Tag

Blindness

All articles tagged with #blindness

Groundbreaking Central Retina Transplant Restores Sight in Woman
health4 hours ago

Groundbreaking Central Retina Transplant Restores Sight in Woman

Turin surgeons performed the world’s first simultaneous transplant of the central retina (macula) along with cornea and sclera from Elena’s left eye to her right eye, enabling the 67-year-old to immediately recognize her son and her dog after years of blindness. The six-hour procedure, led by Professor Michele Reibaldi at Molinette Hospital, used the undamaged optic nerve in the right eye while salvaging tissues from the left eye, signaling a new frontier in ocular surgery with early signs of success.

Georgia Woman Alleges GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Led to Blindness in Multistate Lawsuit
health1 month ago

Georgia Woman Alleges GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Led to Blindness in Multistate Lawsuit

A Georgia woman says Wegovy caused sudden, irreversible blindness (NAION) and is part of a multi-district lawsuit against Novo Nordisk and Lilly alleging known risks were not disclosed; the companies deny a causal link and highlight ongoing safety reviews, while regulators have not yet added a US warning, and the case is expected to unfold over years.

Bedtime kiss with a guide dog triggers a medical miracle of sight
health1 month ago

Bedtime kiss with a guide dog triggers a medical miracle of sight

Lisa Reid, who lost her sight at 11 due to a cancerous brain tumor, lived 13 years blind before a clumsy night-time fall—hitting her head on a coffee table while kissing her guide dog Ami—that incident coincided with a partial restoration of her vision. She woke up the next morning to sight she hadn’t had in years, a phenomenon doctors can’t explain, and later spoke publicly to raise awareness for Blind Week in New Zealand.

Congenital blindness reveals surprising clues about schizophrenia
science3 months ago

Congenital blindness reveals surprising clues about schizophrenia

Across seven decades of observations and a major 2018 study, scientists have repeatedly found that people born blind due to cortical (brain) damage do not develop schizophrenia, unlike those who become blind later or whose blindness comes from eye disease. The protection seems tied to how the visual cortex is repurposed early in life, potentially stabilizing the brain’s predictive processing and reducing misfired predictions that underlie psychosis. Timing matters: loss of vision later in life doesn’t confer the same protection. These findings point to new directions for treatment that could target perception, learning, and brain circuits (including glutamate systems in the visual cortex) alongside traditional dopamine-focused approaches, though blindness is not a practical safeguard. This line of research deepens our understanding of brain development and the origins of schizophrenia.”

Brain scans reveal how humans map space with echoes
science4 months ago

Brain scans reveal how humans map space with echoes

An EEG study comparing expert echolocators to sighted participants shows that returning echoes help the brain build a spatial map of the surroundings, with the best performance from individuals who were blind from an early age. Echo-based perception improves over successive clicks, engaging both auditory and visual brain pathways and illustrating brain plasticity when vision is absent.

AI mirrors give blind people a new view of themselves
technology6 months ago

AI mirrors give blind people a new view of themselves

AI-powered apps like Be My Eyes and Envision act as audible mirrors for blind users, providing real-time feedback on appearance and makeup guidance, a development that can empower self-image but also raises concerns about AI bias, accuracy (including hallucinations), and potential mental-health effects, with limited research on long-term impact.

Support for the Visually Impaired
religion7 months ago

Support for the Visually Impaired

The article discusses how Jehovah's Witnesses support and provide resources for people who are blind or have low vision, emphasizing God's care and the biblical hope for the future where the blind will see. They offer accessible Bible publications in braille, large print, and audio, along with inclusive meetings and community support, demonstrating compassion and respect for individuals with visual impairments.

Rare Vision Loss Risks Linked to Popular Diabetes and Weight Loss Drugs
health1 year ago

Rare Vision Loss Risks Linked to Popular Diabetes and Weight Loss Drugs

A Maryland man claims that the popular diabetes and weight loss drug Ozempic caused his sudden, irreversible blindness due to a rare condition called NAION, raising concerns about the drug's safety and the need for clearer warnings. Emerging research and regulatory reviews are investigating the potential link between semaglutide medications and this serious side effect.