MIAMI, Fla. – Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, resulting from irreversible loss of function of the optic nerve.
A recent study, supported by the National Eye Institute, found a form of gene therapy which could protect and preserve optic nerve cells in studies using mice.
“It’s an impressive finding. It’s in a high profile journal, however, these are studies in mice,” said Dr. Richard Lee with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “And we’re a little larger than mice in general so it has yet to be translated into clinical studies in humans. It is a good proof of principal especially since the vectors they used to give these genes into the cells are similar to the ones that we use currently in gene therapy studies,” Lee said.
Glaucoma affects an estimated 3 million Americans.
Lee said that in light of those ongoing gene therapy studies, a real-world application could be available within the next few years.
Heart Health
When it comes to protecting your heart from vascular aging, exercise alone won’t cut it, according to recent studies.
A small study of heart health in older obese people found that reducing caloric intake, along with exercise, improved heart function.
It only took modest calorie restriction, about 250 calories a day, to see an improvement in vascular health.