Visualizing the Limits of Low Vision in Detecting Natural Image Features

Purpose. The purpose of our study was to develop a tool to visualize the limitations posed by visual impairments in detecting small and low-contrast elements in natural images. This visualization tool incorporates existing models of several aspects of visual perception, such as the band-limited contrast model of Peli (J Opt Soc Am A 1996;13:1131...

Endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation and the progression of retinopathy in Type 2 diabetes

Aims: To study whether microalbuminuria, endothelial dysfunction and low-grade inflammation are associated with the presence and progression of diabetic retinopathy. Methods: Patients with Type 2 diabetes (n = 328) attending a diabetes clinic were followed for 10 years and examined annually during the last 7 years. Retinopathy was assessed after...

Spectral and directional reflectance of the fovea in diabetes mellitus: Photoreceptor integrity, macular pigment and lens

Our aim was to assess the integrity of the photoreceptors in the fovea, and to measure the optical density of the macular pigment and the eye lens in patients with diabetes mellitus, and to compare the results with those of a group of healthy subjects. The directional and spectral properties of the light reflected from a 1.9 deg field centered...

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting therapy is associated with lower vitreous vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy

Aims/hypothesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is thought to be instrumental in the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Indications exist that the renin-angiotensin system is involved in VEGF overexpression. We assessed the vitreous VEGF concentrations in patients and related them to anti-hypertensive treatment, with special...

Increase in the advanced glycation end product pentosidine in Bruch's membrane with age

PURPOSE. To determine whether there is an age-related increase of pentosidine in human Bruch's membranes and to localize pentosidine and carboxymethyllysine (CML), two well-characterized, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in aged human Bruch's membranes and choroid in vivo. METHODS. Human Bruch's membrane samples were isolated from the...

Amadori albumin in type 1 diabetic patients: Correlation with markers of endothelial function, association with diabetic nephropathy, and localization in retinal capillaries

Nonenzymatic glycation is increased in diabetes. Most studies so far have focused on the role of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in vascular complications, whereas the role of early glycation Amadori-modified proteins, which is the predominant form of glycated proteins, has not been systemically investigated in humans. We developed an...

Heterogeneous nature of microalbuminuria in NIDDM: Studies of endothelial function and renal structure

Microalbuminuria (MA) is associated with microangiopathy (renal and retinal lesions) in insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) patients. In contrast MA does not reflect microvascular damage in a substantial number of non- insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) patients. MA predicts cardiovascular disease in NIDDM patients with increased von Willebrand...

Strategies for successful evaluation and policy-making toward health care technology on the move: The case of medical lasers

Evaluating new health care technology that is rapidly diffusing is one of the greatest challenges to researchers and policy-makers. If no evaluation is done until the technology is mature, evaluation will not influence processes of diffusion. If evaluation is done early, it may be irrelevant when it is completed because of developments in the...