According to a study done by researchers from the University of South Alabama, College of Medicine, a respiratory pathogen generally found among newborns may subsequently be transmitted to the lungs after initial infection. Such research was recently published in the Journal of Virology. This virus that commonly attacks children is the respiratory syncytial virus. This pathogen is responsible for the conditions that are collectively called as croup. These conditions are wheezing, bronchiolitis, pneumonia, and asthma. Croup annually claims millions of lives worldwide. Until now, no reliable vaccine or preventive antiviral is on hand. Furthermore, treatments for the infection have proven to be unreliable, controversial, and expensive.
In the study, scientists dropped some RSV in the eyes of mice in order to observe and record how the infection progresses. Through their experiment, they found out that RSV strongly replicated in the eye. Not only that, the virus also moved towards the lungs, bringing about a respiratory disease that is indistinguishable from RSV acquired nasally. Researchers said that the results of their study confirm that the eye is one of the major entry points for respiratory infections. Furthermore, their research proves that a respiratory virus is a validated eye pathogen. As such, the findings present opportunities for new intervention and treatment.
There are various ways of treating the eyes. There is a wide variety of eye conditions and disorders. Among the common eye problems are the cataracts, glaucoma, retinal disorders, conjunctivitis, and astigmatism. Cataracts are conditions in which the lenses of the eyes are clouded, affecting vision. These are very common among older people. Common symptoms are for this eye problem includes: blurry vision; faded perception of colors; glare; inability to see well at night; double vision; and frequent changes in prescription eye wear. Glaucoma is a condition wherein the optic nerve is injured. This is brought about by the slow increase of the fluid pressure inside the eyes. Retinal disorders have an effect on vision and may cause blindness. Some examples of common retinal disorders are retinal detachment, macular pucker, macular hole, and floaters or specks in the field of vision. Conjunctivitis is an eye infection. Astigmatism is the most widespread eye problem that is caused by an irregularly shaped cornea or eye lens. This condition may be go together with nearsightedness or farsightedness.
In identifying the extent of abnormality of the cornea, keratometers are used. These pieces of equipment are used in taking the measurement of the curvature the cornea. As such, keratometers are valuable in the evaluation of the extent and axis of the eye problem called, astigmatism. Keratometers consider the relations between sizes of the object and image. Furthermore, keratometers gauge the distance between the reflective surface and the object. Aside from that, keratometers determine the radius of the reflective surface.
Keratometers facilitate the fast and convenient measurement of the diameter of the cornea. These diagnostic instruments are advantageous in the prescription of eyeglasses and fitting spectacles because the lens vertex and the corneal vertex must be balanced to each other. Aside from prescription eyeglasses, keratometers are also used in shaping which contact lens would suit the patient best. More on this topic
