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A vitamin supplement that improves metabolism in the eye appears to slow down damage to the optic nerve in glaucoma. In glaucoma, the optic nerve is gradually damaged, leading to vision loss and, in the worst cases, blindness. High pressure in the eye drives the disease. Glaucoma researchers have long theorized the substance homocysteine is somehow relevant to understanding the disease. Now, researchers have investigated the role of homocysteine in several ways. In the current study, the researchers discovered that when rats with glaucoma were given elevated levels of homocysteine, their disease did not worsen. The researchers also found that...

Only around 5% of the world’s population have hazel eyes. Yet a 2009 study found that 55.2% of their Spanish cohort had hazel-green eyes. This eye color is also more common in Portugal than the global average. But why is there such a concentration of hazel eyes in the Iberian peninsula compared to most other parts of the world? And is the evolution of hazel eyes connected to the genetic history of Iberia? Now there are a two main types of hazel eyes. Iberian DNA and the Evolution of Hazel Eyes... | 15:00 Celtic History Decoded | 48.5K subscribers |...

TAIPEI, April 6 (Reuters) - Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te on Sunday offered zero tariffs as the basis for talks with the U.S., pledging to remove trade barriers rather than imposing reciprocal measures and saying Taiwanese companies will raise their U.S. investments. President Donald Trump announced across-the-board import tariffs on Wednesday, with much higher duties for dozens of trading partners, including Taiwan, which runs a large trade surplus with the U.S. and faces a 32% duty on its products. The U.S. tariffs, however, do not apply to semiconductors, a major Taiwanese export.

Stepping into the van guarded by armed soldiers with five surgeons and nurses, Zheng Zhi didn’t know he was entering into a world that would haunt him for the next quarter of a century. Dr. Zheng, then a resident doctor at one of China’s largest military hospitals, knew little more than they were on a “secret military mission” near a military prison located around the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian. A light blue fabric covered the four sides of the vehicle, shielding it from any curious glances. When the door opened, four burly soldiers carried in a man whose limbs...

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said Monday on CNN’s “The Source” that President Donald Trump has America “staring the death of democracy in the eyes.” Partial transcript as follows: COLLINS: Senator Murphy, as we look at the developments that have happened, in the last 48 hours, what are your concerns about this moment that we’re at with the courts, with the President, and with this suggestion from two of his top advisers that maybe they defy the court’s rulings? MURPHY: Yes, listen, I mean, this isn’t hyperbole to say that we are staring the death of democracy in the eyes, right...

Florida first lady Casey DeSantis is considering running to replace her husband as governor when his final term runs out, according to a report. Donors are pushing her to run because her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, cannot seek re-election when his second term ends in 2026, NBC News reported, citing multiple sources. “I would say this: I have heard donors have been urging her to run and that while it’s not something she has wanted to do, they are causing her to at least stop and listen,” a source told the outlet. The prospect — which would make her the...

There is something unique about the color purple: Our brain makes it up. So you might just call purple a pigment of our imagination. It’s also a fascinating example of how the brain creates something beautiful when faced with a systems error. To understand where purple comes from, we need to know how our eyes and brain work together to perceive color. And that all begins with light. Light is another term for electromagnetic radiation. Most comes from the sun and travels to Earth in waves. There are many different types of light, which scientists group based on the lengths...

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), a close ally of President-elect Trump and a rising GOP star in the House, is taking steps toward announcing a gubernatorial run in 2026. Sources say Donalds has approached Florida-based donors about running and has made a number of notable political hires, including Trump’s 2016 and 2024 presidential pollster Tony Fabrizio. Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) selection of Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) in the Senate has created an even wider opening for Donalds, who would have some of the highest name recognition in the GOP field.

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...

An experimental eye implant could be the secret to restoring a patient’s central vision—the part of our eye that lets us see faces, details, and letters more clearly. Many patients now using the implant as part of a clinical trial have reported successful results. The implant was developed by Science Corporation, a competitor to Elon Musk’s Neuralink, which Musk plans to use to merge humans and AI together. The company announced preliminary results for its latest clinical trial this week, reporting that some study participants can now see well enough to read from books, play cards, and more. All of...

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...

Researchers have identified cases of sterile intraocular inflammation, including severe retinal vasculitis, associated with faricimab injections used to treat eye conditions including age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. Faricimab is a monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factors and angiopoietin pathways to stabilize blood vessels and reduce abnormal growth. FDA approved, it is commonly administered for neovascular age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema. Clinical trials have previously demonstrated its efficacy and an acceptable safety profile. In a retrospective case series study, researchers reviewed the records of seven patients referred to the ophthalmology department of the University Hospital...

Social media marveled at JD Vance's 'pretty eyes' as Google searches for eyeliner exploded during his VP debate against Tim Walz. The high-stakes showdown between GOP Sen. J.D. Vance and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz comes with just 35 days left until the election and with polls showing it could be one of the closest races in decades. However, some on X getting a first look at Vance seemed entranced by the Ohio Senator's eyes. Even Democrats seemed taken with Vance, one writing: 'I don't know much about Vance, but I'm entranced by his icy blue eyes,' before clarifying she wasn't...

Drug repurposing shows promise in the treatment of retinal degenerations, according to a new study. A combination treatment incorporating three existing drugs—tamsulosin, metoprolol and bromocriptine—slowed disease progression in pre-clinical retinopathy models. Drug repurposing refers to the use of existing drugs to treat diseases or conditions that they were not originally developed or approved for. The new study focused on drug repurposing in the context of inherited retinal degenerations, IRDs. IRDs are a group of genetic diseases that cause the deterioration of retinal anatomy and function, leading to gradual loss of vision and often blindness. Most IRDs are currently inaccessible therapeutically,...

Slimmers were today warned that weight loss jabs could trigger a worrying eye condition causing blindness. Semaglutide, available as Ozempic and Wegovy, has been hailed as a monumental breakthrough in the war on obesity. But according to US experts, people with diabetes prescribed semaglutide were four times more likely to be diagnosed with non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). And overweight or obese people taking the drugs were seven times more likely to develop the condition, known as an 'eye stroke', than those on other weight-loss medications. Researchers labelled the findings 'significant but tentative' and urged medics to warn patients...

If so, pros/cons? My eyes are getting bad as I get older. Oh, and approximate cost? I know it's a very quick procedure with a 24 hr healing period. Thank you in advance......

A team of medical researchers has found further evidence that regular consumption of melatonin reduces an older person's chances of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that often leads to blindness. In their study, the group researched case histories of 200,000 older patients looking for an association between regular consumption of melatonin and the development of AMD. Prior research has shown that as they age, many people begin to experience degeneration of the macula, a central part of the retina. Currently, approximately 11 million people in the U.S. alone are experiencing vision loss due to AMD. Medical scientists have...

I've got some mild macular degeneration (early 70s) that is making it hard to read. I've got a "pucker" on my right retina that causes some mild distortion which makes it hard to read. The images from the left and right eye don't line up perfectly anymore. My retina specialist doctor says he can operate on the retina to improve the problem, but he can't say for certain what the outcome would be. There's always a risk of any surgery and in this case it could be losing the affected eye. Also, recurrence of the problem in a few years...

Common drugs prescribed to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are associated with an increased risk of glaucoma, a recent Canadian study found. Glaucoma is a progressive eye disease that causes vision loss. Angle-closure glaucoma is a subtype that contraindicates with popular ADHD drugs. Dr. Rami Darwich, an ophthalmology resident and the study’s lead author, told The Epoch Times that the study “does not establish causation but rather highlights an elevated risk of glaucoma.” Common ADHD Drugs Many popular ADHD drugs are sympathomimetic drugs, meaning they activate the sympathetic nervous system to help people focus. However, their downstream effects can inadvertently contribute...

Dick Bramer, 76, likes to watch birds. But for two years he couldn't see them well enough to identify the various species. Bramer suffered what doctors diagnosed as an ocular stroke (they said a small particle of plaque must have blocked blood flow to the optic nerve) in one eye. A friend happened to tell about Low Vision Restoration in Blaine, Minnesota. Optometrist Chris Palmer prescribes devices that can help improve people's vision when other glasses can't. Palmer fitted Bramer with the devices, which are like miniature binoculars or telescopes affixed to regular glasses. Bramer tried them out and suddenly...