Eye health issues that are making the news - Winter 2023.
RPE65 drives visual cycle
Researchers have identified new details about the role of vitamin A in enabling the eye to sense light. The discovery could inform the hunt for new therapies for a number of visual impairments.
When light hits photosensitive pigments called opsins in the retina, a chemical called 11-cis retinal, derived from vitamin A, is converted into the molecule all-trans retinol. This triggers chemical reactions that generate the electrical signals that form the basis of vision in the brain.
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) drives the reversal of this process to restore the sensitivity of opsins to light, enabling the visual cycle to begin again. A protein called RPE65 plays a key role by binding to RPE cells.
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The College of Optometrists has teamed up with road safety charity IAM RoadSmart to encourage drivers of all ages to see clearly when it comes to vision and driving standards.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of irreversible sight loss in the UK and affects over one million people, which is predicted to rise by 100,000 cases to 1.145 million people by 2030*.