Connecting you with the University of Missouri’s innovative research and creative activityArticles Tagged with blindness
At First Sight
An interview with Kristina Narfström, Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and SurgeryImagine waking to a bright, sunny day, but not really being able to see. Some people go their whole lives without witnessing that vivid red ball from their youth or the facial features of a loved one. Kristina Narfström, a veterinary ophthalmologist at the University of Missouri, is doing research that promises to provide some light at the end of the tunnel.
Audio and Video Tagged with blindness
Cats, Dogs, and Hereditary Blindness
From an interview with Kristina Narfström, Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and SurgeryNarfström is interested in the hereditary blindness that originates in human photoreceptor cells. She studies dogs and cats that contract blinding conditions similar to those found in human beings.
Testing Vision in Cats and Dogs
From an interview with Kristina Narfström, Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and SurgeryBecause it is not possible to ask cats and dogs about the severity of their blindness, Narfström describes other ways to assess an animal’s vision, including behavioral studies.
Preventing Blindness
From an interview with Kristina Narfström, Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and SurgeryNarfström discusses various treatment measures for blindness. The prevention of photoreceptor death, she says, can be treated with different proteins and vitamins, or new cells may be inserted in the retina to replace the dying cells.
Using a Microchip to Replace Dead Photoreceptors
From an interview with Kristina Narfström, Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and SurgeryAnother treatment involves inserting a small microchip to replace the dead photoreceptors and get the electrical juices of the eye flowing. This device, known as an Artificial Silicon Retina (ASR), is conceptually similar to a bionic eye. The ASR was designed more than 15 years ago to enhance human vision. Narfström hopes that her research will improve the chip.
In the Classroom
From an interview with Kristina Narfström, Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and SurgeryNarfström teaches mostly post-graduate students at MU, and she gives lectures around the world about her research. “It’s very rewarding to be a teacher and a researcher at the same time,” she says. When in the classroom, Narfström tries to pass along her excitement for research to her students, “because that is the only way to advance our knowledge.”
Using Gene Transfer to Replace Dead Photoreceptors
From an interview with Kristina Narfström, Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine and SurgeryGenetic transfer can be used to replace dead photoreceptor cells. Narfström employs this method to correct protein defects in the eyes. The procedure involves injecting a construct - a vehicle that brings the protein the correct DNA - into the retina cell. The construct is then transported into the nucleus, where it is translated to make the correct protein.
