Week in review: Guppy gumption, AI rollout, rising star

A weekly roundup of ophthalmic news from around the web.

When guppies get riled, their eyes flash from silver to black, warning rivals to back off. That color shift is a clear sign of aggression, researchers reported last week in the journal Current Biology. If you think that’s interesting, check out the menacing robotic fish that researchers built to test their theory. Science

An experimental stem cell therapy for retinitis pigmentosa just received a $4.8 million boost. The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine awarded the funds to researcher Magdalene Seiler, PhD. “Our goal is a treatment based on transplanting sheets of stem-cell derived retina, called retina organoids, to the back of the eye,” Seiler said. UC Irvine Health Sciences

Remember all the hype about IDx-DR, the new AI device for detecting diabetic retinopathy? Earlier this month, a University of Iowa diabetes clinic became the first to put the device to use. The location is significant: Not only was the technology conceived in Iowa, but the state is home to a large rural population that could acutely benefit from efficient screening tools. University of Iowa Health Care

DigitalOptometrics just patented a teleoptometry system that uses video conferencing technology and remote-controlled ophthalmic equipment to perform a comprehensive eye health and vision exam in less than 30 minutes. Their joy was short-lived, however, because a competing firm filed an infringement suit just days after the patent was granted. 20/20 Vision Center claims that they came up with a strikingly similar idea back in 2016. Digital Optometrics, Vision Monday

Hope may be on the horizon for children with Stargardt disease. The European Medicines Agency has granted orphan drug designation to LBS-008, a first-in-class oral therapy for the juvenile form of macular degeneration. The drug is currently in phase 1 trials and received an orphan drug designation from the FDA last year. Lin Bioscience