A five-minute pulse of ultrasound is used to treat glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness.
Studies involving more than 60 people show that the treatment helps eight out of ten patients and that the effect lasts for at least two years.
Glaucoma, which affects more than a million Britons, develops when intraocular pressure rises.
In a healthy eye, a fluid called aqueous humor nourishes the lens and maintains the shape of the eye. But if too much of this fluid is produced or the drainage channels on the sides of the eye are blocked, pressure in the eyeball can build up.
This can damage the optic nerve, which carries vital messages from the eye to the brain, resulting in gradual loss of vision. The process can be so gradual that the condition is often only discovered during a routine eye exam.
Studies involving more than 60 people show that the treatment helps eight out of ten patients and that the effect lasts for at least two years. Above is a photo from a file
Treatment includes eye drops to reduce fluid production or improve drainage.
But the drops don’t work for everyone, and some patients forget to use them, according to a 2019 study published in the Journal of Ophthalmic Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Another option is surgery or laser treatment to open blocked drainage tubes or reduce fluid production in the eye, although each procedure carries risks and may not be effective.
Ultrasound, on the other hand, is a non-invasive treatment method – it works by causing shock waves or vibrations that can destroy tissue with great precision.
The ultrasonic device, resembling a tiny telescope, has a disposable conical tip with ultrasonic emitters around it, connected to a generator. First, the patient’s eye is anesthetized with anesthetic drops, then a device developed by Eye Tech Care in France is placed over the eye. It sends pulses of ultrasound to the ciliary body, the area of the eye that pumps out aqueous humor.
In the weeks following treatment, the pressure decreases as less aqueous humor is produced, although enough is produced to keep the eyes healthy. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated.
In a two-year study conducted by ophthalmologists at the University of Genoa and other centers in Italy, 66 patients were treated with the device. The results, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed that overall, patients experienced a 40.5% drop in blood pressure.
“Success” in terms of treatment is when the eye pressure drops below 21 mmHg.
Ten percent of patients were judged to be completely successful, with eye pressures below 21 mmHg.
Gwyn Williams, consultant ophthalmologist at Singleton Hospital in Swansea, says: “Lasers have been tried and had similar effects, but they had serious side effects. This could be a useful alternative, although the work to secure it is just beginning.”
A diet rich in niacin or vitamin B3 may reduce the risk of developing glaucoma.
People with the highest intake of niacin — 24 mg per day — had a 64% lower risk of developing the problem, according to a study by North Tees University Hospital and others.
The study, published in Nutrients, was based on data from 6,000 men and women aged 40 and over who reported what they ate each day – this was used to calculate their nutrient intake.
The scientists found that people with glaucoma had a “significantly lower” daily intake of niacin (21 mg) compared to those without it (24 mg). One theory is that the vitamin found in liver and chicken breast, as well as in dietary supplements, may have a protective effect on optic nerve cells.
Gel that reactivates hair follicles to treat baldness
Scientists have developed a hair growth gel to treat baldness. In a trial by TCR Medical in the US, a gel called TDM-105795 will be tested on 30 men against a placebo.
Hair growth is controlled by cells within the hair follicles – these cells can shrink and become inactive, often as a result of age. The gel contains compounds thought to attach to proteins within the hair follicle to reactivate them.
Results from animal studies have already shown that the treatment causes significant hair growth within three to five days.
According to the journal Virology, an extract from the tree’s bark can inactivate Covid-19 cells by binding to the receptors that the virus uses to enter the body.
Scientists at the University of Colorado in the US tested the bark extract on human lung cells in the lab and are now trying to determine exactly which compounds were responsible.
Spinal zapper helps relieve constipation
According to a study, stimulating the nerves in the lower back with electrical impulses is an effective treatment for constipation.
A pacemaker-sized implant, which is placed under the skin over the buttocks, blocks the sacral nerves responsible for movement in the pelvis and intestines. When the device was tested on 21 adults, it resulted in a seven-fold improvement in bowel frequency, researchers reported in the Chinese Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.
The patient remotely controls the device to change the stimulation strength or simply turn it off.
watch watch
How to use the power of your biological clock. This week: wear deodorant before bed
An antiperspirant may be more effective if applied the night before. A study of 60 women published in The Dermatologist in 2009 found that those who applied it at night for ten days sweated less overall than those who used it in the morning.
An antiperspirant blocks the pores in the outer layer of the skin, reducing the amount of sweat reaching the surface. Applying it at night gives it time to “settle” in those pores, allowing it to last for hours after waking up.
Application days
Doctors often take older patients to a six-minute walk test to assess their fitness. The EXi app allows patients to take the test themselves instead of visiting a clinic.
Health apps with official seal of approval.
This week: EXi, free on Google Play or AppStore
Doctors often take older patients to a six-minute walk test to assess their fitness.
The EXi app allows patients to take the test themselves instead of visiting a clinic.
He also creates a 12-week personalized exercise plan that gradually increases in difficulty until the patient reaches the NHS recommended amount of five 30-minute sessions per week by the end of three months.
in your genes
Sex-specific genes linked to chronic pain have been found, according to researchers from the University of Glasgow and other institutions.
Amazing things that depend on your genetics. This Week: Why Pain Feels Different for Men and Women
Sex-specific genes linked to chronic pain have been found, according to researchers from the University of Glasgow and other institutions.
Based on data from almost 400,000 participants at the British Biobank, the researchers identified 37 genes associated with chronic pain in men and 31 in women. Only one gene for chronic pain has been found in both sexes.
They found that most of the pain genes identified, with the exception of one found in women, are active in the dorsal root ganglion, a collection of nerve cells in the spinal cord that send pain signals to the brain.
These ideas are expected to better serve as the basis for the development of new treatments.