StemCell Therapy

A blind man who could only perceive the faintest bit of light can now perceive fuzzy shapes, thanks to gene therapy and a pair of specially engineered goggles.

The man was diagnosed with a condition called retinitis pigmentosa 40 years ago, at the age of 18, according to a new report, published Monday (May 24) in the journal Nature Medicine. People with retinitis pigmentosa carry faulty genes that, due to many mutations, cause the light-sensitive cells in the retina at the back of the eye to break down, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI).

These genes would usually code for functional proteins in the retina, but instead fail to build those proteins, or make abnormal proteins that malfunction or produce substances that directly damage the retinal tissue. The condition affects roughly 1 in 4,000 people worldwide, according to the NEI, and can sometimes lead to complete blindness, as occurred in the 58-year-old patient in the new study, BBC News reported.

Related: 12 amazing images in medicine

In an attempt to treat the man's vision loss, scientists inserted genes that code for a light-sensing protein into a modified virus, then injected those genetically tweaked viral vectors into one of his eyes, the researchers reported. The protein, called ChrimsonR, is a engineered version of a light-sensitive protein found in unicellular algae, which allows the single-celled organism to detect and move toward sunlight, MIT Technology Review reported.

ChrimsonR belongs to a family of light-sensitive proteins called channelrhodopsins, hence the added "H" in crimson, and has been modified to react to colors within the reddish end of the color spectrum, namely amber light. By injecting genes for ChrimsonR into the retina specifically into retinal ganglion cells, a kind of nerve cell that sends visual signals to the brain the team hoped to make these cells sensitive to yellow-orange light, MIT Technology Review reported.

Here's where the special goggles came in. The goggles pick up changes in light intensity from the environment and then translate that signal into an intense, amber image that gets projected straight onto the patient's retina, with the aim of activating ChrimsonR. Months passed before a significant quantity of ChrimsonR accumulated in the man's eye and began to alter his vision, but eventually, he began to perceive patterns of light with help from the goggles, BBC News reported.

"The patient perceived, located, counted and touched" different objects using his treated eye, alone, and while wearing the goggles, the researchers wrote in the study. For instance, the patient could perceive a notebook and cups placed on a table in front of him, although when asked to count the cups he did not always give the correct number, according to MIT Technology Review.

Prior to receiving the therapy, the man could not detect any objects, with or without the goggles on, and following the injection, he could only see while wearing the goggles, since they convert all light into an amber hue, the researchers reported.

In addition to the notebook and cups, the patient reported being able to see the painted white lines at a pedestrian crossing, the BBC reported. "This patient initially was a bit frustrated because it took a long time between the injection and the time he started to see something," first author Dr. Jos-Alain Sahel, an ophthalmologist and scientist at the University of Pittsburgh and Institute of Vision in Paris, told the BBC. The patient began training with the goggles about 4.5 months after his injection and only started reporting improvements in his vision about 7 months after that, the team reported.

"But when he started to report spontaneously he was able to see the white stripes to come across the street you can imagine he was very excited. We were all excited," Sahel told the BBC.

Even now, the man's vision still remains fairly limited, in that he can only see monochromatic images and at a fairly low resolution. But "the findings provide proof-of-concept that using optogenetic therapy to partially restore vision is possible," senior author Dr. Botond Roska, founding director of the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology Basel at the University of Basel, told BBC News. ("Optogenetics" broadly describes the technique of using light and genetic modification to control the activity of neurons.)

Of course, although these initial results are exciting, the study is limited in that only one patient has received the treatment so far, James Bainbridge, a professor of retinal studies at the University College London who was not involved in the study, told the BBC.

Read more about the research in BBC News and MIT Technology Review.

Originally published on Live Science.

Excerpt from:
Genes from algae helped a blind man recover some of his vision - Livescience.com

(BPT) - As one of the worlds top paratriathletes, Amy Dixon is always looking forward. Even though an autoimmune disorder has taken away most of her ability to see, she has extraordinary vision for reaching her goals.

This summer, shell head to Tokyo. For Amy, its an incredible journey that would have seemed unimaginable two decades earlier.

Vision troubles come to light

Amy first noticed her vision problems as a 22-year-old college student. She struggled to see clearly in a darkened room. Driving at night, she failed to notice oncoming cars. The signs were clear that something was wrong with her eye health, but Amy wasnt convinced.

I had 20/20 vision as a kid, so I dismissed the problems I was having as being related to some other condition like migraine, says Amy, a migraine sufferer since she was a teen. I was ignoring what was obvious that something was wrong with my eyes.

After scheduling an appointment with an ophthalmologist, Amy learned she had uveitis, which is a form of inflammation inside the eye. Amys doctor told her that the disease had already put her eyesight in serious jeopardy. He said that 70% of her peripheral vision had been lost and she would need to begin treatment immediately or risk going blind within 10 years.

Unfortunately, I waited too long before having my eyes examined and uveitis had already attacked my vision. When the diagnosis sunk in, I thought I was destined to going blind, adds Amy.

Becoming her own advocate

Rallying behind a forward-looking attitude that would ultimately become her calling card, Amy confronted her condition head-on. Working with her doctor, she began an aggressive treatment regimen. While uveitis would eventually take 98% of her vision, the treatments succeeded in slowing down progression of the disease.

A new diagnosis and the athlete reemerges

With her uveitis in remission, Amy received a second vision diagnosis: she now had developed glaucoma as a result of her treatment. Resilient and determined to keep her life moving forward, Amy began treating her glaucoma.

Along the way, she reengaged in sports and took up swimming, a favorite activity for the former competitive high school swimmer. When a friend introduced her to triathlons (swimming, running and biking), Amy was hooked. She completed her first triathlon in 2013 and today, she is the reigning ITU Aquathlon World Champion and a seven-time ITU Triathlon Gold Medalist. When the competition in Tokyo starts in August, Amy will race toward the finish line the same way she approaches life: by overcoming the setbacks in her path. Its an important lesson she is eager to share.

There is always a way forward, says Amy. I encourage people to maximize the strengths they have and find creative ways to do the things they want. It may not be the way you wish for, but if you are open to learning, you can do great things.

Amys prescription for better eye health

Amy views her journey as a cautionary tale and she encourages everyone to be proactive in taking care of their eyes.

Uveitis progressed quickly in impacting my vision because I waited too long to see a doctor and wasnt diligent about getting my eyes examined annually, says Amy. Pay attention to your eyes. If you suspect you have a vision problem, then see an eye doctor right away.

As she continues to manage her glaucoma, Amy also urges people, particularly young adults, to be wary of a disease that can sneak up without symptoms and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness.

A dilated eye exam could save your sight, says Amy. The power is in your hands, so be your own advocate for achieving better eye health.

If youve been diagnosed with glaucoma or are caring for someone with glaucoma, a great resource is Understanding and Living with Glaucoma. This free booklet is published by the Glaucoma Research Foundation, with support from Aerie Pharmaceuticals. It can be downloaded or ordered (in English and Spanish) at http://www.glaucoma.org/booklet.

Visit link:
Top paratriathlete carries the torch for healthy vision to Tokyo - liherald

The vision of a man who lost his sight because of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) has been partially restored with optogenetic therapy in the first reported case of functional recovery in a neurodegenerative disease following this novel treatment.

"It was breathtaking to witness the first recovery of some visual function in a blind patient," Botond Roska, MD, PhD, said in a news release.

"We have worked on optogenetic therapy in the lab for 16 years, and now seeing the proof of concept in a patient is a unique experience," added Roska, founding director of the Institute of Molecular and Clinical Ophthalmology, Basel, Switzerland, and co-founder of GenSight Biologics, the company developing the therapy.

The case was reported onlineMay 24 in Nature Medicine.

The 58-year-old man's blindness was caused by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a neurodegenerative eye disease in which loss of photoreceptors can lead to complete blindness.

As part of the phase 1/2a PIONEER study, the patient received an intraocular injection of an adeno-associated viral vector encoding the optogenetic sensor ChrimsonR into one blind eye. The team also engineered light stimulation goggles outfitted with a camera that captures and projects visual images onto the retina.

Training with the goggles began nearly 5 months after the injection, thereby giving ChrimsonR expression time to stabilize in ganglion cells. Seven months later, the patient began to report signs of visual improvement.

"In this type of study, we are really learning from the patients themselves. They are really like experimentalists telling us what they are seeing with restored vision," lead investigator Jos-Alain Sahel, MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, said during a press briefing.

The patient was able to perceive, locate, count, and touch different objects using the vector-treated eye alone while wearing the goggles, the team reports. The patient could not visually detect any objects before injection with or without the goggles or after injection without the goggles.

The patient also reported significant improvements in his ability to conduct day-to-day activities, such as navigating in outdoor and indoor environments.

During visual perception, multichannel electroencephalographic recordings showed object-related activity above the visual cortex.

"So it was possible to show in this patient that visual behavior was correlated with brain activation corresponding to visual function," Rosko said.

A video of the patient performing the tests, which was submitted as supplementary material to Nature Medicine, can be viewed at http://www.gensight-biologics.com.

"This is a significant milestone, and undoubtedly further refinements will make optogenetic therapy a viable option for many patients in future," Robert MacLaren, MBChB, DPhil, professor of ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom, said in a statement from the nonprofit UK Science Media Center.

Also weighing in, James Bainbridge, MBChB, PhD, professor of retinal studies, University College London, London, United Kindgom, said, "This exciting new technology might help people whose eyesight is very severely impaired. It is a high-quality study. It is carefully conducted and controlled.

"The findings are based on laboratory tests in just one individual. Further work will be needed to find out if the technology can be expected to provide useful vision," Bainbridge noted.

The study was funded by GenSight. Several authors have disclosed financial relationships with the company. MacLaren is a scientific advisor to NICE on retinal gene therapy. Bainbridge has disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Nat Med. Published online May 24, 2021. Full text

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Originally posted here:
A First: Blind Man's Sight Restored With Optogenetic Therapy - Medscape

In late 2020, scientists at Trinity College Dublin found that gene therapy could successfully protect he visual function of mice who were treated with a chemical targeting the mitochondria and were consequently living with dysfunctional mitochondria. The scientists also found that their gene therapy improved mitochondrial performance in human cells that contained mutations in the OPA1 gene meaning that this could also work in humans, one day.

Professor Farrar, part of the OPA1 study, said at the time: It is important to highlight that there is still a long journey to complete from a research and development perspective before this therapeutic approach may one day be available as a treatment.

Yesterday (24 May), a journal article was published that documented the restoration of partial vision to a human being with blindness.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a progressive, inherited, monogenic or rarely digenicblinding disease caused by mutations in more than 71 different genes. It affects more than 2 million people worldwide. With the exception of a gene replacement therapy for one form of early-onset RP caused by mutation in the geneRPE65.

Currently,there is no approved therapy for RP.

The main subject of this study was a 58-year-old man who was diagnosed with Retinitis pigmentosa, 40 years ago. When he begun the experiment, he could sense light only if it was there or not.

The study is the first evidence that the injection of optogenetic sensor-expressing gene therapy vector (gene therapy) in combination with light-stimulating goggles, specially engineered to provoke the eye to see, can create a partial vision.

It took seven months after the beginning of visual training for the man to be able to perceive objects. The researchers say that this training meant teaching the patient to become aware of the direction of his gaze and to control his eye movements to be able to look straight into the light beam projected by the goggles.

The goggles projected light straight into the eye. But before this stage of light and glasses, an injection was given.

A specific type of virus can provoke the brain to build light-sensitive channels. The team gave this man a protein that is sensitive to amber light, using viruses to deliver the protein directly into the retina. This process is vaguely, loosely similar to how some vaccines work the good stuff is delivered via a virus, which then provokes the immune system to create a really useful response.

Botond Roska, an ophthalmologist at the University of Basel and a co-author of the new study, said: The brain has to learn a new language.

The team placed objects on a white table in front of him, and asked him to identify where they were. After visual improvement, it was still the larger objects that were more easy for him to locate.

The team will now begin building lighter, less cumbersome goggles and trying this process out on others to see how the results hold up. A freely available therapy for blindness is still distant, but it more partially visible than it ever was.

Read the full study here.

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Read the original here:
Scientists successfully use gene therapy to restore eyesight restore eyesight, gene therapy - Open Access Government

Optogenics was used to partially restore a blind mans eyesight; the FDA could soon approve Modernas COVID-19 vaccine for use among adolescents; HHS calls for a new investigation into COVID-19s origins.

Light-catching proteins were grown in the eye of a blind man in France who, with the help of special goggles, can now see blurred outlines of objects, reports an article in Nature Medicine. This novel form of gene therapy is optogenics, and these results mark its first successful use against a neurodegenerative eye disease, which rob[s] the eyes of essential proteins required for vision. The treatment transforms ganglion cells into new photoreceptor cells, with the scientists also utilizing algae-derived proteins to sensitize nerve cells to light.

Hoping to gain approval for its COVID-19 vaccine among adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, Moderna will submit effectiveness data to the FDA in June, reports The New York Times. Currently only available for persons 18 years and older, the new vaccine data comprise results from 3732 participants. Most notably, efficacy was shown to be 100%, following no reports of symptomatic COVID-19 in the two-thirds who received both doses. Pfizers vaccine was similarly approved for use among adolescents aged 12 to 15 years on May 10.

Following US intelligence reports that Chinese virology experts were seriously ill before cases of COVID-19 were ever reported in December 2019, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is seeking a more transparent phase 2 investigation into the beginnings of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Reuters. This new effort should again be headed by an international team, he added. Speaking for the World Health Organization (WHO), whose previous report on the pandemics origins was met with much criticism, spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic noted that the next step will be to present a proposal to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on studies that cover early detection of cases and clusters and food chain transmission, among others.

More:
What We're Reading: Restoring Eyesight; New Moderna Vaccine Indication Possible; COVID-19 Origin Investigation - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network

Glaucoma. Cataracts. Blurry vision. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Myopia. If not detected and treated early, these are vision problems in the elderly that could lead to partial or complete vision loss.

I understand how it feels because I was once in your shoes. My name is Mrs. Damilola, and for several years, I used to battle eye problems that made me had blurry, unclear and poor vision.

After trying several eye drops and glasses for over 3 years, I noticed that instead of improving, my eye condition had worsened.

After an eye exam, I was diagnosed with glaucoma in the right eye.

You see, when patients are diagnosed with glaucoma, one of the most common treatment options is a prescription eye drop medication that lowers eye pressure, which prevents damage to the optic nerve and helps to preserve vision.

Several types of drugs lower pressure.

The choice depends on a lot of factors, including the type of glaucoma, its severity, the pressure goals the doctor wants to reach, and the patients other medical problems.

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Read the original post:
62year old Lagos woman Reveals Eye treatment Remedy that Reverses Glaucoma, Cataracts and Improves Vision without surgery or eyedrops - Vanguard

One of the studys researchers demonstrating the set-up used to confirm the success of the gene therapy treatment, including the use of specialized goggles seen above. Image: Sahel, et al., Nature Medicine

Researchers say their experimental gene therapy was able to partially restore a mans eyesight 40 years after he lost most of his vision. The findings are exciting, but the authors of the new study caution that more research will be needed to confirm the effectiveness of this treatment.

Gene therapy has emerged as a promising approach for largely incurable ailments that are often caused by defective genetic mutations. It can include editing the genes of cells collected from the body in the lab, then putting them back in (CAR T-cell therapy for cancer is one example of this) or editing cells inside the body directly, also known as in vivo gene therapy. In 2017, the very first in vivo gene therapy was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The treatment, called Luxterna, helps prevent people with inherited retinal dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder, from losing their vision completely.

Luxterna is only helpful for people with a form of retinal dystrophy caused by a specific mutation, though, and only before they completely lose their functional retinal cells, which usually happens before adulthood. So scientists have been trying to develop other kinds of gene therapy that can broadly help people with these retinal disorders, no matter the mutation causing it and long after its onset. One approach being tested now relies on something called optogenetics. The idea is to edit nerve cells collected from a patient so that they respond to light in a particular way, which should then essentially turn these cells into a version of the photosensitive cells normally found in the retina that allow us to see.

Researchers in Europe and the U.S. have been working on one of these therapies as part of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial called PIONEER. Like other gene therapies, this treatment uses a neutered adenovirus to deliver its payload to cells: genetic code that allows cells in the retina to produce a protein called ChrimsonR that responds to amber light. They then use specialized goggles to collect information from the outside world and turn that information into pulses of amber light. The hope was that these pulses would then allow the gene-edited retina, and by extension the brain, to perceive visual information the way people with undamaged retinas canthus restoring sight.

In a paper published Monday in Nature Medicine, the team detailed the case of a 58-year-old patient involved in the trial, who regained eyesight following treatment, albeit with some caveats.

G/O Media may get a commission

The patient, who did retain an ability to perceive light even with his disorder, was given the treatment in one eye. In that eye, and while wearing the goggles, he became able to see nearby objects, to the point where he could reliably tell multiple objects apart from one another and reach out to touch themsomething he couldnt do before. ECG readings also showed brain activity in the man linked to vision. Whats more, these improvements remained even five months after the initial treatment.

The mans restored vision was only possible while wearing the goggles, and the vision he did gain back was blurry and limited in range. But according to the authors, this is the first evidence in humans to definitively demonstrate that the therapy has potential to someday treat this rare but life-altering form of blindness.

In this study, we present the first evidence that injection of an optogenetic sensor-expressing gene therapy vector combined with the wearing of light-stimulating goggles can partially restore visual function in a patient, they wrote.

Other researchers are developing treatments for blindness using optogenetics, some with different approaches than the amber light translating goggles used in this study. Time will have to tell whether any of this research will ultimately pan out.But for now, hopes are high for good reason.

Read this article:
Man Blinded for 40 Years Has Sight Partially Restored Using Gene Therapy - Gizmodo

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of hereditary eye conditions called retinal dystrophy.

Retina dystrophy, such as RP, affects the retina behind the eye, and over time the retina becomes non-functional.

This means that RP causes gradual but permanent changes that reduce vision.

How much vision you lose, how quickly this happens, and the age at which it begins depends on the type of RP you have.

Changes in your eyesight occur over the years, not months, and some people lose their eyesight more than others.

What are the symptoms of RP?

With retinal dystrophy like RP, the rod and pyramidal cells of the eye gradually fail.

Depending on the type of RP you are using, you may notice the first symptoms between the ages of 10 and 30 after infancy.

Some people are asymptomatic until later in life.

With RP, the first symptom you notice is that you dont look like a person without vision in dimly lit places, such as at dusk or at night. This is often referred to as night blindness.

People without vision can fully adapt to dim light in 15-30 minutes, but when using RP it takes much longer or does not occur at all.

You may start to have trouble seeing things in the peripheral vision. You may miss things on either side of you, and you may trip over or bump into what you might have seen in the past.

As the RP progresses, peripheral vision is gradually lost, leaving a narrow central vision. This is often referred to as tunnel vision. You may still have a central vision until you are in your 50s, 60s, or older.

However, advanced RP often affects central vision, which can make it difficult to read and recognize the face.

RP is a progressive state. In other words, eyesight keeps getting worse year by year.

In many cases, changes in vision can occur suddenly in a short period of time. That way, you may get some vision for quite some time. However, the vision may change further in the future.

This may mean that you need to continue to re-adapt to lower levels of vision. The type of RP you are using can affect how quickly these changes occur.

What is the cause of RP?

RP is a hereditary disease caused by a defect in one of the genes involved in maintaining retinal health.

In RP, defective genes cause retinal cells to cease functioning and eventually die over time.

Researchers have identified many of the genes that cause RP and defects in it, but there are still other genes to discover.

Genetic testing

You can perform a genetic test to find out if there is a defective gene that causes RP.

This allows you to identify the defective gene that causes RP and to find out if your child has a defective gene that they may inherit.

A genetic test uses a blood test to look at a gene to see if it is defective.

Testing for RP and other hereditary retinal dystrophy is complex. Not all forms of these conditions are identified, as new defective genes are still being discovered.

Genetic counseling

Genetic counseling helps you understand the type of RP you have, how it may affect you in the future, and the risks of communicating that condition to the child you may have. Useful.

Genetic counseling is usually recommended when undergoing a genetic test. A genetic counselor will ask you more about your family tree and try to understand how RP is passed down to your family.

A genetic condition in your family can cause emotional concerns. Talking to a genetic counselor may help you and your family discuss your familys eye condition.

If you are thinking of starting a family, knowing the possibility of passing in any condition you have can help.

What tests are used to detect RP?

Optometrists (also known as opticians) can examine the retina to detect RP. If there are early signs of classic RP, there is a small but characteristic dark pigment mass around the retina.

Changes in peripheral vision can be detected by visual field testing. If your optometrist is worried after your eye exam, they can refer you to an ophthalmologist (hospital ophthalmologist) for further examination.

There are various tests that can diagnose RP. These tests also allow you to monitor how the RP changes over time.

Your ophthalmologist may be able to say that you have RP when you get the results of these tests, but the type of RP you have and the long term to your eyesight Tests that may not be known exactly if the effects are not genetic.

Some tests you may need to take include:

Source: Royal National Institute of Blind

Health: Blind (58 years old) partially recovered vision with pioneering gene therapy

Source link Health: Blind (58 years old) partially recovered vision with pioneering gene therapy

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Health: Blind (58 years old) partially recovered vision with pioneering gene therapy - Texasnewstoday.com

When kids struggle at school, parents and teachers try to identify the cause of the problem. They wonder whether the student can see or hear properly, or whether he or she has learning problems such as dyslexia. An ordinary eye test might show that a child can see perfectly well, but it may not tell the full story. Visual skills can be just as important as eyesight itself, and this point is often poorly understood or overlooked, says Gary Rodney, a behavioural optometrist and fellow of the International Academy of Orthokeratology and Myopia Control.

Being able to focus on an eye-test chart isnt enough. Its also important to be able to focus at various distances and change focus easily from one distance to another. Apart from being able to focus, eyes need to be able to track from one thing to the next. For example, when reading, the eyes must be able to scan from one word to the next without losing their place. At the same time, both eyes need to be able to work together as a team.

Over and above these basic visual skills, people need the ability to process spatial information, notice small differences between one thing and another, be able to coordinate what is done in relation to what is seen (eye-hand coordination), and be able to associate what is seen with what is heard.

Any issues with these visual skills will naturally result in problems with schoolwork. Up to 25 percent of children have visual difficulties of one kind or another, so having a thorough eye examination that includes testing of visual skills is a sensible step to take when children struggle at school.

Regular Optometrists and eye surgeons (Ophthalmologists) are trained to test how well one can see, but it takes further training to be able to comprehensively test all the visual skills needed to succeed at school.

Thats why many parents and educators eliminate issues with vision as a reason for children having difficulty with schoolwork too soon. After all, ordinary eye tests may show that a child has 20/20 vision, but without evaluation of the additional visual skills that will allow children to use their eyesight in learning, parents and teachers can mistake visual processing disorders for learning problems. As a result, the real issue is not addressed, and a child may be unable to fulfil his or her true potential.

Gary Rodney acknowledges that although full evaluation of vision and related visual skills can identify issues that are holding children back, other factors may contribute to difficulties with learning.

If a child is struggling at school, testing of visual and auditory skills are a good first step. Garys practice, Eyes in Design, located in Mosman, will also be able to refer parents to the relevant health practitioners if dyslexia or other learning problems are suspected but have not been diagnosed. Even when a formal diagnosis has occurred, addressing any visual skills difficulties will help children to deal better with the challenges they face.

Vision therapy is not a panacea, says Gary. However sometimes, its all thats needed to get kids on track. After all it has been shown that 80% of how we learn comes through the visual pathway. In other cases vision may not be the cause of the problem, or it may only be a contributing factor. Either way, Eyes in Designs vision therapists are ready to assist parents in finding the practitioners they need to help children with the learning challenges they face.

HEAR: Ultra106.5FM Interview with Gary Rodney Covid and Myopia: What you need to know!

For more information on vision therapy, or to book an appointment for a visual perception test online, visit the Smart Vision website:Optometrists Sydney: Optometry Services For Children and Adults | Smart Vision; for specific information about Myopia treatment and prevention visitMyopia Prevention: Solutions, Control And Treatment In Sydney; and for detailed information about Myopia Treatment visitOrthokeratology In Sydney: The Non Surgical Alternative.

To book an appointment for a thorough eye check-up,click hereor Call the Bondi clinic on (02) 9365 5047 or the Mosman clinic on (02) 9969 1600.

Syndicated byBaxton Media,The Market Influencers,Your Digital Marketing Agency.

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Eye Care Clinic Mosman Behavioural Optometrist Vision Therapy Visual Skills Test - PRWire

Global Bionic Eye Market is valued at approximately USD 183.5 million in 2019 and is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than 12.7% over the forecast period 2020-2027. Bionic eye, also referred to as visual prosthesis, is an experimental visual device used to restore the visual function of the patient experiencing partial or complete blindness. Many devices and surgeries have been developed, typically modeled on the cochlear implant or bionic ear device, so as to heal the blindness of the individuals.

Bionic eye is usually considered as artificial eye which can deliver visual sensation to the brain and often helps the people to improve the vision abilities, which is resulting in the higher market growth across the globe. Furthermore, the rise in prevalence of ophthalmic diseases due to growing geriatric population, increasing funding by public and private organizations, and intensive research and development (R&D) focused on product innovation are the few factors responsible for the impressive CAGR of the market during the forecast period. According to the World Health Organization, nearly 2.2 billion people were affected with vision impairment or blindness in October 2019, of which at least 1 billion people had preventable or unaddressed conditions around the world. Similarly, as per the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, in 2018, more than 21 million of Vietnamese required eye care services, Out of which over 3 million Vietnamese students are having eyesight problems. Thus, surge in vision-related complications may promote the adoption of the therapeutic or corrective devices, which has led to a boost in the demand for bionic eye all over the world. However, the high cost of bionic eye and the high research and development cost are the prime factors limiting the market growth over the forecast period of 2020-2027.

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The regional analysis of the global Bionic Eye market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Rest of the World. North America is the leading/significant region across the world in terms of market share owing to the rising awareness concerning vision-related problem, intensive research activities, and the presence of a significant number of market vendors in the region. Whereas Asia-Pacific is also anticipated to exhibit the highest growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2020-2027. Factors such as the rising prevalence eye-related or ophthalmic disorder such as myopia and presbyopia coupled with growing geriatric population across developing countries, such as China and India, would create lucrative growth prospects for the Bionic Eye market across the Asia-Pacific region.

Major market player included in this report are:Second Sight Medical Products LLCNidek Co. Ltd.Nano Retina Ltd.MetaModal LLCBiomedical TechnologiesBionic Vision TechnologiesNeoStrataMonash Vision GroupPixium Vision

The objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:

By Type:External EyeImplanted Eye

By Technology:ElectronicMechanical

By End-Use:HospitalsOphthalmic ClinicsOthers

By Region:North AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeUKGermanyFranceSpainItalyROE

Asia PacificChinaIndiaJapanAustraliaSouth KoreaRoAPACLatin AmericaBrazilMexicoRest of the World

Furthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:

Historical year 2017, 2018Base year 2019Forecast period 2020 to 2027

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Target Audience of the Global Bionic Eye Market in Market Study:

Key Consulting Companies & AdvisorsLarge, medium-sized, and small enterprisesVenture capitalistsValue-Added Resellers (VARs)Third-party knowledge providersInvestment bankersInvestors

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Bionic Eye Market Size Prognosticated to Perceive a Thriving Growth by 2027 interpreted by a new report The Courier - The Courier

Published:Monday,May 24, 202123:28

After 40 years of blindness from a neurodegenerative disease, a man has partially regained his sight thanks to visual therapy. The treatment consists of Injection of an adenovirus into the eye Which carries a light-sensitive protein from moss and special glasses. This is the first case of partial healing of vision in a blind patient after visual genetics therapy, a technique developed at the beginning of the century that It is based on processing microbial proteins that are sensitive to light And cells across the light.

The study, published in Nature Medicine, was signed by scientists from the Sorbonne (France), the University of Pittsburgh (USA) and the University of Basel (Switzerland). The patient is a 58-year-old man who lives in Paris He was diagnosed four decades ago with retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that destroys light-sensitive cells in the retina and causes complete blindness. After treatment and after a period of adaptation and learning to use technology, The patient was able to locate, recognize, and count the various objects Using the treated eye while wearing glasses.

The man could not visually detect any objects before the injection or without glasses after the injection. Hope its a breakthroughFirst author Jos Alan Sahel of the University of Pittsburgh and the Sorbonne said that the eye is an extremely complex system that allows our vision to adapt to different levels of light. Very fragile, so when the vision disappears, he noted, there are few treatments, except for the use of prostheses or the reactivation of the remaining cells in the retina.

Retinitis pigmentosa is caused by mutations in more than 71 different genes, leading to the development of gene therapies that replace a small number of proteins to repair broken cellular machinery It is tricky and not very effective. So the team approached the problem from a different angle: Instead of fixing mutated genes one by one in cells that respond to light by activating retinal neurons, they decided to directly activate neurons, which they used. Opto-Genetic Tools.

The team injected one of the patients eyes A vector associated with an adenovirus that carries genetic information, Which encodes a photosensitive protein called ChrimsonR channelrhodopsin, which is found in natures shiny algae. This protein responds to light by changing its shape and allowing ions to flow in and out of cells, which activates them, and in the case of neurons experimentally designed to express the rhodopsin channel, causes them to be released and the signal to be transmitted through the nerve endings to the brain.

Scientists have devised a way to convert light bouncing off objects in our environment into a single wavelength of the amber spectrum

Researchers chose ChrimsonR due to its preference for activation by amber light, which is safer and causes less pupillary constriction than the blue spectrum. The target was retinal ganglion cellsThat is, neurons that capture signals from the sticks and rods and transmit them through the optic nerve to the brain, where this information is processed to be perceived as a visual image. Scientists to activate ganglion cells in this way They have devised a way to divert the light that bounces off objects in our environment With a single wavelength of the amber spectrum, they used special glasses equipped with a special camera.

The University of Pittsburgh said in a statement that this camera captures images from the visual world and converts them into light pulses that are projected onto the retina in real time to activate the modified cells during visual tasks. It takes time to adjust to the use of glasses, Sahl recalls. At first, the patient didnt find them very helpful, however After a few months, he began to see the white lines of the pedestrian crossing After several training sessions, he was able to learn about other things, big and small.

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Scientists create a blind man for 40 years who partially regains his eyesight - thedailyguardian.net

Tesla announced this week that a key component in its self-driving technology platform is about to move from radar sensors to optical sensors. Tesla calls its technology "Pure Vision." This is not exactly a shift to some higher level of technical know-how. Subaru has been using optical sensors to provide driver-assist features for much of the past decade. Armchair engineers and Tesla fans are now debating the shift in technology from one type of transducer to another. All I want to know is will the new sensor array stop Teslas cars from crashing into police cars, firetrucks, semi-trailers, highway barriers, and other static objects.

What Do Driver Assist Sensors Do?Stopping cars from crashing is one of the objectives behind the move to driver-assist technology. Tesla calls its two packages Autopilot and Full Self-Driving. Those names were chosen specifically to give you the impression that these vehicles can drive themselves. This begs the question; If they can drive themselves, even in certain circumstances, they must be able to see and avoid parked firetrucks with flashing lights, reflective tape and flares deployed ahead of the vehicle, right? Nope. Or they must at least be able to stop instead of crashing straight into the side of the largest vehicles on the road, tractor-trailers, right? Nope.

Does Teslas New Technology Prevent Crashes?For five years, Tesla vehicles equipped with the old technology have been regularly driving themselves straight into huge things anyone with eyes could see. Maybe this shift away from radar and toward optics is Teslas attempt to stop these seemingly preventable crashes from happening. Or maybe not. If not, then will Tesla vehicles continue to drive at high speed into emergency vehicles assisting motorists during highway emergencies? Although Tesla has not said if this technology shift will prevent the high-profile seemingly preventable crashes showering it with bad press, Teslarati reports that Elon Musk did say it would stop the phantom-braking reported by many Tesla drivers.

Are Tesla Crashes Common?If you are not up to speed on the types of crashes we are referring to, simply type Tesla hits firetruck into your browser. In under one second, your computer will provide you with over 7 million options to read more about this topic. The first story that comes up when I do the search is one from Car and Driver titled, NHTSA Investigating Indiana Crash Where Tesla Model 3 Hit Fire Truck.

Alternatively, you can type, Tesla hits semi. This search will show you about three million results. The top story on my browser is one from the Tesla-advocacy publication Inside EVs titled UPDATE: Tesla Crashes Into Another Semi: Federal Investigation Underway.

Whether or not an occupant (the word "driver" is so old school) enables a system inside of her Tesla or not is irrelevant. Driver-assist safety systems dont need to be turned on to work. All modern cars have advanced automatic emergency braking designed specifically to stop you from accidentally driving straight into firetrucks and semi-tractors. Yet, Teslas system seems to ignore these hazards on a regular basis and allow the vehicle to drive into them. How does that square with a company that advertises a product called Full Self Driving? Perhaps it doesnt, and perhaps the new sensors are an attempt to stop the seemingly preventable crashes.

How Can I Learn More About Unusual Tesla Crashes?The below list of prior stories may help provide background on the subject of Tesla vehicle crashes that were not prevented by the radar-based technology that Tesla has employed up to now.

Tell us in the comments below if you think Teslas technology shift will help stop future crashes of its vehicles into large, easy-to-see objects.

Image note: The top of page image is an old picture of Subaru's now mature Eyesight camera-based driver-assist system.

Past Stories Related To This Topic:May 2021: Five Years After First Tesla Tragedy Seemingly Preventable Crashes Still OccurApril 2021: Video of Tesla Model Y On Autopilot With No Driver Demonstrates Need For Government InterventionMarch 2021: Another Tesla Hits Another Semi From the Side - This Time It Looks Like a Model YAugust 2020: Tesla Operated By Full Self Crashing System Hits Two Parked First Responder Vehicles - AgainJuly 2020 - Police: Tesla On Autopilot Hits Not One, But TWO Parked First Responder VehiclesJanuary 2020: Second Crash In One Month Of A Tesla Into A Parked Firetruck Results In FatalityDecember 2019: Tesla Model 3 On Autopilot Hits Yet Another Police Vehicle - Why Won't They Stop?August 2018: Third Tesla Crashes Into Back of Firetruck - That's Four Crashes Into Emergency Vehicles This YearMay 2018: Another Tesla On Autopilot Hits Another Emergency Vehicle - You Can't Make This Stuff UpJanuary 2018: Tesla Police Blotter News - Tesla Driver Hits Parked Firetruck - Blames AutopilotJuly 2016: Understanding the fatal Tesla accident on Autopilot and the NHTSA probe

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. John's interest in EVs goes back to 1990 when he designed the thermal control system for an EV battery as part of an academic team. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, John completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers, in the semiconductor industry, and in biotech. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars, on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin

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Teslas New Optical Sensors - The End Of The Weird Crashes? - Torque News

a blind man He partially regained his eyesight for the first time with the help of light-sensitive proteins that researchers had extracted from algae.

Scientists have used a type of gene therapy called optogenetics to add light-sensitive proteins to the retina of the 58-year-old French to control cells at the back of his eye. Although he did not regain full vision as a result, a man who wore special glasses could once again recognize and count different objects.

The man, who was being treated in Paris, 40 years ago was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a condition that causes the light-sensitive cells to die on the surface of the retina. It is said that around two million people worldwide suffer from this disease.

In optogenetics, a relatively new approach in medicine, light-sensitive proteins are placed in individual neurons, allowing neuroscientists to influence the activity of these neurons with light. Researchers who published their findings in the professional journal Nature Medicine, Proteins used from algae and other microbes. Thus they can make every neuron sensitive to light.

At first, the patient wasnt able to see anything with the system, and that was very frustrating of course, explains co-author Jos-Alain Sahel of the University of Pittsburgh. And then he became spontaneously excited and reported that he was capable of white lines (From a pedestrian crossing, ed.) Across the street.

Christopher Petkoff, Professor of Neuropsychology at Newcastle University, Talks about a new teacher and indicates the importance of a follow-up study. This is a great development to restore vision using an innovative approach. The goal now is to find out how well this works in other patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

Read also:

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The blind man regains partial vision after algae gene therapy - Dividend Wealth

As explained in the journal Nature, in a healthy retina, photoreceptors detect light and send electrical signals to the retinal ganglion cells (RGC), which then transmit the signal to the brain. The optogenetic therapy used completely bypasses damaged photoreceptor cells by using a virus to deliver light-sensitive bacterial proteins into the RGCs, allowing them to detect images directly bypassing the photoreceptors.

In the case study, the researchers injected the virus into the eye of a man with retinitis pigmentosa and waited four months for protein production by retinal ganglion cells to stabilize. The researchers then designed a prototype of glasses that capture visual information and optimize it for detection by bacterial proteins. The trial participant had to train with the glasses for several months before his brain adapted to interpret the points correctly. Finally, he was able to make out high-contrast images, including objects on a table and the white stripes on a crosswalk. When the researchers recorded your brain activity, they found that your visual cortex reacted to the image in the same way it would if you had normal eyesight. Of course, because the retina contains around a hundred times more photoreceptors than RGCs, the resolution of the images detected by RGCs will never be as good as natural vision.

Although the trial has been completed in just one person, six others have been injected with the same light-sensitive proteins, but the pandemic has delayed their training and the researchers hope to have results soon. We will have to wait to find out if these results are replicable, since the results cannot be generalized since it is a single person. This is a high-quality study, which is carried out and controlled with great care, James Bainbridge, professor of retinal studies at Global University in London, told the Science Media Center, who was not involved in the study. . The problem is that the findings are based on laboratory tests performed on a single person, so more work will be needed to find out if this technology is really useful. The press release describes improved recognition of the objects, but there is no evidence in the study results, He clarifies.

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A blind man partially recovers his vision thanks to optogenetic therapy Explica .co - Explica

The latest analysis released by HTF MI on Global Eyesight Test Equipment Market Outlook 2020 Survey results sheds light on how investment and competitive landscape is impacted due to significant changes in the Eyesight Test Equipment Industry. The research coverage includes analysis on companies such as Bhavana MDC, Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, EyeNetra, Essilor International, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.Inc., Alcon, Inc., Shenzhen Certainn Technology, Heine, Abbott Medical Optics.Inc., Nidek Co., Ltd., Seiko Optical Products Co., Ltd., Carl Zeiss AG & Hoya Corporation etc. It is expected that the healthcare and life sciences industry will likely continue to be an attractive target market showing noteworthy sign to Eyesight Test Equipment for the foreseeable future.

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Eyesight Test Equipment Companies are expanding their roles to deliver value beyond the services or offerings by helping clinics and hospitals authority report on quality, offering services that engage patients in real time, improving safety, regulatory compliance and physician performance.

According to Sources, national healthcare spending is projected to grow at an average of 5.5% annually

Lot of Eyesight Test Equipment Companies expect that health cares evolution will have far-reaching impacts as upcoming business models emerge that blur boundaries and drive cross-sector and cross-industry convergence. With this edition, HTF MI have come up with a scope that actually delivers answer to current and future scenario.

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The titled segments and sub-section of the Global Eyesight Test Equipment market are illuminated below:

The Global Eyesight Test Equipment market has been divided into, application, type, technology and region/country.

On The Basis Of Type, Market is segmented by , Portable & Stationary, by Application/End Users it includes Children, Adults & The older

Geographically, the Eyesight Test Equipment Market Study provides Revenue Sizing as

North America: USA, Canada and MexicoEurope: Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Russia , Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands and Rest of EuropeAsia-Pacific: China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, India, Southeast Asia and OthersSouth America: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, OthersMEA: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa & Rest of MEA

Additionally the connected stakeholders of Eyesight Test Equipment such as distributors, suppliers, health care providers, governments, other payers, patients, and other stakeholders were also considered in the survey to derive Eyesight Test Equipment market estimation and demand side analysis.- To better explore trend and current state to deliver closer view towards changing market dynamics of Eyesight Test Equipment Market.

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Some Frequency Asked Questions

1) How can we add or get new players profile as per our need?

Yes, we can add or profile new company as per client need in the report. Final confirmation to be provided by research team depending upon the difficulty of survey. The Standard version of the report currently profiles players such as Bhavana MDC, Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, EyeNetra, Essilor International, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care.Inc., Alcon, Inc., Shenzhen Certainn Technology, Heine, Abbott Medical Optics.Inc., Nidek Co., Ltd., Seiko Optical Products Co., Ltd., Carl Zeiss AG & Hoya Corporation.

** Data availability will be confirmed by research in case of privately held company. Up to 3 players can be added at no added cost.

2) Can we have different set of Segmentation added or further granularity in existing segmentation is possible?Yes, inclusion of additional segmentation in Eyesight Test Equipment Market Study is possible subject to data availability and difficulty of survey. Also, granularity can be checked contacting sales team as customization are subject to final approval and feasibility check by research team.

3) What years are considered in Global Eyesight Test Equipment Market study; When it was last released?Historical year 2016-2020Base year 2020Forecast period** 2021 to 2026 [** forecast year can be customized]Version of Study: 2021 Published

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Thanks for showing interest in Eyesight Test Equipment Market publication; you can also get Individual Chapter or Regional or Country wise report USA, GCC, Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, APAC or LATAM.

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Eyesight Test Equipment Market Poised For Disruptive And Explosive Growth | Heine, Abbott Medical Optics, Nidek The Shotcaller - The Shotcaller

Global Bionic Eye Market: Introduction

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., bionic eye is an electrical prosthesis, which is surgically implanted into a human eye in order to allow for the transduction of light, i.e. the change of light from the environment into impulses the brain can process in people who have sustained severe damage to the retina. The bionic eye comprises an external camera and transmitter and an internal microchip. The camera is mounted on a pair of eyeglasses, where it serves to organize the visual stimuli of the environment before emitting high-frequency radio waves. In the U.S., the FDA has approved just one commercially available bionic eye system. The device, called the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System, was developed by a California-based company Second Sight Medical Products. Different bionic eye models take aim at different target areas in the visual pathway. Bionic eye implants work inside the existing eye structure or in the brain. These are designed to achieve functional vision goals as opposed to physical, cosmetic ones.

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Key Drivers of Global Bionic Eye Market

Rise in Prevalence of Vision Loss

The global population has increased by 18.5% in 2002 over that in 1990. The population 50 years of age and older has increased by nearly 30%. Population increase is more prominent in developing countries. Health is the centerpiece of development and poverty alleviation continuing to eliminate avoidable blindness among the poorest of the poor is a moral imperative. According to The Lancet Global Health, a report estimated that in 2015, 36.0 million people were blind, 217 million had moderate and severe vision impairment, 188 million had mild vision impairment, and 667 million additional people had vision impairment from uncorrected presbyopia.

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Rise in Prevalence of Eye Diseases

According to the World Health Organization, globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a vision impairment or blindness, of whom at least 1 billion have a vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. Tens of millions have a severe vision impairment and could benefit from rehabilitation, which they are not currently receiving. Aging population coupled with rise in sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits also contribute toward increase in number of people with eye conditions and vision impairment are likely to augment the global market.

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North America to Account for Major Share of Global Bionic Eye Market

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Key Players Operating in Global Bionic Eye Market

The global bionic eye market is highly consolidated owing to the presence of several key players.

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Bionic Eye Market: Rise in Prevalence of Eye Diseases is expected to drive the market - BioSpace

No one can dispute the value that our eyes hold in our lives. One of the most vital organs, a pair of good healthy eyes can not only help us safely and ably navigate the challenges in our day-to-day life but ensures a lifetime of attainment and self-realization. Conversely, a not-so-healthy pair of eyes can become such a debilitating handicap in our daily routine. While some minor as well as major eye diseases are fairly common and treatable, there are some which continue to pose a challenge to the ophthalmic community. Glaucoma is one of those eye conditions. If timely detection and treatment is not carried out, it can lead to an individual even losing his eyesight. In fact, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness.

What is Glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a term used to depict a group of diseases which entail a progressive or irreversible damage to the optic nerve of the eye, which if untreated may lead to loss of sight. It is a result of the increased pressure inside the eye which usually happens because of the build-up of a fluid known as aqueous humor in the eye. As this fluid gets obstructed or blocked, the resultant increase in intraocular pressure can damage the optic nerve which in time can weaken the eyesight and eventually lead to complete loss of vision.

Mass screening doesnt help, opportunistic screening important

Unlike Cataract, which can be detected during mass screening of a given population, Glaucoma requires a patient to specifically visit an eye doctor. This visit could be for any eye condition when an opportunistic screening can reveal whether an individual has the dreaded eye condition or not. A comprehensive eye examination with a set of tests such as dilated eye exam (to widen pupils and view optic nerve), slit lamp exam (to view inside of eye), visual acuity test (to check for vision loss), tonometry (to evaluate eye pressure), gonioscopy (to check for eye drainage), pachymetry (to measure corneal thickness), optical coherence tomography (changes in optic nerve), optic nerve head examination (to examine loss of ganglion cells and their fibres), and visual field examination(to check for any peripheral vision loss) would need to be conducted in order to establish whether an individual has glaucoma or not.

Types of Glaucoma

Generally, there are three major types of glaucoma: primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) and Secondary glaucoma. POAG is the most common type and occurs when the drainage system gets choked and progresses imperceptibly over a long time. Then PACG, a more serious type, is the result of the iris being too close to the drainage canals in the cornea. In this, the eye pressure can rise suddenly due to complete blockage of the drainage angle and unless medically intervened immediately, the individual can lose his eyesight. In a variant called Normal Tension Glaucoma, the optic nerve is damaged without the eye pressure going beyond the average range and is caused by the abnormalities in the blood flow to the optic nerve, and structural weakness of the optic nerve tissue. NTG is not very common. Secondary glaucoma is caused by other diseases which may increase eye pressure leading to optic nerve damage. These include Pigmentary glaucoma, Pseudoexfoliativeglaucoma, traumatic glaucoma, neovascular glaucoma, Irido-Corneal Endothelial Syndrome and Congenital/Childhood glaucoma.

Signs and Symptoms of Glaucoma

Each type of glaucoma has its own signs and symptoms. For instance, POAG has no perceivable or visible symptoms in the early stages and in due course of time as the disease progresses, blind spots develop in the peripheral vision. Similarly, PACG exhibits no apparent symptoms as such and can lead to a sudden attack. Signs of an acute attack would include intense pain in the eye or forehead, foggy vision, redness in the eye, halos around eyes, nausea and vomiting. Again in NTG, blind spots emerge in the field of vision which is a symptom. The symptoms in Secondary glaucoma would depend on the additional disease which is responsible for glaucoma. For Childhood or Congenital glaucoma, a baby would show sensitivity to light and clouding of Cornea. Children are also likely to frequently rub their eyes.

Who are at risk?

Although it can afflict anyone, those with a family history, advanced age or with co-morbidities such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes are more likely to be at risk of getting glaucoma. In addition, those who have been on corticosteroid medications for long, or have undergone certain eye surgeries are also more at risk. Importantly, those with normal eye pressure can also get glaucoma.

Treatment

Again, the line of treatment would depend on the symptoms, stage and type of glaucoma. Typically, there are three major forms of treatment: medication/eye drops, laser treatment and surgery. And often a combination of treatments is also followed. For instance, POAG is most often treated with a combination of eye drops and surgery. But PACG is treated with a laser procedure called iridotomy in which the doctor creates a small opening in your iris using a laser allowing fluid to flow through it, relieving eye pressure. Another laser procedure is called Trabeculoplasty which is used for POAG patients. However in some cases, operating room surgery is opted for. Trabeculectomy is an important surgery in which an opening in the white of the eye (sclera) is created whilea part of the trabecular meshwork is removed by the doctor. You must remember that surgery may require follow-up sessions and a repeat surgery may also not be impossible.For Infants and congenital glaucoma, surgery is the main treatment.

Therefore, glaucoma is aptly called the silent thief of sight. With 12 million people affected and nearly 1.2 million people being blind from the disease in India, mass-level awareness campaigns must be mounted throughout the country. Also, individuals of all age groups must subject themselves to a comprehensive eye examination periodically. Parents should be alert to their babys eye conditions.Because glaucoma simply doesnt give you a second chance.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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Glaucoma: A leading cause of irreversible blindness - The Times of India Blog

Dr. Marshall Walker will be the guest speaker for Stillwater Medical Foundations First Friday presentation March 5.

Walker is an optometrist whose topic will be Low Vision and Vision Rehabilitation. He is the only board certified low vision specialist in north central Oklahoma. First Friday is still a virtual event, so it will begin its Facebook live stream noon Friday.

1.Can you tell us a little of your background?

I earned his doctorate of optometry with honors from Pennsylvania College of Optometry. I trained at the prestigious Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida and Feinbloom Low Vision Center in Philadelphia. Afterward, I completed a post-graduate residency in ocular disease and refractive surgery through Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry. I served as an assistant clinical professor at the Oklahoma College of Optometry and served at Indian Health Service Clinics throughout Northeastern Oklahoma before starting my practice at Stillwater Eyecare.

2. What are some highlights of your discussions?

Gain an understanding of the difference between low vision and blindness. Learn about the most common eye and brain conditions that can vision loss and how to avoid complications. Introduce assistive technologies to education attendees on ways to improve quality of life in individuals suffering vision impairment.

3. Can you give us an example of the kind of therapy involved in low-vision rehabilitation?

Vision rehabilitation is a team approach which includes a low vision specialist, occupational therapists, mental health professionals and social services coordinators. Different therapy recommendations depend on the needs of the individual patient. Specific rehabilitation therapies vary vastly and could be education of how to use a device to read text, or a training someone to navigate their environment with a white cane.

4. Whats a common misconception about eyesight?

Prevention is key. A common misconception about eyesight is a person will notice if they have a problem. There are many potentially blinding conditions that have no perceivable effects until the condition is advanced. This is why yearly comprehensive eye exams are so important.

5. Is there anything youd like us to know?

If someone has sudden vision change or loss, sudden eye pain or a red eye, they should call to be seen as soon as possible.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Q5: First Friday will feature discussion on low vision - Stillwater News Press

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Hand/Leg/Finger Print RecognitionFace RecognitionVision/Eye Recognition

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MultimediaLightingsOthers

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North America(the United States, Canada, and Mexico)Europe(Germany, France, UK, Russia, and Italy)Asia-Pacific(China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia)South America(Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.)The Middle East and Africa(Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa)

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Automotive Recognition System Market landscape are detailed in this report for your convenience by: CogniVue, EyeSight Technologies, Intel, Qualcomm,...

Some of the most recognizable traditional sports players in the world wear Oakley. Now, Oakley can add Call of Duty League All-Star Seth Scump Abner to its roster to go alongside other Oakley athletes such as Patrick Mahomes, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Erika Hara, and others. Abner, who currently plays for OpTic Chicago, is now the first-ever esports athlete to sign with the iconic sunglass maker. Abner will be relying on Oakleys first eye-wear solution developed specifically for gaming Prizm Gaming Lens Technology.

Why Oakley? The name speaks for itself. When you hear the word Oakley, you think of a very prestigious brand in the glasses space, Abner told The Esports Observer. I watch a ton of sports. I see Oakley all over the place. My favorite sport to watch is baseball and you see those players wearing them every day. Oakley is just an amazing brand, a very cool, and a very hip brand as well. I think Oakley just kinda speaks for itself.

Oakley, with roots already laid deep inside the traditional sports space, sees esports as another competitive space where players share in the pursuit of progression, giving it everything theyve got. Abner encapsulates that vision as he had had to overcome various vision problems in order to become the player he is today.

I cant see anything. Having glasses that help me see and are comfortable are the two most important things I need in a pair, Abner said. Playing at the highest level, I need to be able to see everything and react to everything perfectly with no discomfort. You dont want to have to worry about things inside of the game because of things outside of the game. These Oakleys are pretty much an attachment of me now.

Abner, who used to wear contacts which he said sometimes itch because of bad allergies, now says he wears glasses again. And the prescription lenses that come with a blue-blocking agent, have helped him tremendously.

I used to wear contacts quite a bit, but now I wear only glasses exclusively, Abner said. So again, its just really important and amazing that Ive found a pair that I really like helps with my eye strain. Its just as cool that the brand is Oakley.

Despite the ailments with allergies and eyesight, Abner has been able to dominate the Call of Duty esports scene. In fact, the two-time Major League Gaming (MLG) X Games gold medalist who was awarded the Best Console Player at the 2017 Esports Industry Awards is often referred to as The King.

Ive been wearing their product for probably two months now, Abner said. The prisms fit perfectly under my Turtle Beachs [headset]. With the Oakleys and the Turtle Beachs, I have no strain on the top of my ears, which after eight hours, you can imagine how much that would hurt. I havent had any issues with these so far and theyre just really comfortable and easy to wear while Im gaming.

However, it wasnt just Abners skill in playing Call of Duty that saw Oakley reach out to him for this partnership, but also his philanthropic endeavors. Abner has grown into a global ambassador for esports by interacting with his fans and followers through various forms of content creation. He has also participated in charity streams and recently took part in a philanthropic campaign to honor those battling COVID-19.

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Seth 'Scump' Abner Signed by Oakley as its First Professional Esports Athlete - The Esports Observer