StemCell Therapy

Pune: Facing difficulties in learning the sport, inadequate coaches and taunts from sighted players all these obstacles hardly matter for Megha Chakraborty and Somendra who dream to become grandmasters one day.

Chakraborty from West Bengal and Delhi boy Somendra have represented India in Asian Para Games, 2018,Jakarta, Indonesia and Asian Blind Championship, 2018 in Udupi, Karnataka respectively.

The duo is currently in city to participate in the National School Chess Championship for the Blind ongoing at Mumbai Maratha Fruitwala Dharamshala, Alandi.

Seventeen-year-old Chakraborty can only see from her left eye since her birth. She was introduced to the sport in Class 3.

I used to observe my seniors play chess at my blind hostel in Kolkata. I asked them about the game and learnt the basics, said Chakraborty.

Challenge from sighted players

Whenever I used to play chess, sighted players used to taunt me and say that I cannot beat them or become a successful player because of my sight limitations. My reply used to be that I will beat them all if given a chance.

I started practicing hard and now I play in both categories. I can compete against sighted players, said Chakraborty, who partnering with Mrunalini Pande won the silver medal in womens team Rapid VI B2/B3 and bronze in womens team Standard VI B2/B3 in 2018, Asian Para Games, 2018, Jakarta.

No fear of blindness

Chakraborty knows that she might loss her vision completely in a few years, but the thought does not make her weak.

We have raised her in such a way that now we discuss more about becoming a best player in chess instead of worrying about losing eyesight. The doctor has told us clearly that sight in left eye is getting weaker every day, but that is not is our hand. Our only aim is to give best in chess, said Bandana, mother of Megha Chakraborty.

Life is about playing chess and kabaddi for Somendra

Somendra became partially blind at the age of five in his hometown Kaisargang in Uttar Pradesh.

I was suffering from chickenpox, and then lost my eyesight (right eye). I was shifted to Delhi in a blind school, said Somendra, who is playing chess since 2014 by observing his hostel mates. It was totally a new sport for Somendra who used to play kabaddi.

I gave chess a try and soon I started enjoying it. Rules were a bit tough, but soon I started to defeat good players. I took part in National Blind Championship, where in 2016 I won silver and in 2018, managed to bag gold, said Somendra, who is also a raider when it comes to kabaddi.

Advantage for sighted players

Somendra plays against sighted and partially blind players. He finds games against sighted players tough as the latter have more advantage.

They (sighted player) can plan their moves in a much better way than us. Especially when time is less they can make fast moves which irritates me sometimes, but I try to give my best, Somendra said.

Next aim

Playing regular chess and becoming a successful player is Somendras next focus. The Class 11 student has chalked a plan to achieve the goal.

Megha Chakraborty, 1232 FIDE rank

We have many successful blind players in the country. All they need is more support from government and coaches to win more medals.

Somendra, 1423 FIDE rank

Playing more international tournaments is my aim now as it will help me to improve my game. I will also focus on listening chess audio books to learn new tricks about the game.

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Defying vision limitations to become grandmasters - Hindustan Times

For the past decade, low-income adults on the Medi-Cal program have been covered for visual exams and other eye services, but not eyeglasses themselves. Theyve had to pay for those out of pocket, along with other excluded benefits such as podiatry, some hearing services and incontinence treatments.

But starting in 2020, these benefits are back on the list.

The federal government considers some services optional for Medicaid patients. So they were the first to go when California needed to shrink the Medi-Cal budget in 2009, said Jedd Hampton, director of policy at senior advocacy group LeadingAge California.

Across the board these services, though theyre seen as optional benefits, they provide a whole wraparound element for the overall wellness of that individual, he said, noting that seniors were hit especially hard by the benefit cuts.

The latest state budget allocates $17.4 million to cover eyeglasses, podiatry, audiology and other benefits starting Jan. 1.

This is the next step in an ongoing process of restoring previously cut Medi-Cal benefits. The state has restored dental coverage in recent years, and acupuncture has also returned as a covered service.

But the lack of vision services has remained a problem. Roughly 2 million Medi-Cal enrollees between ages 21 and 64 need glasses, according to the California Optometric Association. Children and people living in nursing homes are currently covered for glasses.

Those that had the ability to get glasses were able to perform their work functions better, they were able to drive more effectively, and read better,which is really unfair, unfortunately, said David Ardaya, chairman of the associations health care delivery systems committee. He added that people are more likely to seek routine eye exams if they know eyeglasses will be covered.

The need for eyeglasses is likely to continue as more Californians develop diabetes, which can cause eye disease. Patients with diabetes are also more likely to need toe or foot amputations, which require soon-to-be-covered podiatric care.

The Department of Health Care Services says it plans to notify all Medi-Cal providers and beneficiaries about the newly covered services.

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Eyeglasses, Speech Therapy And Other Services Returning To Medi-Cal Benefit List - Capital Public Radio News

Ryan Searle battles blurred vision as well as his opponent (Picture: Getty Images)

Ryan Searle is back for a second crack at the PDC World Darts Championship this year and will be battling his poor eyesight as well as his first round opponent.

The 32-year-old suffers from astigmatism which causes blurred vision, to the extent that he often cannot see where his darts land.

The world number 52 often has to check with the referee what he has hit with his arrows and will sometimes just be guessing if he has nailed the intended target or not.

Despite this, Searle had a superb debut at Alexandra Palace last year, reaching the last 16 after beating Mensur Suljovic, Willie OConnor and Stephen Burton.

The win over seventh seed Suljovic was a huge shock 12 months ago, and he explained his condition to Dan Dawson after the victory.

Even when I was at school I couldnt see the blackboard.Its something Ive always played with, I do really struggle, Searle told Dawson.

But considering that, I dont play too bad.

Dawson explained further on Twitter: Astigmatism in his dominant eye. Everythings blurry. Goes a lot on the feel of whether darts are in.

Some miss the target by a distance and he has to check with the ref where theyve landed.

Astigmatism means your eye is shaped more like a rugby ball than a football, so light is focused at more than one place in the eye.

This can cause:

blurred visionheadacheseye strain (you may notice this after concentrating for a long time on a computer, for example)

Courtesy of NHS.uk

Searle is back in first round action in the 2020 World Championship against 26-year-old Australian Robbie King, who is making his debut at the Alexandra Palace.

The Aussie won the DPA Oceanic Masters title to reach the big one, but has only been seen once before on TV as he averaged just 77 in a first round loss to Rob Cross at the Melbourne Darts Masters.

MORE: Devastated Michael Smith reacts to shock PDC World Darts Championship exit to Luke Woodhouse

MORE: Raymond van Barneveld reacts to nightmare loss in final PDC World Darts Championship match

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Ryan Searle back at the PDC World Darts Championship despite struggling to see the board - Metro.co.uk

It started with scientific astonishment. Why is there a green glow when looking at an infrared emitting device? "Such a strange phenomenon was observed by my colleagues when they installed an imaging device at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun," says Prof. Wojtkowski. "They came to me sharing this interesting observation that although they use infrared, which should no longer be visible, they still see something; such a weak, greenish light. And why did they look into the assembled device? "Well," laughs the professor, "such human nature and curiosity. Every time you assemble something, you look inside. It's true that it's always risky to look in such device, because the infrared source is the laser, but it's safe to do so while maintaining the laser's power in accordance with the standards.

The scientists' first thought was that the laser was broken and, in addition to infrared (light wavelength similar to that used in old TV remote controls) generated green light. So, they dismantled the laser and meticulously checked what could have broken down. They found nothing. Then someone came up with the simple but ingenious idea to put a filter in front of the eye of the observer, which would cut off visible light. They found the correct filters, put them between the laser and the eye and to their surprise the effect remained. "Our jaws dropped a little because that meant that the device was fine, but something strange was happening in the eye," says the professor. "Fortunately, there was another, very good laser at hand that generated ultra-short pulses of light and could be used to adjust the wavelength, of course in the infrared range. We started to change this length and it turned out that each one evoked a different color effect in the eye - we could perceive various colors! What's more, not weakly, but very clearly." As it happens with such discoveries, it turned out that people had observed it before, but nobody had any idea how to explain it, or they couldn't interpret it correctly.

This unexpected color vision turned out to be two-photon vision. "Luckily, at that time we were being visited by Professor Krzysztof Palczewski, who is a biochemist working in the USA and dealing with vision processes," recalls Professor Wojtkowski. "He was very interested in our discovery. So much so, that he organized a group of experts in various fields (including our team) to explain the mechanism of this vision. Tests were performed on mice, including genetically modified ones. Kasia Komar and Patryk Stremplewski from my team carried out tests on people, because our main expertise is in measurements on living eyes," explains the professor. "After collecting all the results, it turned out that we were dealing with two-photon vision."

This involves the retina receiving a portion of energy half as low as the minimum required for the reaction of photosensitive cells, but very concentrated in time and space; and if the impulse is delivered, then the subject, e.g. a human, sees it as if it were twice as high. It's a bit like throwing small plasticine balls onto a board twice, in the same place and time. The imprint of both balls merges on the board into a larger, visible one. You can also imagine being hit on the head with these sorts of balls. We wouldn't feel any one of them singly, but a double portion could give us a bruise.

This is what happens in the quantum world, the condition being that you have to throw these balls close enough to themselves and appropriately close to one another in time - so that they basically stick together into larger blobs. Physicists call this the optical non-linear effect. Such effects are known for many materials, but it is not obvious that they can occur in doses that are safe, e.g. for the eye. "Until we'd dealt with this ourselves, I myself had thought that two-photon absorption in the eye could occur only once (in principle, once in one eye, once in the fellow eye)," laughs the professor, "After which it wouldn't be possible to see anything. Fortunately, I was wrong."

On the other hand, in the eye there are a lot of intermediaries between what absorbs photon energy (i.e. retinal cells) and what introduces the image in our brain. Photon absorption in itself does not guarantee that we see something. A number of proteins must react. However, it turns out that this process called phototransduction does take place.

And what can it be useful for? For instance, to check if the eye breaks down. With age or at the outset of a disease, say, macular degeneration (AMD), the effect is poorer. Hence the idea for a new generation of machines for microperimetry, i.e. checking whether we see and what we see at various points on the retina. Researchers thought that perhaps thanks to the two-photon effect, the sensitivity of such devices could be improved, or the threshold of infrared light could be measured. "Thanks to AM2M - a company that is a spinout from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru, we have already started to produce new microperimetry machines," the professor says with pride. "There are three in the world right now, and the fourth and fifth and sixth in our country.

What speaks in favor of the new discovery and the devices based on it is also that with age, the human eye becomes more and more turbid and disperses light waves more. Meanwhile, the principle of physics says that the longer the wave, the less it disperses. Infrared will therefore allow for a more thorough examination of the fundus also in people with advanced cataracts or vitreous floaters. Scientists hope that thanks to their device we will detect functional retinal changes, mainly AMD earlier on, but also better understand the process of vision. Indeed, these are the goals of the new MAB (International Research Agenda) working to improve the eyesight of older people.

"As part of our MAB we will try to objectify this process, i.e. move from a little subjective perimetry to objective ophthalmoscopy," the professor advances to the future, "Using holographic optical tomography. We will analyze functional signals on a principle similar as in tympanometry. This will allow us to determine whether the patient sees and what he sees, without feedback from him, even when he is unconscious or unable to communicate, e.g. after a stroke."

"Thanks to the work of Dr. Katarzyna Komar, we have noticed something that we cannot yet explain," adds Professor Wojtkowski. "Namely, infrared vision is different from normal vision. Cones appear to react differently to rods - they seem to be more sensitive. Now we are trying to understand what this results from." We, the potential patients, can only support the researchers, so that thanks to their discoveries our eyes serve us better and for longer.

Reference

Ruminski et al. (2019) Two-photon microperimetry: sensitivity of human photoreceptors to infrared light. Biomedical Optics Express. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000524

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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"Invisible Sight" Reveals Secrets of Vision - Technology Networks

Before you went for a sight test, had you experienced any symptoms?

Donald Broughton (DB): My main symptoms were that my eye became tired and painful due to the amount of concentration required for the work that I was doing as a hairdresser.

DB: I knew I had shrapnel in my eye from previous eye examinations. However, Deepak was the first person to consider referring me to have it removed as it was causing a cataract. When I was 16-years-old, I was hunting in Tatton Park in Cheshire and one of the pellets ricocheted from my friends gun and entered my eye.

DB: I was quite unsure if anything could be done. However, I was happy to go along with having it removed. The optometrist was confident and I had nothing to lose.

DB: We are still working on certain aspects of the treatment, but Im pleased with the progress. The surgeon left the pellet in the eye because it had been there for over 60 years but he removed the cataract caused by the pellet. I am awaiting surgery on my other eye because of anisometropia. I have intermittent double vision that I hope will be resolved with surgery.

DB: I have always had regular eye tests. Its important to look after the gift of sight. You dont value what you have until its gone.

DB: After post-operative challenges have settled theres been a dramatic improvement in my vision.

I knew I had shrapnel in my eye from previous eye examinations

Deepak Oberai (DO): Mr Broughton had a dense cataract that was obstructing his vision as a result of a pellet that was stuck in his eye. If removed, it would significantly improve his eyesight. After conducting an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan it was clear to me that I could help him.

I was very interested in the nature of Mr Broughtons injury and why no treatment or further investigation had been offered in the past. I had to be persistent but referred to him a local eye surgeon. The consultant found the shot gun pellet that was embedded in his lens and was causing a cataract.

DO: We are fortunate enough to have an OCT device, which identified that his retina was still intact. With this information, I was confident that a cataract removal was possible.

DO: My colleague, Claire, took a message saying that the procedure had been successful and how shocked the patient was that the treatment was successful. Since then I have been in contact with both the surgeon and the patient to make sure things are working well.

DO:

Pictured is Mr Oberai and Mr Broughton.

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It's important to look after the gift of sight - AOP

A new international study involving the University of Liverpool reveals how the evolution of powerful vision was shaped by an improved oxygen supply to the eyes.

Keen eyesight in vertebrates from fish to birds and mammals relies on large eyes and thick retinas. Yet the visual process is energetically costly and the high oxygen demand of thick retinas is difficult to meet by the conventional oxygen supply mechanism through blood vessels just behind the retina.

In a study published in eLife, a team of researchers from 15 institutions led by the University of Aarhus and the University of Liverpool has explored the physiological requirements for the evolution of improved eyesight. Their findings uncover a fascinating pattern of mechanisms to improve retinal oxygen supply that evolved in concert with enhanced retinal morphology to improve vision.

The study took advantage of the diversity in form and function among eyes from 87 animal species. By mapping the characteristics of their eyes onto the species tree of life, the researchers unravelled the evolutionary history of the eye from a 425 million-year-old extinct ancestor of modern vertebrates to current day animals. They identified three distinct physiological mechanisms for retinal oxygen supply that are always associated with improved vision.

The first mechanism is present in many fishes and involves mutations in haemoglobin that were associated with the ability to deliver oxygen to the retina at exceptionally high concentrations to overcome the long diffusion distance to the retinal cells. This mechanism was subsequently lost several times, possibly to avoid oxidative damage and gas bubble formation in the eye. Secondly, oxygen delivery could be improved by blood vessels supplying oxygen from the front of the retina or, thirdly, even directly from within the retina, which, however, can obstruct the light path to the retinal photoreceptor cells.

These different trade-offs to retinal oxygen supply appear to be acceptable in the presence of the improved visual power available when the thickness of the retina was allowed to increase.

The study applied state-of-the-art high-frequency ultrasound, micro-computerised tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques used in medical research, to unravel the blood supply mechanisms in some very small eyes or in exceptional museum specimens, such as the eye of the living fossil old fourlegs or coealacanth (Latimeria chalumnae).

It was particularly rewarding to be able to collaborate with this team of comparative animal physiologists and medics and help them to reconstruct the evolution of physiological characteristics on the vertebrate family tree, says Liverpools Dr Michael Berenbrink, one of the three senior authors of the study.

Our conclusions are supported by some natural knockouts, such as Antarctic icefishes, which have lost haemoglobin in their blood and evolved a supplemental retinal oxygen supply mechanism of pre-retinal capillaries, or Mexican cavefishes, which have rudimentary eyes and consequently get by with haemoglobins that are less efficient for retinal oxygen supply, Dr Berenbrink continues.

Overall, the study shows that adaptations to ensure oxygen delivery to the retina were a physiological prerequisite for the functional evolution of the eye, illustrating the importance of a thorough knowledge of physiological mechanisms for understanding the evolution of complex structures.

Research reference

The study Retinal oxygen supply shaped the functional evolution of the vertebrate eye is published in eLife. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.52153

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How oxygen shaped evolution of better eyesight - Mirage News

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A woman surnamed Peng began leaking from her eyes after working too much at her job. However, she wasnt leaking tears but fluid that had built up under her retina.

According to China Press, the woman from Guangdong, China had frequently worked overtime which resulted in the deterioration of her eyesight.

When she went for medical treatment, she told the doctor that her eyesight was worsening and everything she looked at was blurry. She also said that tears often flowed out.

However, the doctor said this eye-leakage was due to the build-up of fluid under the retina, which is a condition called central serous chorioretinopath.

According to Medical News Today, the retina is responsible for translating light taken into the eye as images the brain can understand. The build-up of liquid can cause the retina to detach, and this can cause vision problems.

In this case, the doctor told the woman that the fluid build-up was caused by overwork of her eye, causing her retina to detach. This condition often happens to people in their mid-40s and is one of the most common retinal diseases.

No treatment is actually required for this condition. Patients only need to rest while the fluid drains out on its own.

In the case where the fluid does not drain out, medication, thermal laser treatment and lifestyle changes are some of the options a patients can consider to treat the condition.

Some lifestyle changes include reducing overall stress levels, sleeping for at least seven hours every night and avoiding alcoholic drinks.

Dont overwork yourself and remember to sleep early, guys! Your health is more important than your job.

Also read: 36yo Collapses & Dies During Job Interview As He Always Work OT in Previous Office

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Woman Has Vision Problems & Starts Leaking Fluid From Eye After Overworking at Her Job - WORLD OF BUZZ

After Today Show anchor Savannah Guthries eye injury last week, during which her young son accidentally hit her in the eye with a toy, the anchor is slowly getting better. But it couldve been much worse.

Find out how the 47-year-old is doing and what she has to go through for her treatments to her injury.

According to Guthrie, she was at home with her son when he accidentally jammed her in the eye with one of his toys. The result was a torn retina.

After the incident last week, Guthrie spoke by phone to Today to describe what happened to cause her to stay away from her duties on the morning show.

I got hit Charleythrew a toy train right at my eye and it tore my retina, Guthrieexplained.

It happened last week, actually, and then I lost my vision in my right eye about 24 hours later and then it turned outto be kind of serious. They were afraid my retina was detached.

The vision is getting better every day, but Im still blurry, Guthrie told her co-anchors on Today last week. Right now its like having one contact (lens) in and (one) out. When it first started though, it was like a complete blur. I couldnt have seen anything.

Thankfully, Guthrie was able to avoid surgery on her eye. Shes had five laser treatment sessions to help heal her retina, and especially in order to not have surgery, which can be risky.

The first laser I actually did I had to go under for, it was kind of an emergency, like they rushed me in there, they shot me up with the big laser, and they were actually not sure it had worked at all, and they thought I was going to have to have this surgery, the mom of twoexplained this week.

Its been a traumatizing week for the anchor, with doctors not being completely sure if she would need high-risk retinal surgery. But in the end, it appears the laser treatments have thankfully done the trick.

Basically the eye jiggles, and the retina is like saran wrap, so when you get hit, saran wrap can very easily tear, can get a hole in it, and thats not a good thing, she said. Laser, if you have a small enough tear . . . can basically weld down the outside of the tear to prevent . . . more of the retina detaching. . . you dont actually have to go to the operating room.

Despite the discomfort and pain she was in, the mother of two still managed to power through it all and co-host the Thanksgiving Day Parade with a big smile on her face.

Im actuallystill hoping I can do the parade tomorrow.Im not supposed to, like, jump up and down or anything because itskind of like literally hanging by a thread, Guthrie said. But Imvery positivebecause I think its going to be OK.

As it turned out, she was in wonderful spirits and did a great job with her Today co-hosts at fronting the parade. Guthrie clearly isnt going to let a little thing like a torn retina stop her from celebrating the holidays!

Read more: Al Roker Reveals What Used To Cause Him to Overeat and Why Hes Never Going Back to Fat

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Savannah Guthrie Has to Go Through This Treatment After Her Scary Eye Injury - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Dec. 11, 2019 06:30 UTC

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191210006078/en/

Figure 1. LHON Natural History from Interim Analysis of REALITY vs. Time Course of Visual Acuity from REVERSE and RESCUE - Note: BCVA = best-corrected visual acuity. The LOWESS line for REALITY (n=15 subjects) is based on a series of polynomial regressions around each data point. The regressions use a limited look back and look forward and give distant points less weight. The time course of BCVA for REVERSE and RESCUE uses the least-squares mean based on a mixed model ANCOVA analysis. The starting points of the curves are set to the average time from onset to time of treatment (16 weeks for RESCUE, 39 weeks for REVERSE). (Photo: Business Wire)

GenSight Biologics (Paris:SIGHT) (Euronext: SIGHT, ISIN: FR0013183985, PEA-PME eligible), a biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders, today reported results from the REALITY registry study and an analysis of REVERSE and RESCUE Phase III data, which further highlight the poor prognosis for patients with loss of vision due to Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) associated with the ND4 mutation. The results confirm LHON experts observations from their clinical practice and contrast sharply against the bilateral improvement observed in LUMEVOQ (GS010)s Phase III studies.

Natural history studies in LHON have been difficult to conduct, so these results add to the body of knowledge and firm up the conventional wisdom that with rare exceptions, LHON is marked by precipitous loss of vision with little chance of improvement in the first few years, commented Mark Moster, MD, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Wills Eye Hospital and Professor of Neurology and Ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, United-States, and investigator in the REVERSE and RESCUE trials. The lack of improvement in the REALITY subjects is in stark contrast to the improvements seen in our REVERSE and RESCUE patients.

REALITY is a retrospective and cross-sectional observational study of subjects with LHON, conducted in centers across Spain, Italy, France, United Kingdom, and the United States. The objective is to generate insights about the natural history of the disease based on an approach that would facilitate comparisons with REVERSE and RESCUE. The study seeks to enroll 50 subjects by the second quarter of 2020.

Interim analysis of REALITY, based on the fifteen subjects with the ND4 mutation who were at least 15 years old at onset and who had enrolled in the study as of September 2019, shows the dramatic and usually irreversible decline in visual acuity that is the typical outcome for ND4 LHON patients. Unlike in subjects enrolled in REVERSE and RESCUE, who all received a unilateral injection of LUMEVOQ, mean visual acuity in REALITY subjects did not recover after the initial decline.

These findings highlight just how remarkable the visual trends in REVERSE and RESCUE are, commented Bernard Gilly, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of GenSight. The findings will support our effort to provide regulatory authorities with the most robust insights about the natural history of the disease, so that we can convincingly demonstrate the therapeutic benefit delivered by LUMEVOQ.

A second set of results, derived from a pooled dataset of baseline readings from the REVERSE and RESCUE patient populations, shows that eyes farther along the progression of the disease, as measured by time since onset, had worse visual acuity.

The picture of visual decline is based on cross-sectional data, yet remains consistent with the pattern revealed by the interim analysis for REALITY.

About GenSight Biologics

GenSight Biologics S.A. is a clinical-stage biopharma company focused on discovering and developing innovative gene therapies for retinal neurodegenerative diseases and central nervous system disorders. GenSight Biologics pipeline leverages two core technology platforms, the Mitochondrial Targeting Sequence (MTS) and optogenetics, to help preserve or restore vision in patients suffering from blinding retinal diseases. GenSight Biologics lead product candidate, GS010, is in Phase III trials in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare mitochondrial disease that leads to irreversible blindness in teens and young adults. Using its gene therapy-based approach, GenSight Biologics product candidates are designed to be administered in a single treatment to each eye by intravitreal injection to offer patients a sustainable functional visual recovery.

About LUMEVOQ (GS010)

LUMEVOQ (GS010) targets Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) by leveraging a mitochondrial targeting sequence (MTS) proprietary technology platform, arising from research conducted at the Institut de la Vision in Paris, which, when associated with the gene of interest, allows the platform to specifically address defects inside the mitochondria using an AAV vector (Adeno-Associated Virus). The gene of interest is transferred into the cell to be expressed and produces the functional protein, which will then be shuttled to the mitochondria through specific nucleotidic sequences in order to restore the missing or deficient mitochondrial function. LUMEVOQ was accepted as the invented name for GS010 (lenadogene nolparvovec) by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in October 2018.

About Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON)

Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) is a rare maternally inherited mitochondrial genetic disease, characterized by the degeneration of retinal ganglion cells that results in brutal and irreversible vision loss that can lead to legal blindness, and mainly affects adolescents and young adults. LHON is associated with painless, sudden loss of central vision in the 1st eye, with the 2nd eye sequentially impaired. It is a symmetric disease with poor functional visual recovery. 97% of patients have bilateral involvement at less than one year of onset of vision loss, and in 25% of cases, vision loss occurs in both eyes simultaneously. The estimated incidence of LHON is approximately 1,400 to 1,500 new patients who lose their sight every year in the United States and Europe.

About RESCUE and REVERSE

RESCUE and REVERSE are two separate randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled Phase III trials designed to evaluate the efficacy of a single intravitreal injection of GS010 (rAAV2/2-ND4) in subjects affected by LHON due to the G11778A mutation in the mitochondrial ND4 gene.

The primary endpoint will measure the difference in efficacy of GS010 in treated eyes compared to sham-treated eyes based on BestCorrected Visual Acuity (BCVA), as measured with the ETDRS at 48 weeks post-injection. The patients LogMAR (Logarithm of the Minimal Angle of Resolution) scores, which are derived from the number of letters patients read on the ETDRS chart, will be used for statistical purposes. Both trials have been adequately powered to evaluate a clinically relevant difference of at least 15 ETDRS letters between treated and untreated eyes adjusted to baseline.

The secondary endpoints will involve the application of the primary analysis to bestseeing eyes that received GS010 compared to those receiving sham, and to worseseeing eyes that received GS010 compared to those that received sham. Additionally, a categorical evaluation with a responder analysis will be evaluated, including the proportion of patients who maintain vision (< ETDRS 15L loss), the proportion of patients who gain 15 ETDRS letters from baseline and the proportion of patients with Snellen acuity of >20/200. Complementary vision metrics will include automated visual fields, optical coherence tomography, and color and contrast sensitivity, in addition to quality of life scales, biodissemination and the time course of immune response. Readouts for these endpoints are at 48, 72 and 96 weeks after injection.

The trials are conducted in parallel, in 37 subjects for REVERSE and 39 subjects for RESCUE, in 7 centers across the United States, the UK, France, Germany and Italy. Week 96 results were reported in 2019 for both trials, after which patients were transferred to a long-term follow-up study that will last for three years.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: REVERSE: NCT02652780RESCUE: NCT02652767

About REFLECT

REFLECT is a multi-center, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bilateral injections of GS010 in subjects with LHON due to the NADH dehydrogenase 4 (ND4) mutation.

The trial planned to enroll 90 patients with vision loss up to 1 year in duration and will be conducted in multiple centers in Europe and in the US.

In the active arm, GS010 will be administered as a single intravitreal injection to both eyes of each subject. In the placebo arm, GS010 will be administered as a single intravitreal injection to the first affected eye, while the fellow eye will receive a placebo injection.

The primary endpoint for the REFLECT trial is the BCVA reported in LogMAR at 1.5-Year post-treatment in the secondaffected/notyetaffected eye. The change from baseline in secondaffected/notyetaffected eyes receiving GS010 and placebo will be the primary response of interest. The secondary efficacy endpoints include: BCVA reported in LogMAR at 2-Years post-treatment in the secondaffected/notyetaffected eye compared to both placebo and the firstaffected eye receiving GS010, OCT and contrast sensitivity and quality of life scales. The first subject was treated in March 2018, and enrolment was completed in July 2019, ahead of schedule.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: REFLECT: NCT03293524

About REALITY

REALITY is a multi-country retrospective and cross-sectional observational study of affected LHON subjects, based on subjects medical charts and the administration of surveys on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and direct and indirect costs associated with the disease.

The study will recruit at least 50 subjects (both adult and pediatric) chiefly in the following countries: Spain, Italy, France, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The primary objectives for the REALITY study are: to describe the evolution of visual functional and structural changes and other associated symptoms in patients with LHON; understand the impact of LHON-related vision loss on the HRQoL; and understand the economic burden for patients and their families arising from direct and indirect costs associated with the disease. The secondary objective is to describe the relationship between genetic, lifestyle and/or environmental factors and the expression of the LHON phenotype.

The first subject was enrolled on 3 January 2018, and enrollment is targeted to be completed in early Q2 2020.

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: REALITY LHON Registry: NCT03295071

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191210006078/en/

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GenSight Biologics reports findings from REALITY study and REVERSE-RESCUE analysis highlighting positive benefits from LUMEVOQ (GS010) compared to...

Liz Bonnin natural history, science and environmental TV presenter has announced Specsavers Carlows investment in hospital-quality equipment that can help detect treatable eye conditions sooner.

Specsavers Carlow has rolled out theOptical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scanner in store - acutting-edgepiece of equipment that allows opticians to view the eye in more detail than ever before.

It is all part of its commitment to providing its customers with access to the very latest optical technology, helping to detect a number of eye conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, sooner.

OCT can also help to detect glaucoma up to four years in advance.

Given that nearly half of all sight loss is preventable, an OCT scanmeans conditions can be managed before they get worse and can help prevent potential sight loss.

An OCT scan, which only takes a few seconds, uses light to take more than 1,000 images of the back of your eye and beyond, looking right back to the optic nerve and creating a cross-section view.

Imagine it like a cake you can see the top of the cake and the icing, but the image produced from an OCT scan slices the cake in half and turns it on its side, so you can see all the layers inside.

It gives your optician an incredibly accurate picture of your eye and its structures.

Speaking at the launch of the OCT campaign, Liz said: "I am short sighted and have always relied on regular eye checks, so I was keen to help raise awareness about their importance, especially as early detection is vital in the fight against preventable sight loss.

"The OCT scan can detect eye health conditions before physical symptoms are presented.

"Specsavers Carlow is leading the way in terms of the advanced technology on offer in store. An OCT scan would have previously required a hospital visit, but now there really is no excuse to not keep on top of our eye health."

Speaking about the state-of-the-art optical technology, store director at Specsavers Carlow, Mary McGinley, said: "This innovative technology gives our opticians the ability to enhance the offering for customersby identifying and helping to detect or manage conditions.

"OCT technology produces such a detailed picture of the structures in the eye that it allows us to identify signs of diseases years earlier than traditional methods.

"Given that 75% of vision impairment and blindness can be prevented, the sooner we can detect these conditions, the sooner we can help manage them or refer people for treatment."

The scan is in addition to a thorough eye test, during which the optometrist uses a range of clinical tests and procedures to measure the quality of someones vision and the health of their eyes.

A customers OCT images are stored on file, so Specsavers optometrists can note any changes over time a real benefit when monitoring someones overall eye health.

OCT is now available in Specsavers Carlow. For more information on the services available or to make an appointment, please visitwww.specsavers.ie/stores/carlow

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Specsavers Carlow taking a deeper look into your eyes with new state-of-the-art tech - Carlow Live

A SCOTTISH Santa Claus has amazingly had his vision saved - after discovering he couldn't read names of children on his list anymore.

Veteran Father Christmas James Marshall couldn't believe he wasn't on the nice list after discovering he was struggling to see the names of the kids visiting his grotto.

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The 55-year-old from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, has been warming the hearts of many for the past ten years by attending events across Scotland as Santa and raising money for charity.

But he was stunned when he was diagnosed with Glaucoma after he decided to pay the opticians a visit - which could've resulted in him losing his sight.

The Scot booked his Specsavers appointment after thinking he would need a new pair of glasses because of his struggles to carry out his Santa duties.

It was during the visit, that optometrist director Douglas Waugh spotted something unusual during Mr Marshalls sight test and referred him to University Hospital Wishaw where he was diagnosed with an advanced form of Glaucoma in both eyes.

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James said: "The whole situation was a shock to the system. Ive worn glasses for more than 30 years but I had no idea there was anything really problematic with my sight.

"I suffered a stroke when I was 32 so whenever Ive experienced a blind spot, Id always put it down to that. There wasnt any symptoms or pain, just an occasional blurriness.

"I only began to notice it more when trying to read the names of children aloud during one of my grotto visits.

"I even remember asking one of my elves to help out at one point so just thought I needed to get a new pair of glasses.

"However, the visit to Specsavers and the test carried out by Douglas just showed me how much sight I had lost due to the condition."

The condition also impacted James other job as a hospital catering manager which he was unable to continue working at due to the potential hazards caused by his reduced sight.

He added: "The whole experience was life-changing and the damage done to my eyes was irreversible.

"I need to regularly take eye drops to prevent the glaucoma from getting any worse and need to visit the hospital so they can monitor the condition, but its a price Im willing to pay.

"Im incredibly grateful to the prompt and professional care I received from the team at Specsavers, things could have been monumentally worse.

"If the condition hadnt been spotted, theres a chance I would have lost sight in both of my eyes."

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In the spirit of the Christmas season, James is now hoping to share his story and give others an opportunity to get their eyes checked to check vision and other health conditions.

Often symptomless in its early stages, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible sight loss.

Mr Waugh, Store director in Specsavers Bellshill, said: "Jamess case, although rare, is an example of just how vital it is to go for a regular eye test.

"We recommend getting your eyes checked every two years as they can detect various health conditions, not just changes in prescription.

"We are very glad to hear that Jamess is doing well and were thrilled to have invited him along to our big Christmas light switch on to truly make our towns Christmas feel magical."

We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us atscoop@thesun.co.ukor call0141 420 5300

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Bellshill Santa has his eyesight saved after struggling to read kids names on his list - The Scottish Sun

Ever since becoming a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2o11, Thor has had a rough go of it. Over his MCU history, he's lost both of his parents before his very eyes, along with his adopted brother, his lifelong home andto add insult to injuryhis right eye. That's a lot to endure over the course of seven years for someone who lives for millennia. And while Thor may have gotten a replacement eye in Avengers: Infinity War, with his luck, he is liable to lose it again in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Here's a quick look how Thor lost and gained an eye over the course of two films, how he may lose it again and how it compares to recent developments in the comic books.

RELATED:Wonder Woman & Superman Just Appeared in the Marvel Universe... as Thors?

Thor: Ragnarok had the Asgardians lose heavily right from the outset, with tragedy befalling them steadily throughout the film. Odin's death frees his secret daughter Hela, the Norse Goddess of Death, who immediately lays waste to Asgard, completely decimating its armies and killing the Warriors Three. After a brief period of exile on the faraway world of Sakaar, Thor returns to reclaim his throne from his evil sister, with Loki, Bruce Banner and Valkyrie in tow.

As the others assisted in rescuing the refugees hiding on the outskirts of Asgard from Hela and her undead army, Thor battled his long-lost sister in the Asgardian throne room. Despite putting up a valiant effort, Hela slashed out Thor's right eye, fulfillinghis arc in the movie and completing his transformation into the more mature king his father once needed him to be. Help is shortlydefeated, along with Asgard's prophesied destruction at the hands of Surtur. As Thor led his people into an uncertain future, he was seen wearing an eyepatch similar to his father.

RELATED: Thor's Eyepatch is CGI in Avengers: Infinity War

The Asgardians were the first casualties seen in Avengers: Infinity War, their ship laid waste as Thanos and the Black Order recovered the Tesseract secretly kept by Loki who was killed personally by Thanos. Responding to the ship's distress call after its destruction, the spacefaring team found Thor within the ship's wreckage and miraculously still alive. To replace Mjolnir, his mythical hammer destroyed by Hela during Ragnarok, Thor left for the dwarven forge of Nidavellir with Rocket and Groot.

RELATED:Thor: The Worthy #1 Is an Electric Dose of Thunderous Nostalgia

As the trio approach Nidavellir, located within the heart of a dying star, Rocket consoled Thor as he reflected over his recent losses. To raise his spirits, Rocket gave Thor a functioning, artificial eye he had stole from a hapless mark sometime earlier, heavily implying that he had smuggled the prosthetic in his anus. While Rocket cautioned Thor should wash the eye first, the God of Thunder instead promptly inserted it. He immediately regained his full sight through his new eyevisibly brown instead of natural blue.

The loss of Thor's eye has been hinted at in the comics in recentyears. Toward the start of Jason Aaron's acclaimed run on the character, a vision of the future incarnation of Thor is seen lacking his left eye. However, it was the recent crossover event War of the Realms that revealed what had actually occurred. The final issue of the series had Thor nailed to the World Tree Yggdrasil so he could gain the greatness of the All-Father. The fiery process proved excruciatingly painful itburned out his eye, but gave Thor the resolve he needed to defeat the villainous Malekith and take the Asgardian throne.

Thor may have regained his sight, but with Taika Waititi returning to helm Thor: Love and Thunder and the acclaimed filmmaker's proclaimed appreciation for Aaron's comic book run on the character, this may be fleeting. After all, the MCU Thor has been a hard-luck case since his debut and, even with Jane Foster back in tow, the Asgardian Avenger still stands to lose much.

KEEP READING: Avengers Just Introduced the Most Dangerous Version of Thor

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Avengers: How Thor Got His Eye Back (and Why He Might Lose It Again) - CBR - Comic Book Resources

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LAWRENCE, Kan. -- University of Kansas sophomore piano performance major, Luther Fuller doesn't read music like most students, but he doesn't exactly play by ear either.

Instead he relies on memory and Braille to bring his music to life.

"I memorize it as I go," Fuller said. "I learn a few measures of right hand, then get the left hand for that. By the time I finished learning all the notes, I also have it memorized."

Fuller has Retinoschis. It's a genetic disorder that caused him to lose most of his vision at a young age.

"I have a tiny bit of light perception in my left eye. I have no usable vision. So pretty much my whole life, I have no memory of sight," Fuller said.

But Fuller said he doesn't need his sight when he sits down to tickle the ivories. His professor says his talent is amazing.

"He has to just memorize the music right away. I think that's an extraordinary gift and something that's very special," Michael Kirkendoll said.

Fuller said he finds freedom through his music. It's been that way as long as he can remember.

"I needed help with a lot of things. so I liked being able to improvise on that toy piano at first. Then this spinet that we got, being able to improvise on there and do it unassisted, it brought me joy," Fuller said.

Fuller relies on that freedom to get him where he wants to go.

"I think that people, when they first see Luther play or talk to Luther, the first thing that strikes them is that he's a blind pianist," Kirkendoll said. "I think of him first as a pianist, and then he also just happens to be blind,"

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Blind KU piano performance major relies on memory and Braille to play piano - WDAF FOX4 Kansas City

Why James Chen is a man on mission to restore eyesight for all by 2035 | The Independent Independent Premium

The Hong-Kong businessman is using the wealth generated by his familys business for greater good. He tells Zlata Rodionovathat philanthropy is not about writing big cheques

Chen wants to sort the worlds eyesight out before humans are sent to Mars ( James Chen )

Futurist and inventor Elon Musk wants to send humans to Mars by the 2030s but James Chen has a no less ambitious mission:making sure the whole world can see the landing clearly when it happens.

For the past 15 years the philanthropist has been trying to tackle poor vision. According to Chen, the pace of innovation can be overwhelming when compared with the lack of progress in technology designed to tackle the most basic challenges still facing the developing world,from access to food and clean water to a simple pair of corrective glasses.

We really want to solve the vision issue before Nasa or Elon Musk put a man or a woman on Mars because we want everyone on Earth to be able to see it, he says.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

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Why James Chen is a man on mission to restore eyesight for all by 2035 - The Independent

Charitable campaigns include everything from rescuing homeless dogs and planting trees to funding eye surgeries and donating tech skills.

WELL employees picked mandarin oranges for a food bank in Santa Barbara. Workers at Aadya bought Healthy Roots dolls for kids in Detroit from a startup toy company. Omintracs employees will place wreaths on the graves of military veterans on Wreaths Across America Day on Dec. 14.

Starting in November and stretching through this month, tech companies are marking the holiday season with donation drives, financial contributions, and volunteer projects.Salesforce has some of the biggest global ambitions to make a difference. At Dreamforce, Salesforce kicked off a Year of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals from the United Nations 17 global goals that measure collective progress against the world's biggest challenges.

Over the next year, Salesforce will donate $17 million to advance the SDGs through grants to its nonprofit partners and company matches to employee donations.

According to Deloitte, millennials, baby boomers, retirees, and Gen Xers want to support social impact work in the corporate sector, which could offer a competitive edge in hiring.

Tech companies can strengthen local communities and build a more loyal workforce by establishing meaningful social impact programs. Here are a few of the ways employees and executives are giving back this season.

Many companies stick with go-to holiday projects such as food and toy drives. Others find ways to support people and animals in need.

The cybersecurity company ReliaQuest sponsors Bike Build, an event that assembles bikes for foster kids in Tampa. The nonprofit onbikes holds the annual event to provide kids with their very first bike. ReliaQuest employees will help out at the event as well.

Sigstr employees are supporting a dog rescue group with the "Dogs First, Sigstr Second" campaign. Justin Keller, vice president of marketing for the email signature marketing platform, said that team members meet clients on a target account list, and the company makes a donation to rescue a homeless dog on the employee's behalf.

The software development company Chetu supported a tree-planting initiative in India last month. Team members volunteered with Mission 100 Crore Tree Plantation to add trees in a region that has poor air quality.

Chetu said its employees donated over 30 hours to the initiative last month and would continue to invest in this initiative in the future.

Many companies use their particular technical skillset to support causes.

DataRobot, an artificial intelligence company, has an AI for Good program that works with educational institutes, hospitals, and environmental nonprofits.

The company shares technology, time, and resources with the organizations to make sure their machine learning applications generate real, long-term value.

Legacybox will help families in Southern California preserve memories from the holidays and throughout the year by donating $100,000 in digitizing kits to residents in communities at risk of wildfires. Residents can get slides, films, and audio recordings converted to digital format as a download, on a zip drive, or a DVD.

Ada, a marketing automation firm, partnered with a tech-centric nonprofit to develop the Chalmers chatbot designed for Toronto's homeless community. This service provides 24/7 access to information about where to get free meals and clothing as well as open shelter space.

"At Ada, we're inspired by our namesake Ada Lovelace, whose legacy reminds us to challenge norms and bring new thinking to helping solving important social problems," said Ruth Zive, Ada's head of marketing.

The digital banking company Quontic is addressing homelessness in the Dominican Republic.

The company is sending a group of 35 employees to the island for four days to build two homes for two homeless families. Quontic CIO Patrick Sells said service project fits with the company's corporate mission to provide mortgages to low-income families and immigrants.

"This trip will also serve as a time to do team building and corporate strategy work but most importantly remind all of us the critical work we do everyday in our offices to help families like those we served on the trip," he said.

Volunteers from SE2 help with website maintenance for United Way of Greater Topeka Christmas Bureau, a nonprofit that connects donor families with people in need during the holiday season.

Back in 2011, SE2 built a responsive web application to tackle the administrative processes that the community adoptions required.

Today, the United Way leverages the web-based system to scan and index paper applications, capture adopter/adoptee data, match families and share information between all the involved parties.

SE2 employees make improvements to the system each year and donate volunteer time as well.

"This has been a great opportunity for us to support United Way Christmas Bureau over the last several years using our skills to simplify and automate the family adoption process," said Ambrish Patel, an enterprise architect at SE2.

Many companies match donations of time and money made by employees through the Pledge 1% initiative. Led by Salesforce, this initiative builds corporate philanthropy by asking companies to make annual donations of 1% of product, equity, profit, or time to charitable organizations.

The cloud communications platform Twilio is a Pledge 1% company. To date, 232 Twilio employees have donated to or volunteered for the Pledge 1% program, which has resulted in $56,333.00 in donations to 145 charities.

"Through our Pledge 1% initiative, we match employees' donations and volunteer time to nonprofits of their choice, and we add in an additional boost between November 18 to December 18," said Erin Reilly, the company's chief social impact officer.

Advertising tech company Media Math is also a member of the Pledge 1% movement. The company's philanthropic division focuses on the 13% of people living on less than $2 per day through a Campaigns Count project.

"For every 20 campaigns in our platform, MediaMath.org funds an eyesight-saving surgery for individuals who suffer from low vision or whose blindness is treatable," said Michael Quinn, founder and director of the company's philanthropic arm.

In September, the company reached a milestone: funding surgeries for 5,000 people in some of the poorest regions of the world.

Our editors highlight the TechRepublic articles, galleries, and videos that you absolutely cannot miss to stay current on the latest IT news, innovations, and tips. Fridays

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 1,600 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea, and abroad.

Image: Wreaths Across America

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Tech companies find creative ways to give back - TechRepublic

A method of machine learning has proven capable of turning 2D images into 3D models. Created by researchers at multi-million-dollar GPU manufacturer NVIDIA, the framework shows that it is possible to infer shape, texture, and light from a single image, in a similar way to the workings of the human eye.

Close your left eye as you look at this screen. Now close your right eye and open your left, writes NVIDIA PR specialistLauren Finkle on the company blog, youll notice that your field of vision shifts depending on which eye youre using. Thats because while we see in two dimensions, the images captured by your retinas are combined to provide depth and produce a sense of three-dimensionality.

Termeda differentiable interpolation-based renderer, or DIB-R, the NVIDIA rendering framework has the potential to aid, and accelerate various areas of 3D design and robotics, rendering 3D models in a matter of seconds.

Making 3D from 2D

As explained by Finkle, the 3D world we live in is actually seen through a 2D lens otherwise deemed stereoscopic vision. Depth is created in the brain by combining images seen through each eye, creating the sense of a 3D image.

Based on a similar principle, DIB-R is capable of transforming input from a 2D image into a map, predicting shape, color, texture and lighting of an image. This map is then used to shape a polygon sphere, creating a 3D model representing the object in the original 2D image.

To achieve high 3D modeling speeds, DIB-R must be trained first with a wide dataset of images. One of the tests the team has performed so far is with a series of bird photos. All of the photos areRGBA modeled. After two days of training the framework using a singleNVIDIA V100 GPU, it could produce a 3D object from a 2D image in less than 100 milliseconds. The results can be seen below.

Giving sight to autonomous robots

One of the potential applications of such a framework is in the development of autonomous robots, capable of understanding the environment around them and perceiving depth. Another application is in the creation of rapid 3D mockups based on 2D sketches, i.e. for architecture and product design.

For Jonathan Beck, founder of 3D art heritage projectScan the World, the process also has certain implications in photogrammetry a method commonly used for the rendering of real-world 3D objects into digital, 3D models. Ive seen something similar before made by independentdevelopers but this is the first time its been released by a big organization, Beck states. It would be interestingto see how this leads into photogrammetry, where an AI can assume parts of a missing sculpture from other images. Much like how the Artec 3D scanner can calculate the form of an object if there are gaps in the scan data.

AI can help create a bridge where 3D scanning cannot currently deliver.

More details of the NVIDIA project can be found in this dedicated microsite, and in the paper Learning to Predict 3D Objects with an Interpolation-based Differentiable Renderer. The research is conducted and authored byWenzheng Chen, Jun Gao, Huan Ling, Edward J. Smith, Jaakko Lehtinen, Alec Jacobson, and Sanja Fidler.

Subscribe to thefree 3D Printing Industry newsletterfor the latest researchdevelopments. You can also stay connected by following us onTwitterand liking us onFacebook.

Looking for a career in additive manufacturing? Visit3D Printing Jobsfor a selection of roles in the industry.

Featured image shows3D models of cars created from 2D source images. Image via NVIDIA

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NVIDIA proposes way of teaching robots depth perception, and how to turn 2D images into 3D models - 3D Printing Industry

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. Local tennis coach Matt Moores eyesight has baffled the doctors whove treated him in the last few years. And while its cost him much of his vision, what hes gained is nothing short of miraculous.

Legendary tennis champion Martina Navratilova once said, the mark of great sportsmen is not how good they are at their best, but how good they are at their worst.

Ive dealt with some adversities in life but nothing like this, Matt Moore said.

Matt went on to play tennis at Hanover College where he studied social work. He went on to teach at Ball State University and tennis stayed in his life.

Its meant so much to me and the development of who I am as a person and the connections and friendships along the way, Moore said. Theres individual elements, theres still a sense of team that comes with it.

Matt translated those elements he learned as a player, to his time as a coach. First at Zionsville High School from 2009 to 2017, then at Butler University for two years.

In a sport like tennis youre trying to teach individuals how to think critically youre trying to teach them about technique and tactic, but on the reverse end of that youre teaching them the values about taking care of their body physically and also preparing for what life is going to throw at you from a mental aspect, Moore said.

Life threw something at Matt midway through 2015. Something he could never have seen coming.

Matt was having a conversation with a colleague when he noticed something strange.

I looked at her and somethings not right, I see about 200 to 300 black floaters streaming right through my eye. Almost like a rain shower of floaters in the eye, where you couldnt count them, theres nothing to get rid of it. Look in one direction, look in the other it wasnt going to change it, Moore said.

A trip to the optometrist showed a tear in Matts retina. Later it detached. Its more common in older people. Matt was in his early 30s. He felt good about his odds.

But what followed, scared him.

Thats when you start to question man whats going on here, this is abnormal and its got doctors baffled, Moore said.

Matt went through eight surgeries on his left eye. Each time, another detachment.

Most of my procedures required that I lie face down 20 hours a day, Moore said. Its tougha lot of alone, isolated time that youre sitting there left to ponder the 'what ifs' in the world.

Matt's doctor says his ruptures were brought about extreme near-sightedness.

Then youre thinking, God I hope nothing goes wrong with this one, Moore said.

His doctors at the Midwest Eye Institute recommended he stop coaching, fearing an impact that would forever blind him.

Earl Allen was Matts assistant coach at Zionsville High School.

It was devastating, I mean, think about it, your professional career, your family life, the things you give up, how your life would change, Allen said.

Then, a year later, the unthinkable happened: a detachment in his healthy eye.

More surgery, more questions. And more vision loss.

I went several weeks, well over a month, with no vision at all, this eye had been removed, this eye had a 90% gas bubble, I couldnt see anything, Moore said.

And heres where our story turns. With the agony and uncertainty, Matt sought counseling to deal with the emotional and psychological trauma. And as he was learning how to face the unknown, he made a life-changing realization.

I drew the short straw I supposed at first, later you find out that sometimes these life challenges put you in a better position to have appreciation or respect for the things that are going on your life, Moore said. One thing I tried to keep perspective on, is even if you lose your vision its not life-threatening is it life-altering? Absolutely this whole experience is life-altering.

He wasnt just a tennis coach to me, that wouldnt do him justice, Nina Bertino said.

Nina Bertino played for Coach Moore her sophomore and junior years at Butler. When Nina learned about his condition, she organized an event at Pearson Automotive Tennis Center.

His life is all about serving other people, Bertino said. He had such an impact on me, and the minute I found out he was struggling, I wanted to make a difference. He understood how to respond to my negativity, pouting, all my emotions on court, he always knew the comforting words to say.

Now that comforting goes both ways.

You look for pick me ups and things that lift your spirit, Moore said, all these players came out, its phenomenal.

Matts in a better place now. Hes recovering from another surgery and the vision in his right eye is stable. He and wife Lindsay and their three kids, Brooklyn, Bronson and Maverick, and even visiting exchange student, Matilda are in the present.

It did take a toll on everyone, but we also tried for the kids to keep their lives as normal as possible, Lindsay Moore said.

And Matt, Dr. Moore, already a published author on sports social work has a few lessons worth sharing in an ongoing blog he wrote called Flashes of Light from Heaven.

For now, Matt is back at work teaching full time. He's able to drive during the day.

As he continues his recovery, he says he hopes to inspire not just athletes, but anyone who's living with a challenge they're trying to overcome.

Originally posted here:
Vision Quest: Taking a glimpse into the world of a man losing his vision - FOX 59 Indianapolis

Caring for patients eyes is an essential nursing skill. Nurses need to be able to carry out a baseline assessment of the eye and vision and deliver essential care including eye cleansing

Eyes should be assessed as part of a holistic patient assessment and eye care is an essential part of daily personal care. This article outlines the principles of eye assessment and the procedure for eye cleansing.

Citation: Gwenhure T, Shepherd E (2019) Principles and procedure for eye assessment and cleansing. Nursing Times [online]; 115: 12, 18-20.

Authors: Tendai Gwenhure is clinical educator, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Eileen Shepherd is clinical editor, Nursing Times.

The eyes have a vital role in helping us carry out our daily activities safely (Shaw, 2014). Light entering the eye is converted into nerve impulses that are transmitted to the occipital region of the brain, where they are converted into the images we see. Patients may present to hospital with pre-existing eye conditions or need help to care for their eyes during a period of illness. Nurses need to be able to:

The external structures of the eye (Fig 1) serve an important function in protecting the eye from injury. For example, the eyelashes provide a barrier to grit and debris and eyebrows prevent sweat from running into the eyes. Eyelids contain muscles that enable them to open and close (Dougherty and Lister, 2015) and the lacrimal apparatus is responsible for tear production and drainage. Tears provide:

Tears drain away from the eyes into the nasal cavity via the lacrimal puncta (singular punctum) (part of the lacrimal apparatus), which are found on the upper and lower eye lids (Fig 1).

Eyes should be assessed as part of a holistic patient assessment and as part of personal care. It is important to discuss any long-term eye problems the patient has and document how these are managed; for example, glaucoma requires regular eye drops, or blepharitis (inflammation of eye lid margin) may require a personalised plan of care.

Falls are linked to poor eyesight so eye assessment is an integral part of falls prevention. Older people with impaired vision fall 1.7 times more often, and sustain hip fractures 1.3-1.9 times more frequently than those with normal eyesight (College of Optometrists, 2014; College of Optometrists and British Geriatrics Society, 2011). In response to these concerns, the Royal College of Physicians (2017) has produced a bedside tool to help check older patients eyesight and reduce hospital falls risk.

Patients should be asked whether they have any new problems with their vision. These should be reported immediately, as acute eye problems such as acute glaucoma, orbital cellulitis or retinal detachment may result in serious eye complications if treatment is delayed.

It is important to record any sight aids the patient uses such as glasses, contact lenses and a prosthetic eye. If necessary, patients should be given support to use these aids, such as ensuringthat patients glasses are clean; nurses should seek expert help if they lack skills to meet a patients needs.

Eye cleansing is an essential aspect of daily hygiene and patients in hospital or residential/care home, or those who are dependent on care at home may need support to maintain this aspect of their care. Those with reduced vision or blindness may struggle to maintain independence in an unfamiliar environment, such as hospital, and may need help to manage their eye care (Dougherty and Lister, 2015).

Indications for eye cleansing are outlined in Box 1. The procedure aims to maintain healthy eyes and it is important that infection from one eye is not transferred into the other. General principles underpinning the procedure are outlined in Box 2.

Box 1. Indications for eye care

Sources: Dougherty and Lister (2015); Shaw (2014)

Box 2. The underpinning principles of eye cleansing

Nurses need to assess individual patients for risk of exposure to blood and body fluids (Royal College of Nursing, 2018) and be aware of local policies for glove use for this procedure. When gloves are required they must be single-use and should be disposed of according to local infection prevention and control policy (Loveday et al, 2014).

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College of Optometrists, British Geriatrics Society (2011) The Importance of Vision in Preventing Falls.

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Loveday HP et al (2014) epic3: National evidence-based guidelines for preventing healthcare-associated infections in NHS hospitals in England. Journal of Hospital Infection; 86: S1, 1-70.

McDermott AM (2013) Antimicrobial Compounds in Tears. Experimental Eye Research; 117: 53-61.

Ring L, Okoro M (2016) A Handbook of Ophthalmic Standards and Procedures. Oxford: M&K Publications.

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Royal College of Physicians (2017) Look Out! Bedside Vision Check for Falls Prevention.

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Principles and procedure for eye assessment and cleansing - Nursing Times

STORY:

When Claire Bertram was starting out as an adult, she did what most people do. She found a career to match her strengths and steer clear of her weaknesses.

Part of that job search was making sure to find a line of work that required the least reliance upon eyesight. Bertram is visually impaired. She was born with no vision in her left eye, and in her right eye she suffers from microphthalmia, a rare condition in which one eyeball is unusually small, creating "very limited version," as Bertram puts it.

During a recent interview at the Oasis Day Spa in Dobbs Ferry, New York, Bertram told Reuters she came up with the idea of becoming a massage therapist from someone else who was brainstorming career choices. But unlike other massage therapists who can employ multiple senses to carry out their work, Bertram must operate without sight.

Bertram downplayed both the challenge and the novelty of working through her disability.

She said she's been aided by a lifetime of "honing" her other senses including feeling and hearing.

The image, however, of a massage therapist working without vision is a striking one, so much so Bertram has had to encounter skeptics during her decade-long career.

"No one's said anything to me personally, like, 'I don't want to work with you.' A lot of people, they're not like that," she recalled. "They're going to tell someone else so they don't have to be put in that awkward situation."

"It's not like we're stupid," she said.

Skeptics among her clients have sought an escape through the front desk.

"Are there customers that come in and may at some time, because of Claire's physical limitations, have trepidation? Yes, that does happen," said spa owner Bruce Schoenberg. "And our answer to them is, 'go in, experience the massage, and if you're not happy at the end of the day, let us know. We'll give you a discount.' But that has never happened."

And the ones who stay, Schoenberg said, are "ashamed in some respects that they had these prejudices against somebody that was sight-impaired and they realize that it was something they shouldn't have been concerned about."

Other massage therapists with vision impairment have written about their ability to thrive on industry websites like "Massage Today" and "Massage Magazine." And the field has long been the province for the visually impaired in several Asian countries.

For Bertram, it's understandable why some might find her success remarkable.

But she shies away from the label.

"Lots of people, things happen to them on a daily basis, some people go blind," she says. "You can cope. You can learn how to live a regular life."

(Production by: Dan Fastenberg and Hussein al Waaile.)

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'You can cope' - visually impaired massage therapist - Yahoo News UK

Thanksgiving is almost here, so lets talk turkey. Anyone who has ever tried to get a good look at a wild turkey knows they have incredible eyesight.

One moment youre looking at a big bird; then you blink your eyes, and its gone. You swear you didnt move a muscle, but obviously you did. And now, after trees have lost their leaves, the problem is exaggerated.

Whether youre a birder or a hunter, clearer sightlines give a huge advantage to turkeys. A turkeys disappearing act is especially impressive for a bird that can weigh more than 20 pounds, run 25 miles per hour, and fly in short bursts more than 50 miles per hour.

One reason turkeys are so elusive is that their eyes are among the most sophisticated in the vertebrate world. They can detect even slight movements at great distances.

Thats how they detect predators such as coyotes, bobcats and great horned owls.

And if turkeys can avoid approaching predators at a distance, deadly attacks can usually be prevented.

Turkey retinas have seven different types of photoreceptors, one type of rod cell and six different types of cone cells. Rods detect light intensity, and cones detect color.

Human retinas, by comparison, contain just a single type of rod and three types of cones.

Based on the abundance of cone cells, its clear that turkeys have excellent color vision. That makes perfect sense given the brilliant, multicolored, fleshy heads male sport during the spring mating season.

For detecting human threats, however, its one particular type of color-sensitive cone cell that gives turkeys an almost unfair visual advantage.

These cone cells are sensitive to UV light, so they see things that we cannot. (This is also true for many other birds and mammals.)

Turkeys sensitivity to UV light puts inexperienced turkey hunters and birders at a disadvantage. Even if observers remain motionless, clothing can make even a stationary observer impossible to miss.

Laundry detergents that whiten and brighten clothing leave behind a UV residue. And the more often clothing is washed with these detergents, the more UV residue they accumulate.

This is also sometimes true for brand new clothing, even camo gear. Anyone wearing camo clothing or old favorites that have been washed many times almost glow to the eyes of turkeys.

One remedy is to wash your turkey clothing with detergents that do not have brighteners. Read the label.

Turkeys also have excellent peripheral vision. Like most birds their eyes are positioned on the sides of their head giving them a field of view of approximately 270-degrees.

Combine that with a flexible neck that can turn almost completely around, and turkeys can see 360 degrees with just a slight turn of the head. Its no wonder they spook so easily.

Compared to humans binocular, 180-degree field of vision, turkeys dont miss much visually.

One drawback to turkey eyes being positioned on the sides of the head is that they lack three-dimensional vision. Though this would seem to be a significant disadvantage, they compensate by bobbing their head up and down enabling their eyes to gather information about relative distances and apparent depths of field.

So, lacking true 3-D vision is not a problem for turkeys. Thanks to razor-sharp vision, sensitivity to UV light, and near 360-degree field of view, wild turkeys are hyper-vigilant regarding their visual environment.

Thats why getting a good look at them in nature is so difficult. Whether hunting or birding, a better strategy might be to simply watch from a comfortable spot at the base of a big oak tree (they love acorns).

This, however, is probably not a safe tactic during turkey hunting season. As we enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends this week, appreciate some of the biological adaptations that make turkeys the noble birds that Ben Franklin argued would make a suitable national symbol.

And if its within your means, volunteer or donate some cash to a local church or food bank that provides meals for those less fortunate.

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Don't blink: Turkeys have incredible eyesight - Farm and Dairy