Monash Vision to develop Direct to Brain Bionic Eye

The Monash Vision direct to brain bionic eye system will combine state of the art digital and biomedical technology with consumer-friendly glasses.

A digital camera embedded in the glasses will capture images. As your head turns, the glasses, of course, turn with you. Cutting edge digital processors will modify the images captured by the camera; a wireless transmitter will then present the image that you are “looking at” to a chip that has been implanted at the back of the brain. The chip will then directly stimulate the visual cortex of the brain with electrical signals using an array of micro-sized electrodes -the brain will learn to interpret these signals as sight.

Goal: first implants by 2014.

For more info:

http://www.monash.edu.au/bioniceye/technology%20ORIGINAL.html

http://www2.electronicproducts.com/Group_to_test_direct_to_brain_bionic_eye_on_human_patients-article-fajb_bionic_eye_may2012-html.aspx

LVATUG Goes World Wide

When we first created this blog, it was to serve the Low Vision community of the North Carolina Triangle area. Thanks to the Internet and WordPress, we have reached the entire world. Here is a list of countries that have viewed us so far.

United States

India

Canada

United Kingdom

Turkey

Australia

Russian Federation

Czech Republic

Germany

Ireland

Thailand

Trinidad and Tobago

Saudi Arabia

Serbia

Iraq

Singapore

Hong Kong

Israel

Brazil

Italy

Hungary

Romania

France

Morocco

South Africa

Indonesia

Belgium

Spain

Pakistan

Switzerland

Guatemala

Egypt

News from the NFB and the FFB

This post is from Lauren Tappan:

• The FFB, Foundation for Fighting Blindness, will have their Vision 2012 Conference at Hyatt Regency Hotel in Minneapolis from June 28 to July 1.
• The NFB, National Federation for the Blind, will have their National Convention in Dallas, June 31 to July 5.  NFB will have their NC state convention at Camp Dogwood.
• The Governor Moorhead School for The Blind in Raleigh is closing. A blind residential program will remain. This Blind Residential program will be a satellite of Wilson Deaf School. http://www.encsd.net/
• There is now an effort to merge the commission for the blind into a super social services division and NFB is hoping this will not happen.

If you would like to have more information in regards to NFB or any of the above, contact Gary Ray at 828-505-0299.

RFB&D is now Learning Ally!

This entry is posted by Lauren Tappan:

Learning Ally, formerly Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic^®, a nonprofit volunteer organization, is the nation’s largest educational lending-library serving people who cannot effectively read standard print because of visual impairment, dyslexia or other physical disability.

Memberships cost $99 per year.

http://www.learningally.org/Training-Support/Frequently-Asked-Questions/About-Learning-Ally/47/

You should also check out the free NC Library for the Blind.

http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lbph/

The NCLBPH offers a wide range of books and magazines. The same book and magazine titles found most other public libraries are available for loan. Materials are in large print, braille, or audio formats. The audio materials are either cassette tapes or digital cartridges. Patrons may read one or more formats of their choice. The cassette tapes are recorded at slower speed than commercially available tapes. Thus, the library also loans specially designed cassette players to patrons who request tape service. Special accessories for the cassette players, such as remote controls, breathe switches, and extension levers, are available to those who need them to use the players. Amplifiers are also available; however, require a separate application signed by a doctor that goes to the National Library Service to be filled. The NCLBPH repairs, at no cost, the tape and digital machines loaned to patrons. A toll-free telephone line for use throughout North Carolina is also offered for book requests, quick service and to answer any questions you might have about the service (1-888-388-2460). The Friends of the NCLBPH’s library newsletter,Tar Heel Talk, is provided quarterly to patrons and is available in all formats.

 

Retinitis Pigmentosa Facebook Page

Retinitis Pigmentosa Awareness Page

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Retinitis-Pigmentosa-Awareness-Page/303807802963828

 

 

 

 

Stem Cell Therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa

A young Romanian woman named Lydia was disappointed when conventional medicine gave her no hope in treatment of her retinitis pigmentosa. However, Dr. Omar Gonzalez of the Integra Medical Center, located in Mexico, has offered her hope as well as hope for other individuals diagnosed with vision problems including diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration.

Dr. Omar Gonzalez has devised a stem cell treatment offering an alternative to conventional treatments for the disease. Dr. Gonzalez has designed a proprietary method that involves injection of stem cells behind the eye. Through such procedures, nearly 80% of individuals experienced slowing of the disease process, and approximately 60% have noticed an increase in their peripheral vision. None of the patients treated for retinitis pigmentosa at Integra Medical Center experienced post-treatment side effects, and defined any discomfort to merely “minimal” for up to 12 hours following the injection.

Within 30 minutes following the treatment, Lydia, who previously could hardly see four feet in front of her, could define shapes, people and even the color of their clothing. Lydia finally feels that she has some hope, not only to see her family members, but also to become more self-sufficient and less reliant on others to do things for her.

For more info:

http://www.placidway.com/article/717/Stem_Cell_Therapy_for_Retinitis_Pigmentosa

 

Gene Therapy Trial for Usher’s Syndrome To Begin

Oxford BioMedica announced that it had gained approval from the FDA to begin a Phase I/IIa Clinical Trial for a form of Usher’s Syndrome, Type 1B, which leads to progressive retinitis pigmentosa combined with a congenital hearing defect.

Usher syndrome is the most common form of deaf-blindness which affects approximately 30,000-50,000 patients in the US and Europe. One of the most common subtypes is Usher syndrome type 1B. The disease is caused by a mutation of the gene encoding myosin VIIA (MY07A).

The open label, dose escalation Phase I/IIa study will enrol up to 18 patients with Usher syndrome type 1B at the Oregon Health and Science University’s Casey Eye Institute, Portland, Oregon. The study, led by Professor Richard Weleber, will evaluate three dose levels for safety, tolerability and aspects of biological activity and is expected to be initiated by the end of 2011.

For more info:

http://irvaronsjournal.blogspot.com/2011/10/gene-therapy-update-1-first-clinical.html

http://eyedocnews.com/006188-gene-therapy-trial-for-retinitis-pigmentosa-based-on-usher%E2%80%99s-syndrome-to-begin/

 

Accessibility Features of Apple’s iOS 5

This article is dedicated to Herb Halbrecht. Herb was always a strong proponent of Assistive Technology, the Apple devices and Accessibilty features. Sadly, Herb passed away Oct 2 from a heart attack. He will be missed… Gail Johnson and John Logan.

Apple users have long known about the company’s commitment to accessibility in most (if not all) of its devices.

In iOS 5–the latest version of the operating system used by the iPhone, the iPad, and the iPod Touch–Apple has provided even more accessibility features for their mobile platform. Apple’s attention to built-in accessibility features allows people with disabilities to use these products right out of the box instead of needing to purchase costly accessibility software.

With the current release of iOS 5, Apple has added the following features:

Text Size Changes
Speak Selection
Hearing Aid Mode
Custom Vibrations
LED Flash for Alerts
Mono Audio
Incoming Call Route
Assistive Touch
The last of these new features is really amazing, so let’s take a look at Assistive Touch in a little more detail. These accessibility features really can help anyone, not just those with certain abilities. Assistive Touch is a way for users with physical or motor impairments to better control their iOS devices. Turn on this feature by tapping Settings > General > Accessibility > Assistive Touch > ON.

When you turn this feature on, you will get a small bubble in the lower, left-hand corner of the screen. This bubble will appear on every iOS 5 screen, and in any application. Tapping on the button will present you with 4 different options: Gestures, Device, Home, and Favorites. This menu is different actions that can be performed with Assistive Touch. Let’s explore the Gestures.

After tapping on the Gestures link, you will see additional buttons for 2, 3, 4, and 5-finger gestures. So, if you need to perform a 2-finger gesture, but can only use 1-finger to perform the gesture, simply tap on the 2-finger button, and then perform the gesture. The iPhone will recognize your 1-figner on the screen as 2-fingers.

Aside from Gestures, you can also tap on Device to get access to the following device settings that would normally require extra button presses:

Rotate Screen
Lock Screen
Volume Up
Volume Down
Shake
Mute/Unmute
For more accessibility features in iOS 5 and the new iPhone 4S, check out Apple’s Accessibility Guide for iPhone or iPad.

How about you? Do you take advantage of any of the iOS accessibility features? Tell us about it in the comments.

Cory Bohon

http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/accessibility-features-of-ios-5/36685

Contraceptive pill prevents loss of eye sight

Scientists at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland have shown that the active component (Norgestrel) of the contraceptive ‘Mini Pill’ prevents the loss of sight in mice that have degenerative eye conditions that normally lead to blindness.

The research will be published in the September issue of The Journal of Neurochemistry.  

People who suffer from the genetic condition Retinitis Pigmentosa lose their sight because the light detecting cells in their eyes called photoreceptors begin to die by the time they reach their mid-twenties.

In a screening of 1,200 commonly used drugs Professor Tom Cotter and his team in the Biochemistry Department at UCC discovered that Norgestel did more than just provide contraception in mouse models used to study blindness.   It also prevented the loss of the light detecting cells and the sight of the mice was retained when the animals were given the drug at a similar concentration used for contraceptive purposes.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20110902/Contraceptive-pill-prevents-loss-of-eye-sight.aspx

 

Vitamin E and RP

Vitamin E: Daily supplementation with oral vitamin E may be beneficial for respiratory infection prevention. Additional research is warranted.

Caution is advised when taking vitamin E supplements, as adverse effects and drug interactions are possible. Avoid if allergic or hypersensitive to vitamin E. Avoid with retinitis pigmentosa (loss of peripheral vision). Avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding, unless otherwise directed by a doctor. Use cautiously with bleeding disorders or if taking blood thinners.

http://www.health24.com/child/Natural_standard_articles/833-4866,65165.asp