it later in life. Change in color vision can signify a more serious condition. Anyone who experiences a significant change in color perception should see an ophthalmologist.

See the original post here:
What Is Color Blindness? - American Academy of Ophthalmology

Future ReflectionsSpecial Issue: Low Vision and Blindness 2005

(back) (contents) (next)

by Kenneth Jernigan

Kenneth Jernigan

Editor's Note: It may seem odd to begin a special issue about low vision with a definition of blindness, but sometimes the fastest route to a destination is not the most direct. As you read this issue, you will find the words low vision, visually impaired, partially sighted, legally blind (and maybe a few others) used interchangeably with the word blind. Over the decades professionals have often attempted to establish definitions for these terms based on a hierarchy of degree of vision loss; all of those attempts failed. In other words, there is no one accepted definition of, for example, "low vision" or "visually impaired." But the National Federation of the Blind does not view this as a problem. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, president of the NFB from 1968 to 1986 and an active leader of the organization right up to his death in 1998, explained it this way:

Before we can talk intelligently about the problems of blindness or the potentialities of blind people, we must have a workable definition of blindness. Most of us are likely familiar with the generally accepted legal definition: visual acuity of not greater than 20/200 in the better eye with correction or a field not subtending an angle greater than 20 degrees. But this is not really a satisfactory definition. It is, rather, a way of recognizing in medical and measurable terms something which must be defined not medically or physically but functionally.

Putting to one side for a moment the medical terminology, what is blindness? Once I asked a group of high school students this question, and one of them replied--apparently believing that she was making a rather obvious statement--that a person is blind if she "can't see." When the laughter subsided, I asked the student if she really meant what she said. She replied that she did. I then asked her whether she would consider a person blind who could see light but who could not see objects--a person who would bump into things unless she used a cane, a dog, or some other travel aid and who would, if she depended solely on the use of her eyesight, walk directly into a telephone pole or fire plug. After some little hesitation the student said that she would consider such a person to be blind. I agreed with her and then went on to point out the obvious-that she literally did not mean that the definition of blindness was to be unable to see.

I next told this student of a man I had known who had normal (20/20) visual acuity in both eyes but who had such an extreme case of sensitivity to light that he literally could not keep his eyes open at all. The slightest amount of light caused such excruciating pain that the only way he could open his eyes was by prying them open with his fingers. Nevertheless, this person, despite the excruciating pain he felt while doing it, could read the eye chart without difficulty. The readings showed that he had "normal sight." This individual applied to the local Welfare Department for Public Assistance to the Blind and was duly examined by their ophthalmologist. The question I put to the student was this: "If you had been the ophthalmologist, would you have granted the aid or not?"

Her answer was, "Yes."

"Remember," I told her, "under the law you are forbidden to give aid to any person who is not actually blind. Would you still have granted the assistance?" The student said that she would. Again, I agreed with her, but I pointed out that, far from her first facetious statement, what she was saying was this: It is possible for one to have "perfect sight" and still in the physical, literal sense of the word be blind.

I then put a final question to the student. I asked her whether if a sighted person were put into a vault which was absolutely dark so that he could see nothing whatever, it would be accurate to refer to that sighted person as a blind man. After some hesitation and equivocation the student said, "No." For a third time I agreed with her. Then I asked her to examine what we had established.

1. To be blind does not mean that one cannot see. (Here again I must interrupt to say that I am not speaking in spiritual or figurative terms but in the most literal sense of the word.) 2. It is possible for an individual to have "perfect sight" and yet be physically and literally blind. 3. It is possible for an individual not to be able to see at all and still be a sighted person.

What, then, in light of these seeming contradictions is the definition of blindness? In my way of thinking it is this: One is blind to the extent that the individual must devise alternative techniques to do efficiently those things which he would do if he had normal vision. An individual may properly be said to be "blind" or a "blind person" when he has to devise so many alternative techniques--that is, if he is to function efficiently--that his pattern of daily living is substantially altered. It will be observed that I say alternative not substitute techniques, for the word substitute connotes inferiority, and the alternative techniques employed by the blind person need not be inferior to visual techniques. In fact, some of them are superior. The usually accepted legal definition of blindness already given (that is, visual acuity of less than 20/200 with correction or a field of less than 20 degrees) is simply one medical way of measuring and recognizing that anyone with better vision than the amount mentioned in the definition will (although he may have to devise some alternative techniques) likely not have to devise so many such techniques as to alter substantially his patterns of daily living. On the other hand, anyone with less vision than that mentioned in the legal definition will usually (I emphasize the word usually, for such is not always the case) need to devise so many such alternative techniques as to alter quite substantially his patterns of daily living.

It may be of some interest to apply this standard to the three cases already discussed:

First, what of the person who has light perception but sees little or nothing else? In at least one situation he can function as a sighted person. If, before going to bed, he wished to know whether the lights are out in his home, he can simply walk through the house and "see." If he did not have light perception, he would have to use some alternative technique--touch the bulb, tell by the position of the switch, have some sighted person give him the information, or devise some other method. However, this person is still quite properly referred to as a blind person. This one visual technique which he uses is such a small part of his overall pattern of daily living as to be negligible in the total picture. The patterns of his daily living are substantially altered. In the main he employs alternative techniques to do those things which he would do with sight if he had normal vision--that is, he does if he functions efficiently.

Next, let us consider the person who has normal visual acuity but cannot hold his eyes open because of his sensitivity to light. He must devise alternative techniques to do anything which he would do with sight if he had normal vision. He is quite properly considered to be a "blind person."

Finally, what of the sighted person who is put into a vault which has no light? Even though she can see nothing at all, she is still quite properly considered to be a "sighted person." She uses the same techniques that any other sighted person would use in a similar situation. There are no visual techniques which can be used in such circumstances. In fact, if a blind person found herself in such a situation, she might very well have a variety of techniques to use.

I repeat that, in my opinion, blindness can best be defined not physically or medically but functionally or sociologically. The alternative techniques which must be learned are the same for those born blind as for those who become blind as adults. They are quite similar (or should be) for those who are totally blind or nearly so and those who are "partially sighted" and yet are blind in the terms of the usually accepted legal definition. In other words, I believe that the complex distinctions which are often made between those who have partial sight and those who are totally blind, between those who have been blind from childhood and those who have become blind as adults are largely meaningless. In fact, they are often harmful since they place the wrong emphasis on blindness and its problems. Perhaps the greatest danger in the field of work for the blind today is the tendency to be hypnotized by jargon.

(back) (contents) (next)

Here is the original post:
A Definition of Blindness - National Federation of the Blind

It takes a while to know who you really are. And when you lose your way, sometimes its hard to find it again.

Charlie Hudson was on the verge of figuring that out when her dadthe only parent and friend she ever haddied suddenly. She was barely 18, and she was alone. So she went for easyplaying life safe, running away from a home that harbored nothing but bad memories an

Charlie Hudson was on the verge of figuring that out when her dadthe only parent and friend she ever haddied suddenly. She was barely 18, and she was alone. So she went for easyplaying life safe, running away from a home that harbored nothing but bad memories and challenges and loving a man who would take her away from it all forever.

Its funny how chance takes over when you need it most. And thats exactly what brought Cody Carmichael into her life. A former motocross super star, Cody was now happy to be living the blue collar life, spending his days finishing up school and his nights under the hood of some classic car, just trying to keep everything his father taught him alive. Cody and Charlie were living parallel lives, until they finally collided. And the moment he smiled at her, Charlie knew he was the one who would change everything. But was she willing to take the risk?

Cody saw through it all. He saw herall of her. But would letting him in be too much to take? And if Charlie let herself love himreally love himcould he love her back?

Read the rest here:
Blindness by Ginger Scott

A new treatment for macular degeneration is close to the next stage of human testinga noteworthy event not just for the millions of patients it could help, but for its potential to become the first therapy based on embryonic stem cells.

This year, the Boston-area company Advanced Cell Technology plans to move its stem-cell treatment for two forms of vision loss into advanced human trials. The company has already reported that the treatment is safe (see Eye Study Is a Small but Crucial Advance for Stem-Cell Therapy), although a full report of the results from the early, safety-focused testing has yet to be published. The planned trials will test whether it is effective. The treatment will be tested both on patients with Stargardts disease (an inherited form of progressive vision loss that can affect children) and on those with age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss among people 65 and older.

The treatment is based on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells that have been grown from embryonic stem cells. A surgeon injects 150 microliters of RPE cellsroughly the amount of liquid in three raindropsunder a patients retina, which is temporarily detached for the procedure. RPE cells support the retinas photoreceptors, which are the cells that detect incoming light and pass the information on to the brain.

Although complete data from the trials of ACTs treatments have yet to be published, the company has reported impressive results with one patient, who recovered vision after being deemed legally blind. Now the company plans to publish the data from two clinical trials taking place in the U.S. and the E.U. in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Each of these early-stage trials includes 12 patients affected by either macular degeneration or Stargardts disease.

The more advanced trials will have dozens of participants, says ACTs head of clinical development, Eddy Anglade. If proved safe and effective, the cellular therapy could preserve the vision of millions affected by age-related macular degeneration. By 2020, as the population ages, nearly 200 million people worldwide will have the disease, estimate researchers. Currently, there are no treatments available for the most common form, dry age-related macular degeneration.

ACTs experimental treatment has its origins in a chance discovery that Irina Klimanskaya, the companys director of stem-cell biology, made while working with embryonic stem cells at Harvard University. These cells have the power to develop into any cell type, and in culture they often change on their own. A neuron here, a fat cell thereindividual cells in a dish tend to take random walks down various developmental paths. By supplying the cultures with fresh nutrients but otherwise leaving them to their own devices for several weeks, Klimanskaya discovered that the stem cells often developed into darkly pigmented cells that grew in a cobblestone-like pattern. She suspected that they were developing into RPE cells, and molecular tests backed her up.

Now that her discovery has advanced into an experimental treatment, Klimanskaya says she is excited by the hints that it may be able to preserve, and perhaps restore, sight. She recalls a voice mail she received during her second year at ACT: a person blinded by an inherited condition thanked her for her work, whether or not there was a treatment available for him. When you get a message like this, you feel like you are not doing it in vain, she says.

See the article here:
Stem-Cell Treatment for Blindness Moving Through Patient ...

2 Corinthians 4:4ESV / 4,056 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.

And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.

Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind. Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, Are we also blind? Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, We see, your guilt remains.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung.

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

Woe to you, blind guides, who say, If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.

He answered, Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. ...

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.

Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.

But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes to the heights? Against the Holy One of Israel!

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

To the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.

They said to you, In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.

The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.

For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.

And you shall grope at noonday, as the blind grope in darkness, and you shall not prosper in your ways. And you shall be only oppressed and robbed continually, and there shall be no one to help you.

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say? ...

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, Have mercy on us, Son of David. When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to him, Yes, Lord. Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done to you. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, See that no one knows about it.

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

As it is written, God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.

To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see!

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, Do you believe in the Son of Man? He answered, And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him? Jesus said to him, You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you. He said, Lord, I believe, and he worshiped him. Jesus said, For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind. ...

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole worldhe was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ...

In order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

He answered, The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, Go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and received my sight.

Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, Do you believe in the Son of Man?

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

So that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.

And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, Have mercy on us, Son of David. When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to him, Yes, Lord. Then he touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it done to you. And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, See that no one knows about it. But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so practice and observe whatever they tell youbut not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, ...

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world? Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

And he said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through him and for him.

Again he appoints a certain day, Today, saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.

And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ...

For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the worldthe desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessionsis not from the Father but is from the world.

Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.

So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

You are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.

Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. ...

Go to this people, and say, You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.

Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

See the original post here:
What Does the Bible Say About Spiritual Blindness?

The National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) was created to certify qualified specialists in work with the blind. At present, the Certification Board oversees four certifications - the National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC), the National Certification in Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind (NCRTB), the National Certification in Literary Braille (NCLB), and the National Certification in Unified English Braille (NCUEB).

The National Orientation and Mobility Certification (NOMC) emphasizes nonvisual instruction, and Structured Discovery Cane Travel .

The National Certification in Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind (NCRTB) emphasizes nonvisual instruction through Structured Discovery Rehabilitation Teaching methods and principles.

The National Certification in Literary Braille (NCLB) is specifically intended for teachers working with blind children or adults. All those who are certified will hold valid certification until their expiration date; however, it is no longer offered and has been replaced with the NCUEB.

The National certification in Unified English Braille (NCUEB) is specifically intended for professionals working with blind children or adults.

The NBPCB has also developed an approval process for orientation training centers who utilize Structured Discovery methodology throughout their programs and a consumer-focused approach.

Subscribe to the O&M Announcement List

Subscribe to the Braille Announcement list

For details regarding how to schedule any of our certification exams in your area, please contact us atadmin@nbpcb.org.

Go here to read the rest:
National Blindness Professional Certification Board

The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) is committed to providing focused education for absence management professionals. From face-to-face conferences to helpful tools and resources, we give you what you need to reduce costs, minimize lost work time, and increase staff productivity.

Presenters:

The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) is committed to providing focused education for absence management professionals. From face-to-face conferences to helpful tools and resources, we give you what you need to reduce costs, minimize lost work time, and increase staff productivity.

Presenters:

The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) is committed to providing focused education for absence management professionals. From face-to-face conferences to helpful tools and resources, we give you what you need to reduce costs, minimize lost work time, and increase staff productivity.

Presenters:

The National APSE Conference is the only national conference focused solely on the advancement of Employment First. The Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) National Conference brings together more than 1,000 community leaders, businesses, and individuals with disabilities from across the country and around the world to network and discuss state-of-the-art strategies to ensure equitable employment for all citizens with disabilities.

The National APSE Conference is the only national conference focused solely on the advancement of Employment First. The Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) National Conference brings together more than 1,000 community leaders, businesses, and individuals with disabilities from across the country and around the world to network and discuss state-of-the-art strategies to ensure equitable employment for all citizens with disabilities.

The EXCEL Training Conference is sponsored by the EEOC's Training Institute. In its 21st year, EXCEL is the premier national training conference for federal and private sector EEO managers, supervisors, practitioners, HR professionals, attorneys and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) specialists. Private and public sector employees will gain invaluable knowledge for making those tough HR decisions!

Presenters:

The EXCEL Training Conference is sponsored by the EEOC's Training Institute. In its 21st year, EXCEL is the premier national training conference for federal and private sector EEO managers, supervisors, practitioners, HR professionals, attorneys and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) specialists. Private and public sector employees will gain invaluable knowledge for making those tough HR decisions!

Presenters:

The EXCEL Training Conference is sponsored by the EEOC's Training Institute. In its 21st year, EXCEL is the premier national training conference for federal and private sector EEO managers, supervisors, practitioners, HR professionals, attorneys and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) specialists. Private and public sector employees will gain invaluable knowledge for making those tough HR decisions!

Presenters:

The EXCEL Training Conference is sponsored by the EEOC's Training Institute. In its 21st year, EXCEL is the premier national training conference for federal and private sector EEO managers, supervisors, practitioners, HR professionals, attorneys and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) specialists. Private and public sector employees will gain invaluable knowledge for making those tough HR decisions!

Presenters:

The 2018 ILG National Conference held in Anaheim California is the premier meeting ground in 2018 for employers involved and interested in OFCCP compliance and EEOC issues. The 2018 ILG National Conference convenes industry experts, HR, compensation, legal and talent acquisition professionals to discuss the latest issues and information impacting affirmative action and equal opportunity employment and diversity and inclusion.

Presenters:

Slides - Tools, Techniques, and Technologies for Creating Inclusive Workplaces

Handout - Tools, Techniques, and Technologies for Creating Inclusive Workplaces

The 2018 ILG National Conference held in Anaheim California is the premier meeting ground in 2018 for employers involved and interested in OFCCP compliance and EEOC issues. The 2018 ILG National Conference convenes industry experts, HR, compensation, legal and talent acquisition professionals to discuss the latest issues and information impacting affirmative action and equal opportunity employment and diversity and inclusion.

Presenters:

Slides - Tools, Techniques, and Technologies for Creating Inclusive Workplaces

Handout - Tools, Techniques, and Technologies for Creating Inclusive Workplaces

At the 2018 DMEC Annual Conference, youll connect with 700+ like-minded absence, disability, and return-to-work professionals who are looking to tackle strategic workforce issues facing their organizations.And with 40+ sessions and events, you will:Gain insights from those on the front line, giving you expert knowledge on how to address the complex leave and disability issues you are facing in your organization.Share ideas with peers and executive thought leaders from across the country.Take back proven strategies, actionable ideas, and tested program models to assist with the development of cost-saving programs in your company."

At the 2018 DMEC Annual Conference, youll connect with 700+ like-minded absence, disability, and return-to-work professionals who are looking to tackle strategic workforce issues facing their organizations.And with 40+ sessions and events, you will:Gain insights from those on the front line, giving you expert knowledge on how to address the complex leave and disability issues you are facing in your organization.Share ideas with peers and executive thought leaders from across the country.Take back proven strategies, actionable ideas, and tested program models to assist with the development of cost-saving programs in your company."

At the 2018 DMEC Annual Conference, youll connect with 700+ like-minded absence, disability, and return-to-work professionals who are looking to tackle strategic workforce issues facing their organizations.And with 40+ sessions and events, you will:Gain insights from those on the front line, giving you expert knowledge on how to address the complex leave and disability issues you are facing in your organization.Share ideas with peers and executive thought leaders from across the country.Take back proven strategies, actionable ideas, and tested program models to assist with the development of cost-saving programs in your company."

At the 2018 DMEC Annual Conference, youll connect with 700+ like-minded absence, disability, and return-to-work professionals who are looking to tackle strategic workforce issues facing their organizations.And with 40+ sessions and events, you will:Gain insights from those on the front line, giving you expert knowledge on how to address the complex leave and disability issues you are facing in your organization.Share ideas with peers and executive thought leaders from across the country.Take back proven strategies, actionable ideas, and tested program models to assist with the development of cost-saving programs in your company."

At the 2018 DMEC Annual Conference, youll connect with 700+ like-minded absence, disability, and return-to-work professionals who are looking to tackle strategic workforce issues facing their organizations.And with 40+ sessions and events, you will:Gain insights from those on the front line, giving you expert knowledge on how to address the complex leave and disability issues you are facing in your organization.Share ideas with peers and executive thought leaders from across the country.Take back proven strategies, actionable ideas, and tested program models to assist with the development of cost-saving programs in your company."

Go here to see the original:
Blindness - askjan.org