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The retina places a large energy demand on the body, in part due to the activity of photoreceptors. These specialized cells are responsible for receiving light and transmitting visual information to the brain. Photoreceptor death is the cause of vision loss in many retinal diseases, and there are no effective therapies that improve their survival. In a paper, researchers studied the dependence of photoreceptors on glutamine. Their results indicate that maintaining the balance of amino acids in these cells is important for photoreceptor health. The energy requirements of photoreceptors make them vulnerable to small changes in metabolism. Glutamine feeds into...

With 'near time' identified as a problem, parents urged to boosting outdoor timeNew research shows the rate of myopia among children and teens worldwide has tripled over the past three decades, with a particularly steep increase noted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. A paper in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, which reviewed 276 studies published to June 2023 from around the world, concluded that more than one in three of all children and teens are nearsighted, triple what it was in 1990. "Emerging evidence suggests a potential association between the pandemic and accelerated vision deterioration among...

A study from Tufts University found that daily consumption of pistachios can enhance eye health by increasing macular pigment optical density (MPOD), which helps protect against blue light and age-related eye damage. This benefit is attributed to pistachios’ unique content of lutein, a plant pigment essential for eye health and potentially useful in preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Daily pistachios boost eye health by raising lutein, protecting against age-related damage, and supporting brain function. A recent study by researchers at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy suggests that eating pistachios daily may greatly benefit eye health. This...

A total of 280 patients presenting 280 eyes were enrolled and received a series of ocular examinations. Each of our specially designed capsules contained 190 mg bromelain, 95 mg papain and 95 mg ficin. Results: In Experiment 1, 80 subjects with one SVO (symptomatic vitreous opacity, or “eye floater”) were reduced to 24 cases (30.0%; 24/80), 40 participants with multiple SVOs were decreased to 11 cases (27.5%; 11/40) three months later. In Experiment 2, the numbers of patients with SVOs in the placebo group was similar after three months. The disappeared rates of SVOs by treatment with fruit enzymes was...

Just three minutes of exposure to deep red light once a week, when delivered in the morning, can significantly improve declining eyesight, finds a pioneering new study by UCL researchers. In summary, researchers found there was, on average, a 17% improvement in participants' color contrast vision when exposed to three minutes of 670 nanometre (long wavelength) deep red light in the morning and the effects of this single exposure lasted for at least a week. However, when the same test was conducted in the afternoon, no improvement was seen. In humans around 40 years old, cells in the eye's retina...

Paul McCartney revealed the “eye yoga” he’s practiced for decades, saying it's the reason he still didn’t need glasses at the age of 78. The former Beatle said he discovered the exercises in India, where a yogi explained the reasoning to him. “He explained that your eyes are muscles whereas your ears aren’t, so you can’t exercise your ears,” McCartney noted on a recent episode of Table Manners With Jessie Ware. “But your eyes, you can.” He went on to explain how this works: “So, head still, and then you look up as far as you can – one, two,...

Eye doctors have revealed the optical symptoms that signal various health issues in your body. Simple changes in your eyes can indicate a range of serious health and lifestyle problems including diabetes, too much screen time and sun exposure. Ophthalmologist and the director of Personaleyes, Dr Kerrie Meades, reveals the signs to be aware of and when it's time to visit your doctor.

BAGHDAD — When Army Maj. Anne Burnley was told she only had 90 days to make a difference in Iraq, she knew she had to come up with something fast. “When I arrived here, I was told (by my commander) to be bold, find a project that was close to my heart and run with it,” Burnley said. The preventive medicine officer deployed to Baghdad in May to support the 358th Civil Affairs Brigade as an individual augmentee. She wanted to begin a medical project that was sustainable and could be done in a short amount of time. After conducting...