From IOL production expansions to retinal regeneration in Müller glia, these are the news stories and studies that caught our attention this week…
Rayner IOL production expansion. Rayner has announced that it has completed expansion of its state-of-the-art intraocular lens (IOL) manufacturing facility. The facility is based at Rayner’s global headquarters in Worthing, UK, and looks set to double its yearly IOL production capacity to 4 million. Link
VisuPro All Day and VisuPro Flex. HOYA Vision Care has announced its latest launch – the VisuPro All Day and VisuPro Flex. The advanced focus lenses are designed for presbyopes in their late-30s to mid-40s, with Hoya’s Chief Executive Officer, John Goltermann Lassen, noting that “current market offerings fail to address the unique needs of young presbyopes.” Link
Promising neurodegenerative gene therapy. Research conducted by Yang Hu, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute, and his team at Stanford Medicine, California, has provided evidence for a new approach to treating neurodegenerative diseases, such as glaucoma and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Early results – observed in mouse models – have indicated that the treatment, which uses gene therapy to target diseases causing axon degeneration in the central nervous system, could help to improve symptoms in those already struggling with certain neurodegenerative diseases. The team’s research is now moving into preclinical studies. Link
Regenerative potential of Müller glia. A Nature Communications study has shed light on a novel mechanism that could potentially enhance retinal regeneration in mammals suffering from various retinal diseases. The research explored the role of the transcription factor prospero-related homeobox 1 (Prox1) in regulating the regenerative potential of Müller glia. The study’s findings suggest that inhibition of Prox1 transfer could enhance retinal regeneration, by leading to an upregulation of proneural genes such as Ascl1 and Ngn2. Link
Changes in healthy young adult eyes. A longitudinal study has investigated how certain eye health markers change in healthy young adults aged 20 to 28. The University of Western Australia researchers tracked changes in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness, intraocular pressure (IOP), and central corneal thickness (CCT) in over 600 participants over an eight-year period, with the results providing a valuable reference point for detecting pathological changes, such as those seen in early glaucoma. Link
