Our eyes are the most sensitive part of our body, and the most useful one. Everyday, we use our sense of sight for writing, reading, and everything else, but have you ever wondered how our eyes can see? Well, others probably have not, but I believe that most of the people have thought about that already. Today, I’m going to tackle about how our eyes, see.

The human eye is made up of different parts. The major parts are the cornea, iris, lens, and retina. These parts work all together so that we can see. The images we see are made up of light reflected from the objects we look at. Pretty interesting right? Now, let’s first tackle about the outer part of our eye, the cornea. The cornea is the dome-shaped window covering the front of the eye. There are no blood vessels in the cornea, but it is very sensitive. The colored part of the eye is the Iris, it helps regulate the amount of light that can enter our eye.  The next part is the lens, the transparent structure inside the eye that focuses light rays onto the Retina. The lens and cornea comprise the optical system. Would you believe that they are similar in function to the lens of the camera? Well, you better do!

From the optical system, we will already go to the next part, the retina. The retina is the nerve layer that lines the back of the eye. It contains approximately 6 million cones, and 125 million rods. The cones and rods are the two types of photoreceptors of the retina. The cone cells are responsible for daylight vision. They allow us to identify colors. The rods, on the other side, are responsible for night vision. They are sensitive to light. Once the focusing of the image in the retina is done, your eyes use special nerves to send the information to your brain, through the optic nerve. Upon receiving the information, the brain processes the information, and then recognizes it.

Now, I bet you already know how amazing our eyes are. You better take care of it so that you won’t regret it later.

No seriously, these are pictures of the inside of my eyeballs.  I just got ‘em from my eye doctor, who gave me my first ever vision exam a few weeks ago.  Now I get to wear glasses if I want.  Having never worn them, I’ve always kind of wanted to, but of course, those friends of mine who have been wearing them for years think I’m nuts.  They might have a point.

Nos últimos tempos várias marcas tecnológicas trabalham em dispositivos informáticos ópticos, osquais podemos sempre levar em conta a idéia de cobrir diversas necessidades. Agora a firma NEC da um novo passo e apresenta seu dispositivo Tele Scouter.

Basicamente o invento é formado por um pequeno aparato que se coloca diante do olho e um “mini-ordenador” que a pessoa pode levar onde quiser. Tele Scouter se encarrega de captar com um microfone incorporado o que alguem com quem estamos conversando nos diz (em outro idioma), esse áudio é transmitido ao “mini-ordenador” o qual se encarrega de converter o texto para finalmente traduzí-lo a nossa língua e projetar a tradução diretamente sobre a retina.

NEC Tele Scouter

A NEC planeja lançar uma versão do Tele Scouter no mercado em 2010, pois admitem que no momento as capacidadesde tradução dodispositivo não são suficientes.

Fonte: Infochaos

MedPage Today reported that, according to a study presented at an ophthalmology meeting, “intravitreal injections of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors can cause persistent hypertension in the eye after only one treatment, a complication affecting 3.45 percent of patients given bevacizumab (Avastin) or ranibizumab (Lucentis) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
After IV retrospectively looking at 116 wet AMD patients treated with either VEGF inhibitor at their tertiary referral center from 2006 through 2008, researchers found that four patients developed persistent ocular hypertension. However, the ocular hypertension usually responds to antiglaucoma medication, though it returns if the drops are discontinued, the investigators said.

Though their use remains controversial, new research and innovative procedures indicate that stem cells may be applicable in more situations than previously thought. Stem cells are immature cells with the ability to grow into any type of tissue. Scientists have worked for years to perfect methods of extracting and directing these cells to grow into different tissue types to heal injuries and cure diseases. In addition to human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), methods of using patient specific cells in regenerative medicine are being refined. Like embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) have the potential to become any type of cell in the body. Because iPS cells are made by “rewinding” adult cells to their pluripotent state – a state from which they can grow into other types of tissue – they can be created from a patient’s own tissues, thus lessening or eliminating the risk of rejection. According to the Los Angeles Times, iPS cells could be used to grow insulin-producing beta cells for patients with diabetes or nerve cells for patients with spinal cord injuries.

Using this type of “adult stem cells,” researchers at the Wayne State University School of Medicine have developed a procedure to increase mobility and quality of life for patients with spinal cord injuries. The process involves the use of progenitor cells from a patient’s own nasal tissue, thus lessening the chances of rejection, tumor formation, and disease transmission sometimes experienced when using donated tissue. Twenty patients with severe chronic spinal cord injuries took part in the Wayne State University study, led by Associate Professor Jean Peduzzi-Nelson. Each received a treatment of partial scar removal in combination with transplantation of nasal tissue and physical rehabilitation. Results from participants, including one paraplegic individual who is now able to ambulate with two crutches and knee braces, indicate that the transplantation of nasal tissue (an “olfactory mucosal autograft”) is an effective and safe treatment for individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries.

Other types of adult cells have also been used for transplantation to damaged tissues. At the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, fat stem cells from a 14-year-old boy were used to form cheekbones that the young patient lacked. This new technique has the potential to benefit approximately seven million people in the United States, including individuals with various forms of cancer, and those injured in conflict situations. A section of bone from a donated cadaver was shaped to resemble zygomatic bones and act as a support structure for the growth of new tissue. Mesenchymal stem cells from the patient’s fat and a growth-encouraging protein were injected into holes in this bone base. Before implantation, the research team wrapped the grafts in periosteum tissue, which helps encourage stem cells to produce bone tissue. Stem cells were harvested from fat tissue as they exist in similar proportions as in bone marrow tissue, but do not require invasive procedures to gather them.

Using embryonic stem cells from mice, researchers have been able to successfully create a “heart patch” to repair damage caused by heart disease. Bioengineers at Duke University created a 3D mold and used it to grow heart muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. In addition to the mold used to ensure that the cells would not grow as a disorganized mass, cardiac fibroblasts, which comprise up to 60 percent of the heart, were added. These cells helped to guide the growth of the patches and properly align the cells so that they would have properties similar to heart tissue. The heart patches created displayed critical features of heart muscle – the ability to contract and to conduct electrical impulses.

Studies indicate that transplants using pigment-containing visual cells derived from hESCs have also had some success. In individuals who underwent these procedures, structure and function of the light-sensitive lining and the eye (retina) were preserved. For millions who lose their sight or experience low-vision, this type of cell-replacement procedure could prove beneficial. Jennifer Elisseeff, associate professor in biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University, and her team have also utilized stem cells to repair damaged and deteriorating knee cartilage. In addition, Elisseeff’s team is working to enable stem cells to reconstruct muscle and fat lost during surgery or trauma and developing an eye patch constructed of special biomaterial derived from collagen to help repair damage to a patient’s cornea.

The use of hESCs remains controversial, though the Obama administration has lifted Bush-era restrictions on federal funding for research based on their use. iPS cells offer an alternative that may prove as beneficial or more so as there is no risk of rejection of the transplanted tissue. For patients with spinal cord injuries, deteriorating vision, compromised heart function, and many other health concerns, treatments using stem cells may offer an opportunity to heal that would otherwise not be available.

Discuss This and Other Medical Treatments in the iCons in Medicine Forums

The New York Times that researchers from the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, the VA Boston Healthcare System, and Cornell University have demonstrated retinal implants that they say will resist the jarring of daily use.

The implant contains a tiny array of electrodes whose tips slide into a snug berth just beneath the retina…and are held in place by natural suction. These electrodes prompt the remains of retinal circuits to transmit signals to the brain, allowing patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a disease that damages the rods and cones in the eye, and for macular degeneration, which also affects these photoreceptors, to detect light and dark and to find the edges of objects.

.

The above video is from EyeMaginations and gives a great description of what Cataracts are:

Cataracts are a normal and common part of the aging process but, they do not have to interfere with your lifestyle.   A cataract is a cloudiness of the crystalline lens inside of your eye.  As your lens gets cloudier, your vision will gradually become more blurred.

The human eye may best be compared to a camera.  When you take a picture, the lens in the front of the camera allows light through and then focuses that light on the film in the back of the camera.  When the light hits the film, a picture is taken.  The eye works in much the same way.

In  youth, the crystalline lens of your eye is clear and allows light to pass through.   Light is focused by your cornea and your crystalline lens onto a thin layer of nerve tissue in the back of your eye called – the retina.   Your retina works like the film in a camera.  When the focused light hits the retina – a “picture” is taken and sent to your brain.

While a dirty camera lens blurs a picture, any significant cataract or cloudiness  in your crystalline lens will blur the images that you see.

When a cataract becomes significant – your vision can become quite blurry.  It is suggested if your vision drops below 20/40 or so….then it is common to be told to see an eye surgeon to have cataract surgery.

This surgery involves taking out the cloudy crystalline lens (cataract) and replacing it with a clear implant.  Often your surgeon can even do a calculation that can place your current eyeglass prescription into the lens implant.  The result after the cataract surgery can be much clearer vision and often there is no need for glasses after the surgery!

For more information – see your local Optometrist or  Dr Dawn Bearden or Dr Anna-Kay Tenn in Pembroke Pines 954-430-3808 or Sunrise 954-851-9949 for your yearly eye exam and they will be happy to discuss cataracts and cataract surgery options with you!

Random Bits of Happy

My new scarf…made by ME!

*I learned to knit on Thursday thanks to the lovely Emily!  We sat in the dimmed, candle lit den of the Underbelly and had a wonderful evening chatting and learning.  I am so pleased with the end result and have started 2 other scarves already.  I can lose myself while knitting, it’s much like meditation, clearing of the mind.  It’s wonderful. 

Hi from FL! Sending love to Japan!

*Friends threw a Sept./Oct. birthday bash since there were a handful of Libras in our circle of friends.  My Baby Brother included.  He turned 30!!!  It was great to have everyone together and having a good time.  It was a beautiful day and hadn’t gotten cool yet so the boat was buzzing across the water the whole day with people tubing on the wakes.  Lots of fun was had, meats were smoked, conversations were vibrant and friendly.  Missed was my girl Jes, she’s in Japan but we all took photos and I sent her the bunch of them, so she could feel our love!   

My eye Dr. mapped my retinas

*I went to the eye Dr. for my yearly exam and they had a new laser that mapped 200 degrees of your retina instead of the 30 degrees they can see by dialating your eyes.  This took a quarter of a second and required no trippy eyes for hours after the exam.  With all the wonky problems my family has with eyes I opted to pay more and MAN was it COOL!  And for the first time in years my eyes stayed the same, they didn’t get worse.  That is super good news. 

*The final bout of the season for  Rollerderby was this weekend.  It was fun to see the girl playhard and play it to win!  The first bout our B team kept the score close but in the end they lost, but our A team brought it and won with a 20 point margin.  It was a huge crowd and they had a great time hamming it up for all the new people that had never been to a derby game.  Seems “Whip It!” got the word out that Rollerderby is around. 

Quick Mentions:

*Cool weather is finally here, not for long but it’s still nice!  *rediscovered Regina Spektor – Far  *Leaving the windows open at night and snuggling under blankets.  *Music that FEELS like fall and seems to match the weather.  *fuzzy yarn  *text messages from my honey full of love.  *sitting outside to knit while my man does manly things.  *good non-fiction books, it’s hard to my attention with a NF book and this one does!  *Good friends chatting  me up on IM *Hair that dries into the perfect 40’s coif just by pinning it!

Image by pmorgan via Flickr

Following a MedPage Today story, HealthDay reported that increased survival of extremely pre-term infants has led to a greater number of babies with vision problems caused by abnormal development of blood vessels in the retina, according to a study published in the Oct. issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Swedish researchers examined data on 506 extremely pre-term infants (born before 27 weeks of gestation) who survived until their first eye examination and found that 368 (72.7 percent) had retinopathy of prematurity — 37.9 percent with mild cases and 34.8 percent with severe cases. Notably, gestational age was a more significant risk factor for retinopathy of prematurity than birth weight.

Image via Wikipedia

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition occurring in persons with diabetes, which causes progressive damage to the retina, the light sensitive lining at the back of the eye. It is a serious sight-threatening complication of diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease that interferes with the body’s ability to use and store sugar, which can cause many health problems. Too much sugar in the blood can cause damage throughout the body, including the eyes. Over time, diabetes affects the circulatory system of the retina.

Diabetic retinopathy is the result of damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina. They leak blood and other fluids that cause swelling of retinal tissue and clouding of vision. The condition usually affects both eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they will develop diabetic retinopathy. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness.

Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:

• Seeing spots or floaters in your field of vision
• Blurred vision
• Having a dark or empty spot in the center of your vision
• Difficulty seeing well at night

In patients with diabetes, prolonged periods of high blood sugar can lead to the accumulation of fluid in the lens inside the eye that controls eye focusing. This changes the curvature of the lens and results in the development of symptoms of blurred vision. The blurring of distance vision as a result of lens swelling will subside once the blood sugar levels are brought under control. Better control of blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes also slows the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Often there are no visual symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. That is why the American Optometric Association recommends that everyone with diabetes have a comprehensive dilated eye examination once a year. Early detection and treatment can limit the potential for significant vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.

Treatment of diabetic retinopathy varies depending on the extent of the disease. It may require laser surgery to seal leaking blood vessels or to discourage new leaky blood vessels from forming. Injections of medications into the eye may be needed to decrease inflammation or stop the formation of new blood vessels. In more advanced cases, a surgical procedure to remove and replace the gel-like fluid in the back of the eye, called the vitreous, may be needed. A retinal detachment, defined as a separation of the light-receiving lining in the back of the eye, resulting from diabetic retinopathy, may also require surgical repair.

If you are a diabetic, you can help prevent or slow the development of diabetic retinopathy by taking your prescribed medication, sticking to your diet, exercising regularly, controlling high blood pressure and avoiding alcohol and smoking.

What causes diabetic retinopathy?

Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) is the early state of the disease in which symptoms will be mild or non-existent. In NPDR, the blood vessels in the retina are weakened causing tiny bulges called microanuerysms to protrude from their walls.

See the video >>

Image courtesy of Eyemaginations, Inc.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is the more advanced form of the disease. At this stage, new fragile blood vessels can begin to grow in the retina and into the vitreous, the gel-like fluid that fills the back of the eye. The new blood vessel may leak blood into the vitreous, clouding vision.

See the video >>

Image courtesy of Eyemaginations, Inc.

Diabetic retinopathy is the result of damage caused by diabetes to the small blood vessels located in the retina. Blood vessels damaged from diabetic retinopathy can cause vision loss:

• Fluid can leak into the macula, the area of the retina which is responsible for clear central vision. Although small, the macula is the part of the retina that allows us to see colors and fine detail. The fluid causes the macula to swell, resulting in blurred vision.
• In an attempt to improve blood circulation in the retina, new blood vessels may form on its surface. These fragile, abnormal blood vessels can leak blood into the back of the eye and block vision.

Diabetic retinopathy is classified into two types:

1. Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) is the early state of the disease in which symptoms will be mild or non-existent. In NPDR, the blood vessels in the retina are weakened causing tiny bulges called microanuerysms to protrude from their walls. The microanuerysms may leak fluid into the retina, which may lead to swelling of the macula.
2. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is the more advanced form of the disease. At this stage, circulation problems cause the retina to become oxygen deprived. As a result new fragile blood vessels can begin to grow in the retina and into the vitreous, the gel-like fluid that fills the back of the eye. The new blood vessel may leak blood into the vitreous, clouding vision. Other complications of PDR include detachment of the retina due to scar tissue formation and the development of glaucoma. Glaucoma is an eye disease defined as progressive damage to the optic nerve. In cases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the cause of this nerve damage is due to extremely high pressure in the eye. If left untreated, proliferative diabetic retinopathy can cause severe vision loss and even blindness.

Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include:

• Diabetes — people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at risk for the development of diabetic retinopathy. The longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they are to develop diabetic retinopathy, particularly if the diabetes is poorly controlled.
• Race — Hispanic and African Americans are at greater risk for developing diabetic retinopathy.
• Medical conditions — persons with other medical conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol are at greater risk.
• Pregnancy — pregnant women face a higher risk for developing diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. If gestational diabetes develops, the patient is at much higher risk of developing diabetes as they age.

[back to top]

How is diabetic retinopathy diagnosed?

Diabetic retinopathy can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination.

Diabetic retinopathy can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. Testing, with special emphasis on evaluation of the retina and macula, may include:

• Patient history to determine vision difficulties experienced by the patient, presence of diabetes, and other general health concerns that may be affecting vision
• Visual acuity measurements to determine the extent to which central vision has been affected
• Refraction to determine the need for changes in an eyeglass prescription
• Evaluation of the ocular structures, including the evaluation of the retina through a dilated pupil
• Measurement of the pressure within the eye

Supplemental testing may include:

• Retinal photography or tomography to document current status of the retina
• Fluorescein angiography to evaluate abnormal blood vessel growth

[back to top]

How is diabetic retinopathy treated?

Laser treatment (photocoagulation) is used to stop the leakage of blood and fluid into the retina. A laser beam of light can be used to create small burns in areas of the retina with abnormal blood vessels to try to seal the leaks.

See the video >>

Image courtesy of Eyemaginations, Inc.

Treatment for diabetic retinopathy depends on the stage of the disease and is directed at trying to slow or stop the progression of the disease.

In the early stages of Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, treatment other than regular monitoring may not be required. Following your doctor’s advice for diet and exercise and keeping blood sugar levels well-controlled can help control the progression of the disease.

If the disease advances, leakage of fluid from blood vessels can lead to macular edema. Laser treatment (photocoagulation) is used to stop the leakage of blood and fluid into the retina. A laser beam of light can be used to create small burns in areas of the retina with abnormal blood vessels to try to seal the leaks.

When blood vessel growth is more widespread throughout the retina, as in proliferative diabetic retinopathy, a pattern of scattered laser burns is created across the retina. This causes abnormal blood vessels to shrink and disappear. With this procedure, some side vision may be lost in order to safeguard central vision.

Some bleeding into the vitreous gel may clear up on its own. However, if significant amounts of blood leak into the vitreous fluid in the eye, it will cloud vision and can prevent laser photocoagulation from being used. A surgical procedure called a vitrectomy may be used to remove the blood-filled vitreous and replace it with a clearfluid to maintain the normal shape and health of the eye.

Persons with diabetic retinopathy can suffer significant vision loss. Special low vision devices such as telescopic and microscopic lenses, hand and stand magnifiers, and video magnification systems can be prescribed to make the most of remaining vision.

~ American Optometric Association ~

For questions, or a comprehensive eye exam, contact:
Premier Eyecare, Julie Moore OD, #405.513.8150

marţian pe strada unei fete de ciocolată
cu gânduri puerile,
indigo,
mă strânge-n braţe
în vechea ceainărie de pe colţ,
îmi sărută umerii calzi în staţia vineri de tramvai
şi-mparte bomboane din sticlă colorată la intersecţia cu pasarele marginale

cum să-l iubesc pe marţian? cum să le fac cunoştinţă părinţilor cu un bărbat
verde,
albastru
cu ochi lipicioşi,
contagioşi şi fără retină?
şi cum încape nava lui spaţială în garajul tatălui meu?

Foto

Dança do ventre e saúde: a cura do templo feminino

SOBRE NOSSA ESTRUTURA MENTAL, PSÍQUICA E EMOCIONAL – I Parte

Psique. A Dança do Ventre harmoniza distúrbios emocionais ocasionados pelas perdas e desencontros com o self, favorecendo o nascimento de uma persona mais equilibrada e dinamicamente fluente.

É interessante notar que após seis meses de pratica, é resultado geral, as praticantes já terem mudado alguma coisa em seus comportamentos. Se sentem mais capazes e encorajadas a fazer alterações em alguns pontos de suas vidas, mudando também em parte, seu funcionamento. Pensam mais em suas qualidades que em seus defeitos e isso já uma grande mudança de estrutura!

Quanto mais alta a ansiedade mais baixo o desempenho

Isso é fato. Observei em muitas alunas uma queda no nível da ansiedade – a aceitação de que o corpo tem certo tempo para responder ao movimento, respeitar este tempo; respirar para se movimentar, entre outras práticas, leva compreensão ao processo, desperta paciência e traz confiança seguida de alívio.

A Dança do Ventre oferece ferramentas que aumentam nossa capacidade de autocontrole emocional, assim como o yoga. Nós já estudamos algumas de suas proezas, o que seus movimentos são capazes de fazer por nós. Vamos nos adiantar na matéria, e estudar então, um pouco sobre como nosso cérebro funciona, para:

• podermos saber com propriedade;
• e dançar com equilíbrio.

Gostaria de substituir a palavra autocontrole pela palavra administrar

Vamos falar em administração emocional, pois para muitas pessoas o controle ainda se confunde com a repressão. É uma questão de foco mal analisado.

Daniel Goleman afirma que nossas emoções possuem uma mente própria, e também uma espécie de inconsciente cognitivo, que apresenta à nossa mente, a identidade do que vemos e uma opinião sobre o que vemos. Nosso cérebro emocional é impreciso e às vezes nossas respostas emocionais se manifestam de forma rápida e mal elaboradas.

Estudando mais essa estrutura, os pesquisadores descobriram que existe uma base anatômica para estas respostas antecipadas: são as nossas emoções precognitivas, baseadas em fragmentos neurais de informação sensorial que não foram classificados e integrados num objetivo reconhecível (Goleman, 1995: 37). Isso quer dizer que, as experiências que temos, e que foram mal processadas, não ficam bem registradas, ou seja, temos fragmentos delas.

Na página 33, num esquema sobre a reação de lutar ou fugir (e é sobre isso que estamos tratando: enfrentar, isto é, ir em frente e continuar, ou fugir da realidade, do aprendizado, da vida, do trabalho, da família, dos filhos, do marido, do chefe, da professora – administrar o emocional), Goleman explica: “o sinal visual vai primeiro da retina para o tálamo, onde é traduzido para a linguagem do cérebro. A maior parte da mensagem segue então para o córtex visual, onde é analisada e avaliada em busca do significado e da resposta adequada; se a resposta é emocional, um sinal vai para a amígdala ativar os centros emocionais. Mas uma parte menor do sinal original vai direto do tálamo para a amígdala, numa transmissão mais rápida, permitindo uma resposta mais pronta (embora menos precisa). Desse modo a amígdala pode disparar uma resposta emocional antes que os centros corticais tenham entendido plenamente o que se passa.”

O processo é este:

1º momento: Retina -> Tálamo -> Córtex Visual -> Amígdala = Reação mais adequada.

2º momento: Retina -> Tálamo -> Amígdala = Resposta rápida e imprecisa.

Mecanismos Cerebrais

Isso quer dizer que nosso equipamento cerebral:

1- reconhece um padrão e apresenta uma conclusão;

2- e dispara reações em relação à conclusão sem confirmar a prova.

Esta função cerebral é útil nos casos de perigo real, mas, em geral, culturalmente, não somos educados para entender nossa “arquitetura cerebral” no tocante às emoções, sendo que a ciência ainda apresenta avanços nesta área, e em geral, nos vemos psicologicamente presos:

• iludidos pela idéia do aprisionamento emocional que treinamos desde a infância) em situações que fogem do nosso controle;
• somos pegos por reações que mal sabemos como classificar;
• a isso se dá o nome de analfabetismo emocional.

Voltar para Volume II

Cellule staminali per curare l’occhio

I ricercatori della University of New South Wales, in Australia, guidati dal dottor Nick Di Girolamo, sostengono di aver trovato una tecnica per migliorare in modo decisivo la vista in pazienti con danni alla cornea, dovuti a malattie o incidenti, grazie all’applicazione di cellule staminali mediante lenti a contatto.
I risultati ottenuti su tre pazienti, che hanno ottenuto un recupero della vista nel giro di alcune settimane, e in modo incredibilmente semplice ed economico, fanno ben sperare e, se saranno confermati, la tecnica potrebbe venire usata su larga scala a costi contenuti.
Due dei pazienti presentavano danni estesi alla cornea dovuti a un intervento chirurgico per rimuovere un tumore mentre il terzo aveva una anomalia genetica, chiamata aniridia, che causa la mancanza dell’iride. I ricercatori, che hanno pubblicato il loro studio sulla rivista scientifica Transplantation, sono rimasti colpiti dalla facilità della tecnica che, spiegano, «non richiede operazioni complicate e basta una minima quantità di tessuto da cui far sviluppare le cellule staminali». Una tecnica che potrebbe essere usata con successo anche nei Paesi in via di sviluppo: «Tutto quello che serve è un dottore e un laboratorio per fare le colture cellulari». Di Girolamo e i suoi collaboratori sperano che la metodologia possa essere efficace non solo per la cornea ma anche per altri tipi di lesioni alla retina e, forse, su altri organi come, ad esempio, la pelle, «che si comporta in modo molto simile alla cornea», afferma Di Girolamo.

Os olhos podem ser uma janela para as doenças do coração

(clique no link abaixo)

http://drauziomilagres.blogspot.com/2009/10/olhos-e-doencas-do-coracao.html

.

.

.