Each time drivers in the United States renew their driver's license a vision test is required. Right? Wrong. Surprisingly, regular vision tests aren't required everywhere. And according to a recent report by the Vision Council of America, of the 10 states with the highest number of fatal car crashes, four require no vision screenings after the initial license application and four only require screenings every eight or more years. … More...
The National Eye Institute is sponsoring a second study – AREDS 2 -- to learn more about the impact of high-dose vitamin and mineral supplements on the progression of age-related macular degeneration.
Age-related macular degeneration has early and late forms. The late forms can cause gradual or abrupt central vision loss, and until recently this vision loss was irreversible in most people. These late forms of age-related macular degeneration are estimated to affect over 1.75… More...
More than one million LASIK surgeries are performed in the United States each year. But despite LASIK’s widespread use, for those 12 million Americans with farsightedness, it’s no longer the only -- or always the best -- option.
LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in-situ keratomileousis, is a surgical procedure that uses a laser to reshape the cornea. When people have hyperopia, better known as farsightedness, they also tend to have flatter corneas than people who… More...
In May 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new vaccine for people over the age of 60 who have had chickenpox. Why is this good news for your vision? Because the herpes virus that causes chickenpox also causes shingles, a very painful rash that could break out on your face and threaten your vision. … More...
Two new devices -- versions of an artificial retina -- hold the promise of restoring vision to the blind.
For blind people, recovering even the slightest bit of vision would be a revolutionary step. Just being able to see the outline of a doorway would propel blind people into a different world. … More...
The Conundrum of Research
One day, research in molecular genetics will open many doors in terms of the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. Overall, however, we’re not there yet. Challenges include the following:
Macular Degeneration and Glaucoma: We have a gene, but no test. For many years, ophthalmologists have known that age-related macular degeneration tends to run in certain families. The strongest evidence yet of a genetic component to macular degeneration came last spring, when four independent teams of researchers came up with the same finding: People who inherit a particular form of one gene have a 3–7 fold greater risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.
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Glaucoma, a condition that can lead to blindness by damaging the optic nerve, was once thought to be caused by elevated intraocular pressure (IOP)—the pressure exerted by fluid within the eye. But even people with normal IOP can suffer damage to the optic nerve, and IOP is now considered a risk factor for—rather than a cause of—glaucoma. Recently, researchers also discovered a new risk factor for glaucoma—cornea More...
An estimated 10 to 14 million people in the United States suffer from dry eye syndrome. Dry eye is a condition characterized by a decline in the quantity and/or quality of the tears that normally bathe the eyes and wash away foreign particles. A 2003 study in the American Journal of Ophthalmology involving almost 40,000 women estimated that about 8% of American women over age 50—more than 3.2 million people—are affected More...
Nearly everyone experiences floaters—small dots, lines, clouds, or “cobwebs” across the visual field—from time to time. This phenomenon is caused by shadows cast on the retina by microscopic structures within the vitreous humor (a thick, gel-like substance that fills the back of the eyeball behind the lens). Seeing flashes of light, which occurs when this fluid shifts, is another common ocular phenomenon. More...
Derived from the Greek words for aging eye, presbyopia refers to age-related refractive changes in the eye that occur when the lens of the eye (which focuses light on the retina) hardens and loses elasticity.
As presbyopia develops, typically starting at age 40, focusing on objects that are up close becomes increasingly difficult —and so people with presbyopia typically reposition
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A cloudiness or opacification of the lens is called a cataract. Derived from the Latin word meaning “waterfall,” the term cataract arose from the ancient misconception that cataract symptoms were caused by evil liquids that mysteriously flowed into the eye.
Ordinarily, light rays reflected from an object enter the eye through the cornea and lens, which together focus the light onto the retina to produce a sharp image. When a cataract develops, however, light rays are no longer precisely focused. Instead, the rays are scattered before reaching the retina.
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2008 Diabetes White Paper The 2008 Diabetes White Paper teaches you how to manage your Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and avoid complications, such as foot problems and vision changes. It reviews the latest tools for monitoring your blood glucose and the newest medications for controlling it. Featured highlights for 2008 include: myths and misconceptions about insulin therapy; tests your doctor should be doing to detect diabetes-related nerve damage; the best insulin for people who inject just once a day; exploring your options when diabetes disrupts your sex life; special considerations for diabetics facing heart surgery; and much more. PLUS, get your special discount and FREE Special Report: Dealing with Diabetes through this exclusive web-only offer. Read more or order the INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD EDITION Read more or order the PRINT EDITION
The Johns Hopkins Medical Guide to Health After 50 A comprehensive home medical encyclopedia that gives you a “crash course” on more than 100 major medical concerns of men and women over 50! Organized in an easy-to-use A to Z format, the Medical Guide provides in-depth explanations of the many chronic health problems associated with aging – high blood pressure, stroke, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis, dementia, memory loss, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and gallstones, to name but a few.Read more or order...
Johns Hopkins Symptoms and Remedies This easy-to-use reference book can help you pinpoint the causes of hundreds of disorders, from abdominal pain to skin rash to swollen glands. The book is divided into two distinct sections: symptoms, which includes charts covering a wide range of common symptoms and possible diagnoses, and disorders, which discusses the disorder, its causes, prevention advice, treatment strategies, and other crucial information so you will be able to either treat yourself at home, or know when it's time to call a doctor. Read more or order...
Other Johns Hopkins Reference Books
The Johns Hopkins Consumer Guide to Drugs Contains drug profiles on more than 750 medications–both prescription and over-the-counter, most commonly used by people over 50, all presented in our unique page-at-a-glance format, designed with you in mind, the busy person who wants the most reliable health information available at your fingertips. Your guide also includes an invaluable overview of dietary supplements and how they can interact with certain medications, the dangers of taking your pills with grapefruit juice, and more. Read more...
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