MAY 25, 2018
By Anni Griswold
Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Glaucoma, Retina/Vitreous
A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.
An “unexpected” finding may stave off diabetic eye disease, Michigan researchers say. The team found unusual long-chain lipids—previously thought to exist only in skin—in the connections between cells in retinal blood vessels. Production of the lipids is suppressed in diabetic retinas, leading to leaky vessels and diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes
NASA has launched a Spectralis imaging platform into space in a quest to study the effects of microgravity on vision, including space flight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome. The next-generation OCT2 module (shown above, courtesy of NASA) is en route to the International Space Station and should be up and running later this year. Heidelberg Engineering
PanOptica has dosed the first patient with a fresh formulation of PAN-90806, a new anti-VEGF eye drop, in a phase 1/2 clinical trial. The small-molecule VEGF inhibitor is administered once daily and is designed to treat vascular posterior segment diseases. Eventually, 60 participants with wet AMD will be randomized to 1 of 3 doses for up to 3 months. PanOptica
Target shoppers can now find the Blue Guard Blue Light defense formula in the eye care aisle. The oral supplement contains Lutemax 2020, a combination of natural lutein and zeaxanthin, and aims to protect eyes against the blue glare of electronic devices. Cision PR Newswire
A gene therapy that restores vision in dogs may help humans too, according to a veterinary ophthalmologist at Michigan State University. The National Institutes of Health just awarded Simon Peterson-Jones, DVM, PhD, a 5-year, $8.2 million grant to see if a healthy copy of the CNGB1 gene, which cause some forms of retinitis pigmentosa, can be introduced into the retina to restore normal vision. MSU Today