Vision Impairment and Falls Among Older Mexican Americans Over 16 Years Follow-Up.

Real-world driving behaviors in individuals with homonymous visual field loss: insights from a naturalistic driving study.

Berberine inhibits muramyl dipeptide-induced oxidative stress and pyroptosis in canine corneal epithelial cells via the NOD2 signaling pathway.

Classroom practices used by tutors to support pre-service science teachers in teaching students with visual impairment

A novel optic nerve demyelination mouse model: Insights into secondary impairment of the visual cortical circuit.

Impact of prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation in extremely preterm infants on long-term neurodevelopmental and neurosensory outcomes: A narrative review.

Bosch-Boonstra-Schaaf Optic Atrophy Syndrome (BBSOAS) is a rare autosomal dominant neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations or deletions in NR2F1, leading to intellectual disability, developmental delay, visual impairments, epilepsy, hypotonia, and autistic traits. We generated six novel human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines from BBSOAS patients with variable clinical phenotypes. These lines provide a versatile and renewable resource by serving as a unique platform to model NR2F1-related developmental defects in vitro and elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying BBSOAS. Their availability will facilitate mechanistic, comparative, and therapeutic studies, advancing our understanding of NR2F1 function in human neural development.

Uncorrected refractive error (URE) is a leading global cause of vision impairment (VI) and remains a critical, yet under-addressedchallenge, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In response to the substantial unmet need for refractive care, the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) established the first global target of increasing effective refractive error coverage (eREC) by 40% by 2030. However, recent estimates show global adult eREC at 65.8% in 2023, with South Asia lagging at lower rates, indicating that no LMIC is on track. To achieve this ambitious target within the next 5 years, it is imperative to develop and implement evidence-based, contextually adaptable, and sustainable strategies responsive to the needs of individual countries and communities. Persistent barriers, including limited resources, fragmented service delivery, and insufficient policy guidance, impede progress, particularly in LMICs. Drawing from contexts such as Bhutan, where refractive errors account for 96.1% of school-aged VI, but effective spectacle coverage is only 11.5%, this article introduces a five-phase, evidence-informed framework: (1) need estimation via surveys, (2) situational analysis using tools such as WHO Refractive Error Situational Analysis Tool (RESAT), (3) model formulation, (4) evaluation and scaling, and (5) demand generation. This supports systemic planning, implementation, and scaling of sustainable refractive error services.

To provide a descriptive analysis of the overall health and well-being of older adults of Pacific Peoples ethnicity using the interRAI-Home Care assessments, compared with NZ Europeans. A cross-sectional retrospective analysis was conducted of interRAI-Home Care assessments assessed between 5 July 2016 and 31 December 2020. Basic descriptive information was gathered from Pacific Peoples and NZ Europeans separately. The frequency and percentage of the health conditions of interest were reported. Binary and multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for age and sex were used to investigate any differences between the prevalence of health conditions. A total of 123,023 interRAI-HC assessments were examined, of which 5390 (4%) were Pacific Peoples and 117,633 (96%) NZ Europeans. The mean age of Pacific Peoples was 75.8 years (SD 8.4) and NZ Europeans 82.6 years (SD 7.5). After adjusting for age and sex, Pacific Peoples were less likely to smoke, consume alcohol, have coronary heart disease, fall, report loneliness or have difficulty hearing than NZ Europeans. In contrast, Pacific Peoples were more likely to have diabetes, cognitive impairment, congestive heart failure, require a mobility aid or be bed bound, experience bladder incontinence, have difficulty understanding others or have poorer vision than NZ Europeans. Older Pacific Peoples who were assessed for home support and aged residential care have more complex needs and require services at an earlier age than NZ Europeans. There is a need for improvements in equity in the health system and underlying social determinants of health to raise the earlier age and lower the high burden of chronic diseases that Pacific Peoples face.

Central Precocious Puberty and Optic Pathway Glioma in Children with Neurofibromatosis 1: Associations with Tumor Location, Vision, and Treatment.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals the cellular landscape and aberrant vascular endothelial growth factor signaling in corneal alkali burns

Ocular complications of Mpox are relatively rare but can be devastating, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. We report a case of severe keratitis resulting in significant visual impairment in a 26-year-old male living with advanced HIV. The patient presented with a 2-month history of disseminated ulcerative lesions and a 1-month history of progressive vision loss in the right eye. He was newly diagnosed with HIV, and laboratory testing revealed a positive Mpox virus polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result alongside severe immunosuppression (CD4 + T-lymphocyte count: 35cells/μL). Ophthalmologic examination revealed corneal opacity, stromal edema, and neovascularization. Despite systemic antiviral and topical antibiotic/anti-inflammatory treatment, visual acuity remained poor due to permanent corneal scarring. This case highlights the potential for sight-threatening ocular complications in individuals with Mpox and severe immunodeficiency, underscoring the critical importance of early ophthalmologic assessment in this vulnerable population.

Visual fatigue and dry eye are prevalent pediatric ophthalmic conditions. Esculin-digitalis glycosides and sodium hyaluronate eye drops are widely used, yet their specific clinical value remains unclear. This study compared esculin and digitalis glycosides eye drops with sodium hyaluronate eye drops for pediatric digital screen-related visual fatigue and dry eye, assessing efficacy and tolerability. In the observational retrospective study, 126 patients were initially screened from December 2022 to December 2024 and 122 were enrolled after exclusions. They were divided into two groups according to the treatment plan: the sodium hyaluronate group (n=60) and the esculin-digitalis glycosides group (n=62). After propensity score matching (PSM), 50 patients were included in each group. The primary outcome measures included the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score, Tear Film Breakup Time (TBUT), tear secretion volume and Corneal Fluorescein Staining (CFS) score. The secondary outcome measures included Functional Visual Acuity (FVA) accuracy rate, Tear Meniscus Height (TMH), Meibomian Gland Function Score (MGFS), incidence of adverse events and the Scale of Quality of Life for Diseases with Visual Impairment score (SQOL-DVI). After PSM, baseline data showed no significant between-group differences (all P > 0.05). Following 3 months of treatment, the esculin-digitalisglycosides group had greater reductions in OSDI, CFS and MGFS scores (all P < 0.001), longer TBUT, higher tear secretion, improved FVA accuracy and increased TMH than the sodium hyaluronate group (all P < 0.001). The esculin-digitalisglycosides group also had a higher SQOL-DVI total score. Adverse event rates were 4% (esculin-digitalisglycosides) and 8% (sodium hyaluronate), with no significant difference (P = 0.400) and no serious adverse events reported. Esculin and digitalis glycosides eye drops show superior efficacy to sodium hyaluronate eye drops in treating pediatric digital screen-related visual fatigue and dry eye, with good tolerability and clinical value.

Retinal gene therapies for inherited ocular diseases: Translational delivery strategies from bench to bedside.

Sorafenib nanoparticles coated with Eudragit RL for ocular drug delivery: a potential treatment for diabetic retinopathy

OMICS data in the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy: A comparison between transcriptome data and DNA methylation data.

Women have a greater lifetime risk of developing dementia. Despite clear sex differences, studies investigating modifiable dementia risk factors often overlook differences between sexes and age. This study examined sex and age differences in the prevalence of modifiable dementia risk factors and their associations with cognition. Participants were from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative cohort study. Thirteen risk factors were examined, including education, hearing loss, cholesterol, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, obesity, excessive alcohol use, social isolation, poor vision, and poor sleep. A global cognitive summary score was also examined. Chi-square and t-tests examined sex and age differences in prevalence; linear regression examined interactions between sex, age, and risk factors on cognition. This study included 17,182 participants with a mean age of 69.2 ± 10.6 years, 59.2% of which were women. Ten out of 13 risk factors had sex differences in prevalence. Women had higher prevalence of elevated cholesterol, depression, physical inactivity, smoking, poor vision, and poor sleep. Women also had fewer years of education. Men had a higher prevalence of hearing loss, diabetes, and excessive alcohol use. Hearing loss, diabetes, and hypertension were associated with greater effects on cognitive performance in woman than men. BMI was negatively associated with cognitive performance in women compared to men in their 50s and 60s, but not at older ages. Education and cholesterol had stronger, positive associations with cognitive performance in women compared to men. These data suggest that women's greater risk of dementia may be due to a higher prevalence of multiple risk factors and stronger cognitive effects of risk factors. Results may inform future personalized prevention strategies for dementia risk reduction, particularly in women.

Age-related eye conditions, including cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy (DR), and dry eye disease (DED), are prevalent and have been linked to mental health disorders, though findings are mixed. This study systematically examines associations between these ocular diseases and mental health conditions using a large real-world dataset. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Global TriNetX database. Five cohorts (aged ≥ 40 years) with diagnoses of cataract, glaucoma, AMD, DR, and DED were propensity score matched 1:1 with controls without these eye diseases based on demographic and clinical covariates. Outcome measures were the incidence of mood, anxiety, and psychotic disorders, identified using ICD-10 codes. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) from the Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess associations. Study included patients with cataract (N = 121,060), glaucoma (N = 122,663), AMD (N = 39,915), DR (n = 43,495), DED (n = 148,221), and their median follow-up ranging 1263-2191 days. Cataracts, glaucoma, DR, and DED were each associated with mildly increased risks of mood (HR range: 1.05-1.10), anxiety (HR range: 1.04-1.12), and psychotic disorders (HR range: 1.18-1.36). When accompanied by visual impairment, risks were higher: mood (HR range: 1.22-1.57), anxiety (HR range: 1.16-1.32), and psychotic disorders (HR range: 1.54-2.15). Age-related ocular diseases, particularly when presented with vision impairment, are independently associated with elevated risks of mental health disorders. These findings underscore the need for integrated ophthalmic-psychiatric care and early intervention before vision loss to address the complex needs of affected patients.

The digital transformation has led to an increased reliance on the internet. To what extent visual impairment affects people's opportunities for digital inclusion remains insufficiently understood. This study aimed to explore (1) the use of the internet, (2) potential adaptations required for its use, and (3) potential factors explaining digital exclusion among people aged 65 to 75 years with visual impairments. An exploratory, cross-sectional design using self-reported data from a survey with people aged 65 to 75 years with visual impairment registered at vision clinics in a larger Swedish region. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse participants' characteristics. Binary logistic regression was performed to explore digital exclusion and explanatory factors. Of the 413 participants, 67% needed support in digital activity arenas, including additional training in internet services, and adaptations/aids. Digital exclusion could partly be explained by low education (OR = 2.28, p = 0.016), help-related needs (OR = 1.95, p = 0.044), and internet usage difficulties (OR = 11.48, p = 0.001). Living with a visual impairment when being 65 years and older may lead to digital exclusion. Those requiring help when using the internet, those who found it difficult to use the internet, and those with the lowest levels of education were the most at risk of digital exclusion.

A 22-year-old female patient was referred for glaucoma evaluation due to an unclear bilateral ocular condition. For 6 months she had experienced glare sensitivity and dilated pupils without visual impairment. Initially, bilateral anterior uveitis with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) had been diagnosed and treated locally with topical steroids and latanoprost. Clinical examination revealed bilateral diffuse iris transillumination defects with irregular, nonreactive mydriasis as well as heavily pigmented anterior chamber angles. Extended medical history revealed pneumonia treated with systemic moxifloxacin 2 weeks prior to symptom onset. Based on this correlation, the diagnosis of bilateral acute iris transillumination syndrome (BAIT) was established, which is a rare and likely underdiagnosed syndrome that is frequently mistaken for uveitis or pigment dispersion syndrome. Although the pathogenesis has not yet been fully clarified, associations with moxifloxacin therapy and respiratory tract infections have been described. Middle-aged women are predominantly affected. Clinically, the acute phase is characterized by conjunctival hyperemia combined with loss of the iris pigment epithelium, resulting in acute pigment dispersion into the anterior chamber. Subsequently, irreversible diffuse iris transillumination defects and enlarged atonic pupils develop. Pigment deposition within the anterior chamber angle can lead to ocular hypertension and rarely a secondary glaucoma. Careful history taking, regular IOP monitoring and symptomatic treatment of photophobia are essential. Awareness of this syndrome prevents unnecessary, time-consuming and costly uveitis work-up.