Dr. Grossman’s Blog

Pfc. Crystal M. O'Neal, 2HBCT Public Affairs, courtesy US Government

Scientists have found a new way to screen patients for common eye diseases using LED technology.  An article in Review of Scientific Instruments describes the new system which uses six different wavelengths of light to illuminate the eyeball.

Using light-absorbing compounds already present in the eye, researchers are finding a way to capture better diagnostic images by working with the way different pigments appear in multispectral images.  One advantage of this new diagnostic procedure is its speed – it can capture images quickly enough to avoid distortion caused by natural eye movements.

It is hoped that this technology can be developed further and be made widely available to optometrists and opthamologists seeking the best diagnostic tool for their patients when screening for such eye diseases as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.

Source: scienceblog.com

Australian scientists may have made a discovery that could lead to the development of better tests to detect eye diseases like glaucoma and macular degeneration.  Research published in  the Journal of Vision suggests that color sensing cells in retina, which were previously believed to be able to only respond to specific colors, can also detect black and white moving objects as well.  According to lead researcher Paul Martin: “For a long time we’ve had an image of the brain as a kind of computer, with particular pathways or ‘wires’ for particular nerve signals.  Now, it is becoming clear the wiring is a lot less precise than a computer.”

What might this mean for you when its time to be screened for eye disease?  Discoveries like this one help scientists better understand how cells in the eyes respond to stimuli, and the more they know about how the eye works, the more able they are to improve eye testing procedures and technologies.

Source: ABC Science