Five Things We Learned This Month:

1. Optic Ultrasound Predicts Stroke Outcomes

After a stroke, the brain swells… and for every millimeter that the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) swells, the risk of death increases by 4–6 times. Ultrasound assessment of a patient’s ONSD could therefore offer a safe and simple screening alternative for intracranial pressure.

2. In Patients With DME and Low Baseline Vision, Aflibercept May be the Best Choice

The results of the Protocol T trial are in, and aflibercept, bevacizumab and ranibizumab have all proven to be equally safe, and effective at improving vision in eyes with mild vision loss (20/32 to 20/40) – but in eyes with baseline vision of 20/50 or worse, aflibercept-treated eyes saw more significant gains.

3. Visual Processing Isn’t Just Black and White (or Blue and Gold)

#TheDress – a piece of clothing with fabric that seems to shift from blue and black to white and gold depending on who’s looking at it – took the internet by storm. It was revealed to be blue and black, but the facts aren’t nearly as interesting as the spotlight #TheDress is shining on visual processing.

4. Myopia in Chinese Students Remains a Mystery

The prevalence of myopia in Chinese children in middle-income areas far outstrips that of low-income areas. But even after taking into account all major risk factors associated with myopia, the disparity is still leaving researchers stumped.

5. A New Pathway for Preserving Vision Following Trauma

A recent study has shed new light on how the brain reroutes visual information to bypass damaged areas and preserve vision. Much research as focused on the retina-LGN-MT pathway, but researchers argue that the retina-pulvinar-MT pathway, and its ability to restructure during childhood following damage to the primary visual cortex, has not been accounted for.