Over the last several decades, there has been a revolution in our understanding of ocular diseases. Advanced surgical technologies for cataract, vitreoretinal disorders, and glaucoma offer useful alternatives for patients.
However, one billion people have vision impairments that could have been prevented and, unfortunately, this anomalous condition has yet to be addressed globally. The majority of people with vision impairment and blindness are over the age of 50 years.
Vision impairment has a significant impact on the length and quality of life (QOL). It is associated with an increased risk of falls, hip fractures, depression, and social isolation. Moreover, it creates a greater need for community services and increases incidences of admission to nursing homes. However, the currently available therapies are inadequate to halt the progression of visual loss.
The leading causes of vision impairment are diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration in developed countries. Given the unmet medical needs, there is an urgent need to investigate pathological factors that constitute the risk of vision impairment. For example, if the current treatment with one particular drug, such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for age-related macular degeneration, does not bring about any improvement at all, we may consider changing to a different treatment option. The consideration of such a strategy of replacing expensive and ineffective medication with one that is effective can not only reduce health care costs but may well help improve the quality of vision (QOV) for patients.
In this topic, we will touch upon every known ocular disorder with visual impairment. The main cause of ocular disorders with visual impairment is no longer regarded to be a single factor but could be a series of conditions related to aging or systemic diseases, some of which have yet to be determined. In an effort to better understand and consequently to work towards addressing these anomalies and deficiencies, this research topic, therefore, aims to collect studies investigating therapeutic targets in the field of ocular diseases.
We welcome contributions on a range of basic and clinical studies aimed at the discovery of new drug therapies, gene therapies, stem cell therapies, and adjunctive therapies in the following areas:
· Age-related macular degeneration
· Diabetic retinopathy
· Retinal vein occlusion
· Retinal artery occlusion
· Hypertensive retinopathy
· Retinopathy in blood disorders
· Retinopathy of prematurity
· Macular telangiectasia
· Retinal microaneurysm
· Radiation retinopathy
· Ocular ischemic syndrome
· Ocular surface diseases
· Disorders of the lens
· Glaucoma
· Uveitis
· Retinal vascular disorders
· Retinal detachment
· Degeneration and dystrophies of the fundus
· Neuro-ophthalmology
· Strabismus
· Orbit and oculoplastic
· Ocular tumors
Over the last several decades, there has been a revolution in our understanding of ocular diseases. Advanced surgical technologies for cataract, vitreoretinal disorders, and glaucoma offer useful alternatives for patients.
However, one billion people have vision impairments that could have been prevented and, unfortunately, this anomalous condition has yet to be addressed globally. The majority of people with vision impairment and blindness are over the age of 50 years.
Vision impairment has a significant impact on the length and quality of life (QOL). It is associated with an increased risk of falls, hip fractures, depression, and social isolation. Moreover, it creates a greater need for community services and increases incidences of admission to nursing homes. However, the currently available therapies are inadequate to halt the progression of visual loss.
The leading causes of vision impairment are diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration in developed countries. Given the unmet medical needs, there is an urgent need to investigate pathological factors that constitute the risk of vision impairment. For example, if the current treatment with one particular drug, such as anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for age-related macular degeneration, does not bring about any improvement at all, we may consider changing to a different treatment option. The consideration of such a strategy of replacing expensive and ineffective medication with one that is effective can not only reduce health care costs but may well help improve the quality of vision (QOV) for patients.
In this topic, we will touch upon every known ocular disorder with visual impairment. The main cause of ocular disorders with visual impairment is no longer regarded to be a single factor but could be a series of conditions related to aging or systemic diseases, some of which have yet to be determined. In an effort to better understand and consequently to work towards addressing these anomalies and deficiencies, this research topic, therefore, aims to collect studies investigating therapeutic targets in the field of ocular diseases.
We welcome contributions on a range of basic and clinical studies aimed at the discovery of new drug therapies, gene therapies, stem cell therapies, and adjunctive therapies in the following areas:
· Age-related macular degeneration
· Diabetic retinopathy
· Retinal vein occlusion
· Retinal artery occlusion
· Hypertensive retinopathy
· Retinopathy in blood disorders
· Retinopathy of prematurity
· Macular telangiectasia
· Retinal microaneurysm
· Radiation retinopathy
· Ocular ischemic syndrome
· Ocular surface diseases
· Disorders of the lens
· Glaucoma
· Uveitis
· Retinal vascular disorders
· Retinal detachment
· Degeneration and dystrophies of the fundus
· Neuro-ophthalmology
· Strabismus
· Orbit and oculoplastic
· Ocular tumors