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In this edition of Advances in Eyecare, we hear from four experts about developments in treatments, assessments and our understanding of human vision. 

Prof John Flanagan talks about a potential new treatment for glaucoma and explains the neuroprotective role of lipoxin around ganglion cells and how maintenance of this may offer new options in management of the disease.

Dr Kathleen Vancleef discusses the ASTEROID project’s new technology, and how its new methodology promises to make the assessment of younger patients easier. 

Dr Vivek Nityananda offers a unique insight into how we may better understand human stereo vision through his research into the stereo vision of praying mantises as part of the ‘Man, mantis and machine: the computation of 3D vision’ project.

Prof Jenny Read, Principal Investigator on the ASTEROID project and ‘Man, mantis and machine: the computation of 3D vision’, talks virtual reality and 3D displays, and the potential impact of prolonged use of virtual reality displays upon the visual system.

Last published: December 2018

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    • 1.1.2 Understand the underlying lipoxin-mediated process in glaucoma and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and understand its likely influence upon future intervention in treatment.
    • 2.5.3 Understand the latest research about the pathophysiology of glaucoma and neurodegenerative disease so to be better able to inform patients and adapt practice as they impact in future.
    • 6.1.8 Understand the underlying physiological changes at neuronal level in glaucoma, which may progress independent of IOP changes, and so be better able to assess and explain both current disease progress and the implications for future treatments.
    • 8.1.1 Understand the limitations of current stereopsis tests and the benefits of newly developing digital display alternatives.

     
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      Professor John Flanagan interviewed by Geoff Watts

      Glaucoma, in its various forms, is a leading cause of blindness in the world according to the World Health Organisation. The disease has no current cure and medical intervention is still focused upon the management of intraocular pressure. However, many who receive treatment still experience loss of vision. Professor John Flanagan, Dean and Professor of Optometry at the University of California Berkeley, discusses a potential new treatment for glaucoma which is centred around a better understanding of the disease at a cellular level.

      •  References
        Liddelow S, Barres B (2015) SnapShot: Astrocytes in health and disease. Cell 162(5), pp 1170–1170.
        Livne-Bar I, Wei J, Liu H et al. (2017) Astrocyte-derived lipoxins A4 and B4 promote neuroprotection from acute and chronic injury. J Clin Invest 127(12), pp 4403-4414.

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      Dr Kathleen Vancleef interviewed by Vincente Puyat

      The first few years of life are critical for binocular development to avoid binocular vision disorders such as amblyopia or strabismus. However, children at this age are notoriously difficult to examine and assess, meaning that the results can often be unreliable. The ASTEROID project’s new technology and methodology promises to improve on this, making the assessment of younger patients easier. 

      •  References
        Serrano-Pedraza I, Herbert W, Villa-Laso L et al. (2016) The stereoscopic anisotropy develops during childhood. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 57(3), pp 960-70.

        Serrano-Pedraza I, Vancleef K, Read JCA (2016) Avoiding monocular artifacts in clinical stereotests presented on column-interleaved digital stereoscopic displays. Journal of Vision 16(14):13, pp 1-14.

        Ushaw G, Sharp C, Hugill J et al. (2017) Analysis of soft data for mass provision of stereoacuity testing through a serious game for health. Proceedings of the 2017 International Conference on Digital Health, pp 216-220.

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      Dr Vivek Nityananda interviewed by Vincente Puyat

      Praying mantises are the only invertebrates known to have stereo vision. Dr Vivek Nityananda, a behavioural ecologist, is currently investigating the mechanisms underlying stereo vision in the praying mantis as part of a project called ‘Man, mantis and machine: the computation of 3D vision’. Here, he discusses his research with us and its implications on our understanding of human stereo vision.

      • References

        Nityananda V, Read JCA (2017) Stereopsis in animals: evolution, function and mechanisms. Journal of Experimental Biology 220(14), pp 2502-2512.

        Nityananda V, Tarawneh G, Henriksen S (2018) A novel form of stereo vision in the praying mantis. Current Biology 28(4), pp 588-593.

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      Professor Jenny Read interviewed by Vincente Puyat

      Jenny Read is the Principal Investigator on the ASTEROID project and ‘Man, mantis and machine: the computation of 3D vision’. She talks to us here about virtual reality and 3D displays, and the potential impact of prolonged use of virtual reality displays upon the visual system.

      • References

        Hands P, Read JCA (2015) Television viewing distance in British households. 2015 International Conference on 3D Imaging (IC3D 2015) – Proceedings.

        Hands P, Read JCA (2017) True stereoscopic 3D cannot be simulated by shifting 2D content off the screen plane. Displays 48, pp 35-40.

        Mazurek A, Bhoopathy R, Read JCA et al. (2015) Effects of age on a real-world What-Where-When memory task. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 7(74).

        Read JCA (2015) Stereo vision and strabismus. Eye 29(2), pp 214-224.

        Read JCA, Simonotto J, Bohr I (2015) Balance and coordination after viewing stereoscopic 3D television. Royal Society Open Science 2(7), 140522.

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      • DOCET would like to thank the following for their contribution to this programme:

        • Prof John G. Flanagan, PhD, DSc(hon), FCOptom, FAAO Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at Berkeley School of Optometry
        • Dr Vivek Nityananda, Research Associate and Behavioural ecologist at the institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University
        • Prof Jenny Read, Professor of Vision Science at the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University
        • Dr Kathleen Vancleef, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University

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