United over aging eye

Wednesday, February 5 2014 | 00 h 00 min | News

Researchers have joined forces to produce a special issue of the scientific journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (IOVS).

About 40 million people worldwide are blind or have significant visual impairment. Yet, 65% of those with visual impairment and 82% of those who are blind are over 50 years of age. Ophthalmic researchers collaborated to put together a series of scientific papers on the aging eye, to focus attention on the latest discoveries and accelerate the translation of those findings into clinical care.

“With an aging world population and a startling increase in the prevalence of diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, we feel that this issue is both important and timely, with chapters highlighting problems in and possible solutions to age-related diseases that affect all the major tissues of the eye,” said Dr. Gerald Chader, medical director of the Ocular Research Symposia Foundation. The special issue is based on workshops sponsored by the foundation that were held June 14–16, 2013.

These articles specifically address new research on the genetics, biology, biochemistry, neurochemistry and the impact of nutrition and the environment on functions in the older eye.

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140117191316.htm