Researchers at the University of Freiburg in Germany had previously shown that people with depression have difficulty detecting black-and-white contrast differences. But the scientists had used a somewhat subjective measure — psychophysical tests — and others in the field had suggested perhaps depressed individuals had a harder time holding their attention and that explained the results.
The new study, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, relies on an objective measure of the retina, suggesting depressed people may see the world in a different way from the non-depressed.
How the depressed eye works
Contrast vision relies on so-called amacrine cells within the retina, which horizontally connect the retina's neurons called ganglion cells with each other. These cells rely on dopamine, a substance known to be important for drive and attention – when lacking, cause two main symptoms of depression.
The finding has plenty of practical implications, including acting as an indicator of whether anti-depression drugs are working. In addition, the test could provide an objective measure of depression, as clinical tests are not always reliable.
Without question it is the older folks amongst us that need eyecare services. The reason is most people with eye diseases such as cataracts,glaucoma and macular degeneration are seniors. It is exactly these individuals that struggle with the cost of eye care. Many seniors neglect their eye care and vision problems because they have low or fixed incomes or inadequate vision insurance.
There is a solution: the Seniors EyeCare Program, formerly known as National Eye Care Project (NECP). Under this program, if you are a U.S. citizen or legal resident age 65 or older, have not seen an ophthalmologist in the last three years or more, and do not belong to an HMO or have Veterans' vision care, you can call a toll-free number for the name of a volunteer ophthalmologist in your area.
Because the participants aren’t evenly distributed across the country, it will probably be easier for applicants to find doctors in New York State (nearly 700 participating doctors) or Michigan (almost 300) than in New Mexico (14). And while the doctors will waive co-pays for visits and follow-ups, the program won’t pay for eyeglasses, prescriptions, or — if a patient needs surgery — the costs of a hospital or other doctors. (It does refer patients to local organizations, like the Lions Clubs, which maybe a able to help.)
Still, this program takes away one more excuse for not getting an eye exam. Find information and applications at eyecareamerica.org.
1. Improving the central vision acuity of patients.
2. Can be used in combination with drugs to treat macular degeneration and photodynamic thepray. The use of anti-hypertensive and anti-angiogenic drugs to treat wet advanced macular degeneration, a condition in which ocular arteries leak inside the eye, include ranibizumab and bevabizumab which can cost upto $2,000 per treatment. Ideally, these prosthetic implants will be offered to patients who have undergone photodynamic therapy to destroy "leaky" blood vessels of the eye before this implant can be made in one eye.
3. It may be more cost effective to use these telescopic implants for the treatment of both dry and wet age related macular degeneration over time compared to the continual, protracted and expensive use of drugs. With time, the dosage and use of these drugs can be reduced once the damaged tissue is healed and the implant has been placed in one of the affected eyes.
"The telescope implant represents a new category of treatment for this severely visually impaired population," said Allen W. Hill, CEO of VisionCare.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vt26i40qYU0MyJi5qj-vT8gXJk9jtA4ZH_JV9XfKBtdNKjgY1tNRYWg3XDU8639xUN5ISPYIGQ1oiZs8dbpmWNmeftlWZVZNtGx3iLu-kWSqoMiu2Sl5xLLskSShFrB5TU-9jkDo_REfcGkqHhpM70=s0-d)
4:43 PM
Keshav Bhat
