GLAUCOMA CAN BLUR YOUR MEMORIES

glaucoma

Tonometry tests, a webinar with specialist guests on local TV channels, a dedicated website and informative leaflets distributed in 160 supermarkets: these are the initiatives promoted by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness – IAPB Italy to combat glaucoma, “the silent thief of sight”…

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The telemedicine experience of “Linea Verde”, a toll-free consultation service

linea verde

“Line Verde”, a toll-free eye health consultation service provided by IAPB Italy, is an example of telemedicine. After being active for several years, it proved its worth during the hardest months of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. In this interview, Sara D’Angelo and Martina Genzano, two ophthalmologists in charge of the service, describe their experience during the Covid-19 emergency period.

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Istat: 7 Italians out of 10 perceive themselves to be healthy, but the population is aging

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New 2018 report: almost 169 elderly people to every 100 of the young generation. Italy is the second most elderly country in the world.

anziane-solidali-teste-web-photospip2a1629ff8e3b5d1f0067084612ec4791.jpgIn Italy seven out of ten people claim to be in good health, but according to the annual Report, presented by Istat (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica) on 6th May 2018 in Parliament, the country has the second highest number of elderly citizens in the world in relation to the number of younger people (168.7 elderly people for every 100 youngsters).

While it is true that – in comparison to other European Countries – there is a greater homogeneity of the state of health compared to the economic condition, strong differences still remain among Italy’s regions. However, differences in the perception of one’s well being are less marked than in the past inside the same region.

In general, health inequality decreases with increasing health care expenses per capita. Two regions differ from this trend: Molise (in negative terms) and Veneto (more positively). In Italy in 2016, the index of inequality in the perception of personal health showed a minimum level in Valle d’ Aosta and a maximum in Basilicata.

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

posto_letto-chiaroscuro-web-2-photospip3a6d66df178f7ac80fdd261aea058e1d.jpgRegardless of the country observed, the proportion of people who perceive their health to be good increases, moving from lower to higher income levels,; in particular, in the highest income bracket, around nine people out of ten report optimal health conditions in Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. In the Countries surveyed, the healthy population varies between 65% in Germany to 77% in Norway. The only exception is Portugal, where just under half the population report being well or very well.

In this respect, the situation in Italy is relatively good, but some critical aspects remain. In fact Istat writes:

The elderly, unemployed young people and the families of retired workers have a greater inequality in their health conditions, shown by a lower proportion of people responding [to be] ‘well’. In the families of employees and in the managing class however, a greater homogeneity is observed.

Source: Istat

Rigenerare la cornea con un idrogel adesivo

Messa a punto negli Usa una “colla” sperimentale biocompatibile con cui si mira a
trattare le lesioni corneali

Si potranno evitare, in futuro, molti trapianti di cornea? Questa possibilità sembra oggi più vicina: scienziati del Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Boston) e dell’Università della California (Los Angeles) sono riusciti a mettere a punto un gel che favorisce la rigenerazione corneale, una sorta di colla biocompatibile. Le molecole che lo compongono – una volta attivate dalla luce ambientale – favoriscono il rimarginarsi di tagli e ulcere della superficie oculare. Quindi si mira a ridurre il numero gli interventi chirurgici necessari per la cornea.

Cos’è

Si tratta di un idrogel adesivo che può rigenerare uno strato chiamato “stroma” ed essere potenzialmente utile anche in situazioni d’emergenza. Supponiamo, ad esempio, che un gatto ci abbia graffiato in profondità la superficie dell’occhio… “Attualmente – scrivono gli autori dello studio pubblicato su Science Advances da Reza Dana e colleghi – non è disponibile alcun prodotto adesivo progettato per essere integrato nella cornea a lungo termine, sebbene importanti ricerche siano state dedicate allo sviluppo di materiali adesivi che potessero riparare le abrasioni corneali”.

Quindi la “colla” biologica sperimentale crea nuovi legami tra le fibre corneali mediante crosslinking: la superficie oculare può essere così “riparata” in seguito all’esposizione alla luce visibile, che reagisce chimicamente con i componenti del farmaco in fase di test.

Gli esperimenti

Per ora la sperimentazione è stata effettuata unicamente su cavie (conigli) e sembra aver dato buoni risultati nei 14 giorni successivi all’incisione della cornea, che è stata poi rigenerata grazie all’idrogel.

I test, molto approfonditi, hanno riguardato lo studio della struttura del tessuto rigenerato, la sua integrazione col resto della superficie oculare, la resistenza meccanica, ecc. Ora però bisognerà attendere i risultati della sperimentazione umana.

Fonti: Mass. Eye and Ear, Science Advances

161 genetic factors for myopia identified

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A META-ANALYSIS ON OVER 160 THOUSAND PEOPLE SHOWED THAT THIS COMMON REFRACTIVE ERROR COULD DEVELOP MORE EASILY IN THE ABSENCE OF PROPER EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT

Il bulbo oculare di un miope è più allungato della norma è il punto di fuoco cade davanti alla retina (Fonte nei.nih.gov)
Il bulbo oculare di un miope è più allungato della norma è il punto di fuoco cade davanti alla retina (Fonte nei.nih.gov)
Genetic research in the ophthalmological field has made another important leap forward. A large international group of researchers has succeeded in identifying 161 genetic factors that could lead to a very common refractive error such as myopia, which can cause retinal detachment and lead to – in the most serious cases – the loss of sight. These latter cases are on the rise as myopia is growing significantly worldwide. [1].

According to researchers, new genetic discoveries – achieved also thanks to powerful software – point to the hypothesis that refractive errors may be caused by alterations in the molecular cascade “triggered” by light. This means that subjects who are not sufficiently exposed to sunlight – especially in early childhood – are in greater danger of developing myopia. The genetic foundations, of what had already been understood on other grounds, are now clearer.
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Source: Nature Genetics, Johannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz

[[28.3% of the world’s population is myopic (2010), and the trend is growing. While it is predicted that over one third (33.7%) of the inhabitants of our Planet will be shortsighted by 2020, by 2050 such estimates rise to 50% of the global population. (Fonte: Holden BA, Fricke TR, Wilson DA et al., “Global prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and temporal trends from 2000 through 2050”, Ophthalmology Vol 123, Number 5 May 2016).]]

More comfort with best access to the cares

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THE PRIMARY ASSISTANCE AND THE PREVENTION ARE FUNDAMENTAL FOR A MOST ELEVATED QUALITY OF THE LIFE: THE STUDY OF PLOS ONE

ipovedente_con_tablet-web-2.jpgHealth and transports. These are the aspects that must be on the top or, at least, suitable to guarantee the comfort of the population in a Country. Particularly the access should be guaranteed to the primary sanitary assistance in acceptable times and the movings must be efficient. Underlines it a new study published on PLOS ONE by a équipe of American university researchers.

The effective sanitary service is not only important, but also its perception (therefore also a psychological aspect exists), that is considered a ” strong measure of comfort.” Particularly, even in Countries where an universal (among which Italy) sanitary coverage exists, the access to the cares is correlated well with the well being. For this purpose it is fundamental the prevention, that in the study is considerated an objective indicator. The researchers write:

It is also reasonable that the access to the sanitary assistance mediates the improvement of the comfort offering a major ‘mental peace’ and the necessary support to level of sanitary prevention and generic behaviors for a self-management. If this reasoning is correct, it implicates that to provide access to the primary assistance to all the components of a community could increase the comfort of it.