Heard of Pinguecula?

Have you heard of pinguecula? No? Well, it is a degenerative eye condition where there is a thickening of the membrane on the white part of the eye close to the cornea. And it is caused by sun damage. 

People who live near the equator, like us, are particularly vulnerable. Read on to find out more. Click here to read more about the condition and how you can protect yourself against it. One clue: sunglasses. 

Dry Eyes 101

Do you have dry eyes? How to find out if you are suffering from dry eyes? And how to manage it? 

Read this informative piece. Click here. 

Good for the heart, bad for the eyes

Feb 24, 2015

The Straits Times

By Salma Khalik

A GENE mutation in some Chinese is proving to be a double- edged sword. It gives them added protection against heart attacks, but also significantly increases their risk of going blind, a Singapore-led team of researchers has discovered.

A mutation is a change in the structure of the gene that makes it work slightly or totally different from the norm. This particular mutation, found almost exclusively in East Asians, raises the level of HDL or good cholesterol, which protects the heart. About 2 per cent to 3 per cent of the Chinese in Singapore have it.

But it also puts them at 70 per cent higher risk of getting age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the top cause of irreversible blindness here, affecting one in 20 people over the age of 40. Among Chinese with AMD, 5 per cent to 7 per cent had the gene mutation - or more than double that found in the population.

This discovery comes from a huge study led by Singapore clinicians and researchers. In it, they looked at over a million genetic markers in the DNA of more than 22,000 people in Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong.

The findings of the year-long study were published last month in Nature Communications, one of the most prestigious research journals in the world. Associate Professor Cheng Ching-Yu, a clinician scientist at the Singapore Eye Research Institute and the study's principal investigator, said the findings do not show if the eye condition is due to the mutation or higher levels of HDL these people have.

But an earlier study of 10,000 Asians had shown that those with AMD generally have higher levels of HDL, so there might be a connection. There is no similar link between high HDL levels and AMD in Caucasians.

Associate Professor Gemmy Cheung, a senior consultant at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), said there is no treatment for early AMD, aside from providing patients with nutrients including vitamins B, C and E.

Treatment for late-stage AMD is monthly or bimonthly injections that cost over $1,000 a jab. Doctors at the SNEC give more than 4,000 such jabs a year, she said, adding that the number has been going up over the years. The SNEC said 145,000 people here suffer from AMD, with 14,000 in the late stage.

In the early stage, vision might be a little hazy with blank spots. In severe cases, a black spot appears in the centre of the vision. If not treated, it can spread, in a matter of weeks or months, to block out all but peripheral sight.

Associate Professor Tai E Shyong, head of endocrinology at the National University Health System (NUHS) and a member of the team, suspects it is "a subset of those with high HDL" who are prone to AMD, as there are different types of HDL.

His gut feel is that the risk of AMD is linked to the type of HDL caused by the mutation. If that is true, then other people with a similar type of HDL, even if they lack the mutation, could also be at higher risk of AMD.

At the very least, he said, knowing the link between the mutation and AMD could help drug companies produce more targeted treatment.

Dr Sharon Siddique, president of the Macular Degeneration Society, Singapore, said: "Those of us with AMD can take heart from new discoveries in prevention and cure. We are lucky to be living in Singapore, where our eye specialists are in the vanguard of global research."

Retina - Highest Oxygen Consuming Tissue of the Body

Did you know that the retina is the highest oxygen-consuming tissue of the body?

According to the January 17, 2003 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry "... the relative oxygen consumption of the mammalian retina is higher than that of the brain and other tissues. It is assumed that, on a per gram basis, the retina is one of the highest oxygen demanding tissues of the human body."

Because the many visual functions of the retina require large amounts of oxygen there is also a high degree of oxidation which means that the retina is very vulnerable to free radical damage.

Prevent and Repair Retinal Degeneration

And free radicals cause damage to our eyes resulting in eye conditions like cataracts and macular degeneration. Foods high in antioxidants fight to prevent and repair the damage caused by these rogue electrons. 

Perhaps like me you need a reminder on how important it is to include antioxidant rich foods in your diet. From fruits and vegetables to green tea and raw cacao, get a list of foods that are most able to fight oxidative damage going on in your eyes:

Two eye treatments for the price of one

Oct 11, 2014

The Straits Times

By Salma Khalik

Get your astigmatism corrected too when you have your cataract or clouded lens removed.

Gleneagles Hospital has bought an $80,000 machine that, coupled with its bladeless cutter, makes the lens placement following the removal of the cataract so accurate that it can even adjust for astigmatism, where vision is distorted or blurred.

Dr Lee Hung Meng, the first ophthalmologist here to use the new system, said it can map the eye, and adjust for any change that occurs when a person lies down. It can also track the centre of the eye, which might shift after the eye is dilated before the procedure. This way, when an incision is made and the new artificial lens is inserted, it will still be centred exactly at the right spot.

Dr Lee added that in eye surgery, a 0.2-0.3mm difference can impact the outcome, making vision less than perfect.

So far 30 patients have benefited from its accuracy since the new machine was acquired in end August. The public sector does not use such equipment currently but the National University Hospital said it is evaluating several machines that provide equally good outcomes. With close to 40,000 cataracts removed here each year - or over 100 every day - cataract surgery is one of the most common eye treatments, especially among older people.

Correcting the problem is simple and quick, taking only about 15 to 20 minutes. Cost varies from about $1,000 for subsidised patients to as high as $9,000 for private patients, for each eye, depending on the lens and method.

Mr S.K. Chan, 59, one of the first to have his cataract done using the new equipment at Gleneagles, said it was well worth the extra $60 for using the new machine. This was for his right eye.

The electronic chip trader said the cataract in his left eye was done earlier without the new device. His verdict: "There's a slight difference. The right eye feels better and has recovered faster."

All eyes on man with clear vision

June 8, 2014

The Sunday Times

By Chang Ai-Lien

Senior Correspondent

Prof Wong Tien Yin is among the most prolific researchers in major eye diseases

Q: You and your team were recently ranked among the world's most prolific researchers in two major eye diseases, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR). Why are these conditions so important?

These two conditions are considered "retinal diseases of ageing" and affect nearly 500 million people globally.

AMD - where the eye's macula (light-sensitive tissue) breaks down - is the leading cause of blindness in elderly people. By 2040, global projected AMD cases could balloon to 288 million, with close to half the cases in Asia.

DR causes abnormal blood vessels to grow over the retina and optic nerve, which then leak and damage them. It affects younger people, is a major cause of vision loss in working adults and is estimated to affect nearly 100 million people worldwide.

Over the past decade, our team at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC), Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri) and the National University of Singapore has led major global studies on the epidemiology, risk, factors, population and patient impact and clinical treatment of these conditions, and our work has been translated into international guidelines on how to manage them.

Q: So what needs to be done?

For AMD, we need greater awareness of this condition, so our elderly population do not assume vision loss is simply due to age. There are now some effective therapies for AMD, but they work best when detected early.

Our studies on DR have shown that controlling blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol in diabetics can reduce the risk of developing retinopathy and slow its progression.

Timely treatment can prevent almost all vision loss. Also, since vision loss may not be present in the earlier stages, regular screening of people with diabetes is essential for early intervention and to prevent blindness.

Q: What are some key findings of your research?We have shown that smoking increases the risk of AMD but more importantly, if someone is a heavy smoker (more than five packs a week), the risk increases threefold.

We have also found an increased risk of AMD in people with hypertension and kidney disease. We now suggest a major paradigm shift in our thinking of AMD - that it is not just an eye disease, but a manifestation of systemic disease.

Our studies also suggest that in some forms of Asian AMD, a combination of laser treatment and eye injections results in good outcomes. This is now the standard of care for Asian AMD.

This contrasts with the Western type of AMD where eye injections alone are effective. With DR, for example, we've now rolled out a national programme with the National Healthcare Group Eye Institute to implement a faster and better way to screen for DR in the polyclinics via telemedicine platforms.

When this is fully rolled out, patients will have results much faster, and can be referred earlier to eye clinics for appropriate treatment.

Q: What's the situation like in the region?

We were one of the first to highlight the significance of AMD in Asia. All along, we thought it was not common, but this was a false premise because Asia simply had a large young population.

In fact, total numbers in Asia will probably be worse than in the West. Seri is leading a group studying 2,000 cases of AMD in Asia, to look at the genetics of the disease in the region. The work is ongoing, but it looks as though there may be some specific Asian genes for the condition. 

Another large global study we are leading on DR involves 25,000 people. In Singapore, our studies show that AMD is seen in 5 to 8 per cent of those aged 40 to 80 years, and is more common in Chinese. And among those with diabetes, about one in three suffers from DR, with the highest rates in Malays and Indians.

Q: You and your team developed a non-invasive scan of the blood vessels at the back of the eyeball, which can predict the risk of disease years before symptoms appear, and before other diagnostic tests can detect diseases ranging from stroke to diabetes and high blood pressure. Now you are using the same technique on dementia. What have you found out?

We are now in the process of improving the automation of non-invasive scans of blood vessels so it can be used by general practitioners and optometrists outside of specialised settings.

In dementia, the initial results have been very promising.

What we've found so far is that if we find vascular damage in the eyes, a patient is more likely to have vascular dementia, where the blood flow to the brain is inadequate. If there is less damage, it's more likely to be Alzheimer's disease. This is important since the treatment options are different for these two forms of dementia.

Q: How can you tell that your research is on the right track?

Early on, we were very good at diseases that Singapore has an edge on, like myopia.

But now, we're getting good at diseases where research is led by big names like Harvard, Johns Hopkins and so on. We're taking on the major diseases that, a decade ago, no one would have thought Singapore would have any hope of making an impact in.

Q: As one of Singapore's pioneering doctor-scientists, how have you seen the research landscape change here?

The first generation of clinician-scientists, which include people like Professors Donald Tan (SNEC medical director) and Aung Tin (Seri's executive director), had to do everything much on their own.

We've trained a second generation who are now leading teams made up of junior researchers. We have 10 to 15 of these third-generation clinician-scientists at Seri, which is quite an achievement. We've walked the walk, now we can guide them.

Q: What's your advice to aspiring researchers?

First, you have to be patient. Success in the biomedical sciences doesn't come so quickly, and it cannot be rushed.

Second, you have to be focused. You can only make an impact if you work hard and long on a single specific condition.

Third, you have to work as a team. No one is an island in the global world of research.

Q: You start your day writing grants and answering e-mails at 5am before seeing patients at 9am, and your day generally ends at 7pm. How much free time do you get, and what do you do?

I am trying to spend time interacting with my kids before they become adults. I have rediscovered squash which I now enjoy playing with my two boys.

ailien@sph.com.sg

MAN OF MANY DISTINCTIONS

Professor Wong Tien Yin, 46, is group director of research at Singapore Health Services, vice-dean of clinical sciences at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, senior consultant and deputy medical director of research at the Singapore National Eye Centre as well as provost chair professor at the National University of Singapore.

A retinal specialist, he balances clinical practice in ophthalmology - focusing on macular and retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration - with a broad-based research programme comprising epidemiological, clinical and translational studies of Asian eye diseases. He has also pioneered the use of retinal imaging to predict disease risk.

He is the world's most prolific author on diabetic macular edema, a major cause of vision loss in diabetics.

He has published more than 800 peer-reviewed papers, been invited to give more than 200 lectures globally, and received more than US$50 million (S$63 million) in grant funding from agencies such as the Biomedical Research Council and the National Medical Research Council in Singapore, the National Institutes of Health in the US, and Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council.

He has received numerous awards, not just for eye research but also for how his work has had an impact on other diseases ranging from diabetes to heart disease. Honours include being named one of "Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World" for "academic leadership in people younger than 40 years of age" in 1999, the Sandra Daugherty Award from the American Heart Association in 2004, and Singapore's premier scientific honour, the President's Science Award, in 2010.

The same year, he was given another top honour - the National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award.

In the US, he was recently honoured by the Macula Society with the prestigious Arnall Patz Medal for his research.

He is married to Dr Ng Hsueh Mei, a family physician; they have two sons, aged 13 and 17.

Impact of eye problems, at a glance

May 25, 2014

The Straits Times

By Janice Tai and Joan Chew

Not being able to see well, or at all, is worse than suffering from diabetes, obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol levels. Malays and Indians here are also more afflicted by visual problems than Chinese. These were the findings of a first-of-its-kind study involving more than 10,000 Singaporeans aged between 40 and 80.

It compared the loss of quality of life that poor eyesight brings with that of other chronic conditions, and could possibly guide policymakers working on programmes to tackle eye diseases.

Published in the top eye research journal Ophthalmology last month, the study - which culled data from three other population- based eye studies - found that for every 100,000 people here, the burden of visual impairment for the Chinese was equivalent to 512 healthy people dying every year. The impact was even greater for Malays and Indians, with the figure calculated at 707 and 609 respectively.

Hypertension is second on the list, and its burden is equivalent to 506 Chinese, 599 Indians and 698 Malays dying annually out of every 100,000 people.

The local study also found visual impairment to be associated with anxiety or depression in Indians, but not in Chinese and Malays. The study by researchers and doctors from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri) did not find out why this was so.

Principal investigator Assistant Professor Luo Nan from NUS' Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health suggested that it could be due to factors such as social support and economic status. Study co-investigator Marcus Ang, an associate consultant with cornea service at the Singapore National Eye Centre, was not surprised by the findings.

He said that while conditions such as diabetes and hypertension may lead to life-threatening complications, patients may otherwise be symptom-free and can go about their daily activities normally. But eye issues can affect a person's day-to-day living, even making simple tasks such as putting on clothes difficult to perform. He said: "This may lead to feelings of sadness when they are unable to do things they used to enjoy."

Doctors expect an ageing population to lead to more people living with visual impairment. After all, four of the top five causes of blindness here - cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, refractive errors such as short-sightedness, and diabetic retinopathy - are linked to ageing.

Dr Ang has observed that patients delay treatment for visual problems, especially those who see poorly with one eye but can still see with the other. It is why Seri is conducting studies to understand Asian patients' health-seeking behaviour, he said.

Prof Luo's team is also studying the economic costs of visual impairment through another study of 1,000 people. Both doctors said they hope primary care doctors can also step in to treat symptoms of visual impairment, since they are already caring for patients with chronic medical conditions.

Housewife Moddiappah Sellamah, 77, was part of the Singapore Indian Eye Study which was analysed for this large-scale eye study. Her daughter, 60-year-old Vaiyapuri Nallamal, said Madam Sellamah is healthy except for the cataracts she has been suffering from over the last two years.

The cataracts, which do not require surgery yet, have caused her to mistake people on the streets and board the wrong bus. Madam Nallamal said the elderly woman, who has an independent streak, "will never admit that her eyes are not good" and it can get exasperating for the family when she insists that the numbers and colours she sees are correct.

Dr Ang said people who experience blurred vision or other visual symptoms should see a doctor for a proper evaluation. Some eye diseases such as glaucoma do not cause symptoms in the early stages, so people with risk factors such as a family history of the disease should still go for eye screenings.

Berry berry bright

Interesting new product for eye health from Japan. Spotted this advertisement in The Straits Times this week. Can't vouch for the quality of this product but thought it might be useful to macular degeneration patients. 

Happy Easter! 

Shark eye drops to treat MD?

As unbelievable as it may sound, scientists have found that sharks could help to treat macular degeneration. Yes, sharks! 

Experts have been keen to find out why sharks rarely develop illnesses. They found that sharks have squalamine, a compound produced by sharks to stop them getting infections. 

Squalamine is extracted from the liver of sharks and can prevent the abnormal growth of blood vessels. It reduces the growth of unwanted blood vessels by a third. 

Now, scientists have synthesised squalamine into a chemical and made eye drops out of it. Trials are underway in US. 

Read this Daily Mail article and this Medical Daily story for more. Check out this video by Ohr Phamaceutical, manufacturer of this new eye drop, too! 

Cholesterol drugs may save sight

Researchers in the United States have found that eye drops designed to lower cholesterol may have an added use: help fight age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The research found that macular degeneration shares the same problem as the hardening of arteries. Both are unable to remove a buildup of fat and cholesterol.

Those who suffer from a hardening of arteries, or atherosclerosis, are usually prescribed medication to lower cholesterol and clear the arteries. Now, by testing on mice and human cells, scientists have discovered that these drugs may be able to prevent AMD. 

By delivering the drugs in the form of eye drops, it can be used directly into the eyes and minimise the chances of side effects through oral administration, say doctors. 

The research is still in its early form, but offers an interesting option to increase ways to treat AMD. Click here and here to read more about this development. 

Aspirin increases risks of AMD

A new study has found that regularly taking aspirin may lead to a slight increase in the likelihood of developing macular degeneration. 

The authors of the new report were quick to point out that for most middle-aged and older adults, any potential concerns about visual decline would not be enough to outweigh the heart-healthy benefits of a daily aspirin. 

Instead, it should be something to keep in mind should any problems with eyesight start to arise, said Dr. Barbara Klein, the lead author of the study and a professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Click here to read more.

Major scientific reports on AMD

At the link below you will find a briefing document by the AMD Alliance International of the major scientific presentations in the field of macular degeneration.

Click here to read more.

S'pore is global leader in eye research

Nov 11, 2012
The Straits Times

By Alphonsus Chern

Founded in 1997 with just 11 employees, the Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri) now has 192 staff, and plans to double its strength over the next decade. It does more than 90 per cent of eye research here, and its prolific output has catapulted Singapore into the global top spot in the field, ahead of heavyweight eye research centres in the United States and Britain.

According to Web of Science, an online academic citation index, Seri is among the top four publishers of ophthalmology-related publications worldwide, alongside the University of London's Moorfields eye hospital, and the Johns Hopkins and Harvard universities in the US.

The journal International Ophthalmology has also highlighted Singapore as the leading contributor of publications per population worldwide. By December last year, Seri conducted more than 850 eye-related studies, received over $120 million in competitive grants, published more than 1,400 scientific papers, received 200 awards for its work and registered 37 patents for its inventions.

It is also punching above its weight in other areas of research. For instance, it has found a way to reliably predict diseases such as stroke, diabetes, hypertension, dementia and kidney disease by looking at retinal blood vessel damage.

A research study that analysed the retinal images of 15,000 patients, combined with the person's age and blood pressure, was able to predict a stroke with 80 per cent accuracy. This method is now being tested in some clinics, but the project is still several years away from completion.

With just $3 million in annual core funding from the Ministry of Health, Seri competes with other groups here and overseas for additional funding, and is hoping to raise more money through endowment grants for research.

It has also run out of space, and there are plans to house the institute together with the Singapore National Eye Centre in a new building, so that researchers can remain in close contact with the doctors who see about 275,000 patients every year.

Seri's Other Breakthroughs

Ocular drug delivery system

Researchers at the Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri) have found a way to inject slow-releasing drugs into the eyeball. This could free people with glaucoma from having to use eye drops daily or risk a worsening of their condition, which could lead to blindness.

Designed to mimic cell membranes in the human body, the special particles developed at Seri can stay in the eye for up to four months, slowly releasing the medication. If trials show the injection treatment works, it could benefit the 10,000 people who go to the eye centre for glaucoma treatment every year.

Corneal surgery

A new laser treatment to correct short-sightedness may be able to reverse it later in life, when patients develop presbyopia, or long-sightedness, instead. Unlike conventional Lasik surgery that vaporises corneal tissue, the new surgery removes a lens-shaped piece of the cornea without destroying it. The piece of corneal tissue, called a lenticule, can be stored and later retrieved to treat the same patient's presbyopia.

It can even be donated to corneal transplant patients. This procedure is not unlike cord blood banking, where an infant's cord blood, stored at birth, may be used years later to treat immune system and blood-related disorders.

Fighting myopia, 1 eye drop a night

Nov 11, 2012
The Straits Times

By Alphonsus Chern
Photojournalist

Singapore researchers have found a way to put the brakes on myopia in children, and even improve the eyesight of a lucky few. Doctors say a simple eye drop could be the best solution to fighting short-sightedness, which afflicts eight in 10 people here by the time they are adults.

"We think we have found the answer to reducing the progression of myopia in children," said Professor Donald Tan, chairman of the Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri), who led the latest study.

"There is reasonable evidence that reducing near-work activities such as reading and playing computer games may slow it down, but not by such a huge margin as the eye drops."

Seri has tried battling myopia on several fronts - using computer software to exercise the brain and an eye gel, for example - but nothing has proven as successful as the latest eye drops. They contain a very dilute solution of the chemical atropine, which has been proven to slow myopia, but can cause problems such as glare and the loss of near vision in higher concentrations.

"We were extremely pleased to find that the children had almost no side effects and the drug was absolutely safe," said Prof Tan of the latest study.

Singapore is the myopia capital of the world, where 7 per cent of five-year-olds are short-sighted and more than 60 per cent are myopic by the time they are in Primary 6. High myopia rates mean more individuals have severe myopia, said Dr Audrey Chia, an adjunct clinician investigator at Seri, adding that they are also at risk of developing potentially blinding eye conditions such as retinal holes, retinal detachment and even glaucoma.

With the new eye drops, myopia in an average child increased at only half the usual rate, so a child who might have had a short-sightedness level of 1,000 degrees in one eye might have a level of just 500, she added. Such eye drops generally do not work on adults as their myopia, if any, would be fully developed.

Myopia occurs when the eyeball grows longer than normal, making it unable to focus on distant objects, and atropine works by slowing this growth. Seri's study was the first in the world to fine-tune the dosage. At a 0.01 per cent concentration - 100 times lower than previously used - the solution worked well with no side effects.

"We feel we have finally arrived at an ideal therapy in 0.01 per cent atropine eye drops," said Prof Tan. "No other approach seems to be as effective and safe."

The five-year trial that ended last year involved 400 children, aged six to 12, who applied a single drop every night.

Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) student Nikhil Daniel Angappan was 10 when he joined the study. At the time, he was moderately short-sighted, with 225 degrees in the left eye and 250 degrees in the right. Now 16, his short-sightedness has stopped at 150 degrees in his left eye and 175 degrees in his right.

"This really was a fantastic programme," said Nikhil, who likes to play rugby. "There was a reduction in myopia and I was still able to have an active lifestyle."

The eye drops are expected to be available to all children here by the middle of next year.At the same time, a further study involving up to 600 children will begin, said Prof Tan. This will fulfil drug registration requirements and test the new eye drop's performance in a real world setting.

Eat Green, Breathe Clean, See Well

MDS again participated in the launch of the AMD Awareness Week organized at the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital last Saturday. The theme this year is “prevention”, and the tagline (which we should all take to heart) is “Eat Green, Breathe Clean, See Well”.

The week was launched at the KTPH Auditorium, with Sharon Siddique and Anny Leow representing MDS. We received a partner plaque from Mr Liak Teng Lit, Group CEO of Alexandra Health System.

One of the most interesting morning presentations was an introduction to the initiatives of the Guide Dogs Association. They are beginning a new programme called “Eye” Live Independently, to promote skills for safe and independent living.

MDS hosted an afternoon session, which was attended by 100 or so participants. The session included short presentations on topics of interest: Food for your Eyes, Prevention of Falls, and tips on overcoming the psychological impact of AMD diagnosis. This was followed by a cooking demonstration, featuring Lutein and Zeaxanthin.

Two of the afternoon’s activities were especially memorable for MDS. First was the opportunity to hear Mr Narindar Sharma, CEO of AMD Alliance International. MDS is a member of AMDAI, and, because of the time zones, Narindar noted that Singapore was the first to “launch” the AMD Week worldwide!

Secondly, Dr Ken Fong, from Malaysia, has just published a VERY interesting book called “Food for Your Eyes”. It fills a much-needed gap for Asian recipes using Asian ingredients. It is written and tested by Dr Fong and his wife, who is a dietitian. Call MDS at 62387387 if you are interested in purchasing a copy.

Dr Fong has generously presented MDS with two complimentary copies of the book, which we intend to give away “lucky draw” style at our MDS outing in November.

Finally, a last piece of good news. Soo Mien, Anny, Kym and Sharon (from Exco) attended the afternoon presentations, and we managed to chat with many attendees who expressed an interest in MDS. We gave away over 150 brochures, so we will hope that this will translate into new members.

AMDAI supplement

Check out the supplement produced by the AMD Alliance International in The Times of London newspaper. Quite a few interesting articles. 

Click here to read it. 

Can we ever cure blindness?

A 46-year-old man called Miikka spotted a simple spelling mistake. A group of scientists had misspelled his name as Mika. He told them as much, and they responded with delight. Why? It was the clearest evidence yet that Miikka, who had been blind for many years, might be able to see again. 

This miracle is thanks to a pioneering chip implanted in his retina. Just as cochlear implants have restored hearing to people once considered deaf, devices like this are being developed that can restore sight to the blind.

Miikka suffers from a particular form of blindness called retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited disease that gradually destroys the light-detecting cells of the retina. As the cells die, a person’s field of view begins to collapse from the edges. Miikka’s case was so advanced that he could only sense the direction of a bright light, and he needed a cane to get around.

Click here to read more of this interesting and comprehensive article in Discover magazine on the various experiments being undertaken to try to find a cure for blindness. The points raised were touched on our speaker Mandeep Singh in a MDS event earlier this month. 

Lose a limb than lose eyesight?

An eye-opening stat: almost 70 per cent of people from around the world would rather give up 10 years of their life, or even sacrifice one of their limbs, than lose their eyesight. 

Three-fourths of people would rather have their pay cut in half than have a permanent 50 per cent decline in the quality of their vision.

Yet less than one third of those polled take the basic steps necessary to preserve eye sight, according to the "Barometer of Global Eye Health," a new global survey released on July 18 by Bausch + Lomb.

This first-of-its-kind public opinion poll sheds new light on the state of consumer awareness, attitudes and behaviors related to eye health. While 80 per cent of visual impairment is preventable if detected and treated early enough, according to the findings not enough people are getting regular eye exams and their reasons for doing so vary wildly.

Click here to read the full report. 

AMD up 25 per cent in US

Vision problems are on the rise in the United States, with age-related macular degeneration playing a driving role in the upsurge, according to a new report. 

AMD is up 25 per cent over the past 12 years. It means more than 2 milion American age 50 and above are now affected. 

The rise mirrors the ageing society. Other eye diseases like diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts have also gone up. 

Click here to read more.

Will computers make you blind?

As a child, your mother always said: "Don't sit so close to the TV, or you'll go blind!" But now almost everyone who works at a desk spends their entire day staring at a screen from distances that are most definitely not "mom-approved."

Do all those hours spent staring at your personal glowing portal to the digital world have an effect on your eyesight? Recent studies show that Mom might have known a thing or two after all. Eyestrain has also been linked with an increased risk of glaucoma.

Click here to read this wonderful article on how computers can strain your eyes and what you can do about it. No, the answer is not to stop using computers. We know that is impossible in today's world. :)