Evaluating Whether Sight Is the Most Valued Sense

The value of genetic testing in pediatric and adult ophthalmology

Inherited retinal dystrophies and optic neuropathies (IRD) are the most frequent cause for vision loss in the working age. The huge variability of phenotypes and initial clinical presentation frequently delay the ophthalmologic diagnosis. The most frequent phenotypes are retinitis pigmentosa, macular dystrophies, cone-rod dystrophies and syndromes associated with IRDs. Causative gene variants have been identified in more than 300 genes, with a frequency variation between different ethnicities. In this series of 1 914 patients seen in Germany between 1995 and 2024, in 47.4 % of families the genetic background could be solved. Even with a common genotype, the phenotype can be variable. Genetic diagnostic testing is important for the correct diagnosis, for patient selection for current or future therapies, but also from the patient perspective.

Visual impairment and associated factors in adults from three suburban communities in Nampula, Mozambique

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Scientific evidence on the burden of visual impairment, its causes, and associated factors are essential to monitor progress in eye health, identify priorities and develop strategies and policies that meet the needs of the population, towards the eradication of preventable blindness.

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of visual impairment, its causes and associated factors in adults living in suburban communities in Nampula.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study conducted from November 2019 to February 2020. Eye examinations were performed on adults aged ≥18 years covered by the Lúrio University program, 'one student, one family'. The odds ratio (OR) and adjusted odds ratio (aOR) were calculated to study the association between the dependent variable (presenting visual impairment) and independent variables (gender, age, school level, residence, family income and systemic diseases), with a 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

Distance and near presenting visual impairment had a prevalence of 16.3% and 21.1%, respectively, and were statistically associated with the age groups between 45-65 (OR:4.9) and >65 years (OR: 29.1), illiterate (OR:13.8), primary (OR:4.8) and secondary (aOR:37.5) school level, farmer (OR:32.8) and retired (OR:14.3) occupation, and presence of systemic diseases (OR :3.3). The main causes of presenting visual impairment were uncorrected refractive error and cataract.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of presenting visual impairment is relatively high, given the enormous effort undertaken within the framework of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight global initiative. There is a need to develop intervention plans targeted at the highest risk groups, with a view to achieving the 'one student, one family' program goals with respect to eye health.

Losing Your Sense of Smell: How Bad Is It?-A Comparative Study on the Personal Importance of Smell

The hierarchical perspective on senses has relegated smell to the lowest rank in Western culture while granting vision superiority. Studies show that olfactory impairments, like vision and hearing impairments, reduce quality of life. Our study examines the perceived value of smell in a student population in comparison to hearing and vision, hypothesizing differences based on previous loss of smell (≥2 weeks) and gender. University students were enlisted in a survey comparing smell to vision, hearing, and forfeiting the senses for various commodities (phone, EUR 10,000, hair, and social media). A total of 200 participants completed the survey, with 52 reporting previous loss of smell and 148 reporting no history of smell loss. Overall, smell was the most frequently forfeited sense. While the sacrifice of hearing and vision remained consistent across various commodities, smell was notably forfeited more for certain items. When comparing groups with and without previous loss of smell, no significant differences were observed in forfeiting the senses across various commodities, except for hair. However, it is noteworthy that smell was forfeited more often for all commodities when considering percentages. Furthermore, females exhibited a greater willingness to sacrifice their sense of smell for USD 10,000 and hair. Smell is valued the lowest among the three senses when asked directly and compared to various commodities. There were no significant differences in its perceived value between those with and without previous loss of smell. Furthermore, females tend to value their sense of smell less than males, according to the surveyed commodities.

A conceptual ethical framework to preserve natural human presence in the use of AI systems in education

In recent years, there has been a remarkable increase of interest in the ethical use of AI systems in education. On one hand, the potential for such systems is undeniable. Used responsibly, they can meaningfully support and enhance the interactive process of teaching and learning. On the other hand, there is a risk that natural human presence may be gradually replaced by arbitrarily created AI systems, particularly due to their rapidly increasing yet partially unguided capabilities. State-of-the-art ethical frameworks suggest high-level principles, requirements, and guidelines, but lack detailed low-level models of concrete processes and according properties of the involved actors in education. In response, this article introduces a detailed Unified Modeling Language (UML)-based ancillary framework that includes a novel set of low-level properties. Whilst not incorporated in related work, particularly the ethical behavior and visual representation of the actors are intended to improve transparency and reduce the potential for misinterpretation and misuse of AIS. The framework primarily focuses on school education, resulting in a more restrictive model, however, reflects on potentials and challenges in terms of improving flexibility toward different educational levels. The article concludes with a discussion of key findings and implications of the presented framework, its limitations, and potential future research directions to sustainably preserve natural human presence in the use of AI systems in education.

Congenital colour vision deficiency in healthcare professionals: a scoping review protocol of the impact on clinical practice and patient safety

INTRODUCTION

Congenital colour vision deficiency (CVD), known as colour blindness, is a common visual problem affecting around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women. It is known that people who have red-green CVD, the most common phenotype, can have difficulty differentiating colours and this can impact the ability to perform clinical tasks related to patient care. The objective of this scoping review is to understand the extent and type of evidence and the impact on clinical practice and patient safety arising from congenital CVD in healthcare professionals.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The scoping review will follow the methodological framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute and by Arksey and O'Malley and we will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses Scoping Reviews checklist. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Lens.org and the Trip medical database (filtered for low-income countries) with no limit on earliest date and up to 30 November 2024. Grey literature will be identified by planned searches in the Overton Index. All articles related to 'CVD in healthcare professionals in clinical practice or in training' will be included. The study will also include other professionals who may be involved in healthcare but are not involved in direct patient-facing activities. It will be limited to congenital CVD and will exclude the impact of visual impairment and acquired CVD.There will be an initial search to validate the search strategy. Titles and abstracts will be screened to determine eligibility, and the full text will be reviewed using a data extraction framework. Data will be extracted, collated and then mapped and summarised to present the relevant key findings and outcomes from the papers in tabular and visualised form with a narrative synthesis.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The scoping review does not need ethical approval and will provide an overview of the impact of congenital CVD on clinical practice and patient safety. This will determine the future need and direction of research in this area and identify methodological challenges and opportunities. The results will be published open access in a peer-reviewed journal.

REGISTRATION

INPLASY (DOI: 10.37766/inplasy2024.11.0099).

Supervised Automated Kinetic Perimetry (SAKP) Using Simulated Visual Field Data - Presentation of a New Examination Technique

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to develop, optimise, train, and evaluate an algorithm for performing Supervised Automated Kinetic Perimetry (SAKP) using digitalised perimetric simulation data.

METHODS

The original SAKP algorithm was based on findings from a multicentre study to establish reference values by semi-automated kinetic perimetry (SKP) combined with an automated examination method with moving stimuli ("Program K", developed in Japan). The algorithm evaluated the outer angles of isopter segments and responded to deviations from expected values by placing examination vectors to measure the outer boundaries of the visual field (VF). Specialised interpolation methods were also used to create individual 3D hills of vision and local "probing vectors" to optimise the eccentricity of the vector origins. This algorithm was trained iteratively on seven representative digitalised 3D VF results from five typical classes and optimised in each step: (1) Normal VF, (2) Central scotoma, (3) Concentric VF constriction, (4) Retinal nerve fibre layer defects in the visual field (VFDs), (5) VFDs with respect to the vertical meridian. The optimised SAKP algorithm was then applied to a new set of twenty 3D VF results of varying origin and severity. The primary targets were measured in agreement between actual calculated VF expressed as accuracy (A), that is, the ratio between the area containing correct predictions and total area of predictions measured between 0 = worst and 1 = best, and examination duration (T). The results are given as median (and interquartile range). We also verified the test's robustness by varying individual error rates (ERs) and error magnitudes (EMs).

RESULTS

The median and interquartile range (IQR, in brackets) for the total of representative VFs were 0.93 (0.02) for A and 7.0 min (5.2 min) for T, respectively. A gave the best result for altitudinal VFDs and VFDs with hemianopic character and macular sparing (0.98 each) and worst in superior wedge-shaped VFDs (0.78); T was shortest in blind spot displacement (3.9 min) and longest in hemianopic VFDs with hemianopic character and macular sparing with preserved temporal crescent (12.1 min). Error rate and magnitude (up to 30% each) only showed a comparatively low influence on A and T.

CONCLUSION

The SAKP algorithm presented here achieves a comparatively high degree of accuracy and robustness for actual, simulated visual field data within acceptable examination times. This algorithm is currently being prepared for application in real patient examinations under clinical conditions.

Olfactory neurofeedback: current state and possibilities for further development

This perspective considers the novel concept of olfactory neurofeedback (O-NFB) within the framework of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), where olfactory stimuli are integrated in various BCI control loops. In particular, electroencephalography (EEG)-based O-NFB systems are capable of incorporating different components of complex olfactory processing - from simple discrimination tasks to using olfactory stimuli for rehabilitation of neurological disorders. In our own work, EEG theta and alpha rhythms were probed as control variables for O-NFB. Additionaly, we developed an olfactory-based instructed-delay task. We suggest that the unique functions of olfaction offer numerous medical and consumer applications where O-NFB is combined with sensory inputs of other modalities within a BCI framework to engage brain plasticity. We discuss the ways O-NFB could be implemented, including the integration of different types of olfactory displays in the experiment set-up and EEG features to be utilized. We emphasize the importance of synchronizing O-NFB with respiratory rhythms, which are known to influence EEG patterns and cognitive processing. Overall, we expect that O-NFB systems will contribute to both practical applications in the clinical world and the basic neuroscience of olfaction.

Patient Experience and Barriers to the Visual Field Test for Glaucoma

PRCIS

There are significant mental, physical, and perceptual challenges in patients undergoing visual field testing, particularly in the elderly population with glaucoma.

PURPOSE

To quantitatively and qualitatively investigate patient experiences of undergoing visual field testing.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study involves adult patients attending a private outpatient ophthalmology clinic in Brisbane, Australia. Participant experiences of visual field testing were assessed using a 100 mm visual analog scale (VAS), followed by face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Outcome data comprised of VAS scores (1-100) and thematically analyzed verbatim notes.

RESULTS

Of the 152 participants [M:F 79 (52.0%):73 (48.0%)], the age group with the highest proportion of participants was 71-80 years [n=56 (36.8%)], and most had a primary ocular diagnosis of glaucoma [n=107 (70.4%)]. The mean VAS score for visual field testing experience was 60.45 (SD=30.38). The mean VAS score of participants with glaucoma was significantly lower than that of participants without glaucoma [55.34 (31.13) vs. 72.67 (25.04); P <0.05]. Prevalent themes regarding participant experiences of visual field testing consisted of concentration difficulties, intra-test and peri-test anxiety, skepticism in the testing process, and physical discomfort. Age, sex, and mean visual field index did not influence participant experiences of visual field testing.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental and physical barriers to visual field testing tolerability were identified in a predominantly elderly population with glaucoma. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing patient concerns and apprehensions regarding visual field testing and emphasize the value of patient-initiated breaks, particularly for individuals experiencing concentration difficulties and physical discomfort.

Value proposition of retinal imaging in Alzheimer's disease screening: A review of eight evolving trends

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Current diagnostic modalities of AD generally focus on detecting the presence of amyloid β and tau protein in the brain (for example, positron emission tomography [PET] and cerebrospinal fluid testing), but these are limited by their high cost, invasiveness, and lack of expertise. Retinal imaging exhibits potential in AD screening and risk stratification, as the retina provides a platform for the optical visualization of the central nervous system in vivo, with vascular and neuronal changes that mirror brain pathology. Given the paradigm shift brought by advances in artificial intelligence and the emergence of disease-modifying therapies, this article aims to summarize and review the current literature to highlight 8 trends in an evolving landscape regarding the role and potential value of retinal imaging in AD screening.

Unnecessary diagnostic imaging requested by medical students during a first day of residency simulation: an explorative study

BACKGROUND

Physicians' choice of appropriate tests in the diagnostic process is crucial for patient safety. The increased use of medical imaging has raised concerns about its potential overuse. How appropriately medical students order diagnostic tests is unknown. We explored their ordering behavior of diagnostic imaging during a simulated first day of residency.

METHODS

In total, 492 undergraduate medical students participated in the simulation. After history taking with simulated patients, the students used an electronic system for requesting diagnostic tests. The analysis focused on 16 patient cases, each managed by at least 50 students. We calculated the total number of ordered images and unnecessary radiation exposure in millisievert per patient and performed one sample t-tests (one tailed) with an expected mean of zero on a Bonferroni-corrected alpha level of 0.003 for the independent variable of unnecessary radiation exposure.

RESULTS

Unnecessary diagnostic imaging was ordered across all patient cases. Ultrasound, especially abdominal ultrasound, X-rays of the thorax, and abdominal CTs were notably overused in 90.9%, 80.0%, and 69.2% of all patient cases, respectively. Unnecessary requests of imaging related to radiation resulted in radiation over-exposure for nearly all patients, with 37.5% of all patients being exposed to a significant radiation overdose on average.

CONCLUSION

Medical students' overuse of diagnostic imaging can be explained by patient-related factors like anxiety and medical factors like missing clinical information leading to cognitive biases in patient workup. This suggests the need for interventions to improve students' clinical decision-making and reduce cognitive biases. Investigating student-specific factors being associated with overuse of diagnostic imaging would be of additional interest.

Follow-up in a point-of-care diabetic retinopathy program in Pittsburgh: a non-concurrent retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The Point-of-Care Diabetic Retinopathy Examination Program (POCDREP) was initiated in 2015 at the University of Pittsburgh/UPMC in response to low diabetic retinopathy (DR) examination rates, a condition affecting a quarter of people with diabetes mellitus (PwDM) and leading to blindness. Early detection and treatment are critical with DR prevalence projected to triple by 2050. Approximately, half of PwDM in the U.S. undergo yearly examinations, and there are reported varying follow-up rates with eye care professionals, with limited data on the factors influencing these trends. POCDREP aimed to address screening and follow-up gap, partnering with diverse healthcare entities, including primary care sites, free clinics, and federally qualified health centers.

METHODS

A non-concurrent retrospective cohort study spanning 2015-2018 examined data using electronic health records of patients who underwent retinal imaging. Imaging was performed using 31 cameras across various settings, with results interpreted by ophthalmologists. Follow-up recommendations were made for cases with vision-threatening DR (VTDR), incidental findings, or indeterminate results. Factors influencing follow-up were analyzed, including demographic, clinical, and imaging-related variables. We assessed the findings at follow-up of patients with indeterminate results.

RESULTS

Out of 7,733 examinations (6,242 patients), 32.25% were recommended for follow-up. Among these, 5.57% were classified as having VTDR, 14.34% had other ocular findings such as suspected glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and 12.13% were indeterminate. Of those recommended for follow-up, only 30.87% were assessed by eye care within six months. Older age, marriage, and severe DR were associated with higher odds of following up. Almost two thirds (64.35%) of the patients with indeterminate exams were found with a vision-threatening disease at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

The six-month follow-up rate was found to be suboptimal. Influential factors for follow-up included age, marital status, and the severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR). While the program successfully identified a range of ocular conditions, screening initiatives must extend beyond mere disease detection. Ensuring patient follow-up is crucial to DR preventing programs mission. Recommended strategies to improve follow-up adherence include education, incentives, and personalized interventions. Additional research is necessary to pinpoint modifiable factors that impact adherence and to develop targeted interventions.

Heterogeneity of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical research

BACKGROUND

The use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in clinical research increases and use of heterogeneous instruments reflects how well diverse traits are captured by a medical specialty. In order to reflect the heterogeneity of current PROM use in ophthalmology, we reviewed the available literature.

METHODS

The medical literature database Web of Science was searched for the most cited articles in clinical ophthalmology. Titles, abstracts and full text articles were reviewed for the use of PROMs and a list of the 100 most cited articles using PROMs was obtained and stratified by year of publication.

RESULTS

A total of 1,996 articles were screened. Seventy-seven out of the 100 articles identified included one PROM, and the average number of instruments was 1.5 ± 1.1. The most widely used PROMs were the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (33%), the Ocular Surface Disease Index (14%) and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (13%). A simulation analysis suggested that the distribution of PROM use in ophthalmology study did not significantly differ from a power law distribution. Twenty-two percent and fifteen percent of articles did not reference and did not specify the PROM used, respectively. This rate decreased in the more recently published articles (p = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that the heterogeneity of PROMs applied in ophthalmology studies is low. The selection of PROMs for clinical studies should be done carefully, depending on the research goal.

Age-related dysregulation of the retinal transcriptome in African turquoise killifish

Age-related vision loss caused by retinal neurodegenerative pathologies is becoming more prevalent in our ageing society. To understand the physiological and molecular impact of ageing on retinal homeostasis, we used the short-lived African turquoise killifish, a model known to naturally develop central nervous system (CNS) ageing hallmarks and vision loss. Bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) of three age groups (6-, 12-, and 18-week-old) identified transcriptional ageing fingerprints in the killifish retina, unveiling pathways also identified in the aged brain, including oxidative stress, gliosis, and inflammageing. These findings were comparable to observations in the ageing mouse retina. Additionally, transcriptional changes in genes related to retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, were observed. The cellular heterogeneity in the killifish retina was characterized, confirming the presence of all typical vertebrate retinal cell types. Data integration from age-matched samples between the bulk and scRNAseq experiments revealed a loss of cellular specificity in gene expression upon ageing, suggesting potential disruption in transcriptional homeostasis. Differential expression analysis within the identified cell types highlighted the role of glial/immune cells as important stress regulators during ageing. Our work emphasizes the value of the fast-ageing killifish in elucidating molecular signatures in age-associated retinal disease and vision decline. This study contributes to the understanding of how age-related changes in molecular pathways may impact CNS health, providing insights that may inform future therapeutic strategies for age-related pathologies.

Retinal Vein Occlusion-Background Knowledge and Foreground Knowledge Prospects-A Review

Thrombosis of retinal veins is one of the most common retinal vascular diseases that may lead to vascular blindness. The latest epidemiological data leave no illusions that the burden on the healthcare system, as impacted by patients with this diagnosis, will increase worldwide. This obliges scientists to search for new therapeutic and diagnostic options. In the 21st century, there has been tremendous progress in retinal imaging techniques, which has facilitated a better understanding of the mechanisms related to the development of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and its complications, and consequently has enabled the introduction of new treatment methods. Moreover, artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to assist in selecting the best treatment option for patients in the near future. The aim of this comprehensive review is to re-evaluate the old but still relevant data on the RVO and confront them with new studies. The paper will provide a detailed overview of diagnosis, current treatment, prevention, and future therapeutic possibilities regarding RVO, as well as clarifying the mechanism of macular edema in this disease entity.

Oculomics: A Crusade Against the Four Horsemen of Chronic Disease

Chronic, non-communicable diseases present a major barrier to living a long and healthy life. In many cases, early diagnosis can facilitate prevention, monitoring, and treatment efforts, improving patient outcomes. There is therefore a critical need to make screening techniques as accessible, unintimidating, and cost-effective as possible. The association between ocular biomarkers and systemic health and disease (oculomics) presents an attractive opportunity for detection of systemic diseases, as ophthalmic techniques are often relatively low-cost, fast, and non-invasive. In this review, we highlight the key associations between structural biomarkers in the eye and the four globally leading causes of morbidity and mortality: cardiovascular disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and metabolic disease. We observe that neurodegenerative disease is a particularly promising target for oculomics, with biomarkers detected in multiple ocular structures. Cardiovascular disease biomarkers are present in the choroid, retinal vasculature, and retinal nerve fiber layer, and metabolic disease biomarkers are present in the eyelid, tear fluid, lens, and retinal vasculature. In contrast, only the tear fluid emerged as a promising ocular target for the detection of cancer. The retina is a rich source of oculomics data, the analysis of which has been enhanced by artificial intelligence-based tools. Although not all biomarkers are disease-specific, limiting their current diagnostic utility, future oculomics research will likely benefit from combining data from various structures to improve specificity, as well as active design, development, and optimization of instruments that target specific disease signatures, thus facilitating differential diagnoses.

Nature and human well-being: The olfactory pathway

The world is undergoing massive atmospheric and ecological change, driving unprecedented challenges to human well-being. Olfaction is a key sensory system through which these impacts occur. The sense of smell influences quality of and satisfaction with life, emotion, emotion regulation, cognitive function, social interactions, dietary choices, stress, and depressive symptoms. Exposures via the olfactory pathway can also lead to (anti-)inflammatory outcomes. Increased understanding is needed regarding the ways in which odorants generated by nature (i.e., natural olfactory environments) affect human well-being. With perspectives from a range of health, social, and natural sciences, we provide an overview of this unique sensory system, four consensus statements regarding olfaction and the environment, and a conceptual framework that integrates the olfactory pathway into an understanding of the effects of natural environments on human well-being. We then discuss how this framework can contribute to better accounting of the impacts of policy and land-use decision-making on natural olfactory environments and, in turn, on planetary health.

Scotopic and Photopic Conventional Visual Acuity and Hyperacuity - Binocular Summation

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare binocular summation (BiS) of conventional visual acuity (cVA) versus hyperacuity (hVA) for photopic and scotopic luminance conditions as a potential biomarker to assess the outcome of interventions on binocular function.

Methods

Sixteen young adults (age range [years] = 21-31; 8 women; cVA logMAR < 0.0) participated in this study. The Freiburg Visual Acuity Test (FrACT) was used for VA testing and retested on another day. Both cVA and hVA were determined for dark grey optotypes on light grey background. Participants underwent 40 minutes of dark adaptation prior to scotopic VA testing. Binocular and monocular VA testing was performed. The eye with better VA over the 2 days of testing was selected, the BiS was quantified (binocular VA - better monocular VA) and repeated measures ANOVAs were performed.

Results

Binocular VA exceeded monocular VA for all luminance conditions, VA-types, and sessions. We report BiS estimates for photopic and scotopic cVA and hVA, (logMAR BiS ± SEM [decimal BiS]): photopic = -0.01 ± 0.01 [1.03] and -0.06 ± 0.03 [1.15]; and scotopic = -0.05 ± 0.01 [1.12] and -0.11 ± 0.04 [1.28], respectively). Improvement for binocular vision estimates ranged from 0.01 to 0.11 logMAR. A repeated-measures ANOVA (RM ANOVA) did not reveal significant effects of LUMINANCE or VA TYPE on BiS, albeit a trend for strongest BiS for scotopic hVA (15% vs. 28%, photopic versus scotopic, respectively) and weakest for photopic cVA (3% vs. 12%, photopic versus scotopic conditions, respectively).

Conclusions

Our results indicate that BiS of VA is relevant to scotopic and photopic hVA and cVA. It appears therefore a plausible candidate biomarker to assess the outcome of retinal therapies restoring rod or cone function on binocular vision.

Translational Relevance

Binocular summation of visual acuity might serve as a clinical biomarker to monitor therapy outcome on binocular rod and cone-mediated vision.

Age-related dysregulation of the retinal transcriptome in African turquoise killifish

Age-related vision loss caused by retinal neurodegenerative pathologies is becoming more prevalent in our ageing society. To understand the physiological and molecular impact of ageing on retinal homeostasis, we used the short-lived African turquoise killifish, a model known to naturally develop central nervous system (CNS) ageing hallmarks and vision loss. Bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) of three age groups (6-, 12-, and 18-week-old) identified transcriptional ageing fingerprints in the killifish retina, unveiling pathways also identified in the aged brain, including oxidative stress, gliosis, and inflammageing. These findings were comparable to observations in ageing mouse retina. Additionally, transcriptional changes in genes related to retinal diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, were observed. The cellular heterogeneity in the killifish retina was characterised, confirming the presence of all typical vertebrate retinal cell types. Data integration from age-matched samples between the bulk and scRNA-seq experiments revealed a loss of cellular specificity in gene expression upon ageing, suggesting potential disruption in transcriptional homeostasis. Differential expression analysis within the identified cell types highlighted the role of glial/immune cells as important stress regulators during ageing. Our work emphasises the value of the fast-ageing killifish in elucidating molecular signatures in age-associated retinal disease and vision decline. This study contributes to the understanding of how age-related changes in molecular pathways may impact CNS health, providing insights that may inform future therapeutic strategies for age-related pathologies.

How does the UK public think and feel about people with visual impairment: a review of existing evidence

Despite legislation to protect people with visual impairment (V.I.) from discrimination in the United Kingdom (UK), the latter continue to experience overt and covert negative behaviours. Perceived discrimination has been associated with an adverse impact on identity, health and well-being, while negative attitudes have been identified as the biggest barrier to participation in everyday life. This article provides a narrative review of existing evidence of how the UK public treats (behaviours), thinks (perceptions) and feels (attitudes) about people with V.I. Despite limitations, the findings suggest that there is a gap between the behaviours reported by people with V.I. and the attitudes expressed by members of the UK public. Social psychological theories are used to explore possible reasons for this gap, and ways in which it may be addressed. As such, the article provides an example of how social psychological theories can be used to address problems in an applied context.

Corneal blindness in the developing world: The role of prevention strategies

Corneal blindness is an important contributor to the burden of global blindness and has a greater prevalence in low-income countries of the developing world where resources and infrastructure are limited. The causes of corneal blindness too are different from high-income countries and include infectious keratitis, ocular trauma, and xerophthalmia. Persons with these indications tend to have unfavourable outcomes after corneal transplantation, limiting their chances of benefitting from this sight-saving procedure. However, most causes of corneal blindness in the developing world are preventable. This highlights the importance of understanding the unique challenges in these regions and the need for targeted interventions. This article discusses various prevention strategies, including primordial, primary, and secondary prevention, aimed at reducing the burden of corneal blindness in low-income countries. These include capacity building, training, and awareness campaigns to reduce the risk factors of ocular trauma, infectious keratitis, and to improve access to first aid. It is also important to promote safe eye practices and tackle nutritional deficiencies through public health interventions and policy changes. Providing the required training to general ophthalmologists in the management of basic corneal surgeries and diseases and enhancing the accessibility of eye care services in rural areas will ensure early treatment and prevent sequelae. Current treatment modalities belong to the tertiary level of prevention and are largely limited to corneal transplantation. In developing nations, there is a scarcity of donor corneal tissue necessitating an urgent expansion of eye banking services. Alternative approaches to corneal transplantation such as 3D printed corneas, cultured stem cells, and biomaterials should also be explored to meet this demand. Thus, there is a need for collaborative efforts between healthcare professionals, policymakers, and communities to implement effective prevention strategies and reduce the prevalence of corneal blindness in the developing world.

Seeing in the dark: High-order visual functions under scotopic conditions

It is unknown how and to what degree people function visually in almost complete darkness, where only rod photoreceptors are active (scotopic conditions). To explore this, we first tested scotopic acuity and crowding. We demonstrated the ∼1° foveal scotoma and found that crowding increases with eccentricity, resulting in optimal scotopic discrimination 2° into the periphery. We then investigated whether these limitations affect high-level foveal tasks. We recorded eye movements while testing reading and upright/inverted face matching under photopic and scotopic conditions. Under scotopic conditions, participants read accurately and showed a face inversion effect. Temporally, fixation durations were longer. Spatially, surprisingly, participants did not avert their gaze 2° into the periphery. Instead, they fixated on similar locations as under photopic conditions, locations that were shown to correlate with global perception. We propose that this result suggests global perception governs under scotopic conditions, and we discuss how receptive-field properties support this conclusion.

Finding Ophthalmic Risk and Evaluating the Value of Eye exams and their predictive Reliability (FOREVER)-A cohort study in a Danish high street optician setting: Design and methodology

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to describe the rationale and design of Project FOREVER (Finding Ophthalmic Risk and Evaluating the Value of Eye exams and their predictive Reliability).

DESIGN

Project FOREVER will build a comprehensive database of clinical eye and vision data collected from ~280 000 adults at 100 optician stores across Denmark. The FOREVER database (FOREVERdb) includes detailed data from refraction, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, corneal thickness, visual field assessments and retinal fundus images. Linkage to the comprehensive Danish national registries with, that is diagnostic and prescribing data permits investigation of rare associations and risk factors. 30 000 individuals over 50 also provide a saliva sample for later genetic studies and blood pressure measurements. Of these 30 000, 10 000 will also get optical coherence tomography (OCT) nerve and retinal scans. This subpopulation data is reviewed by ophthalmologists for disease detection. All participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire assessing lifestyle, self-perceived eye health and general health. Enrolment of participants began in April 2022.

PERSPECTIVE

The FOREVERdb is a powerful tool to answer a wide range of research questions that can pave the way for better eye health. This database will provide valuable insights for future studies investigating the correlations between eye and general health in a Danish population cohort, enabling research to identify potential risk factors for a range of diseases.

Patient-reported outcome and experience measures (POEM) of a community-based glaucoma clinic in Cambridge, UK: an observational study

OBJECTIVES

Glaucoma care demand in UK hospitals has exploded in recent years. This has resulted in a push to community (shared, virtual, etc) care models to reduce the burden on hospital systems and on patients. The study aimed to ascertain patient's experiences around various aspects of their care delivered in community clinics.

DESIGN

Observational study.

SETTING

Glaucoma Community Clinic, Cambridge, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety-six consecutive patients (M:F 47:49, mean age 70±12 years), recruited from July to September 2022.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Patients completed a modified glaucoma patient-reported outcome and experience measure (POEM) regarding their clinic experience and perspective on their diagnosis, treatment and fear of blindness. Patient's thoughts of feeling safe under the community clinical team were gathered. Patient demographics including age, gender, postcodes and education history were used to find their corresponding Lower-Layer Super Output Areas and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Patients had positive perceptions of their clinic experience. Ninety-six per cent of patients reported that their experience of attending the community clinic was comfortable, and 93% (n=92) felt the experience was the same as expected from the hospital. Feeling safe under the clinician team produced a mean Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score of 90 (SD 15) and feeling care was organised produced a mean VAS score of 87 (SD 17). Age, gender, disease characteristics and socioeconomic status had no influence on perceived experience. Patients aged <60 years had significantly lower understanding of their diagnosis compared with older groups (p=0.027, η2=0.076), as did suspect glaucoma patients when compared with primary open glaucoma patients (p=0.045, η2=0.085).

CONCLUSIONS

A large majority of patients expressed a positive experience, felt safe under the care of their clinical team and their care was well organised. Relatively younger patients (<60 years) and those with no confirmed diagnosis would likely benefit from more consultation time and educational materials to improve their understanding of glaucoma.

Protective and risk factors of mental health of working age adults with adventitious total bilateral blindness and low vision: A scoping review protocol

Vision loss has been associated with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder, which significantly impact lives of working age adults with adventitious total bilateral blindness and low vision. It is imperative, therefore, to prioritize the mental health in this population by exploring and understanding the factors that impact on their mental health. Hence, the objective of this scoping review is to identify and chart existing literature on the protective and risk factors of mental health of working age adults with adventitious total bilateral blindness and low vision. We developed this scoping review protocol in line with the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance. This scoping review will include publications in English language with no date restrictions exploring the protective and risk factors of mental health of our study population. A three-step search strategy will be employed. Searches will be carried out in the following databases: Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, CINAHL and Web of Science. Search for grey literature will be conducted in Google, Google Scholar and Websites dedicated to information on visual impairment. Collated results will be imported into Endnote Basic (Clarivate) for deduplication. Two reviewers will independently conduct double screening of all the titles and abstracts in Rayyan- a web application, and full texts in Endnote while three other reviewers will conduct screening of a subset of for example 10% of titles and abstracts and full texts. Furthermore, two reviewers will independently conduct double data extraction while three other reviewers will revise, cross check, and correct any extraction errors. Extracted data will be presented in tabular formats and summarized descriptively in line with the research objectives. This scoping review will generate evidence on factors impacting the mental health of the working age adults with adventitious total bilateral blindness and low vision as well as critically highlight gaps in the literature. The findings will inform and critically underpin future empirical research which will explore the lived experiences of working age people with adventitious total bilateral blindness. Additionally, evidence from this review will inform the development of interventions in the promotion of mental health as well as assisting rehabilitation specialists and workers, public health practitioners and other relevant stakeholders in addressing the mental health needs of working age adults with adventitious total bilateral blindness and low vision.

Enhancing Corneal Drug Penetration Using Penetratin for Ophthalmic Suspensions

Eye drops, including solutions and suspensions, are essential dosage forms to treat ophthalmic diseases, with poorly water-soluble drugs typically formulated as ophthalmic suspensions. In addition to low bioavailability, suspensions exhibit limited efficacy, safety, and usability due to the presence of drug particles. Improving bioavailability can reduce the drug concentrations and the risk of problems associated with suspended drug particles. However, practical penetration enhancers capable of improving bioavailability remain elusive. Herein, we focused on penetratin (PNT), a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) that promotes active cellular transport related to macromolecule uptake, such as micropinocytosis. According to the in vitro corneal uptake study using a reconstructed human corneal epithelial tissue model, LabCyte CORNEA-MODEL24, PNT enhanced the uptake of Fluoresbrite® YG carboxylate polystyrene microspheres without covalent binding. In an ex vivo porcine eye model, the addition of 10 µM PNT to rebamipide ophthalmic suspension markedly improved the corneal uptake of rebamipide; however, the addition of 100 µM PNT was ineffective due to potentially increased particle size by aggregation. This article provides basic information on the application of PNT as a penetration enhancer in ophthalmic suspensions, including the in vitro and ex vivo studies mentioned above, as well as the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay and storage stability at different pH values.

Deep learning-based fundus image analysis for cardiovascular disease: a review

It is well established that the retina provides insights beyond the eye. Through observation of retinal microvascular changes, studies have shown that the retina contains information related to cardiovascular disease. Despite the tremendous efforts toward reducing the effects of cardiovascular diseases, they remain a global challenge and a significant public health concern. Conventionally, predicting the risk of cardiovascular disease involves the assessment of preclinical features, risk factors, or biomarkers. However, they are associated with cost implications, and tests to acquire predictive parameters are invasive. Artificial intelligence systems, particularly deep learning (DL) methods applied to fundus images have been generating significant interest as an adjunct assessment tool with the potential of enhancing efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease mortality. Risk factors such as age, gender, smoking status, hypertension, and diabetes can be predicted from fundus images using DL applications with comparable performance to human beings. A clinical change to incorporate DL systems for the analysis of fundus images as an equally good test over more expensive and invasive procedures may require conducting prospective clinical trials to mitigate all the possible ethical challenges and medicolegal implications. This review presents current evidence regarding the use of DL applications on fundus images to predict cardiovascular disease.

Genetic Risk Assessment of Degenerative Eye Disease (GRADE): study protocol of a prospective assessment of polygenic risk scores to predict diagnosis of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration

BACKGROUND

Glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) account for a substantial portion of global blindness. Both conditions are highly heritable, with recognised monogenic and polygenic inheritance patterns. Current screening guidelines lack decisive recommendations. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) allow for cost-effective broad population risk stratification for these conditions. The predictive potential of PRS could facilitate earlier diagnosis and treatment, and prevent unnecessary vision loss.

METHODS

The Genetic Risk Assessment of Degenerative Eye disease (GRADE) study is a prospective study designed to generate high-quality evidence about the feasibility of PRS to stratify individuals from the general population, enabling identification of those at highest risk of developing glaucoma or AMD. The targeted recruitment is 1000 individuals aged over 50 years, from which blood or saliva samples will be used for genotyping and an individual PRS for glaucoma and AMD will be derived. Individuals with PRS values in the bottom decile (n = 100), top decile (n = 100) and middle 80% (n = 100) for both glaucoma and AMD will undergo a detailed eye examination for glaucoma and/or AMD.

DISCUSSION

The primary objective will be to compare the prevalence of glaucoma and AMD cases between low, intermediate, and high PRS risk groups. We expect to find a higher prevalence of both diseases in the high PRS risk group, as compared to the middle and low risk groups. This prospective study will assess the clinical validity of a PRS for glaucoma and AMD in the general Australian population. Positive findings will support the implementation of PRS into clinical practice.

Patterns and determinants of incident cataract surgery in China from 2011 to 2015 using a nationally representative longitudinal database

OBJECTIVES

To investigate incident cataract surgery and to investigate determinants of cataract surgery uptake in Chinese adults.

DESIGN

This nationally representative longitudinal study recorded self-reported incident cataract surgery, and measured biological, clinical and socioeconomical characteristics at baseline and endline.

SETTING

In the first stage, 150 county-level units were randomly chosen with a probability-proportional-to-size sampling technique from a sampling frame containing all county-level units. The sample was stratified by region and within region by urban district or rural county and per capita gross domestic product. The final sample of 150 counties fell within 28 provinces of China.

PARTICIPANTS

Urban and rural Chinese persons aged 45 years and older.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Incident cataract surgery (primary outcome) and the factors associated with incident cataract surgery (secondary outcome).

RESULTS

Among 16 663 people enrolled in 2011, 13 705 (82.2%) attended follow-up in 2015. Among these, 167 (1.22%) reported incident cataract surgery. Those receiving surgery were significantly older (66.2±8.79 vs 58.3±9.18, p≤0.001) and more likely to report: illiteracy (44.9% vs 27.1%, p<0.001), poor baseline distance vision (49.7% vs 20.0%, p≤0.001), poor baseline near vision (37.1% vs 21.8%, p≤0.001), baseline visual impairment (15.6% vs 5.5%, p≤0.001), diabetes (12.0% vs 7.42%, p≤0.05) and higher baseline depression scores (9.7 vs 8.4 on a scale of 0-30, p≤0.05). In linear regression models, older age, worse distance vision, hypertension or diabetes, illiteracy and lower depression score were significantly associated with undergoing surgery. Results were similar in models including only persons aged ≥60 years, except that urban residence was also associated with surgery. When only those aged ≥60 years with poor vision were included, results were again the same, except that higher household expenditure was also associated with surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In China, cataract surgical rates remain low; underserved groups such as rural dwellers are less likely to receive cataract surgery.

An Online Questionnaire-Based Survey of 1076 Individuals in Poland to Identify the Prevalence of Ophthalmic Symptoms in Autumn 2022

BACKGROUND Vision health affects functioning in society, and the ability to learn and work. Ophthalmic symptoms may be caused by eye diseases, but also by environmental or lifestyle factors. This online questionnaire-based survey aimed to identify the prevalence of ophthalmic symptoms in 1076 individuals in Poland, as well as to identify factors associated with the presence of ophthalmic symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHODS An online questionnaire-based survey was carried out in December 2022 on a representative sample of 1076 adult Poles. Non-probability quota sampling was used. Respondents were asked about the presence of 16 different eye symptoms and vision problems in the last 30 days. The presence of ophthalmic symptoms was self-declared. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS package version 28. RESULTS More than half of the respondents (57.8%) had at least 1 ophthalmic symptom in the last 30 days. Burning and stinging eyes (21.6%) and dry eyes (18.9%) were the most common ophthalmic symptoms declared by the respondents. Moreover, 21.3% of respondents reported vision deterioration in the last 30 days. Out of 10 different factors analyzed in this study, female gender, living in rural areas or small cities (below 100 000 inhabitants), living with at least 1 other person, having low economic status, having chronic diseases, and wearing spectacles/contact lenses were significantly associated (P.

Self-reported hearing and vision impairment and incident frailty in Japanese older people: A 3-year longitudinal analysis of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study

BACKGROUND

We examined the associations and interactions of hearing impairment (HI) and vision impairment (VI) with frailty.

METHODS

We performed a 3-year longitudinal analysis of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), a nationwide prospective cohort study of functionally independent Japanese older people (age ≥ 65 years). Frailty status at baseline and follow-up was defined according to the Kihon Checklist. HI and VI at baseline were self-reported. Logistic regression models were used to examine the main and interaction effects of HI and VI on incident frailty during a 3-year follow-up period.

RESULTS

Of the 7,852 participants (mean age 73.2 years, standard deviation 5.6; 50.7% women), 9.7%, 5.3%, and 1.9% reported HI, VI, and concurrent HI and VI, respectively. After adjusting for possible confounders and the other sensory impairment, VI (odds ratio [OR] 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.62-3.85, p < 0.001), but not HI (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.97-1.72, p = 0.081), was significantly associated with incident combined pre-frailty and frailty from a robust baseline. No interaction was observed between HI and VI (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.38-1.81, p = 0.636). We observed no significant associations between sensory impairments and incident frailty from a pre-frail baseline (HI: OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.88-1.80, p = 0.205; VI: OR 1.44, 95% CI 0.90-2.31, p = 0.127; interaction between HI and VI: OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.53-2.53, p = 0.718).

CONCLUSIONS

VI, rather than HI, may be an independent risk factor for frailty, without any interaction between the two.

Prime Editing for the Installation and Correction of Mutations Causing Inherited Retinal Disease: A Brief Methodology

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) encompass a large heterogeneous group of rare blinding disorders whose etiology originates from mutations in the 280 genes identified to date. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) systems represent a promising avenue for the treatment of IRDs, as exemplified by FDA clinical trial approval of EDIT-101 (AGN-151587), which removes a deep intronic variant in the CEP290 gene that causes Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) type 10. Prime editing is a novel double-strand break (DSB) independent CRISPR/Cas system which has the potential to correct all 12 possible transition and transversion mutations in addition to small deletions and insertions. Here, as a proof-of-concept study, we describe a methodology using prime editing for the in vitro installation and correction of the classical Pde6b^rd10 c.1678C > T (p.Arg560Cys) mutation which causes autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in mice.

Does intraocular straylight predict night driving visual performance? Correlations between straylight levels and contrast sensitivity, halo size, and hazard recognition distance with and without glare

Purpose

To evaluate the relationship between intraocular straylight perception and: (i) contrast sensitivity (CS), (ii) halo size, and (iii) hazard recognition distance, in the presence and absence of glare.

Subjects and methods

Participants were 15 (5 female) ophthalmologically healthy adults, aged 54.6-80.6 (median: 67.2) years. Intraocular straylight (log s) was measured using a straylight meter (C-Quant; Oculus GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany). CS with glare was measured clinically using the Optovist I device (Vistec Inc., Olching, Germany) and also within a driving simulator using Landolt Cs. These were presented under both static or dynamic viewing conditions, and either with or without glare. Hazard detection distance was measured for simulated obstacles of varying contrast. For this, the participant was required to maintain a speed of 60 km/h within a custom-built nighttime driving simulator. Glare was simulated by LED arrays, moved by cable robots to mimic an oncoming car's headlights. Halo size ("halometry") was measured by moving Landolt Cs outward originating from the center of a static glare source. The outcome measure from "halometry" was the radius of the halo (angular extent, in degrees visual angle).

Results

The correlation between intraocular straylight perception, log s, and hazard recognition distance under glare was poor for the low contrast obstacles (leading/subdominant eye: r = 0.27/r = 0.34). Conversely, log CS measured with glare strongly predicted hazard recognition distances under glare. This was true both when log CS was measured using a clinical device (Optovist I: r = 0.93) and within the driving simulator, under static (r = 0.69) and dynamic (r = 0.61) conditions, and also with "halometry" (r = 0.70). Glare reduced log CS and hazard recognition distance for almost all visual function parameters.

Conclusion

Intraocular straylight was a poor predictor of visual function and driving performance within this experiment. Conversely, CS was a strong predictor of both hazard recognition and halo extent. The presence of glare and motion lead to a degradation of CS in a driving simulator. Future studies are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of all above-mentioned vision-related parameters for predicting fitness to drive under real-life conditions.

The effect of poor vision on economic farm performance: Evidence from rural Cambodia

Roughly one-fifth of the global population is affected by poor visual acuity. Despite the fact that inhabitants of rural areas in low-income countries are most distressed by this, no prior research has studied the impact of poor visual acuity on the economic performance of farms. We conduct a standardized eye test with 288 farm managers in rural Cambodia and find that around 30 percent of our sample suffers from poor visual acuity in terms of nearsightedness (myopia). Our analyses indicate a statistically significant and economically meaningful association of poor visual acuity with economic farm performance. Our results show that gross margins for cropping activities per year could be, on average, around 630 USD higher if farm managers were able to correct for poor vision. Our results suggest that poor visual acuity impairs farm managers from tapping the full potential of their business, which in turn decreases their chance to break the vicious cycle of poverty.

'It was like being hit with a brick': a qualitative study on the effect of clinicians' delivery of a diagnosis of eye disease for patients in primary and secondary care

OBJECTIVES

To explore patients' experiences of getting a diagnosis of eye disease, the psychological impact of this and how this could be improved.

DESIGN

An exploratory qualitative interview study using a narrative approach and inductive methods.

SETTING

This study was conducted with patients who had attended ophthalmic appointments in primary and secondary care and in opticians located in the South of England.

PARTICIPANTS

18 people diagnosed with eye disease in England.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified: the convoluted process of being diagnosed, the impact of clinicians' words, the search for information and reflections on what could be improved. The prolonged wait for a definitive diagnosis was a source of frustration and anxiety for many patients. Professionals' words and tone when delivering a diagnosis sometimes affected a patient's view of their diagnosis and their later ability to come to terms with it. Patients were desperate for information, but many felt they were not provided with sufficient information at the time of diagnosis and did not know whether to trust information found online. Participants felt the provision of a hospital liaison service and/or counselling could mitigate the impact on patients and families.

CONCLUSIONS

Interactions with clinicians can have a lasting impact on how a diagnosis is experienced and how well the patient is able to come to terms with their visual impairment. Receiving little or no information left patients feeling lost and unsupported. This led them to search for information from less reliable sources. Clinicians should consider how they communicate a diagnosis to patients, how and when they offer information about diagnosis and prognosis and where possible signpost patients to additional support systems and counselling services as early as possible.

Association of hearing loss and tinnitus symptoms with health-related quality of life among long-term oropharyngeal cancer survivors

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the association of hearing loss and tinnitus with overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among long-term oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) survivors.

METHODS

This study included OPC survivors treated between 2000 and 2013 and surveyed from September 2015 to July 2016. Hearing loss and tinnitus were measured by asking survivors to rate their "difficulty with hearing loss and/or ringing in the ears" from 0 (not present) to 10 (as bad as you can imagine). Hearing loss and tinnitus scores were categorized as follows: 0 for none, 1-4 for mild, and 5-10 for moderate to severe. The primary outcome was the mean score of MD nderson Symptom Inventory Head & Neck module interference component as a HRQoL surrogate dichotomized as follows: 0 to 4 for none to mild and 5 to 10 for moderate to severe interference.

RESULTS

Among 880 OPC survivors, 35.6% (314), reported none, 39.3% (347) reported mild, and 25.1% (221) reported moderate to severe hearing loss and tinnitus. On multivariable analysis, mild (OR, 5.83; 95% CI; 1.48-22.88; p = 0.012) and moderate (OR, 30.01; 95% CI; 7.96-113.10; p < 0.001) hearing loss and tinnitus were associated with higher odds of reporting moderate to severe symptom interference scores in comparison to no hearing loss and tinnitus. This association of hearing dysfunction was consistent with all domains of HRQoL.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide preliminary evidence to support the need for continued audiological evaluations and surveillance to detect hearing dysfunction, to allow for early management and to alleviate the long-term impact on QoL.

Virtual Reality-Based Stimuli for Immersive Car Clinics: A Performance Evaluation Model

This study proposes a model to evaluate the performance of virtual reality-based stimuli for immersive car clinics. The model considered Attribute Importance, Stimuli Efficacy and Stimuli Cost factors and the method was divided into three stages: we defined the importance of fourteen attributes relevant to a car clinic based on the perceptions of Marketing and Design experts; then we defined the efficacy of five virtual stimuli based on the perceptions of Product Development and Virtual Reality experts; and we used a cost factor to calculate the efficiency of the five virtual stimuli in relation to the physical. The Marketing and Design experts identified a new attribute, Scope; eleven of the fifteen attributes were rated as Important or Very Important, while four were removed from the model due to being considered irrelevant. According to our performance evaluation model, virtual stimuli have the same efficacy as physical stimuli. However, when cost is considered, virtual stimuli outperform physical stimuli, particularly virtual stimuli with glasses. We conclude that virtual stimuli have the potential to reduce the cost and time required to develop new stimuli in car clinics, but with concerns related to hardware, software, and other definitions.

Olfactory system and energy metabolism: a two-way street

Olfactory perception guides daily decisions regarding food consumption, social interactions, and predator avoidance in all mammalian species. Volatile inputs, comprising odorants and pheromones, are relayed to the olfactory bulb (OB) from nasal sensory neurons cells and transferred to secondary processing regions within the brain. Olfaction has recently been shown to shape homeostatic and maladaptive processes of energy intake and expenditure through neuronal circuits involving the medial basal hypothalamus. Reciprocally, gastrointestinal hormones, such as ghrelin and leptin, the secretion of which depends on satiety and adiposity levels, might also influence olfactory sensitivity to alter food-seeking behaviors. Here, in addition to reviewing recent updates on identifying these neuronal networks, we also discuss how bidirectional neurocircuits existing between olfactory and energy processing centers can become dysregulated during obesity.

Clinical approach to vision loss: a review for general physicians

Visual loss describes temporary or permanent reduction in visual acuity and/or field. Its aetiology is diverse due to the contributions of the different neuro-ophthalmic structures (eye, optic nerve, and brain) to image formation and perception, but may be categorised into ocular causes (corneal, lenticular, vitreoretinal and macular) or optic neuropathies. Clinical evaluation of visual loss relies on thorough history and examination to guide further tests. In this article, we provide a practical overview of visual loss assessment for general physicians.

AlzEye: longitudinal record-level linkage of ophthalmic imaging and hospital admissions of 353 157 patients in London, UK

PURPOSE

Retinal signatures of systemic disease ('oculomics') are increasingly being revealed through a combination of high-resolution ophthalmic imaging and sophisticated modelling strategies. Progress is currently limited not mainly by technical issues, but by the lack of large labelled datasets, a sine qua non for deep learning. Such data are derived from prospective epidemiological studies, in which retinal imaging is typically unimodal, cross-sectional, of modest number and relates to cohorts, which are not enriched with subpopulations of interest, such as those with systemic disease. We thus linked longitudinal multimodal retinal imaging from routinely collected National Health Service (NHS) data with systemic disease data from hospital admissions using a privacy-by-design third-party linkage approach.

PARTICIPANTS

Between 1 January 2008 and 1 April 2018, 353 157 participants aged 40 years or older, who attended Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, a tertiary ophthalmic institution incorporating a principal central site, four district hubs and five satellite clinics in and around London, UK serving a catchment population of approximately six million people.

FINDINGS TO DATE

Among the 353 157 individuals, 186 651 had a total of 1 337 711 Hospital Episode Statistics admitted patient care episodes. Systemic diagnoses recorded at these episodes include 12 022 patients with myocardial infarction, 11 735 with all-cause stroke and 13 363 with all-cause dementia. A total of 6 261 931 retinal images of seven different modalities and across three manufacturers were acquired from 1 54 830 patients. The majority of retinal images were retinal photographs (n=1 874 175) followed by optical coherence tomography (n=1 567 358).

FUTURE PLANS

AlzEye combines the world's largest single institution retinal imaging database with nationally collected systemic data to create an exceptional large-scale, enriched cohort that reflects the diversity of the population served. First analyses will address cardiovascular diseases and dementia, with a view to identifying hidden retinal signatures that may lead to earlier detection and risk management of these life-threatening conditions.

Do You Know How People Who Are Blind Cross Streets? Mentally Stepping into Another’s Shoes Through Imitation

Introduction: The objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which sighted persons understand thought processes of persons who are visually impaired (i.e., those who are blind or have low vision). The investigation focused on a street-crossing task. Method: Participants were 15 visually impaired persons and 21 sighted persons. The sighted group included 6 orientation and mobility (O&M) specialists and 15 individuals who represent the sighted public and have infrequent interactions with people with visual impairments. Participants provided verbal reports of their thought processes associated with a street-crossing scenario twice, once as a “non-pretender” and once as a “pretender.” In the non-pretender role, participants verbalized their thinking in line with their actual state of sightedness. In the pretender role, participants with visual impairments pretended that they did not have any visual impairments, whereas sighted participants pretended that they were blind. Transcribed data were analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in three themes with 14 subthemes. The genuine responses of visually impaired participants and the imitated responses of the sighted participants were compared using proportions of the subthemes. Results: Fisher’s exact z tests demonstrated that out of the 14 subthemes, the visually impaired participants’ proportions were (a) similar to those of sighted O&M specialists in 10 subthemes and (b) different from those of the other sighted participants in seven subthemes. Participants verbalized fewer thoughts when describing sighted navigation than when describing navigation as a person with visual impairment. Discussion: Sighted persons with infrequent social interaction with people who are visually impaired seem to be less successful at “pretending to be blind,” indicating that they may have difficulties in adopting the perspective of people with visual impairments. Implications for Practitioners: Sighted O&M specialists develop an understanding of the cognitive processes of people who are visually impaired through training and contact. Other professionals that support these individuals (e.g., technology designers) could benefit from developing such an understanding and immersing themselves in the social life of people with visual impairments.

Public perceptions of eye symptoms and hospital services during the first UK lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic: a web survey study

Objective

This study aimed to explore the British public’s healthcare-seeking beliefs concerning eye symptoms, and assess how the first COVID-19 lockdown influenced these.

Methods and analysis

An anonymous web-based survey was disseminated through mailing lists and social media between June and August 2020. The survey sought participants’ views on the severity and urgency of the need for medical review for four ophthalmic and two general medical scenarios on a five-point scale. Participants were asked to answer questions twice: once ignoring the COVID-19 pandemic, and once taking this into account, with additional questions asked to identify factors influencing the decision to seek medical attention and ward admission.

Results

A total of 402 participants completed the survey (mean age 61.6 years, 63.1% female and 87.7% of white ethnicity). Scores for symptom severity and urgency of medical review increased significantly with the severity of the clinical scenario (both p<0.001). However, participants gave significantly lower scores for the urgency of medical attention when accounting for the COVID-19 pandemic (compared with no pandemic) for all scenarios (all p<0.001). Younger age, greater deprivation and non-white ethnicity were correlated with a lower perception of seriousness and urgency of medical attention.

Conclusions

During the first UK lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced urgency of medical review for ocular and systemic pathologies was reported in response to the pandemic, which represents a barrier to healthcare-seeking behaviour. This has the potential to critically delay medical review and timely management, negatively impacting patient outcomes.

Ophthalmic sensing technologies for ocular disease diagnostics

Point-of-care diagnosis and personalized treatments are critical in ocular physiology and disease. Continuous sampling of tear fluid for ocular diagnosis is a need for further exploration. Several techniques have been developed for possible ophthalmological applications, from traditional spectroscopies to wearable sensors. Contact lenses are commonly used devices for vision correction, as well as for other therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. They are increasingly being developed into ocular sensors, being used to sense and monitor biochemical analytes in tear fluid, ocular surface temperature, intraocular pressure, and pH value. These sensors have had success in detecting ocular conditions, optimizing pharmaceutical treatments, and tracking treatment efficacy in point-of-care settings. However, there is a paucity of new and effective instrumentation reported in ophthalmology. Hence, this review will summarize the applied ophthalmic technologies for ocular diagnostics and tear monitoring, including both conventional and biosensing technologies. Besides applications of smart readout devices for continuous monitoring, targeted biomarkers are also discussed for the convenience of diagnosis of various ocular diseases. A further discussion is also provided for future aspects and market requirements related to the commercialization of novel types of contact lens sensors.

Challenges and opportunities for modeling monogenic and complex disorders of the human retina via induced pluripotent stem cell technology

The human retina is a highly structured and complex neurosensory tissue central to perceiving and processing visual signals. In a healthy individual, the close interplay between the neuronal retina, the adjacent retinal pigment epithelium and the underlying blood supply, the choriocapillaris, is critical for maintaining eyesight over a lifetime. An impairment of this delicate and metabolically highly active system, caused by genetic alteration, environmental impact or both, results in a multitude of pathological phenotypes of the retina. Understanding and treating these disease processes are motivated by a marked medical need in young as well as in older patients. While naturally occurring or gene-manipulated animal models have been used successfully in ophthalmological research for many years, recent advances in induced pluripotent stem cell technology have opened up new avenues to generate patient-derived retinal model systems. Here, we explore to what extent these cellular models can be useful to mirror human pathologies in vitro ultimately allowing to analyze disease mechanisms and testing treatment options in the cell type of interest on an individual patient-specific genetic background.

Insights on the Regeneration Potential of Müller Glia in the Mammalian Retina

Müller glia, the major glial cell types in the retina, maintain retinal homeostasis and provide structural support to retinal photoreceptors. They also possess regenerative potential that might be used for retinal repair in response to injury or disease. In teleost fish (such as zebrafish), the Müller glia response to injury involves reprogramming events that result in a population of proliferative neural progenitors that can regenerate the injured retina. Recent studies have revealed several important mechanisms for the regenerative capacity of Müller glia in fish, which may shed more light on the mechanisms of Müller glia reprogramming and regeneration in mammals. Mammalian Müller glia can adopt stem cell characteristics, and in response to special conditions, be persuaded to proliferate and regenerate, although their native regeneration potential is limited. In this review, we consider the work to date revealing the regenerative potential of the mammalian Müller glia and discuss whether they are a potential source for cell regeneration therapy in humans.

Efficacy and safety of fixed-combination brimonidine tartrate/timolol maleate in primary open-angle glaucoma, including normal-tension glaucoma

PURPOSE

To assess the 12-month efficacy and safety of fixed-combination brimonidine tartrate 0.2%/timolol maleate 0.5% (FCBT) with or without bimatoprost 0.01% (BIM) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), including normal-tension glaucoma (NTG).

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective, multicenter, open-label study.

METHODS

FCBT was self-administered twice daily after applicable washout (study eye). Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured at baseline and months 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12. BIM could be added for IOP ≥ 21 mmHg, IOP reduction from baseline < 20%, or the investigator deemed it necessary. Primary endpoint: mean (11-a.m.) month-12 IOP change from baseline. Secondary endpoints included mean IOP changes from baseline at other visits, median time to achieving and patients (%) achieving target IOP reduction with FCBT, and visual field (VF) progression rate over 12 months. Safety was assessed at each visit.

RESULTS

Of 118 eyes with POAG (NTG, n = 93), 87 used FCBT; 31 required FCBT + BIM. Mean IOP changes from baseline (16.8 and 15.3 mmHg) to month 12 were - 4.1 mmHg (FCBT, n = 62) and - 3.5 mmHg (FCBT + BIM, n = 15), respectively (both P < 0.0001). Patients who achieved target IOP reduction with FCBT did so in 1 month (median). VF progression rates were 0.17%/year (FCBT, P = 0.8367) and - 0.08%/year (FCBT + BIM, P = 0.9410). Ocular treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 42.5% (FCBT) and 71.0% (FCBT + BIM) of patients; most were mild and included ocular hyperemia (9.2% and 41.9%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite low mean baseline IOP, ≥ 20% IOP reduction from baseline persisted over 12 months with FCBT and FCBT + BIM, without clinically significant VF progression. Tolerability was consistent with reported drug safety profiles.

Human Olfaction at the Intersection of Language, Culture, and Biology

The human sense of smell can accomplish astonishing feats, yet there remains a prevailing belief that olfactory language is deficient. Numerous studies with English speakers support this view: there are few terms for odors, odor talk is infrequent, and naming odors is difficult. However, this is not true across the world. Many languages have sizeable smell lexicons - smell is even grammaticalized. In addition, for some cultures smell talk is more frequent and odor naming easier. This linguistic variation is as yet unexplained but could be the result of ecological, cultural, or genetic factors or a combination thereof. Different ways of talking about smells may shape aspects of olfactory cognition too. Critically, this variation sheds new light on this important sensory modality.