Trachoma, the worlds leading cause of preventable blindness, could be eliminated with annual dosing of antibiotic treatment among entire communities, say Johns Hopkins researchers in a recent article in The Lancet. Annual mass treatment over a few years could be sufficient to eliminate eye infection caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium.

Nilvadipine, a calcium channel antagonist, has a significant effect on ocular blood flow, according to researchers in Japan, who presented their findings at the recent meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. In a study of 17 patients who had normal-tension glaucoma, the researchers found that nilvadipine increased optic nerve head and posterior choroidal circulation by 30% to 40%. Researchers also observed fewer visual field changes among the treatment group compared with the placebo group. However, there was no difference in blood pressure, pulse rate or IOP between the treated and untreated groups.