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December 3, 2008 12:53:11 PM CST

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10 Stories

 US Child Gets Prosthetic Iris 

Surgery allows boy to see colors, corrects vision problems

Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati Enquirer Nov 22, 08 5:22 PM CST
(Newser) - Surgeons in Cincinnati implanted a prosthetic iris this week in the eye of a 7-year-old boy, the first US child to get one. “It’s just like Mom’s,” said Nathaniel Brantley as he looked in a mirror. “Just like it’s supposed to be.” Born without irises, Nathaniel suffered a rare condition that prevented his pupils from contracting. Bright light hurt his eyes, he couldn’t focus well, and he suffered partial color blindness. More »

More about:  medical breakthrough • eyes • prosthetics • eye care

 Why Kitty's 
 Eyes Glow 
 in the Dark 

Light-reflecting surface helps animals see better

NPR NPR Nov 2, 08 8:20 PM CST
(Newser) - A black cat's eyes may frighten in the dark, but that glow is helping the felines see better, NPR reports. When light fails to enter their brain, cats, dogs, and other animals bounce the light back with a reflective surface on the eye. That gives the light a second chance to shine in. Why the color variety? Substances like riboflavin and zinc determine whether the eye shines schnauzer turquoise or kitty-cat green. More »

More about:  pets • animals • eyes

Russian Ravers Lose Sight After Laser Show

Vision loss as high as 80% and 'impossible
to regain'

Reuters Reuters Jul 15, 08 6:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - Several partygoers at a Russian rave lost part of their sight to damage from a laser light show, Reuters reports. Dozens have appeared at Moscow hospitals for treatment of retinal burns. Loss of vision is as high as 80% and "regaining it is impossible," according to one ophthalmologist. The problem was apparently caused when lasers reflected into people's eyes off tents erected as rain shelters. "I immediately had a spot like when you stare into the sun," said one raver. More »

More about:  Russia • Moscow • dance • eyes • laser • lasers • sight impaired

 UK Docs Implant
 Bionic Eyes 

Surgery aims to restore partial vision in blind men

Daily Telegraph (UK) Daily Telegraph (UK) Apr 21, 08 8:04 PM CDT
(Newser) - British doctors have given two blind men bionic eyesight and say they will soon enjoy partial vision, the Telegraph reports. Using US technology, the surgeons inserted electrodes in the men's retinas last week. Studded on a metal plate, the conductors will be connected to a small eyeglass camera that enables users to see objects as blotches of light. More »

More about:  surgery • blindness • eyes • eye care • foreign doctors

 Cataract Risk 
 Linked to Climate Change 

Rising UV levels will hit developing countries hardest

AFP AFP Apr 7, 08 4:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - As climate change drives ozone depletion and increases the level of ultraviolet rays reaching Earth's surface, humans' eyesight will be suffering more and more, AFP reports. UV rays are one of the leading causes of cataracts, which in turn cause 50% of avoidable blindness worldwide. The trend is likely to have the biggest impact in developing nations. More »

More about:  public health • blindness • eyes • cataracts • ozone layer • opthalmologists

Gray Goosed: Color Shines in Spring Fling

From gallery to runway to makeup, shade is now chic in all seasons

W W Mar 26, 08 10:56 AM CDT
(Newser) - An unexpected shadow has fallen over runways this spring: Gray is the neutral shade of the moment, W magazine reports. Once a seasonal look, gray—be it silvery, smoky, or tinged with brown—has become a year-round staple, replacing “black in fashion and beige in makeup,” says Chantecaille’s creative director. Even taupe-lover Bobbi Brown used stones as inspiration for her latest palette. More »

More about:  fashion • eyes • makeup • fashion tips • Chanel • L'Oreal

Baby Blues Come From Single Ancestor

A long-ago genetic mutation diluted brown eyes, scientists say

LiveScience LiveScience Jan 31, 08 7:21 PM CST
(Newser) - All blue-eyed people have a single, shared ancestor, scientists say. And all those baby blues are the result of a genetic mutation that occurred between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, LiveScience reports. Before that, everyone had brown eyes. The mutation limits the effects of the gene that produces melanin, which colors our eyes and hair, thus diluting browns to blues. More »

More about:  science • genetics • Denmark • genetic mutation • human evolution • eyes

Sprouting Eyes in Petri Dishes

Research that gave tadpoles a third eye could be boon for human sight

LiveScience LiveScience Oct 24, 07 8:04 PM CDT
(Newser) - A lab fluke that resulted in tadpoles growing third eyeballs could be a major boon for human sight, leading to replacement optic parts or even whole eyes grown in petri dishes. A recent research project accidentally happened upon a trigger for eye formation in frogs—a nitrogen-bearing molecule—that may be a missing link in stem cell science, LiveScience reports. More »

More about:  genes • stem cell research • frogs • eyes

Hunt's On for Burma's
Hero Bloggers

Cyber dissidents on the lam

Times (UK) Times (UK) Oct 1, 07 9:14 AM CDT
(Newser) - Burmese bloggers whose accounts and photos of the Saffron Revolution and the brutal crackdown by the military dictatorship riveted the world last week are now  being hunted by authorities, reports the Times of London. With the Internet shut down and the streets swarming with troops, the bloggers have gone underground. More »

More about:  Burma • Myanmar • blog • blogger • Buddhist monks • eyes • Sun • Superman

Stem Cell Cure for Blindness in Sight

Fix for macular degeneration could be available in 5 years

Daily Mail (UK) Daily Mail (UK) Jun 6, 07 6:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - A pioneering stem cell technique developed by British scientists and backed by an anonymous American benefactor could soon cure blindness in millions of people suffering from macular degeneration, the Daily Mail reports. The procedure involves injecting lab-grown embryonic stem cells into the back of an affected eye to repair the damaged area. More »

More about:  surgery • stem cells • blindness • eyes • macular degeneration

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