For the first time ever, British researchers have successfully printed cells from the eye using 3D printing. The researchers printed ganglion cells and glial cells.

 

The researchers showed that these printed cells remained healthy and could survive and grow in culture. This technological breakthrough could lead to the production of artificial tissue grafts made from the variety of cells found in the human retina and could help in the development of treatments to cure certain forms of blindness.

 

In their study, the researchers used a piezoelectric inkjet printer that ejected the cells through a sub-millimetre diameter nozzle when a specific electrical pulse was applied. “In order for a fluid to print well from an inkjet print head, its properties, such as viscosity and surface tension, need to conform to a fairly narrow range of values. Adding cells to the fluid complicates its properties significantly,” stated a member of the team, Dr. Wen-Kai Hsiao.

 

The team now plans to pursue the study by printing other cell types and will investigate whether light-sensitive photoreceptors can be successfully printed using inkjet technology.

 

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131218100227.htm 

 

 

 

A team of international researchers has made some important advances in understanding the formation mechanisms of cataracts.

 

This type of discovery could help prevent cataracts. “That’s the dream, and this is a big step,” said Rachel Martin, associate professor at University of California at Irvine. “Understanding the molecular mechanism of what goes wrong in the eye that leads to a cataract could lead to the development of better treatment options, including more sophisticated artificial lenses and drugs.”

 

The eyes are able to see clearly due to three types of proteins in the crystalline lens, which maintain transparency by delicately balancing the attraction and rejection of light. The main role of one of these three proteins is to prevent the other two from agglomerating into cataracts when they are modified by a genetic mutation, UV rays or chemical damage.

 

Researchers observed that this protein attaches itself with much more strength to mutated proteins in an effort to keep the crystalline lens clear. However, the human eye contains only a limited amount of this protein. When it disappears, the two other proteins agglomerate rapidly and form cataracts. By demonstrating this mechanism from the molecular point of view, researchers are hopeful that organic chemists might be able to develop treatments to prevent these agglomerations and thus preserve vision.

Source: 

http://eyesmart.com.au/allnews/oaonews/4303-researchers-reveal-groundbreaking-new-findings-on-how-cataracts-form  

ClipInfo has learned that Essilor has acquired Riverside Optical Lab. More details to come.

 

Scientists have been talking for a long time about contact lenses able to deliver ocular drugs. Now they are getting a little closer to their goal.

 

Researchers at Harvard University’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear have successfully developed a contact lens that allows latanoprost, a drug commonly used to treat glaucoma, to be administered over a period of weeks, and even months. The lenses have a clear opening in the centre and a film made of a combination of latanoprost and polymer on the periphery. The film helps control the steady delivery of the drug. The lenses can be manufactured with or without refractive power. 

 

“In general, eye drops are an inefficient method of drug delivery that has notoriously poor patient adherence,” said lead researcher Dr. Joseph Ciolino. “This contact lens design can potentially be used as a treatment for glaucoma and as a platform for other ocular drug delivery applications. A non-invasive method of sustained ocular drug delivery could help patients adhere to the therapy necessary to maintain vision in diseases like glaucoma, saving millions from preventable blindness.”

Source:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131209084137.htm

 

Luxottica will acquire Glasses.com and its virtual try-on technology, currently owned by WellPoint.

 

“[We] are announcing the agreement to acquire a technology which we believe will benefit the overall eyewear sector and the optical industry in North America, a crucial market for our group and one we remain strongly committed to,” said Andrea Guerra, CEO of Luxottica, in a press release. “[We] will invest in innovations to create an enhanced online experience that will be accessible to independent practitioners in North America.”

 

Luxottica recalls that the eyewear industry in North America is estimated to be a 35.5 billion market that should exceed $45 billion by 2020. The increase in the number of individuals needing vision correction products, the projected increase in eye exams, and the greater penetration of premium eyewear will all drive this growth.

 

Until now, Glasses.com was managed as a division of 1-800 CONTACTS by WellPoint, a leading player in the U.S. health insurance industry. However, WellPoint recently announced its intention to sell 1-800 CONTACTS. It already has an agreement in principle with the Thomas H. Lee Partners investment firm, which hopes to acquire it.

Sources: http://www.luxottica.com/en/luxottica-announces-agreement-acquire-glassescom-wellpoint-inc

http://ir.wellpoint.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=130104&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1888860&highlight=

http://www.visionmonday.com/latest-news/article/luxottica-to-acquire-glassescom-and-its-tryon-technology-wellpoint-to-divest-1800-contacts-1/