retina

New research uncovers how human retinas, grown in labs, demonstrate that retinoic acid, rather than thyroid hormones, determines the development of color-sensing cells crucial for human vision. This discovery advances our understanding of color blindness, vision loss, and the genetic basis of how we see color, offering promising avenues for future treatments of vision disorders.Researchers have cultivated human retinas in a laboratory setting, unveiling the process by which a derivative of vitamin A produces the unique…

Machine learning significantly advances neural prostheses by optimizing image downsampling, closely replicating natural retinal responses, and opening new avenues for sensory encoding in prosthetics. Credit: SciTechDaily.comEPFL researchers have developed a machine learning approach to compressing image data with greater accuracy than learning-free computation methods, with applications for retinal implants and other sensory prostheses.A major challenge to developing better neural prostheses is sensory encoding:…

A study by researchers from Mass Eye and Ear and the Broad Institute has revealed that retinal imaging combined with genetic analysis can predict the risk of developing eye and systemic diseases. Credit: SciTechDaily.comMass Eye and Ear physician-researchers show that retinal imaging can help predict a person’s risk of developing ocular, neuropsychiatric, cardiac, metabolic, and pulmonary diseases.The team also identified genetic loci associated with retinal thinning, which could help develop personalized treatment plans…

UK startup VividQ claims to have created the first-ever holograms with a “retina resolution.” The milestone means holography can now match the resolution and real-life focus cues expected by the human eye, according to VividQ. The result is a “more natural viewing experience than ever before,” the company said. It now plans to deploy the tech in next-generation VR headsets. To create the holograms, the company engineers light waves to render objects in 3D space. The technique mirrors the way…

3D eye scans, specifically of the retina, could significantly aid in detecting and monitoring kidney disease, a study finds. This non-invasive method using optical coherence tomography shows promise in identifying kidney function through retinal changes, offering potential for early diagnosis and aiding in drug development. A new study indicates that 3D retinal scans could revolutionize the early detection and monitoring of kidney disease, offering a non-invasive and efficient diagnostic tool. 3D eye scans can reveal…

Right now, people affected by retinal vein occlusion (RVO) are typically prescribed injections of a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor (anti-VEGF) into their eye.Experiments on mice conducted by researchers at Columbia University and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in the US suggest this uncomfortable and slightly scary treatment could one day be replaced with eye drops.RVO occurs when a vein in the eye's retina gets blocked, leading to swelling, inflammation, damage to the retina, and even…

This stunning image may look like a particularly lively Jackson Pollock painting, but it’s actually an example of a new cell imaging technique. The subject? A human retina.In fluorescence microscopy, tissue is imaged using fluorescent dyes that stain specific proteins. But this technique can only be done with three to five different dyes at once, limiting the detail that can be captured in a single image.To expand the detail 10 times over, the researchers on the new study took advantage of a new technique called iterative…

Degenerative retinal disease is a problem for millions of people worldwide, as light-sensitive cells called photoreceptors at the back of the eye die without being replaced. Thanks to new research, a solution to the problem might not be far off.Scientists in Canada have come up with a way to transform dormant support neurons called Müller glial cells into tissues that work like cone photoreceptors, which are required for color perception and visual acuity. While the process has only been tested on mice cells, it could…

Software developed using machine learning can be used to predict someone’s risk of heart disease in less than a minute by analyzing the veins and arteries in their eye. The new research, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, paves the way for the development of quick and cheap cardiovascular screenings, if the findings are validated in future clinical trials. These screenings would let individuals know their risk of stroke and heart attack without the need for blood tests or even blood pressure measurements.…

Researchers mapped the organization of human retinal cell chromatin, resulting in a comprehensive gene regulatory network that provides insights into the regulation of gene expression in both rare and common eye diseases.NIH researchers reveal new insights on how genetic architecture determines gene expression, tissue-specific function, and disease phenotype in blinding diseases.National Eye Institute (NEI) scientists have mapped the organization of human retinal cell chromatin. These are the fibers that package 3 billion…