Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

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…