Blog

Prediction Model

Researchers from Tufts have created a predictive method to identify one’s risk for development of macular degeneration (AMD) based on data gathered from 1,446 subjects in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS).  The study evaluates  ocular, genetic, and environmental information and the effectiveness of  predictive methods of identifying AMD and AMD risk.

Researchers looked at gender, age, level of education, whether participants smoked and for how long/much, the participants’ body mass index, and whether participants supplemented with nutrients (zinc and antioxidants) to slow AMD development.
Read More »

People who use cell phones for at least half an hour every day over many years (ie, 10 years) have more than 33% chance of developing malignant tumors in the brain, according to a landmark 2010 study from the World Health Organization. (reported by the New York Times)

Researchers  examined the amount of radio frequency (RF) exposure cell phone users undergo in various scenarios. The findings, published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, show that older analog technology produced the highest RF levels.  Of the various digital communications networks used by cell phones CDMA networks had the lowest RF (major carriers include Sprint PCS, Verizon and Virgin Mobile) while with GSM (AT&T and T-Mobile) and TDMA  (major US carriers have left this system)  showing similar intermediate levels. Generally users are exposed to higher RF power output in rural areas.
Read More »

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a warning to parents and caregivers about the dangers of accidental overdose when giving infants liquid vitamin D supplement products.

Some products are sold with droppers that could allow harmful amounts of the vitamin to be given to an infant. These droppers can hold a greater amount of liquid vitamin D than an infant should receive.  Infants should not receive more than 400 international units (IUs) of vitamin D a day.
Read More »

A recent study out of the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences at the University of Toronto New indicates that glaucoma patients can reduce intraocular pressure by sleeping with their head elevated at a 30-degree angle as opposed to sleeping with their heads flat on a mattress.  This resulted in a 20% lower IOP.  Study participants exhibited no differences in blood pressure or ocular perfusion pressure between the two positions.  Ocular perfusion is the relationship between IOP and blood pressure – another glaucoma marker.

Previous studies had established that raising the head lowers IOP and that lying down supine results in higher IOP.  Scientists found that comparing lying down to a 45 degree raised position from the horizontal results in a 10% to 15% lower IOP.
Read More »