Press Releases and Statements by Topic

• Browse Press Releases and Statements by Year

• Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
• AIDS-related eye disease
  (cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis)
• Amblyopia
• Audacious Goals Challenge
• Cataracts
• Convergence Insufficiency (CI)
• Cornea
• Diabetic Eye Disease
• Educational Programs
• Healthy People 2010
• National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP)
• Eye Site
• Eye Cancer
• Eye Surgery
• Gene
• Glaucoma
• Hispanic/Latino Americans
• Histoplasmosis

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

• NIH study suggests immune system could play a central role in AMD 11/27/12
• Avastin and Lucentis are equivalent in treating age-related macular degeneration 04/30/12
• NIH study finds Avastin and Lucentis are equally effective in treating age-related macular degeneration 4/28/11
• NIH adds first images to major research database 11/22/10
• Review Supports Vitamin E Dosage in AREDS 12/01/04
• Statement on the Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and Age-related Macular Degeneration Among Hispanic/Latino Americans 07/04

AIDS-related eye disease (cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis)

• Anti-HIV Treatment Improves Immune System and Fights Sight-Threatening Eye Infection 11/02/99
• Combination Drug Therapy for AIDS Found to Control Blinding Eye Infection 5/20/97
• NIH-Sponsored Study Stopped: New Drug Does Not Control AIDS-Related Eye Disease 8/15/96
• Two Drug Treatment Is Effective Against Recurrent Eye Infection in AIDS Patients 1/11/96
• Eye Implant Effective in Treating CMV Retinitis 12/14/94
• Foscarnet and Ganciclovir Compared as Treatment for CMV Retinitis 10/21/91

Amblyopia

• Older Children Can Benefit From Treatment For Childhood's Most Common Eye Disorder 4/11/05
• Reduced Daily Eye Patching Effectively Treats Childhood's Most Common Eye Disorder 5/12/03
• Success of Reduced Daily Eye Patching to Treat Severe Amblyopia 10/01/03
• Eye Drops to Treat Childhood Eye Disorder Work As Well as Patching the Eye 3/13/02

Audacious Goals Challenge

• NIH launches contest for audacious goals in vision research 8/13/12

Cataracts

• New Cataract Early Detection Technique Patients and Astronauts Benefit from NEI-NASA Collaboration 01/08/09

Convergence Insufficiency (CI)

• More Effective Treatment Identified for Common Childhood Vision Disorder 10/13/08

Cornea

• Older Corneas Suitable for Transplantation, Study Shows Could Expand Donor Pool Significantly 4/01/08
• Patient - Donor Blood Type Matching Improves Corneal Transplantation Outcome 10/14/92
• Ten-Year Results on Radial Keratotomy Released 10/13/94

Diabetic Eye Disease

• Sharp rise in diabetic eye disease makes American Diabetes Month ever more important 11/6/12 en español
• NIH encourages annual dilated eye exams during National Diabetes Month 11/03/11 en español
• ACCORD Eye Study Finds Two Therapies Slow Diabetic Eye Disease Progression 6/29/10
• Comparative-Effectiveness Study Confirms New Treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema 4/27/10
• Older Treatment May Be More Effective in Preserving Sight for Some Patients with Diabetes 7/28/08
• Statement on the Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and Age-related Macular Degeneration Among Hispanic/Latino Americans 07/04
• Undiagnosed Diabetes and Related Eye Disease in Mexican-Americans -- A Call for Increased Detection 6/22/01 en español
• Health Education Leads to More Eye Exams in Group at Risk for Vision Loss 12/06/99
• ETDRS 5-Year Followup Data Released March 9, 1993
• Laser Treatment Highly Effective in Treating Diabetic Retinopathy 10/30/89
• Laser Treatment Effective for Diabetic Retinopathy 4/01/76

Educational Programs:

Healthy People 2010

• Nation's Youth Create Visions of Eye Health 5/20/03
• Healthy People 2010, the National Health Blueprint, Includes Vision Objectives for the First Time 6/01/00

National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP)

• Survey Shows Americans Lack Critical Facts about Maintaining Eye Health 3/13/08
• Healthy Vision Month Observed in May 5/01/06
• New Eye Health Awards Program Spurs Local Communities to Action 3/07/03
• Glaucoma Awareness Month Emphasizes Treatments that Reduce Side Effects, Help Save Vision 12/13/00

Eye Site

• Baltimore Hosts Two Exhibits on Vision From the National Institutes of Health 9/06/05
• The Washington, DC Area Hosts THE EYE SITE: A Traveling Exhibit on Low Vision 4/14/03

Eye Cancer

• Scientists Find Similar Survival Rates for Eye Cancer Therapies 7/12/01
• Radiation Treatment for Eye Cancer Does Not Change Patients' Five-Year Survival 6/15/98

Eye Surgery

• Eye Surgery on Histo Lesions Provides Limited Benefits 11/01/04

Gene

• Gene Found to Increase Risk of the Most Common Cause of Blindness 03/01/05

Glaucoma

• NIH urges dilated eye exams to detect glaucoma 01/14/13 en español
• NIH statement on Glaucoma Awareness Month, January 2012 01/04/12 en español
• World Glaucoma Day 2010 03/7-13/10
• Statement from Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, during World Glaucoma Week, March 7-13, 2010 3/03/10
• World Glaucoma Day 2009 03/06/09
• Eye Drops May Delay or Prevent Glaucoma in African Americans at Higher Risk 6/14/04
• Immediate Treatment Helps Delay Progression of Glaucoma 10/14/02
• Eye Drops Delay Onset of Glaucoma in People at Higher Risk 6/13/02
• Medicare Now Covers Glaucoma Detection Eye Exam 1/22/02
• Prevalence of Glaucoma in Mexican-Americans 12/01/01
• Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study Findings 11/01/01
• Glaucoma Awareness Month Emphasizes Treatments that Reduce Side Effects, Help Save Vision 12/13/00
• Blacks, Whites Benefit from Different Surgical Glaucoma Treatments 7/6/98
• Laser Surgery is Safe and Effective First Treatment for Glaucoma 12/15/95
• Laser Therapy Show Promise As Alternative to Glaucoma Drugs 12/07/90
• Fluorouracil Improves Glaucoma Surgery Outcome 12/15/89

Hispanic/Latino Americans

• U.S. Latinos Have High Rates of Developing Vision Loss and Certain Eye Conditions 5/1/10
• Prevalence of Visual Impairment and How it Affects Quality of Life Among Hispanic/Latino Americans 06/01/04
• Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and Age-related Macular Degeneration Among Hispanic/Latino Americans 07/01/04

Histoplasmosis

• Eye Surgery on Histo Lesions Provides Limited Benefits 11/01/04

Healthy Vision Month

• NIH encourages Americans to make healthy vision last a lifetime 04/24/12

Infancy

• Myopia Development and Nighttime Light Exposure in Infancy 03/09/00

Infectious Eye Disease

• Antibiotic Effective Against Leading Cause of Blindness Throughout the World 5/13/06
• Antiviral Drug Sharply Reduces Return of Herpes of the Eye 7/29/98
• New Treatment Options for People With Blinding Eye Infection 10/10/95

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA)

• NEI Investment in RPE65-LCA Research Continues to Produce Promising Results 10/26/09
• Promising Results in Phase 1 Gene Therapy Trial for Blinding Disease 09/23/08
• Phase 1 Clinical Trial Results of Gene Transfer for Leber Congenital Amaurosis Reported 09/08/08
• Gene Transfer for Leber Congenital Amaurosis 04/27/08
• Gene Transfer Therapy for Childhood-Onset Blindness 11/01/07

Low Vision Awareness

• New NIH resources help growing number of Americans with vision loss 02/01/13
• Study Finds Most Americans Have Good Vision, But 14 Million Are Visually Impaired 5/9/06 en español
• U.S. Latinos Have High Rates of Eye Disease and Visual Impairment 8/09/04 en español
• Vision Loss from Eye Diseases Will Increase as Americans Age 4/12/04
• United States to Host World Sight Day Celebration 10/10/02
• More Americans Facing Blindness Than Ever Before 3/20/02
• Help Now Available for People with Low Vision 10/19/99

Macular Degeneration

• Additional Genes Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration Identified 4/12/10
• NEI Releases Complete Data from Age-Related Eye Disease Study 11/10/08
• Laser Treatment Does Not Prevent Vision Loss for People with Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration 11/01/06
• New Nationwide Study Will Evaluate Effect of Antioxidants and Fish Oil on Progression of Age-Related Macular
  Degeneration (AMD) 10/12/06 en español
• Variations in Genes Can Influence the Risk of Developing Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Other Disease Such as Cancer 5/05/06
• Gene Found to Increase Risk of the Most Common Cause of Blindness 03/01/05
• Vision Not Improved by Surgery for Complications of AMD 10/01/04
• Results--Age-Related Eye Disease Study 10/12/01
• Recruitment Begins for Study on Age-Related Macular Degeneration 7/07/99

Refractive Surgery

• Ten-Year Results on Radial Keratotomy Released 10/13/94

NEI

• President Bestows Awards to Two National Eye Institute Scientists 11/29/10
• National Advisory Eye Council Welcomes Four New Members 08/03/09
• Neuroscience and the National Eye Institute: Vision Research Presentations at Neuroscience 2008 11/12/08
• Agreement Signed to Expand Vision Research Collaborations between the United States and India 8/29/05
• National Eye Institute's Wurtz Recognized for Outstanding Brain/Eye Research 3/05/04
• National Eye Institute Releases National Plan for Eye and Vision Research 1/28/04
• National Eye Institute Names Sheldon S. Miller, Ph.D. Scientific Director 8/12/02
• Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., Named Director, National Eye Institute 1/11/01
• National Eye Institute Director Dr. Carl Kupfer Steps Down After 30 Years at NIH 7/05/00
• National Eye Institute's Wistow Receives Cogan Award 5/97

NEI Website

• NEI Names 2011 Healthy Vision Community Awards Recipients 4/18/11
• The National Institutes of Health, National Eye Institute Posts New Online Resources for Media 11/09/10
• New Online Features Translate Vision Science to Everyday Life 05/18/09
• National Eye Institute Launches David G. Cogan Ophthalmic Pathology Collection 5/05/05
• National Eye Institute Announces New Clinical Trials Database on their Web Site 4/98

Optic Nerve Disorders

• Eye Surgery Found Ineffective and May be Harmful -- Study Halted 2/21/95
• Corticosteroids for First-Time Optic Neuritis Lowers Risk of Developing Multiple Sclerosis 12/08/93
• Oral Corticosteroids Alone Found Ineffective for Optic Neuritis 2/26/92

Preschool

• National Institutes of Health releases data from largest pediatric eye study 8/19/11
• Statement on Vision in Preschoolers Study, Phase I 04/01/04

Rare Diseases

• NIH spotlights research for rare eye diseases during Rare Disease Day 02/28/12

Retina

• SCORE Study Results 09/14/09
• Update on Vitamin A as a Treatment for Retinitis Pigmentosa 07/01/08
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Protect Eyes Against Retinopathy, Study Finds 6/24/07
• Clinical Trial of Docosahexaenoic Acid in Patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa Receiving Vitamin A Treatment 09/01/04
• Defective Mouse Gene Linked to Childhood Blindness 11/30/98

Retinitis Pigmentosa

• Blind Mice Recover Visual Responses Using Protein from Green Algae 4/05/06
• Treatment for Retinitis Pigmentosa Reported 6/14/93

Retinopathy of Prematurity

• Strategy Confirmed to Help Doctors Determine When to Treat Retinopathy of Prematurity 4/12/10
• The Early Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity Study (ETROP) 12/08/03
• Oxygen Restrictions Can Be Eased for Premature Infants with Blinding Eye Disease 2/07/00
• Light Reduction Does Not Affect Blinding Eye Disease in Premature Infants 5/27/98
• Study Confirms Value of Treatment to Prevent Blindness in Premature Babies 4/14/96
• Freeze Treatment Reduces Blindness in Premature Infants 3/29/88

Spanish (español)

• Notable aumento en los casos de enfermedad diabética del ojo hace que el Mes Nacional de la Diabetes sea aún más importante 11/12
• Comunicado oficial de los Institutos Nacionales de la Salud sobre el Mes de Concienciación sobre el Glaucoma, enero de 2012 1/09/12
• Durante el Mes Nacional de la Diabetes, NIH recomienda hacerse exámenes de los ojos con dilatación de las pupilas anualmente 11/03/11
• Nuevo estudio clínico a nivel nacional evaluará el efecto de los antioxidantes y el aceite de pescado para prevenir el avance de la degeneración macular relacionada con la edad 10/12/06
• Estudio demuestra que la mayoría de los estadounidenses goza de buena visión, pero hay 14 millones con problemas de visión 5/09/06
• Los Latinos en los Estados Unidos Tienen Tasas Altas de Enfermedades de los Ojos y Deterioro Visual 8/09/04
• La diabetes no diagnosticada y las enfermedades de la vista que ésta ocasiona en la población de origen mexicano en los Estados Unidos exigen mejorar la detección 6/22/01

Stem Cells

• Stem Cell Procedure Protects Mice from Degenerative Retinal Diseases; May Be Promising for People with Similar Retinal Diseases 09/16/04

Usher Syndrome

• NIH Offers New Web Resource on Usher Syndrome 4/23/08

Uveitis/Inflammatory Eye Disease

• NIH study shows two treatments for uveitis equally effective 8/17/11
• NIH Researchers Discover Promising New Therapy for Blinding Eye Disease 3/01/04
• New Eye Disease Treatment May Improve Patients' Quality of Life 6/21/99
• New Treatment for Eye Disease Reduces Need for Strong Drugs 5/27/97

Vision Screening

• Trained Screeners Can Identify Preschoolers With Vision Disorders 7/27/05
• Health Education Leads to More Eye Exams in Group at Risk for Vision Loss 12/06/99

World Sight Day

• National Eye Institute urges older Americans to protect their vision 10/13/11
• Statement from Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, on World Sight Day 10/01/09