Early Eye Checks for Kids a Smart Move

SATURDAY, Sept. 1, 2018 -- The earlier the better when it comes to having your child's vision checked, eye experts say.

"Babies must have a vision screening by a health care professional soon after they are born, which must include an evaluation of the 'red reflex' of the eyes," said Marcela Frazier. She's an associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham's department of ophthalmology and visual sciences.

Have Glaucoma and Need to Switch Eye Docs? Here's What You Need to Do

TUESDAY, Aug. 7, 2018 -- If you have glaucoma and need to find a new ophthalmologist, creating a personal data portfolio will help ensure a smooth transition in the care of your eye disease.

The Glaucoma Research Foundation suggests the portfolio should include: your specific type of glaucoma; when you were diagnosed and how (elevated eye pressure, optic nerve damage or visual field tests); and whether anyone else in your family has the disease, including whether any lost vision or needed surgery.

Eyes Could Be Window to Predicting Alzheimer's

THURSDAY, Aug. 23, 2018 -- An eye exam might spot people with Alzheimer's disease before they show any symptoms, researchers report.

"All of us have a small area devoid of blood vessels in the center of our retinas that is responsible for our most precise vision. We found that this zone lacking blood vessels was significantly enlarged in people with pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease," explained co-principal investigator Dr. Rajendra Apte. He is a professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Stem Cells Restore Some Vision in Blind Mice

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 -- Scientists say they have restored some degree of vision in blind lab mice, by activating stem cells in their eyes.

The procedure is the first of its kind and the researchers hope it will lead to treatments for incurable eye diseases.

Sleep in Your Contacts, Risk Serious Eye Damage: CDC

THURSDAY, Aug. 16, 2018 -- A 59-year-old man was in the shower, wiping his eyes with a towel, when he heard a popping sound and felt pain shoot through his left eye.

His cornea had developed a severe ulcer and ruptured, tearing a hole in his eye.