Cataract

T he river churns a muddy brown as it carries us through towering vermilion rock walls toward the roar of Gypsum Canyon Rapid. The sound of water breaking over boulders grows louder as we approach, but Mike DeHoff shows no fear at the coming chaos. Rather, as he works the oars of his 18-foot raft, full of a week’s worth of camping gear and science equipment, it’s clear that he is, instead, thrilled. DeHoff is a local from Moab, Utah, and he’s rowed this stretch of the Colorado River, called Cataract Canyon in…

New findings challenge the “sugar hypothesis” in diabetic cataracts, revealing that immune cells cause cellular changes in the eye lens before high blood sugar levels occur. This suggests diabetic complications may begin during the pre-diabetic state and calls for a reevaluation of current theories.In preclinical models, investigators uncovered a novel mechanism underlying the development of diabetic cataracts that undermines current hypothesis.Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital have discovered a novel mechanism…