Neurosciences News

Early melanoma detection is vital for saving eyes and saving lives, according to Carol L. Shields, MD. Dr. Shields said she has made it a career goal to inform ophthalmologists and other physicians of the critical need for early detection of ocular melanoma.

As cancer patient care becomes more coordinated and highly specialized, ophthalmologists, ophthalmic oncologists and oncologists are forging new relationships for managing patients with ocular and other types of cancers.

Ocular side effects of cancer treatments are uncommon, even rare, but when they occur they can be serious and sight-threatening. Patients undergoing treatments for cancers in other parts of the body should be monitored by an ophthalmologist for ocular complications, according to experts.

Administering intravenous dexamethasone to patients with acute optic neuritis resulted in rapid recovery of vision, an Indian study found.

Patients with refractory essential blepharospasm may benefit from treatment with botulinum toxin type A at doses higher than the standard 100 U injections, a prospective study suggests.

A new device that projects a visual display on a pair of eyeglasses may help improve the visual abilities of patients with tunnel vision, a study found.

Premature infants with smaller volume in the occipital region of the brain are more likely to have impaired oculomotor control in early childhood, according to a study by Australian researchers.

Neuroimaging studies and visual field testing can help prevent a delayed diagnosis of mild cerebral visual impairment in children, a study found.

Optic nerve decompression may have an important adjuvant role to radiation for treating patients with optic nerve sheath meningioma, a recent study suggests.

Retinal implants that enable blind individuals to see light and simple patterns, and even to regain lost visual function, are in clinical trials, and one or more could become commercially available within several years, according to researchers.