Diseases of the retina are one of the most common causes of blindness, and yet there is little that can be done to reverse their effects. Conditions such as macular degeneration – either due to aging or diabetes – can be slowed by using lasers to seal abnormal blood vessels in the retina, but areas of the retina that have already been damaged are largely untreatable. Even laser therapy only works for wet macular degeneration in a minority of cases – and is not effective for dry macular degeneration. Retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary condition that likewise damages the retina over time, also has no cure – although there is some evidence that high doses of vitamin A can slow the disease somewhat. What is really needed is a breakthrough treatment that could be administered as easily as an ophthalmologist such as
www.benjamineye.com performs laser surgery today.
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This fall, Northern Illinois University is offering its first open online course, “Perspectives on Disability,” led by College of Health and Human Sciences professor Greg Long, a Presidential Teaching Professor in the School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders. The 10-week experience is a streamlined version of the for-credit AHRS 200, a general education course entitled, “Disability in Society.”
