Los Angeles Location: (310) 208-1384
Search Articles





Recent News
------------------------------------
Computer Vision Syndrome: Children and Teens
Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is defined as the complex of eye, vision and body problems associated with excessive computer use. Most parents are rightly concerned about the types of people or subject matter that their children and teenagers mi.... Read More

Dry Eye Symptoms: Causes and Treatments
As discussed in the Introduction article, there are three main areas that contribute to dry eye symptoms: Inadequate tear production Tears that evaporate too quickly from the ocular surfaces Imbalance between the three main components of normal .... Read More

Dry Eye Symptoms: Introduction
There are multiple causes behind the symptoms, so finding the specific cause and the best treatment is not as straightforward as it may seem. Also, the term “dry eyes” may actually be one symptom of other conditions, such as.... Read More

Dry Eye Symptoms: Meibomian Gland Dysfunction
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is the term used for a family of eyelid margin disorders that cause symptoms such as redness, swelling, itching or burning, dryness, crusty lid margins, grittiness, and even the eventual loss of eyelashes. MGD is.... Read More

What's Your Vision "Eye-Q?"
According to a survey done by the American Optometric Association, the first American Eye-Q ™ parents lack important knowledge about eye health and vision care for their children and themselves. Want to see how you do against the original part.... Read More

 
Articles


Browse: A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

Search by Title:
 

Search by Categories:

Medical Eyecare
Eye Conditions and Diseases
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Cataracts
Computer Vision Syndrome
Conjunctiva
Contact Lens Conditions
Cornea and Sclera
Diabetes
Eyelids / Orbit
Glaucoma
Iris
Lacrimal System
Neurological Disorders
Retinal / Vitreous Diseases
Strabismus and Binocular Vision Disorders
Trauma
Vision Conditions
Refractive Surgery


AMD Discovery: New Hope for Treatment of Vision Loss "This discovery brings us one step closer to treating dry AMD which could significantly improve the quality of life of seniors who are most affected by this eye disease"

Scientists have won a major battle in the fight against age-related macular degeneration or AMD a blinding eye disease that affects millions of people. An international team led by researchers at Sainte-Justine Hospital and the Université de Montréal has identified the deficient receptor that causes the dry form of AMD.

In the February edition of the medical journal PLoS Medicine the researchers explain how a deficiency of the CD36 receptor prevents the evacuation of oxidized lipids in the eye. Those oxidized lipids in turn accumulate and attack the layers beneath and over the retina - thereby causing vision loss.

"Our discovery has important implications for the development of new therapies" explains lead researcher Dr. Sylvain Chemtob who co-authored the paper with Université de Montréal collaborator Dr. Huy Ong a professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Florian Sennlaub of the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM) in France.

Chemtob a neonatal researcher at Sainte-Justine Hospital and a professor at the Université de Montréal's Department of Pediatrics and School of Optometry used mice and rat models to pinpoint the scavenger receptor responsible for retinal degeneration typical of dry AMD. "We found that a deficiency in CD36 receptors leads to significant and progressive age-related macular degeneration " he says. CD36 deficiency leads to central vision loss - a key feature of dry AMD.

"This discovery brings us one step closer to treating dry AMD which could significantly improve the quality of life of seniors who are most affected by this eye disease" added co-author Dr. Huy Ong. "Now that we have also developed the molecules that activate CD 36 receptor we are working on the validation of the efficacy of these molecules as potential therapeutic agents for dry AMD treatment with prospect at the horizon of 2015."

Wet and dry AMD remain an alarming cause of vision loss in the western world which according to the AMD Alliance International affect 30 million people aged 50 and over. Dry AMD is the most pervasive of the disorders and affects 90 percent of AMD cases.