Ophthalmology

Pediatric Vision Scanner Catching Lazy Eye Sooner

October 24, 2011
WABC News
Amblyopia, or lazy eye, happens when the brain ignores one eye, causing its vision to fade away. Now, a doctor's invention is helping catch it in just seconds and well before the norm. Dr. David Hunter has co-invented the pediatric vision scanner. In just two and a half seconds, the device can catch vision loss or misaligned eyes in kids as young as two.

Boston Children's Hospital Webcast: "Aligning the Eyes"

June 2011
Video webcast
Watch as Dr. David Hunter and the Ophthalmology team at Children’s Hospital Boston address the issues of Duane syndrome and discuss sedated adjustable suture and superior rectus transposition surgery. 

Program Spotlight: Pediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology Service

February 2011
Pediatric Views
Boston Children's Hospital's Department of Ophthalmology is home to a new Pediatric Neuro-Ophthalmology Service—one of the few pediatric ophthalmology programs in the country with a dedicated specialization in ophthalmic diseases that have a neurological basis. 

Eyes Wide Open

February 2011
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Bulletin
Elizabeth Engle isn't afraid to learn—whole new fields, if necessary—to find the cause of a group of rare eye disorders. 

If You Want Lasting Vision, Eat Those Omega-3s

February 9, 2011
MSNBC
If you want lasting vision, eat your fish and nuts: The omega-3 fatty acids in these foods may protect against two leading causes of human blindness, a new study in mice has found. The results showed omega-3s help regulate blood vessel growth in our eyes.

3D Video Games Unlikely to Damage Children’s Eyes

January 6, 2011
MyHealthNewsDaily
Despite Nintendo's recent warning that children ages 6 and younger shouldn't play games in 3-D mode on the company's upcoming 3DS portable video game system, eye doctors say parents shouldn't be overly concerned that their kids' eyesight could be damaged by the toy. 

Eye Specialists Question Nintendo’s Warning on 3D Technology and Children

January 5, 2011
New York Times
Does Nintendo know something about eye development that the world’s elite eye specialists don’t? Nintendo said several days ago that children under 6 should not look at the 3-D screen on its new 3DS hand-held device because it could harm eye development. The admonition raised skepticism and eyebrows among a group that knows a lot about eye development: eye doctors.  
 

The Physical Effects of 3-D Movies

2010
Radio Health Journal

On Call for Kids: Pediatric Ophthalmology

2010
Sirius Radio

School Eye Exams May Miss Some Conditions

August 30, 2010
The Boston Channel
A child may be able to read an eye chart and pass with flying colors, but that routine screening may not be showing parents everything.

 

Does Sitting Too Close to the TV Really Ruin Your Kid's Eyesight?

August 4, 2010
iVillage
Will staring at a screen of any kind -- television, iPad, computer, video game -- affect your child’s vision? Maybe. A growing number of doctors worry that too much screen time at close range could increase the risk of nearsightedness (also called myopia), which means distant objects appear blurry.
 

Teen Eye Chart Screening Misses Some Problems

July 13, 2010
MedPageToday
Traditional school-based vision screening tests with an eye chart can accurately detect nearsightedness but not other types of refractive errors in adolescents, researchers found.

Video Games and Vision: Commentary on Kids' Eyes and Video Games

July 11, 2010
Moms Miami
Any task that requires near vision – such as computer work or reading - for a prolonged period of time can cause eyestrain, said David Hunter, an ophthalmologist at Children’s Hospital Boston and associate professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School.   

Million-Dollar Throw

2009
by Mike Lupica
Philomel, First Edition News release
What would you do with a million dollars, if you were 13? Nate Brodie is nicknamed "Brady" not only for his arm, but also because he's the biggest Tom Brady fan. He's even saved up to buy an autographed football. And when he does, he wins the chance for something he's never dreamed of.

Other news coverage

Local Researchers Develop Test to Detect Lazy Eye

April 10, 2006
Channel 4 News
Local researchers say they have developed a new test to detect lazy eye— a condition which can cause vision loss in children.

One Child's Success Story

Channel 4 News
Patrick Young can see again after cataracts that emerged during leukemia treatment are removed and intraocular lenses are implanted.

Rescuing Newborns' Vision

Spring 2004
Dream Magazine
Lois Smith, MD, PhD, has cared for many extremely premature babies, some of whom go blind from a condition related to their prematurity. About 15 years ago, Dr. Smith decided to find a way to save these babies' vision.