Treating Vision Problems Induced by Space Travel

"To reduce and better treat spaceflight-induced visual impairment, University of Houston (UH) optometrists are collaborating on a NASA study that examines ocular changes seen in a number of astronauts," according to SpaceRef. "The research, developed by Heidelberg Engineering, uses Spectralis Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), which is a technique for obtaining subsurface images of translucent or opaque materials at a resolution equivalent to a low-power microscope. OCT effectively images reflections from within tissue to provide cross-sectional views. This technology is being used to investigate changes in visual acuity, intraocular pressure, the optic nerve and retinal structures in astronauts exposed to long-duration microgravity aboard the International Space Station (ISS)." Read more.

Can Soft Bifocal CLs Slow Children's Myopia? NEI Study Looks to Find Out

"The University of Houston (UH) is part of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study to determine whether commercially available, soft bifocal contact lenses slow the progression of nearsightedness in children," writes Your Houston News. "Investigators at UH and The Ohio State University (OSU) Colleges of Optometry were awarded grants from the NIH’s National Eye Institute, worth approximately $7.5 million over five years. The Bifocal Lenses In Nearsighted Kids (BLINK) Study is a multicenter randomized clinical trial that will follow nearly 300 children over the course of three years. Dr. David A. Berntsen, an assistant professor in the UH College of Optometry, is the principal investigator for the UH clinical site of this collaborative effort. Children 7 to 11 years old will be enrolled and randomly assigned to wear soft contact lenses with no reading power, soft contact lenses with medium reading power or soft contact lenses with high reading power. The investigators will measure the length of the eye and the amount of nearsightedness to determine whether light focused by the reading power of the soft bifocal contact lenses in front of the retina will result in slower eye growth and, thus, slower progression of nearsightedness." Read more.

Professor Named Most Influential Optometrist

The University of Houston awarded Professor Brien Holden its honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. The Australian professor has been at the forefront of vision correction research for more than four decades, has been called “the most influential optometrist of our generation. ” Holden’s research focus has been in the area of vision correction and ocular health, in particular with contact lenses, spectacles and surgery. He has been a driving force behind the development of a number of lens products--most notably, the third generation of soft contact lenses to correct astigmatism and the highly oxygen permeable silicone hydrogel lenses.

His humanitarian efforts have helped to create organizations that build sustainable eye care systems in developing communities, including the International Centre for Eyecare Education, where he serves as CEO, and Optometry Giving Sight, of which he is executive chair. Under his direction, the Brien Holden Vision Institute was a founding partner and continues to be a major contributor to these organizations.

Understanding Glaucoma Better

Bio-Medicine reports that "a University of Houston (UH) vision scientist has received a $1.85 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate whether his techniques are more effective than others in understanding the earliest changes of glaucoma, which could lead to developing a way to earlier diagnose this potentially blinding disease." Read more on the Bio-Medicine post.