Uveal Melanoma: The Basics
The uvea of the eye is a vascular tunic comprised of the iris, ciliary body, and choroid. Located between the sclera and the retina, the uvea contains dendritic pigmented melanocytes which have the potential to give rise to malignant melanoma. Patients with choroidal melanoma typically present as adults with painless monocular vision loss, while a cataract or glaucoma may be the presenting feature of an anterior segment melanoma.Approximately half of patients with choroidal and ciliochoroidal melanomas eventually die from their tumors. Prognosis is better in cases localized to the iris, presumably because they are recogniz...
Source: neuropathology blog - February 1, 2018 Category: Radiology Tags: eye Source Type: blogs
Soft, Transparent, and Comfortable Contact Lens Measures Glucose, Intraocular Pressure
A team of researchers in South Korea has developed a soft electronic contact lens capable of measuring glucose and intraocular pressure, a development that may help diabetes and glaucoma patients monitor their conditions. There have been previous attempts by ambitious companies and universities to do so in the past, but the results were not very practical. Specifically, the lenses were constructed of fairly rigid materials that made them uncomfortable, while opaque metal wires obscured vision.
The Korean team managed to pull off their feat using flexible and see-through materials, most notably sheets of graphene and metal ...
Source: Medgadget - January 25, 2018 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Diagnostics Medicine Ophthalmology Source Type: blogs
Biodegradable Pressure Sensor Doesn ’t Need to be Removed After Implantation
Researchers at the University of Connecticut have developed a biodegradable pressure sensor that can be implanted in the body and help clinicians to monitor a variety of conditions over extended periods of time. What makes this sensor different from existing ones is that it doesn’t need to be removed and will eventually dissolve in the body, eliminating the risk of infection and the longer recovery associated with an invasive surgical procedure to remove a sensor.
Clinicians can use implantable pressure sensors to monitor a variety of health conditions, including brain swelling as in hydrocephalus, chronic lung diseases,...
Source: Medgadget - January 18, 2018 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Source Type: blogs
Medical marijuana
There are few subjects that can stir up stronger emotions among doctors, scientists, researchers, policy makers, and the public than medical marijuana. Is it safe? Should it be legal? Decriminalized? Has its effectiveness been proven? What conditions is it useful for? Is it addictive? How do we keep it out of the hands of teenagers? Is it really the “wonder drug” that people claim it is? Is medical marijuana just a ploy to legalize marijuana in general?
These are just a few of the excellent questions around this subject, questions that I am going to studiously avoid so we can focus on two specific areas: why do patient...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - January 15, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Peter Grinspoon, MD Tags: Complementary and alternative medicine Drugs and Supplements Health Pain Management Source Type: blogs
How to treat dry eyes
How common are dye eyes?The prevalence of dry eyes has been estimated to be 5-30% percent in persons aged 50 years and older, 7% of US adult population has been diagnosed with dry eye disease. The prevalence increases with age (2.7% in those 18 to 34 years old vs. 19% in those aged 75 years and older). Prevalence is higher in women than men (9% versus 4%).What are the risk factors for dry eye disease?- Advanced age- Female gender- Hormonal changes (primarily due to decreased androgens)- Systemic diseases (eg, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson disease)- Contact lens wear- Systemic medications (antihistamines, anticholinergi...
Source: Clinical Cases and Images - Blog - January 2, 2018 Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: noreply at blogger.com (Ves Dimov) Tags: Ophthalmology Source Type: blogs
Ocular Drug Delivery Implant Treats Glaucoma From Inside the Eye
Glaucoma is an eye disease that can damage the optic nerve and lead to irreversible vision loss. It affects an estimated 60 million people around the world, but is one of the most easily treatable diseases, typically only requiring medicated drops. Unfortunately, prescription eye drops are one of the most difficult drug delivery methods to adhere to; patients are often required to take their eye drops up to three times a day, and much of the drug misses the the target location on the eye and ends up in the patient’s blood, or in many cases, misses the eye altogether.
At UCSF, researcher Dr. Tejal Desai has developed ...
Source: Medgadget - November 28, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Scott Jung Tags: Ophthalmology Source Type: blogs
EYEMATE Implantable Continuous Intraocular Pressure Monitor Validated in Initial Patients
Implandata, a Hannover, Germany firm, just announced that the first patients has been implanted with its EYEMATE continuous intraocular pressure (IOP) monitor and the technology passed initial validation. Glaucoma, as well as a few other less common eye conditions, require regular IOP measurements in order to properly adjust how much medications to take. Typically, this is done at the doctor’s office using a handheld tonometer, but such measurements are performed infrequently and vary significantly throughout even a single day.
The EYEMATE consists of an implant placed into the eye and a sensor that’s position...
Source: Medgadget - November 17, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Ophthalmology Source Type: blogs
The Future of Vision and Eye Care
3D printed digital contact lenses, bionic eye implants, augmented reality eye condition explainers: the future of vision and eye care are full of science fiction-sounding innovations. Here is where digital health will take ophthalmology in the future!
More than 80 percent of perception comes through vision
Researchers estimate that 80-85 percent of our perception, learning, cognition, and activities are mediated through vision. Compared to that, our hearing only processes 11 percent of information, while smell 3.5 percent, touch 1.5 percent and taste 1 percent. Don’t you think that’s possible? Renowned scholars, ...
Source: The Medical Futurist - October 26, 2017 Category: Information Technology Authors: nora Tags: Augmentation in Medicine Cyborgization Medical Augmented Reality 3d printing AI diabetes digital digital health eye care future guide Healthcare Innovation ophthalmology Personalized medicine technology vision Source Type: blogs
Fall 2017 Issue of Findings Magazine
It’s back! Check out the new issue of Findings magazine.
Findings presents cutting-edge research from scientists in diverse biomedical fields. The articles are aimed at high school students with the goal of making science—and the people who do it—interesting and exciting, and to inspire young readers to pursue careers in biomedical research. In addition to putting a face on science, Findings offers activities such as quizzes and crossword puzzles and, in its online version, video interviews with scientists.
The Fall 2017 issue profiles Yale University biologist Enrique De La Cruz, who studies how actin—a protein ch...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - September 12, 2017 Category: Research Authors: Chris Palmer Tags: Being a Scientist Cell Biology Chemistry and Biochemistry Computers in Biology Cool Images Field Focus Genetics Pharmacology Physical Trauma and Sepsis Structural Biology Source Type: blogs
The Mysterious Demise of World Health Networks - Fugitive Kazakhs, the Trump Organization, Dodgy Visa Applications, Oh My
DiscussionAs we have previously discussed, based on the doctrines ofneoliberalism ormarket fundamentalism, the US health care system is increasingly dominated by for-profit corporations. The practice of medicine is increasinglycorporate. Hospitals and hospital systems are increasingly owned by for-profit corporations. Health insurance is increasingly provided by for-profit companies. Drug, device and biotechnology companies have been almost entirely commercial for a long time. And touted as sources of innovations, there are entrepreneurial start-ups everywhere offering new products and s...
Source: Health Care Renewal - July 27, 2017 Category: Health Management Tags: crime Donald Trump market fundamentalism marketing neoliberalism public health Steward Health Care Source Type: blogs
Neuroinflammation in Age-Related Retinal Degeneration
Chronic inflammation in nervous system tissue is a common theme in age-related neurodegenerative diseases, including those that affect the retina. One source of this inflammation is the activities of microglia, a class of immune cell resident in the central nervous system. Microglia have a number of important roles to play in nervous system function beyond those of clearing debris and destroying errant cells. As immune function and tissue integrity become disarrayed with age, microglia grow overactive and inflammatory to the point of causing harm rather than helping to resolve issues. Due to the complexity of cellular meta...
Source: Fight Aging! - July 26, 2017 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
EYEMATE Implant That Measures Intraocular Pressure Now Cleared in Europe
Patients with certain eye conditions, particularly glaucoma, need regular testing of their intraocular pressure (IOP), which involves an in-office procedure during which a clinician uses a tonometer to take readings. The IOP can vary significantly throughout the day, and similar to blood pressure, events far outside the normal range can be frequently missed.
Implandata, a company out of Hannover, Germany, just won European approval to introduce its EYEMATE system for continous monitoring of intraocular pressure, even when the patient is comfortably at home. The product consists of a sensor that is implanted into the eye as...
Source: Medgadget - May 31, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Ophthalmology Source Type: blogs
Beauty is in the Eye
Our eyes are the gateway to countless brilliant sights. However, as evidenced by the images on this page, the eye itself can be breathtakingly exquisite as well. This May, as we celebrate Healthy Vision Month with the National Eye Institute, we hope sharing the beauty hidden in your eyes will inspire you to take the necessary steps to protect your vision, prevent vision loss and make the most of the vision you have remaining.
Visit NEI to learn more about caring for your eyes.
Happy Healthy Vision Month!
Eyes are beautiful, and they take on a whole new look in this agate-like image, which highlights just how complex mamma...
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - May 16, 2017 Category: Research Authors: Kathryn Calkins Tags: Cell Biology Cellular Imaging Cellular Processes Cool Images Source Type: blogs
Using Eye Exams to Spot Alzheimer ’ s Warning Signs
The exact mechanisms underlying the devastation that is Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are not entirely understood, but researchers do know that inflammation in the brain is related to the onset of the disease. Now, through a basic eye exam, clinicians may be able to spot AD warning signs, including inflammation, long before symptoms appear.
Normally, the brain depends on tau protein to receive nutrients and get rid of waste. When a toxic form of the tau protein clumps together, it forms tangles that are noxious to the brain. These toxic tau proteins may be at least partly responsible for the inflammation that is characterist...
Source: World of Psychology - May 13, 2017 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Psych Central Staff Tags: Alzheimer's Brain Blogger Disorders Publishers Research Alzheimer's disease cataract eye exams Glaucoma inflamed tissue Inflammation Jennifer Gibson neurodegenerative brain damage retina tau protein University Of Texas Warn Source Type: blogs
Keep your seasonal allergies in check
Seasonal allergies can be frustrating. When spring crawls in, many people begin to experience all-too-familiar itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, and congestion. Symptoms of seasonal allergies are the result of an immune system in overdrive in response to pollen and other allergens. Those bothersome symptoms are intended to protect you from unwanted foreign particles, but in this situation they end up causing misery. There are quite a few options when it comes to controlling allergy symptoms, but we want to watch out for a few that can be quite dangerous when used incorrectly.
Nasal steroids
The first-line treatment for se...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 1, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Dominic Wu, MD Tags: Asthma and Allergies Ear, nose, and throat Health Source Type: blogs
