How Math Is Leading to Breakthroughs in Cancer, Breath Tests and Understanding of Glaucoma

What do you get when you put mathematicians and physiologists in a room together? The question may sound like the beginning of a joke, but the answer is not a punchline. Last week, math modelers and experts who study the body’s smallest blood vessels—called the microcirculation—met in Scottsdale, Ariz. This group of elite scientists explored … Continue reading How Math Is Leading to Breakthroughs in Cancer, Breath Tests and Understanding of Glaucoma

Seeing Clearly: How Sun Exposure Increases Your Cataract Risk

During the long, hot days of summer, you may find yourself reaching for your sunglasses to block the glare from the sun’s rays. You may not realize that donning shades does more for your eye health than just make it more comfortable to see. Blocking harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is good for … Continue reading Seeing Clearly: How Sun Exposure Increases Your Cataract Risk

The Rocket’s Red Glare: Eye Damage and Fireworks

The warm weather of July, smell of hot dogs on the grill and the “rocket’s red glare” of fireworks in the sky make Independence Day a favorite holiday for many people. Fireworks have been around for centuries and originated in China. Saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal combined in paper tubes were some of the world’s first … Continue reading The Rocket’s Red Glare: Eye Damage and Fireworks

Type 2 Diabetes and You: It’s Complicated

People in the U.S. continue to eat diets high in saturated fat and get little exercise. And more and more of them are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. While many people with diabetes make lifelong lifestyle changes to control their blood sugar, others may not understand that eating too much sugar when they have … Continue reading Type 2 Diabetes and You: It’s Complicated

When You Can’t ‘Spy’ with Your Eye Anymore

Many of us take our ability to read this blog or see the faces of our families and friends for granted. For the 10–15 million Americans with a disease called age-related macular degeneration (AMD), however, the loss of this ability is a daily and devastating reality. AMD is the most common cause of blindness in … Continue reading When You Can’t ‘Spy’ with Your Eye Anymore