Ophthalmic Disorders Archives

An Update on Artificial Intelligence for Detecting Diabetic Eye Disease: All Hype or the New Reality?

By

Ehsan Rahimy, MD

July 23, 2020

Deep learning has shown substantial promise to date in automated image analysis towards the accurate diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy.

Medicine

Avaclyr Approved for the Treatment of Acute Herpetic Keratitis

By

Diana Ernst, RPh

April 4, 2019

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Avaclyr (acyclovir ophthalmic ointment; Fera Pharmaceuticals) 3% for the treatment of acute herpetic keratitis (dendritic ulcers) in patients with herpes simplex (HSV-1 and HSV-2) virus.

Medicine

First “Humanized” Mouse Model of Sjögren’s Syndrome Opens Door to Study Other Autoimmune Diseases

February 12, 2015

Researchers at The Ohio State University have announced the development of the first chimeric mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome—giving scientists an unprecedented look at the progression of the debilitating “dry eye” disease.

Medicine

New Findings Show Chronic High Blood Pressure Increases Risk of Glaucoma

January 12, 2015

Glaucoma, the second-leading cause of blindness in the world, is a condition that occurs when too much pressure builds up inside the eye. This excess pressure pushes back against blood trying to enter the eye, resulting in vision loss.

Medicine

HIV/AIDS Drugs Could Be Repurposed to Treat Age-Related Macular Degeneration

December 6, 2014

AMD is a progressive condition that is untreatable in up to 90% of patients and is a leading cause of blindness in the elderly worldwide. The 2 forms of AMD, wet and dry, are classified based on the presence or absence of blood vessels that have invaded the retina.

Ophthalmology

Home Eye Tests and Apps: Are Your Patients Seeing the Whole Picture?

September 9, 2014

Doctors encourage patients to become more active with regard to their health care. They know that engaged patients are more likely to have better treatment outcomes. The Internet, smart phones, and apps now provide patients with unprecedented access to health care tools, including home eye tests and other do-it-yourself diagnostic exams. This technology may help patients feel more confident about seeking early treatment, but ophthalmologists and optometrists know that home eye tests and apps can provide misleading results. The key message for patients is that an online eye examination is not a substitute for seeing a doctor who can detect much more than poor vision. Eye doctors frequently catch other illnesses, and detect chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology in Retrospect

July 9, 2014

Medicine doesn’t change by the century, year, month, or even day; it changes by the minute. In particular, the field of ophthalmology has undergone transformative advances since becoming the first medical specialty in the mid-1800s. These 5 recent medical breakthroughs—along with related developments in the pipeline—represent the past, present, and future of ophthalmology.

Medicine

Lyme Disease: Ocular Signs

June 12, 2014

Lyme disease, a serious illness transmitted to humans by infected blacklegged ticks, leads to a variety of symptoms for patients. The CDC reports that common symptoms may include fatigue, headache, fever, and a characteristic erythema migrans rash. However, patients who have contracted Lyme disease may also experience some ocular symptoms.

Ophthalmology

Doctor: Are There Monsters in My Eyes?

May 7, 2014

Have patients inquired whether there are monsters eating away at their eyes? They may have if they recently travelled outside of the US. Parasitic eye infections are relatively uncommon in the US, but they are a significant cause of eye problems throughout the world. Americans who travel abroad to lands where eye parasites are common are at high risk for developing monsters in their eyes.

Ophthalmology

First Came Glasses, Then Contacts; Now the Bionic Eye?

April 9, 2014

In the fictional universe of Star Trek exists a device called a VISOR. Its a thin apparatus worn like a pair of sunglasses by the blind to artificially provide them with a sense of vision. VISORs can detect electromagnetic signals and transmit them to a users brain through neural implants in their temples. However, instead of seeing the world as human eyes do, someone wearing a VISOR is able to see infrared and ultraviolet light and beyond. When the fictional technology of the VISOR was conceived, it was far from becoming a reality, but today, a device very similar to this is already being used by blind patients.