THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR EYE AND VISION RESEARCH

E-ZINE Volume 1, Number 1 (September 2005)

Welcome to the first edition of the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research's (NAEVR) E-Zine, a quarterly electronic publication that highlights breakthrough eye and vision research funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The nation's investment in the NEI results in new treatments and therapies to not only stabilize vision loss but to restore it, or ultimately prevent the onset of eye disease. This is important, as vision impairment and eye disease currently cost the United States $68 billion annually in healthcare expenditures, reduced productivity and diminished quality of life.

NEI Researchers Discover Genetic Link to a Leading Cause of Vision Loss

Four independent teams of NEI-funded researchers recently identified a common but subtle variation in a gene that is strongly associated with a person's risk for developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of legal blindness and vision loss in older Americans. The gene, complement factor H (CFH), is thought to account for as many as half of all cases of the disease.

"Discovery of the CFH gene is a bellwether moment. We can now study the biological mechanisms that underlie AMD and begin developing rational therapies that address the root cause of the disease," said NEI Director Dr. Paul Sieving. At a July 19 Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni described this finding as one of NIH's most significant research breakthroughs of the year. NEI conducted this research in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

http://www.nei.nih.gov/news/statements/genes_amd.asp

Since it affects central vision, AMD severely affects a person's ability to read and drive, which has an enormous impact on productivity, independence and quality of life. With the aging of the population, the direct economic and societal cost of AMD comprises an increasingly larger share of the $68 billion annual cost to the United States of vision impairment and eye disease.

Researcher Speaks at Sept. 21 Hill Briefing on Genetic Basis of AMD

As part of "AMD Awareness Week," a lead researcher in one of the four independent teams reporting on the CFH gene, Dr. Gregory Hageman of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, will speak on Discovering the Genetic Basis of AMD on September 21 at a Capitol Hill Briefing (Senate Dirksen 226, 12:30 - 1:45 pm). The Briefing is sponsored by the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR), NAEVR's educational foundation.

http://www.eyeresearch.org/press_releases/09_02_05.html

Surprising Research Results Show Older Children Benefit from Amblyopia Treatment Once Thought Only for Pre-Schoolers

NEI-funded researchers have announced that amblyopia treatment can improve vision even in older children. By fitting children with prescription eye glasses, treating them with atropine drops, patching the unaffected eye and having them perform near activities, 53 percent of the subjects age seven through 12 years could read at least two more lines on a standard eye chart. Study Co-Chairman Dr. Mitchell Scheiman of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry stated, "This study shows that age alone should not be used as a factor to decide whether or not to treat a child for amblyopia. The opportunity to treat amblyopia does not end with the pre-school years."

http://www.nei.nih.gov/news/pressreleases/041105.asp

Amblyopia is the most common eye disorder in children. Experts estimate that 2.2 million children in the United States have some degree of vision impairment due to amblyopia and that only half are currently detected and treated. Experts predict that if a child becomes visually impaired, the additional costs for medical visits, home modifications and lost productivity are estimated at $566,000 over the child's lifetime.

Pressure-Reducing Eye Drops Can Delay or Prevent Onset of Glaucoma in African Americans

Last year, NEI-funded researchers in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study reported that pressure-reducing eye drops can delay or prevent the onset of glaucoma in African Americans. Building on that breakthrough is the current NEI-funded African Americans with Glaucoma Study which, after one-and-a-half years into its five-year life, has already shown that research into the physiology of the optic nerve in African Americans is resulting in better techniques to detect glaucoma. These results will impact current and future screening programs and subsequent treatment strategies for glaucoma patients.

"Improved detection techniques can determine at-risk characteristics of the optic nerve and better define the progressive changes that occur in the disease," stated researcher Dr. Christopher Girkin of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Earlier detection not only results in earlier diagnosis, but will also have an impact on the clinical practice patterns in the treatment of the disease." This study reflects just one example of health disparities research that the NEI is funding in collaboration with the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD).

http://www.eyeresearch.org/press_releases/09_02_05.html

Vision loss in glaucoma occurs when the optic nerve is damaged, in most cases associated with elevated pressure within the eye, which leads to the gradual narrowing of the field of vision and then to blindness. Currently 2.2 million Americans experience the condition, with 3.3 million expected to develop it by the year 2020. Glaucoma occurs at a rate three times more frequently in African Americans than in Caucasians.