Week in review: Tobacco warning, retina map, new tattoo

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

Meet a grandmother with “shades” tattooed inside her eyes: Mandy Liscombe had tattoo ink installed in her corneas after an iridotomy left her with extreme light sensitivity. “We used a tiny, precise scalpel to create a pocket in the center of the cornea, over where she had the laser. We then put in a layer of tattoo ink and closed the pocket,” says Mario Saldanha, MD, an ophthalmologist at Singleton Hospital in Wales. “It’s like having a filter in the clear window of her eye.” Swansea Bay Health News

Altaire Pharmaceuticals recalled 3 veterinary ophthalmic ointments, following their massive recall of human products. No injuries have been reported, but the company says pet owners should stop using several lots of Puralube, Vetropolycin and Vetropolycin HC. The ointments are meant to relieve dryness and treat bacterial infections of the eyelid and conjunctiva in dogs and cats. FDA

Australian scientists just released the world’s most detailed gene map of the human retina. The team examined more than 20,000 individual cells to create a profile of gene expression in all major cell types in the retina. Their genetic map, published in The EMBO Journal, is the first of a series of eye maps planned by the Human Cell Atlas Project. “By creating a genetic map of the human retina, we can understand the factors that enable cells to keep functioning and contribute to healthy vision,’’ says investigator Raymond Wong, PhD. “It can also help us understand the genetic signals that cause a cell to stop functioning, leading to vision loss and blindness.” Centre for Eye Research Australia

New augmented reality glasses may help people with low vision navigate their environment. A study of 10 patients with retinitis pigmentosa suggest the glasses can improve patient mobility by 50% and boost the ability to grasp a wooden peg without disturbing surrounding pegs by 70%. Unlike other augmented reality glasses, these use assistive technology to enhance, not replace, natural senses. The glasses project bright colors onto patients' retinas, corresponding to nearby obstacles. Nature Scientific Reports

The FDA has proposed new warnings for cigarette packaging that highlight the risk of vision loss. The proposed warnings feature photo-realistic color images depicting 13 lesser-known but serious health risks of cigarette smoking, including AMD and cataracts. If approved, this would be the most significant change to cigarette labels in more than 35 years. FDA