Thyroid Problems Boost Glaucoma Risk

health.msn.com — People with a thyroid disorder run an increased risk of developing the eye disease glaucoma, a new study suggests. In fact, those with glaucoma are 38 percent more likely to have had a thyroid condition at some point in their life, said the study authors, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. "Studies like this are very useful in understanding what causes this disease," said lead researcher Gerald McGwin, vice chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the university's School of Medicine. read more...

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It's a Whole New Outlook for Cataract Patients

health.msn.com — Cataracts used to be terrible to treat. Removing them meant stitches in your eye and days spent recuperating. And artificial replacement lenses only came in one power, which meant eyeglasses for most recipients. But those days are over. Cataract surgery has been honed to the point where it's now done on an outpatient basis, and people are back seeing in no time at all with vision often much improved over what they had -- even before their lenses clouded up. "We don't usually have to put a single stitch in the eye," said Dr. Jim Salz, a clinical professor of ophthalmology at the University of Southern California and a spokesman for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. "We make an incision that seals itself. Recovery is much quicker and much more painless." And many patients aren't only back seeing, they're seeing better than ever, thanks to advances in artificial lenses that more closely mirror normal vision. read more...

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Gene Linked to 'Dry' Macular Degeneration

health.msn.com — Scientists from the United States and China have identified the first gene directly associated with the onset of severe "dry" macular degeneration, one of two forms of age-related macular degeneration that currently threatens the vision of up to nine million older Americans. The discovery, based on work with both human and mice cells, centers on a specific immune system protein called TLR3. Although helpful in fending off illness when confronted with certain viral infections, this molecule, when routinely activated, was also found to raise the risk for "dry" macular degeneration by attacking infected retinal cells. read more...

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Eye surgery blitz continues in central Australia

abc.net.au — Aboriginal people from 13 remote communities, as well as Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, will get sight-restoring operations this week. The procedures will be carried out by local and interstate medical teams at the Alice Springs Hospital. The manager of the Fred Hollows eye health program, Chris Masters, says more than 200 operations have already been done in the four blitzes since the initiative started. read more...

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Omega-3 Foods May Lower Eye Disease Risk

news.yahoo.com — FRIDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- Consuming fish and other foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe vision loss in elderly people. Australian researchers reviewed nine published studies that included a total of 88,974 participants, including 3,203 people with AMD. The combined findings from the studies suggest that a high dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with a 38 percent reduced risk of late (advanced) AMD, and that eating fish twice a week is associated with a reduced risk of both early and late AMD. The study was published in the June issue of the journal Archives of Ophthalmology. The University of Melbourne researchers noted that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids form an integral part of the layer of nerve cells in the retina. Outer cells of the retina are continually shed and regenerated. Because of this, deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids may cause AMD. "A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and fish, as a proxy for long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake, has therefore been hypothesized as a means to prevent AMD," the researchers wrote. While they did find an association between omega-3 fatty acid intake and reduced risk of AMD, they didn't go so far as to recommend regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids to ward off AMD. "Although this meta-analysis suggests that consumption of fish and food rich in omega-3 fatty acids may be associated with a lower risk of AMD, there is insufficient evidence from the current literature, with few prospective studies and no randomized clinical trials, to support their routine consumption for AMD," the researchers concluded. read more...

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