News, Links and Commentary
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Evolution of the Pineal Gland Offers Clues to MD
The pineal gland?which regulates the cycles of sleep and waking?appears to have evolved as an indirect way to improve vision, by keeping toxic compounds away from the eye, according to a new theory by a researcher at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health.
The theory has implications for understanding macular degeneration, a condition causing vision loss in people age 60 and older.
'Pineal Gland Evolved To Improve Vision, According To Theory By NICHD Scientist,' US National Institutes of Health media release, 12 August 2004.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
FFB's Visions Conference 2004
The US Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) recently held its annual Visions Conference in Chicago. The Chicago Sun-Times reports on the conference and FFB co-founder and chairman Gordon Gund in 'Conference spotlights advances in fighting retinal disease' (23 August 2004).
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Massachusetts Artificial Vision Project Update
The Boston Retinal Implant Project is featured in the September 2004 issue of MIT's Technology Review. Read more in 'Demo: Artificial Retina
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Monday, August 23, 2004
Web Accessibility Toolbars for Developers
Accessible Information Solutions' Web Accessibility Toolbar gives Web developers easy access to many useful accessibility tools. For use with Internet Explorer 5 or higher in Windows, the toolbar is easy to download and install.
Features include colour contrast and brightness testing through Juicy Studio, HTML validation and link checking via the W3C and WDG Web sites, and accessibility checks through a variety of online accessibility tools including Watchfire's Bobby and WebAIM's WAVE.
The toolbar can also create simulations of how people with diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration might see a Web page. This feature is unique but it does not give information about how someone with a vision impairment might use remaining vision or adaptive technology to navigate an accessible Web site.
More information, updates and answers to frequently asked questions can be read in the Web Accessibility Toolbar Blog.
As a user of the Opera browser my first question was whether the toolbar is available for othr browsers. The team provided pointers to useful alternatives. If you're looking for similar tools to use with other browsers, the W3-devMenu for Opera 7 is now available and Mozilla users might like to check out the Web Developer Extension for Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla at chrispederick.com.
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Features include colour contrast and brightness testing through Juicy Studio, HTML validation and link checking via the W3C and WDG Web sites, and accessibility checks through a variety of online accessibility tools including Watchfire's Bobby and WebAIM's WAVE.
The toolbar can also create simulations of how people with diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration might see a Web page. This feature is unique but it does not give information about how someone with a vision impairment might use remaining vision or adaptive technology to navigate an accessible Web site.
More information, updates and answers to frequently asked questions can be read in the Web Accessibility Toolbar Blog.
As a user of the Opera browser my first question was whether the toolbar is available for othr browsers. The team provided pointers to useful alternatives. If you're looking for similar tools to use with other browsers, the W3-devMenu for Opera 7 is now available and Mozilla users might like to check out the Web Developer Extension for Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla at chrispederick.com.
Friday, August 20, 2004
Zinc Plays Role In Some Forms of RP
Several RP-causing genetic mutations have been found to affect the way that the trace metal zinc binds with rhodopsin, a protein needed for normal visual function.
The research, undertaken at the Dartmouth Medical Center in New Hampshire, USA, was published today in The Journal of Biological Chemistry. The journal features the article as one of its Papers of the Week ('Seeing Zinc', 20 August 2004, Vol. 279 Issue 34).
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"We have found if there is not enough zinc in the body or there is a mutation in the zinc binding site, the protein rhodopsin will misfold and break down, triggering cell death, degeneration of the retina and eventually blindness," said John Hwa, MD, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Dartmouth Medical School.
'New Clues to Hereditary Blinding Disease Found' (Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center media release, 18 August 2004).
The research, undertaken at the Dartmouth Medical Center in New Hampshire, USA, was published today in The Journal of Biological Chemistry. The journal features the article as one of its Papers of the Week ('Seeing Zinc', 20 August 2004, Vol. 279 Issue 34).
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Retina Australia Congress in October
The Retina Australia National Biennial Congress is to be held in Adelaide on 16/17 October. My #ozrplist chat friends and I are trying to organise ourselves to be there. The congress will include talks by scientists studying retinal diseases and future treatments, demonstrations of the 'bat cane' and accessible automatic teller machines, as well as the usual workshops and free time to meet others with retinal dystrophy. Hopefully, I'll see you there!
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Tuesday, August 10, 2004
My (Temporarily) Missing Web Site
Apologies for the disappearance of my main Web sites of RP and RD in Australia and Dee's Wonky Window. My ISP is currently having some difficulties with their Web server and I hope my site will be back online soon!
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Music For Your Eyes
People who can read music but who are finding it difficult to see might be interested in large print music.
Three online sources of large print music are Seniorstore.com - Large Print Classical Music, Stephens - Large Print Classic Pop Music and Piano Pal - Large Print Piano Music from . The US Library of Congress also provides music in large print and on instructional audio tapes according to members of the RPList, on which I recently read about these resources.
UPDATE: Today's RPList Digest (11 August 2004) included two more music resources. They are Sheet Music Online's Large Print Music for the Visually Impaired and Dancing Dots, a company selling software that can translate printed music into Braille and vice versa.
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Three online sources of large print music are Seniorstore.com - Large Print Classical Music, Stephens - Large Print Classic Pop Music and Piano Pal - Large Print Piano Music from . The US Library of Congress also provides music in large print and on instructional audio tapes according to members of the RPList, on which I recently read about these resources.
UPDATE: Today's RPList Digest (11 August 2004) included two more music resources. They are Sheet Music Online's Large Print Music for the Visually Impaired and Dancing Dots, a company selling software that can translate printed music into Braille and vice versa.
Friday, August 06, 2004
Avocado May Aid Lutein Absorption
Adding avocado to a salad may increase the absorption of nutrients believed to help in the prevention of macular degeneration. ('Avocados may ward off cancer', KTVO TV3 2 August 2004).
Research conducted at Ohio State University found that alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene - nutrients found in fruits and vegetables - are better absorbed when eaten with avocado. Lutein in particular is associated with improved eye health.
The research, presented at the recent Institute of Food Technologists conference in Las Vegas, is yet to be published.
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Research conducted at Ohio State University found that alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene - nutrients found in fruits and vegetables - are better absorbed when eaten with avocado. Lutein in particular is associated with improved eye health.
The research, presented at the recent Institute of Food Technologists conference in Las Vegas, is yet to be published.
