Health & Nutrition

Find advice on how to manage doctor visits and hospital stays, learn how to teach self-feeding skills and discover new medical treatments and research opportunities for children who are blind

Filter by: Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Feeding and Eating, Research Studies

boy in his wheelchair

Research Studies

Assessing Visual Abilities in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Is it important to take vision into account when assessing the needs of children with cerebral palsy? You can help make that happen!

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

How Can I Get My Son To Keep His Glasses On?

A question for our parent community: I need proven techniques used to get a two year old to wear his new glasses. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

people at a conference

Research Studies

Looking for LCA Advocates to Join Spark’s RPE65 Advisory Boards

This series of Advisory Boards hosted by Spark Therapeutics will be with members of the community living with an RPE65 genetic mutation.

ice cream cone

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

Saving Vision by Tricking Rods into Thinking They’re Cones?

A different way to think about saving vision in inherited retinal diseases may be to turn rods into cones.

girl rubbing her eyes

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

My child has LCA and presses her eyes. Is this normal? What can we do about it?

If your blind child is pressing or poking their eyes you may be looking for information on why they are doing this and what you can do to help them...

Aly with Lightaide

Assistive Technology, Eye Conditions and Syndromes, iPad Apps and Accessibility

The “Big 3 Tool Kit” for Children with CVI: PLUS the 20 Best CVI-Friendly iPad Apps!

Children with CVI often prefer clear, crisp images with little background clutter. They respond well to high contrast, bright colors (especially yellow or red), movement and LIGHTS!

Rare Disease International

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

Leaving no one ‘LCA patient’ behind: Rare Diseases International policy event

"When you received your, or your child’s, diagnosis you might have felt as if in the desert; alone and no idea which direction is the right one."

Our 20 Favorite iPad Apps for Kids with CVI

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, iPad Apps and Accessibility

Our 20 Favorite iPad Apps for Kids with CVI

The iPad is very interactive and easily tailored to suit the needs of kids with CVI, if you have the right apps. Here are our favorites!

8 misconceptions about CVI

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

Top 8 Misconceptions about Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)

Do you know the facts of Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)? Here are 8 myths you may have heard that just aren't true!

MRI brain scans showing areas used during math computations for blind and sighted people

Research Studies

Study shows brain uses visual cortex while computing math problems

A recent JHU study shows blind people use visual cortex while solving math problems

IDYOURIRD rainbow dot logo with title

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

ID YOUR IRD Offers Free Genetic Testing for Families with Inherited Retinal Diseases

Spark Therapeutics launches ID YOUR IRD genetic testing info site offering free genetic testing for people with inherited retinal diseases.

Molecules

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

Update on LCA Treatment and Spark Therapeutics

Spark Therapeutics continues to test their treatment for LCA (RPE-65) and they find that it is safe, efficient and provides long term benefits

Savannah

Eye Conditions and Syndromes, Visual Impairment

Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment Society (PCVIS)

The mission of the Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment Society is to advocate for improvement in the quality of life of children with vision loss due to brain disorder, disease or...

female doctor examining DNA code

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

The Science Behind an Upcoming Treatment for LCA10/LCA-CEP290

A doctor in the Netherlands is developing a treatment for LCA that could help patients with the CEP290 mutation.

blue plate and bowl with rounded side and white suction base

Feeding and Eating

Scooper Bowl & Plate with Suction Cup Bases

Ableware sells two assistive dinnerware pieces including the Scooper Bowl with suction cup base to keep it in place and the Scooper Plate, also with a suction cup base.

young boy with strabismus

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

New App Helps Patients Manage Care After Strabismus Surgery

A new pilot app from Boston Children's Hospital allows doctors in their Ophthalmology Department to remotely monitor patients after surgery for strabismus.

the blind cook

Feeding and Eating, Visual Impairment

The Blind Cook is Cooking with Her Four Senses

This video series features blind chef Christine Ha as she demonstrates cooking without sight. The show also offers nutritional tips and other cool food-related information.

Cilia

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

CEP290 in LCA and other Ciliopathies

Mutations in the CEP290 gene are linked to many different ciliopathies (disease of the cilia), like LCA, Joubert Syndrome, Meckel syndrome, Bardet-Biedl syndrome and more.

diagram of gene therapy in the retina

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

A Shared Vision: Resources for Inherited Retinal Diseases

Spark Therapeutics has launched a new website designed to help patients, caregivers and health care professionals better understand inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and the importance of genetic testing.

CRISPR/cas9 gene diagram

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

New Technology Could Cure Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

Gene-editing technology could personalize how we treat eye diseases.

scientist in the lab

Health & Nutrition

Gene Therapy: What is it and how does it work?

With so much in the news these days about gene therapy, you may be wondering if there really is a treatment on the horizon to benefit inherited eye diseases. The...

Rare Disease Resources

Health & Nutrition

Rare Disease Resources

Rare diseases affect over 350 million people in the world and it is estimated that 50% of those affected are children. If your child has been diagnosed with a rare...

retinal implant

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

My child was just diagnosed with a retinal disorder, are there any treatments? Is there a cure?

Blindness due to a retinal disorder is no longer completely untreatable. There are devices that can restore or augment sight as well as some serious movement in the world of...

Regenerating Optic Nerves

Eye Conditions and Syndromes

Regenerating Optic Nerves

Everyone knows you can't regenerate nerves, so if the optic nerve is damaged or underdeveloped there really aren't any options. Or are there?