The power of the eye has always fascinated man, who has declared since ancient times that these enigmatic visual organs are "the mirrors of our soul". The latest developments in psychiatry may now add some weight to this concept, as a recent research study has indicated that the eye may hold the key to the diagnosis of severe mental illness.
read more
Beachcombing is a tougher job than it seems to be: First it was severed feet (still wearing sneakers!) washing up on beaches of Canada. Now it’s a giant eyeball washing up on the Florida shore. Could this be something alien?
The blue and purple colored eyeball is large enough to fit into the cupped hands of the man who found it, who immediately called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to see if they could identify it.
Marine scientist Heather Bracken-Grissom says, "Any time something weird and crazy washes up on the beach, it’s definitely interesting."
read more
Does reading make you need glasses or is near-sightedness inyour genes? Researchers say that watching TV, working on thecomputer and reading all cause changes in our eyes whichmake us near-sighted. If you know someone who doesn’t wearglasses, they may be carrying a book, but they don’t reallylike to read.
Researcher Ian Morgan came to this conclusion by studyingthe sharp increase in near-sightedness in Singapore, andrelating this to changes in people?s lifestyles. InSingapore, 80% of 18-year-old men who join the army arenear-sighted, compared with 25% 30 years ago. It can’t begenetic, because while 70% of 18-year-old men of Indianorigin living in Singapore have myopia, it only affects 10%of those living in India.
read more
Wear your tie too tight and you risk blindness. A recent study measured the pressure of the fluid in the eyeballs of a group of men before and after they put on their ties. Researchers found a significant rise in pressure after the ties were tightened, and long-term pressure rises have been linked to glaucoma.
Doctors from the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary tested 40 men. Half were healthy and half had been diagnosed with glaucoma. Their “intraocular pressure” was measured, then they were asked to put on a “slightly uncomfortable” tie for three minutes. They were tested again, and 60% of the glaucoma patients, and 70% of the healthy men, were found to have significant rises in eye fluid pressure. The pressure fell as soon as their ties were removed.
read more