Note: Links to these online articles may no longer be active. They are provided here as a reference only. They may continue to be available via the host site's archive.
2013 Stories
First Corneal Transplant with Pre-Loaded Donor Tissue Performed at Massachusetts Eye and Ear
May 8, 2013 (Red Orbit) – Roberto Pineda II, M.D., Director of the Refractive Surgery Service at Mass. Eye and Ear and Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School recently performed a groundbreaking transplant using donor endothelial tissue preloaded by an eye bank.
Researcher Widens Treatment Options for Neurodegenerative and Central Nervous System Disease
April 24, 2013 (Health Canal) – Researchers in the department of Otology and Laryngology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School have demonstrated what may be the first known method to permanently bypass the blood-brain barrier, opening the door to new treatment options for those with neurodegenerative and central nervous system diseases.
New Discoveries from Researchers at Mass. Eye and Ear and University of Calgary Hold Promise for Treatments for a Range of Women’s Health Issues
April 18, 2013 (Health Canal) – Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens researcher Dr. David Sullivan recently concluded in a research study that shows that eye cells produce lubricin, a lubricant which prevents friction between the cornea and conjunctiva, preventing eye injury at the ocular surface. The discovery opens the door for new types of therapies for dry eye and throughout the body.
How Boston is Managing Pain after the Blasts
April 17, 2013 (PBS) – Dr. Alicia Quesnel, an ear specialist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, has seen a steady stream of patients since Monday’s explosions at the Marathon finish line, complaining of ear pain and ringing since the blasts. Anyone experiencing the telltale signs of hearing damage -- including ear pain, continuous ringing, blood drainage or dizziness -- should be examined as soon as possible,” she said.
Boston Doctors: Pellets, Nails Removed From Patients from the Marathon
April 16, 2013 (Boston.com) – After the horrific explosions on Monday, doctors from area hospitals are now describing the metal bits taken from patients for evidence. Many patients received specialty care at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.
Trauma Chief at Mass. General: Boston Marathon Bombing Patients Said They Feel Lucky to be Alive Even Though they Lost Legs
April 16, 2013 (Mass Live) – Mass. Eye and Ear is one of many Boston hospitals that provided care to victims of the bombing at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Nine patients were sent to Massachusetts Eye and Ear after the horrific explosions for severe ruptures to eardrums.
Before the Marathon: Food and Celebration
April 15, 2013 (The Boston Globe) – Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon, supported Team Eye and Ear during a Sunday pre-marathon brunch held at Massachusetts Eye and Ear.
7 Healthcast: Overcoming a Horse Throat
April 15, 2013 (WHDH) – Dr. Ramon Franco, a Massachusetts Eye and Ear Laryngologist, discusses how to prevent and treat a hoarse voice. Franco explains that some home remedies, such as lemon tea, can be bad for you.
One-Legged Runner Finds Kindness While Training for Boston Marathon
April 13, 2013 (WBUR) - Chris Mehmel of East Sandwich, Mass., who has a right leg below-knee prosthesis, ran the Boston Marathon to teach his children the importance of not letting a disability define them. Both of Chris’s children have been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited condition that can cause blindness.
Sneezing and Wheezing Solutions: Surprising Ways to Relieve Spring Allergies
April 12, 2013 (Health and Time) – Dr. Stacey Gray, an allergy expert at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, says an earlier allergy season means people have to be more proactive about their symptoms. This article gives an explanation on how you can relieve some of these symptoms.
New Study Suggest that Ranibizumab can be Potential Prophylaxis for PVR
April 10, 2013 (News Medical) – Researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear have found a possible prevention of retinal detachment side effect. Proliferative vitreoretinopathy, or the formation of scar tissue in the eye, is a condition caused after recovering from surgical repair of the retina. New studies suggest that Ranibizumab, an anti-VEGF-A monocional antibody fragment, is a potential prevention for PVR.
Study Suggests Video Games Can Help Blind Navigate
April 4, 2013 (The Harvard Crimson) – A recent study from Harvard’s Laboratory for Visual Neuroplasticity at Massachusetts Eye and Ear suggests that audio-based video games can help blind individuals to navigate physical spaces.
Franklin County Lawyer with Sight Problem Focuses on Marathon
April 3, 2013 (ABC 40- WGGB) - Ben Simanski was diagnosed at Massachusetts Eye and Ear with Startgardt’s Disease a few years ago shortly after finishing law school. Since then, he has not let his vision impairment get in the way of his professional and athletic goals. Simanski will run the 2013 Boston Marathon as a part of Team Eye and Ear.
Four Hospital Lobbies Provide a Healthy Perspective
April 2, 2013 (BDC Network) - Massachusetts Eye and Ear was among four hospitals given recognition by Building Design and Construction as putting patients at ease while send a powerful branding message to the healthcare client. Mass. Eye and Ear, Longwood’s, design tries to compensate for patients’ issues with depth perception, color perception, and various levels of vision impairment.
Newton Father Running Boston Marathon to Save Son’s Vision
April 2, 2013 (WBZ/CBS Boston) – Bruno Miquel will be running as a part of Team Eye and Ear in the 2013 Boston Marathon to help find cures for his son, Quentin, who was born with a genetic condition (juvenile retinoschisis) which impairs vision. There is currently no cure. Bruno aims to raise $10,000 for research at Mass. Eye and Ear.
Meet the Researcher
April 2013 (Hearing Health) - Yoojin Chung, Ph.D., postdoctoral resident at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School is a 2012 recipient of the Hearing Health Foundation grant.
Deaf Woman Weeps at Hearing Family for First Time
March 20, 2013 (Today) – Dr. Michael Cohen, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Massachusetts Eye and Ear, speaks on the breakthroughs of cochlear implants after a 26-year-old woman recently received the implants and heard her family’s voice for the very first time.
Powered by the Inner Ear
March 19, 2013 (Discover Magazine) - For the first time, scientists have tapped into the cochlea, “the natural battery in the inner ear ,” to charge a small wireless transmitter. Dr. Konstantina Stankovic of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, along with MIT electrical engineer Anatha Chandrakasan, led the research team to this discovery.
Medications that Contribute to Hearing Loss
March 19, 2013 (Health Hearing) – Did you know there are currently more than 200 medications and chemicals known to cause hearing loss and balance disorders? A study conducted by Massachusetts Eye and Ear, along with other researchers, weighs in on the effects certain medications can have on your hearing.
Is That a Generator in Your Ear?
March 14, 2013 (Engineering.com) - A project led by Konstantina Stankovic, otologic surgeon at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear in collaboration with MIT’s Microsystems Technology Laboratories, have developed a low-power chip and transmitter that harvests a previously untapped source of energy within the ear.
Imaging Technique Offers Look Inside Hearing Loss
March 9, 2013 (Science News) – Dr. Konstantina Stankovic, ear surgeon and neuroscientist at Mass. Eye and Ear, explains that it’s difficult to understand why people are deaf because researchers can’t image or biopsy the problem. Stankovic and other colleagues took a peek at inner ear cells using an existing technique called two-photon microscopy. This approach shoots photons at the target tissue exciting particular molecules that then emit light. Stankovich hopes that this will shed light on damage created during hearing loss and help guide insertion of hearing implants.
New High-Tech Gadgets Put Print in Plain Sight
March 8, 2013 (Boca Raton Sun Sentinel) - Today’s gadgets for those with vision problems are becoming more advanced as technology improves. Mass. Eye and Ear and Schepens Eye Research Institute recently presented gadgets that can freeze an image like a photograph, and even gadgets that have talking capabilities, at a low-vision symposium in Boca Raton, Florida.
Fighting Back Against Allergy Season
March 2013 (Harvard Health Publications) – Allergy season seems to be worsening and starting earlier each year. Mass. Eye and Ear sinus specialist Dr. Stacey Gray suggests starting allergy medications early, along with other tips to avoid symptoms in the upcoming allergy season.
Eye Tests May Predict Alzheimer’s Risk
March 1, 2013 (Medscape) - Findings from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle (AIBL) Flagship Study of Ageing showed abnormalities in the eye may help determine whether someone will develop Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Gilbert T. Feke, a senior ophthalmology research associate at Mass. Eye and Ear, did a similar study in 2011, finding narrower retinal veins and decreased retinal blood flow in those with probable Alzheimer’s disease, as well as individuals with mild cognitive impairment.
Scampo Raised More Than $5,000 for the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Curing Kids Fund
March 1, 2013 (Beacon Hill Times) – Scampo Restaurant presented a check to President and CEO John Fernandez for $5,000 to benefit Mass. Eye and Ear’s Curing Kids Fund. Scampo donated a percentage of every gift card purchased from the restaurant over the past holiday season.
More Kids Getting Dry Eyes Due To Electronic Gadget Use
Feb. 27, 2013 (GMA News) – Dr. Chan-Uy, who completed her fellowship in pediatric ophthalmology at Mass. Eye and Ear, explains that more kids are getting dry eyes from using electronic devices for hours on end. Chan-Uy explains that kids may use lubricants for their eyes to clear up some of the dryness caused.
Liam's Story: Overcoming Obstacles
Feb. 22, 2013 (WCVB) – Chronicle features 10-year-old Liam, who was born without ears and with a cleft palate as a result of Treacher-Collins syndrome. Mass. Eye and Ear clinicians are using their medical expertise to help change Liam’s life. Watch the full program on Mass. Eye and Ear's You Tube channel.
Best Glaucoma Treatments Still a Puzzle
Feb. 18, 2013 (WebMD) – Dr. Louis Pasquale, co-director of the glaucoma service at Mass. Eye and Ear, comments on research that examines how glaucoma treatments can best to minimize visual disability, while maintaining patient satisfaction. Doctors admit that this is something they are still working towards.
Joan W. Miller, M.D., F.A.R.V.O., elected to Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis
Feb. 13, 2013 (PHYS ORG) – Joan Whitten Miller, M.D., Chair of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, and Chief of Ophthalmology at Mass. Eye and Ear, has been elected to the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis (AOI). The AOI is regarded as the most prestigious international academic organization in ophthalmology with an emeritus and active membership that spans 33 countries.
10 Eye Specialists Earn National Awards for One-Page Proposals
Feb. 13, 2013 (Beckers ASC) – The National Eye Institute has selected Janey Wiggs, M.D., Mass. Eye and Ear, along with nine other ophthalmologists and eye specialists in its Audacious Goals Challenge, a nationwide competition for compelling, one-page ideas to advance vision science.
Hull’s Lauribeth Quinlivan Auditions for ‘The Voice’
Feb. 10, 2013 (The Boston Globe) – Mass. Eye and Ear coordinator at Mass. Eye and Ear, Quincy will be traveling to New York City for the first round of auditions for “The Voice,” an NBC vocal competition series hosted by Carson Daly. Quinlivan was asked to apply for an audition, and will face judges such as Usher, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine.
Help Us Cover the Blizzard of 2013
Feb. 9, 2013 (Boston.com) – Check out the photo of our facility staff working hard to keep the hospital running during the storm!
NIH Competition Awards Prizes for Audacious Ideas in Vision Research
Feb. 8, 2013 (National Institutes of Health News) – Mass. Eye and Ear researcher Janey Wiggs, M.D., Ph.D., was chosen as one of ten winning submissions from a pool of nearly 500 entries selected by the National Eye Institute for its Audacious Goals Challenge, a nationwide competition for compelling, one-page ideas to advance vision science.
Boston Eye Group Among First to Offer Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery in New England
Jan. 16, 2013 (WICU) – Samir Melki, M.D., Ph.D., of Mass. Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School is among the first eye surgeons in New England to perform surgery with a new FDA market-cleared laser system called CATALYS. This new system combines a femtosecond laser, 3D imaging, sophisticated software and a number of other innovative features that make the cataract procedure highly customized, gentle and significantly more precise than manual surgery.
Sound-Sensing Ear Cells are Regenerated in Deaf Mice
Jan. 15, 2013 (MIT Technology Review) - Researchers have recently proved that hearing loss caused by exposure to loud noise can be at least partially reversed. Dr. Albert Edge, stem cell biologist at Mass. Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School has successfully shown that a chemical compound can stimulate supporting cells to develop into new hair cells, therefore restoring hearing.
Hearing Loss Partially Reversed in Noise-Damaged Ears
Jan. 10, 2013 (LA Times) – Researchers including Dr. Albert Edge of Mass. Eye and Ear are now reporting that they can regenerate “hair cells” crucial for hearing to restore noise-induced hearing loss.
Hearing Restored after Noise Damage
Jan. 9, 2013 (Harvard Medical School) – Researchers at Mass. Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School have demonstrated for the first time that hair cells can be regenerated in an adult mammalian ear by using a drug to stimulate resident cells to become new hair cells, resulting in partial recovery of hearing.
Boston Scientists Take Step in Growing Cells for Hearing
Jan. 9, 2013 (Boston Globe) – Researchers including Mass. Eye and Ear Doctor Albert Edge, have for the first time used a drug to regenerate the delicate hair cells responsible for hearing. This is a promising initial step toward a potential treatment for hearing loss.
Alzheimer’s Drug Dials Back Deafness
Jan. 9, 2013 (NPR) – Researchers including Mass. Eye and Ear Doctor Albert Edge, have for the first time used the drug known as gamma secretase to regenerate the delicate hair cells that sense sound in the ear. This is a promising initial step toward a potential treatment for hearing loss.
Drug Could Reverse Permanent Deafness by Regenerating Hair Cells in Inner Ear
Jan. 9, 2013 (Daily Mail UK) – Mass. Eye and Ear researchers have found a potential cure for hearing loss by using a drug that stimulates the inner ear. Until now it has not been possible to restore the cells once they have been lost due to factors such as loud noise exposure, infection and toxic drugs.
Students Develop Assistive Technologies
Jan. 8, 2013 (MIT) – Researchers at Mass. Eye and Ear have teamed up with MIT students to alter touch-screen controls on coffee makers for blind people who have previously had trouble using these machines. MIT students created an iPhone app that gives oral guidance to use the settings on Keurig machines. Drink up, coffee lovers.
Ophthalmologist Dr. Reza Dana Receives Research to Prevent Blindness Senior Investigator Award
Jan. 7, 2013 (Beckers ASC) – Mass. Eye and Ear ophthalmologist Reza Dana, M.D., has been awarded a Research to Prevent Blindness Senior Scientific Investigator Award totaling $150,000 that will go towards supporting research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of blinding diseases.
Battling a Bacterial Threat
Jan. 2, 2013 (Harvard Gazette) – Mass. Eye and Ear researcher Dr. Michael Gilmore, a Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, is among one of the seven investigators brainstorming about fresh approaches to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antibiotic resistance has affected and killed about 18,000 per year since 2005.
