A Blind Woman Has Regained Her Sight

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Vanna Belton from Baltimore has been blind for more than five years, but after undergoing surgery where stem cells extracted from her bone marrow were injected into her right eye’s retina and left eye’s optic nerve, she has regained some of her sight.

“When I realised I could see the license plates, we started walking around the neighbourhood reading them,” she told the Baltimore Sun, adding that for the first time since 2009, she’s been able to navigate her way around without a cane.  MORE:

Advances for Glaucoma Patients: Stem Cell Therapy?

At present, the only FDA approved method of treating glaucoma is to lower eye pressure; this slows the progression of glaucomatous optic nerve damage but does not completely halt it, and certainly does not regenerate damaged nerve tissue.

There is great interest among glaucoma patients, scientists and doctors alike, in discovering regenerative therapies for the optic nerve and translating them from the laboratory to the clinic — and stem cell therapy is one of several promising approaches being studied.

This from Dr Jeffrey Goldberg:

Q: Dr. Goldberg, how might stem cells be helpful for patients with glaucoma?

A: Stem cells may be helpful for patients with glaucoma in different ways. Stem cells can be turned into trabecular meshwork cells in the front of the eye and transplanted in such a way as to lower eye pressure. This is an interesting approach but is not fundamentally about vision restoration.

For protecting or restoring vision, we really need to talk about stem cells in the back of the eye, at the retina. There, stem cells may have two positive effects. First, early in the disease, they may protect retinal ganglion cells from degenerating — providing a neuroprotective effect. Later in the disease when patients have lost considerable numbers of retinal ganglion cells and optic nerve axons, and have thereby lost considerable vision, stem cells may be useful to replace lost ganglion cells and restore the connections from the eye to the brain. This last approach—regrowing optic nerve fibers back to the brain—has been the most challenging but it’s also the most exciting.  MORE:

PRESS RELEASE FROM OUR NEWSROOM: Tampa Bay Inventor Develops New Tool To Open Eye Drop Seal/Cap

pinktool_with bottleLow-cost promotional item builds customer loyalty

 

Tampa Bay, FL – August 26, 2014 – Local inventor and businessman, Jack Colgan, has created the CapTool, a cutting edge tool that makes taking eye drop medications and lubricants easy. The handy low cost tool cuts the often difficult-to-open safety seal on eye drop bottles, then fits over the cap for easy removal, providing a helping hand to those who suffer from arthritis or have other problems with their hands as they age.

Colgan, a glaucoma patient, found that he was having trouble opening the plastic seal and cap on his prescription eye-drop bottle. Colgan said “I was so surprised to discover how difficult the simple task of opening an eye solution bottle was and even more surprised that there wasn’t already a tool to solve this by inventing one. That’s when I decided to invent one.”  First, the point on the CapTool breaks the plastic seal for easy removal. Then the engineered wrench fits over the cap. With a quick twist, the tight cap is loosened. It can also be used to tighten the cap after drops have been administered, preventing the drops from leaking if the bottle is put into one’s purse or pocket.

For eye care specialists, physicians, and any company looking for a useful low-cost promotional item, this handy tool can become the ultimate promotional piece. It can be imprinted with their business name and contact information, and given to customers and patients along with their prescription for eye drops. Having the firm name and number on the lightweight CapTool builds customer loyalty.

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About the CapTool: This handy tool is the brainchild of Jack Colgan, Tampa Bay-based inventor and businessman. The CapTool comes in five brilliant, easy-to-find colors and is backed by a full warranty. For more information or to place orders for The CapTool,

1-888-370-9995, or visit  http://www.thecaptool.com. Each bulk order of CapTools, whether imprinted or blank, comes with a pre-filled display case with room for the eye care professional’s business cards.

– See more at: http://www.tampabaynewswire.com/2014/08/27/tampa-bay-inventor-develops-new-tool-to-open-eye-drop-sealcap-27060#sthash.oRNnqELy.dpuf

Long-term safety of LASIK has been good and continues to improve with technological developments

laser-eye-surgeryLASIK has been around long enough that it is now judged as a safe and effective procedure.  However, with the natural aging process, it’s possible a patient will need a touch-up LASIK procedure to fine tune his or her vision in the future, or may need reading glasses later in the life.

“Aging changes occurs within 100 percent of the population,”  according to Dr. Kerry Solomon, director of the Carolina Eyecare Research Institute in Charleston, SC  “…Occasionally things will change in [eye] shape and size.”

Those eye changes also include cataracts, the clouding of the natural lens of the eye. LASIK does not increase the incidence of cataracts – the surgery affects only the cornea, not the lens of the eye.

With or without LASIK, we all develop cataracts… and their occurrence is unrelated to LASIK.

Google Has Plans For Great Eye Inventions

blue eyesAdd this one to the list of unbelievably cool things Google has in the works: It has filed a patent for a contact lens system that would include built-in cameras.
The technology could potentially allow Google to shrink its wearable face computer — known as Google Glass — into the size of a single contact lens. Rather than be controlled by voice, those wearing the contacts would command their device through, “a sophisticated system” of “unique blinking patterns.”

News of Google’s patent filing comes just a few months after the company revealed a prototype contact lens that monitors glucose levels. The invention could be a major aid for the millions of diabetics who must measure their blood sugar by drawing blood from their fingers.

Google’s latest breakthrough in contact lens technology could potentially grant the blind the ability to see certain things, according to Patent Bolt’s close reading of the patent application.

For example, a blind person wearing Google’s contact lens with a built-in camera may be walking on a sidewalk and approaching an intersection. The analysis component of the contact lens can process the raw image data of the camera to determine … that there is a car approaching the intersection.

It’s Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month!

women's_eyesApril is Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month. Did you know that more women suffer from visual impairments than men? One reason why women are affected by eye health issues more than men is because they tend to live longer. Women are also affected by hormonal factors, according to the National Eye Institute (NEI). According to the NEI, 3.6 million Americans age 40 and older who suffer from visual impairment, including blindness, 2.3 million are women.

CapTool is Endorsed by an Ophthalmologist!

hand_tool_bottle1CapTool has always had the approval of Dr. Michael Manning, M.D.. F.A.C.S; but Dr. Manning has given us an exclusive endorsement video that will soon be included in our website, and you can view it now at this link. The CapTool inventor, Jack Colgan, and videographer traveled to his offices for this endorsement. CapTool is great for everyone suffering from arthritis, people with manicured nails, and makes a great promotional tool for those in the eye care business. Your eyes are so important – don’t wait but visit the website to buy CapTool. Order the CapTool on the website with this link using Paypal.