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Eye

Study: steroid shows potential for treating cataracts without surgery

By Véronique LaCapra • Nov 6, 2015
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide.
National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health

Scientists have identified a chemical that could one day be used in eye drops to treat cataracts — potentially eliminating the need for expensive surgery, the only treatment option currently available.

The research team was led by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor but included researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle and Washington University in St. Louis. The group found that eye drops made with a type of steroid could partially reverse cataracts in mice.

Recycling eyeglasses with a 21st century tweak

By • Jul 5, 2013

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon: “There is writing on that blackboard!”

“Hey, those people on stage have features on their faces!”

“I don’t really have to read the newspaper from across the room!”

St. Louis-based Mobius wins FDA approval to start production of eye surgery drug

By Véronique LaCapra • Feb 9, 2012
(via Flickr/orangeacid)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given St. Louis-based Mobius Therapeutics LLC the go-ahead to start production of a drug for use in eye surgery.

Mobius plans to have other St. Louis-area companies make and distribute the new drug, called Mitosol, which is FDA-approved for use in surgeries to treat glaucoma. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States.

Eyes on the school prize (Part 2) - Some doubt wisdom of mandatory vision exams

By • Dec 22, 2008

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Dec. 22, 2008 - Since early in the decade, the Missouri Optometric Association has pushed hard for legislation that requires comprehensive eye examinations for children. A bill mandating such exams for students in kindergarten or first grade finally became law in the summer of 2007 and went into effect this fall.

Eyes on the school prize - Missouri law requires comprehensive eye exams (Part 1)

By • Dec 20, 2008

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Dec. 20, 2008 - For all the concern about low reading comprehension and short attention span, sometimes the reason for poor school performance is just the eyes. Students whose vision problems go undetected or are not found until their first screening or eye exam late in elementary school are likely to have fallen so far behind in reading that remediation is difficult.

Free screening helps young eyes

By Rachel Machefsky • Jun 26, 2008
Among the children who have been helped by the Lions eye screening is Lauren Simpkins. 300 pixels. 2008
Provided Missouri Lions Eye Research

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon: June 26, 2008 - Starting school and learning how to read is difficult for most children, but almost impossible for students who must struggle simply to see what is written on a page or the chalkboard.

Many children with undiagnosed visual impairments such as amblyopia, farsightedness or nearsightedness struggle with their school activities. Some visually impaired students, whose visual problems go undiagnosed, are incorrectly identified as having learning delays.