A recent study by researchers at SUNY suggests that reading may contribute to myopia progression. The study found that the images formed by our eyes during reading lack the diversity of contrasts and visual motion needed to activate major visual pathways that are important for visual development. Factors such as low light, low contrast, and the lack of self-motion make reading less effective at stimulating these pathways compared to activities like walking. The study’s findings suggest that reducing near work, such as reading, may be an effective strategy to prevent myopia progression.

The article proposes a computational model to account for the complex interaction between stimulus size, duration, and retinal cones-to-retinal ganglion cells ratio. The findings challenge the assumption of a constant critical number of retinal ganglion cells with respect to the enlargement of the critical area of summation with eccentricity in the macula, proposing instead a constant critical total retinal input. The research has implications for understanding perimetric sensitivity and modeling disease, particularly glaucoma.

Dry eye disease (DED), ocular surface disease (OSD), and other cornea and anterior segment diseases can cause patients to experience a diverse range of symptoms. The cornea is the most densely innervated tissue and is therefore an important target for therapeutics and research. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are signaling channels that play roles in signaling physiological processes, and TRP melastatin member 8 (TRPM8) is a cold-sensing receptor found on nerve endings of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. TRPM8 channels sense cooling changes in corneal temperature and are activated by evaporative cooling and hyperosmolarity, leading to stimulation of tear production, which may be why eyes water on cold days and in patients with dry eye. Understanding the interaction between symptoms, ocular healing, and dysfunctions that occur in this process can help optometrists care for their patients more effectively.

Chest CT in this young woman with a history of smoking and chronic hypoxemia of unknown cause shows diffuse ground-glass opacities and some areas of peripheral consolidation with no basilar reticulations or honeycombing. Biopsy showed extensive alveolar filling with pigment-laden macrophages. What’s your diagnosis?

A young woman with progressive autosomal dominant PKD is seen for follow up. She had a recent infected kidney cyst. Except for a palpable right kidney, the exam is unremarkable. Labs show a decrease in eGFR from a year prior. She is on lisinopril. What is your approach to treatment now?

In a study of 256,288 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 and had at least one risk factor for developing severe COVID, regardless of immunization, booster, or prior infection history, treatment with nirmatrelvir reduced rates of hospital admission or death at 30 days.