Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Glaucoma care relies on measurements over time: eye pressure, visual fields, and scans of the optic nerve and retina. A newer scan, OCT angiography (OCTA), maps the tiny blood vessels of the retina without dye. A study published in Optometry and Vision Science shows why the numbers from these scans must be interpreted carefully. What…

Many people with glaucoma use eye drops every day for years. Those drops protect the optic nerve by lowering eye pressure, but they can also take a toll on the surface of the eye: burning, redness, grittiness, and blurry vision that comes and goes. A narrative review in the Journal of Glaucoma, reported by Healio,…

For glaucoma that is hard to control with drops, laser, or other surgery, many surgeons use a glaucoma drainage device, a small tube and plate that carry fluid out of the eye to lower pressure. These devices help many people, but they do not last forever in every eye. The authors of a new review…

Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma and a leading cause of irreversible blindness. Two people with similar eye pressure can progress at very different speeds. Genetics is one reason researchers suspect, but most genetic studies focus on who gets glaucoma rather than how quickly it worsens. A systematic review from University…

Sickle cell disease can block retinal vessels and lead to sickle cell retinopathy. A 10-year Wilmer Eye Institute review—described as the largest modern U.S. longitudinal cohort of its kind—found that active smoking at the time proliferative disease was diagnosed strongly predicted further progression. Who was followed Researchers reviewed 317 adults (620 eyes; mean age 35)…

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) slowly steals night vision and peripheral field, and rhodopsin-related autosomal dominant RP (RHO-adRP) still has no approved therapy. The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to OCT-980, an investigational oral small molecule from Octant designed to help misfolded rhodopsin traffic correctly inside photoreceptors. What orphan designation does—and does not—do Orphan status supports…

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm problem that raises the risk of stroke, heart attack, and vascular dementia. It can also be hard to diagnose, because episodes come and go and may not show up on a standard electrocardiogram. A large international study suggests the retina may carry clues. Why look at the…

A meta-analysis published in International Ophthalmology, covering 5.7 million people, found that people with rheumatic diseases have a higher risk of glaucoma. The authors suggest these patients may benefit from regular eye surveillance. Which conditions are rheumatic diseases? Rheumatic diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, Sjögren’s syndrome, and other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions affecting…