PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

New eye-tracker method shows 'preferred retinal location' in both eyes

2015-07-28
(Press-News.org) July 28, 2015 - Eyes with central vision loss adapt by developing a new fixation point in a different part of the retina, called the preferred retinal location (PRL). Now for the first time, a new method makes it possible to identify PRLs in both eyes simultaneously, reports a study in the August issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

The new eye-tracker technique may help in developing visual rehabilitation approaches to improve binocular vision for the many older adults with central vision loss affecting both eyes, according to the new research led by Esther G. González, PhD, of the Vision Science Research Program at Toronto Western Research Institute.

Technique Identifies PRLs in Both Eyes of Patients with Central Vision Loss Central vision loss results from degeneration of the fovea--the central pit of the retina, where visual acuity is sharpest. The most common cause is age-related macular degeneration, which is also the leading cause of blindness in older adults. "Especially when present in both eyes, loss of central (reading) vision is a major intrusion on quality of life and everyday functioning," explains Anthony Adams, OD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Optometry and Vision Science.

Taking advantage of visual plasticity that persists even in old age, the brain and eye can partly compensate for loss of the fovea by developing a PRL--shifting fixation to another nearby spot in the retina. Patients learn to use an area of their peripheral vision to substitute for their lost central vision.

A technique called microperimetry with eye-tracking can precisely identify the PRL, but only in one eye at a time. This may not adequately represent binocular function--vision with both eyes working together. "Understanding binocular vision is important for designing optimal rehabilitation methods for patients with central vision loss," Dr. González and coauthors write.

They developed a method to establish the PRLs in both eyes, based on the relationship between microperimetry and eye-tracking measurements in healthy eyes. Predicted PRLs in nine older adults with central vision loss were compared with the findings of standard PRL assessments in the two eyes individually.

All patients had at least one PRL fall onto a functional area of retina during binocular viewing. In most cases, the PRLs were found in corresponding locations in the two eyes--that is, in about the same position relative to the center of the retina. The one patient whose PRLs were not in corresponding locations had problems with double vision (diplopia).

Dr. González and colleagues note some important limitations of their "proof-of-principle" study. Further studies will be needed to evaluate the new eye-tracker method in a broader sample of patients with central vision loss.

By enabling simultaneous identification of the PRLs in both eyes, the technique provides important information on binocular function in eyes with low central vision. At least for some patients, the results may help to guide approaches to maximizing binocular vision--for example, through relocation training to help move the PRL to the corresponding location in both eyes.

The eye-tracker method may be especially valuable for managing the large number of patients with age-related macular degeneration affecting both eyes. Dr Adams comments, "Such an approach not only allows a better understanding of how the eyes and brain deal with binocular central vision loss, but also opens up exploration of new approaches to visual rehabilitation for these individuals."

INFORMATION:

Click here to read "Identifying Absolute Preferred Retinal Locations during Binocular Viewing."

Article: "Identifying Absolute Preferred Retinal Locations during Binocular Viewing" (doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000000641)

About Optometry and Vision Science Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry, is the most authoritative source for current developments in optometry, physiological optics, and vision science. This frequently cited monthly scientific journal has served primary eye care practitioners for more than 75 years, promoting vital interdisciplinary exchange among optometrists and vision scientists worldwide.

About the American Academy of Optometry Founded in 1922, the American Academy of Optometry is committed to promoting the art and science of vision care through lifelong learning. All members of the Academy are dedicated to the highest standards of optometric practice through clinical care, education or research.

About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer is a global leader in professional information services. Professionals in the areas of legal, business, tax, accounting, finance, audit, risk, compliance and healthcare rely on Wolters Kluwer's market leading information-enabled tools and software solutions to manage their business efficiently, deliver results to their clients, and succeed in an ever more dynamic world.

Wolters Kluwer reported 2014 annual revenues of €3.7 billion. The group serves customers in over 170 countries, and employs over 19,000 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on NYSE Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY).

Wolters Kluwer Health is a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the healthcare industry. For more information about our products and organization, visit http://www.wolterskluwerhealth.com, follow @WKHealth or @Wolters_Kluwer on Twitter, like us on Facebook, follow us on LinkedIn, or follow WoltersKluwerComms on YouTube.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Cellphones can steal data from 'air-gapped computers' according to Ben Gurion University researchers

2015-07-28
BEER-SHEVA, Israel...July 28, 2015 - Researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) Cyber Security Research Center have discovered that virtually any cellphone infected with a malicious code can use GSM phone frequencies to steal critical information from infected "air-gapped" computers. Air-gapped computers are isolated -- separated both logically and physically from public networks -- ostensibly so that they cannot be hacked over the Internet or within company networks. Led by BGU Ph.D. student Mordechai Guri, the research team discovered how to turn ...

Doctor Google: How age and other factors influence online health information searches

2015-07-28
Consumers have access to multiple Web sites to search for online health information and can be far more involved in managing their own medical issues than ever before. However, this wealth of resources can make finding accurate information difficult, especially because it is often spread across multiple sites. A new study published in the Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making aims to evaluate the types of search strategies that Internet users adopt when trying to solve a complicated health problem. Joseph Sharit, a professor in the Department of Industrial ...

Endangered icebreakers: The future of Arctic research, exploration and rescue at risk

2015-07-28
Alexandria, VA - The United States' Icebreaker Fleet - operated by the U.S. Coast Guard - consists of just two ships that are used for everything from search and rescue to national security operations to scientific research. In our August cover story, EARTH Magazine examines the various roles icebreakers play, especially in Arctic research, and how insufficient funding is affecting the icebreakers' roles. Icebreakers are becoming more important every year, as more commerce is conducted in Arctic regions as seasonal ice cover decreases. Yet over recent fiscal cycles, Congress ...

Neurology researchers evaluate evidence base for tests for clinical cognitive assessment

2015-07-28
West Orange, NJ. July 28, 2015 Recommendations for improving clinical cognitive testing were reported by the American Academy of Neurology's (AAN) Behavioral Neurology Section (BNS) Group, led by Kirk R. Daffner, MD, of Boston, Mass. The Group focused on the Neurobehavioral Status Exam (NBSE), conducting evidence-based reviews of testing used for five domains - attention, language, memory, spatial cognition, and executive function). "Improving clinical cognitive testing" (doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000001763) was published online ahead of print on July 10, 2015, in Neurology, ...

Where memory is encoded and retrieved: New findings in a long-standing debate

2015-07-28
Are the same regions and even the same cells of the brain area called hippocampus involved in encoding and retrieving memories or are different areas of this structure engaged? This question has kept neuroscientists busy for a long time. Researchers at the Mercator Research Group "Structure of Memory" at RUB have now found out that the same brain cells exhibit activity in both processes. They have published their results in the journal "Hippocampus". Hippocampus: the key to memory In the course of their project, Dr Nozomu Nakamura and Prof Dr Magdalena Sauvage from ...

Majority rule: Why conformity can actually be a good thing

2015-07-28
Like to go your own way? Most of us actually prefer to follow the pack, according to UBC research. That's one of the outcomes from a study published in Evolution and Human Behavior that examines how mathematical models predict human behaviour. The research tested theories about when people should rely on "social information" - information that we learn vicariously from others - and when we should choose to go it alone. "People are conformist - and that's a good thing for cultural evolution," said Michael Muthukrishna, a Vanier and Liu Scholar and recent PhD recipient ...

Diabetics who skip breakfast provoke hazardous blood sugar spikes

2015-07-28
More and more Americans on-the-go are skipping the "most important meal of the day," not eating until lunch. This tendency to miss breakfast has already been linked to the growing epidemic of obesity and cardiovascular problems in the US -- and it may put the health of diabetics at risk as well. Very little was known regarding the effect of skipping breakfast on the health of diabetics -- until now. A new Tel Aviv University study reveals the substantial impact of skipping breakfast on type-2 diabetics. "Fasting" until noon triggers major blood sugar spikes (postprandial ...

Geography, skills, local companies affect higher education impact on economic development

2015-07-28
Amsterdam, July 28, 2015 - Policy makers need to take factors like geography, available skills and knowledge and the networks of local companies into account to boost the impact of higher education on economic development, according to a new Atlas Award-winning paper published in the International Journal of Educational Development. The authors of the study, from the University of Nottingham, say it's not quite as simple as more students equals higher income: higher education is key to economic development, but the way the two relate is complex, they say. "Of course ...

Early evidence suggests hybrid cochlear implants may benefit millions with common form of hearing loss

2015-07-28
People with a common form of hearing loss not helped by hearing aids achieved significant and sometimes profound improvements in their hearing and understanding of speech with hybrid cochlear implant devices, according to a new multicenter study led by specialists at NYU Langone Medical Center. In the study, described online ahead of print in the journal The Laryngoscope July 7, researchers at 10 medical centers and private clinics in the United States implanted hybrid cochlear implants into one ear of 50 men and women. All study volunteers had badly damaged high-frequency, ...

Doctor warns about lead poisoning risk from recycling older electronic equipment

2015-07-28
The disposal and recycling of electronic devices has increased exposure to lead and other toxicants and created "an emerging health concern," according to a pediatrician who directs the Environmental Health and Lead Clinic at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. In a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Nick Newman reports on two children, ages 1 and 2, whose father worked at an e-scrap recycling company crushing cathode ray tubes (CRTs). CRTs, made from leaded glass, were commonly used in televisions ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Genetic causes of cerebral palsy uncovered through whole-genome sequencing

Modesty and boastfulness – perception depends on usual performance

Do sweeteners increase your appetite? New evidence from randomised controlled trial says no 

Women with obesity do not need to gain weight during pregnancy, new study suggests

Individuals with multiple sclerosis face substantially greater risk of hospitalisation and death from COVID-19, despite high rates of vaccination

Study shows obesity in childhood associated with a more than doubling of risk of developing multiple sclerosis in early adulthood

Rice Emerging Scholars Program receives $2.5M NSF grant to boost STEM education

Virtual rehabilitation provides benefits for stroke recovery

Generative AI develops potential new drugs for antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Biofuels could help island nations survive a global catastrophe, study suggests

NJIT research team discovering how fluids behave in nanopores with NSF grant

New study shows association of historical housing discrimination and shortfalls in colon cancer treatment

Social media use may help to empower plastic surgery patients

Q&A: How to train AI when you don't have enough data

Wayne State University researchers uncover potential treatment targets for Zika virus-related eye abnormalities

Discovering Van Gogh in the wild: scientists unveil a new gecko species

Small birds spice up the already diverse diet of spotted hyenas in Namibia

Imaging detects transient “hypoxic pockets” in the mouse brain

Dissolved organic matter could be used to track and improve the health of freshwaters

Indoor air quality standards in public buildings would boost health and economy, say international experts

Positive associations between premenstrual disorders and perinatal depression

New imaging method illuminates oxygen's journey in the brain

Researchers discover key gene for toxic alkaloid in barley

New approach to monitoring freshwater quality can identify sources of pollution, and predict their effects

Bidirectional link between premenstrual disorders and perinatal depression

Cell division quality control ‘stopwatch’ uncovered

Vaccine protects cattle from bovine tuberculosis, may eliminate disease

Andrew Siemion to receive the SETI Institute’s 2024 Drake Award

New study shows how the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus enters our cells

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy proves effective for locally advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma

[Press-News.org] New eye-tracker method shows 'preferred retinal location' in both eyes