| Risk of Eye Disease Cut with Latest Contact Lenses
ISLAMABAD:A new generation of contact lenses can significantly reduce the risk of severe eye infections, researchers said on Tuesday. Wearers who keep their lenses in overnight can develop keratitis -- inflammation or irritation of the cornea -- but scientists found the new ones cut that risk fivefold. "Those who choose to sleep in lenses should be advised to wear silicone hydrogel lenses, which carry a five times decreased risk of severe keratitis for extended wear compared with hydrogel lenses," said Dr Philip Morgan of the University of Manchester in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. He and his colleagues studied 118 patients with different degrees of keratitis in a year-long study. Each person provided details about the type of lens they used and whether or not they slept with them.
Sirion Therapeutics Completes $45 Million Series B Financing
TAMPA, Fla., April 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Sirion Therapeutics, Inc., an ophthalmic-focused biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it has raised $45 million in a Series B private equity financing led by Aisling Capital. In addition to Aisling, the financing included new investors Investor Growth Capital, Atlas Venture, Advent International and Bear Sterns Healthcare Value Partners. Previous Series A investor NovaQuest also participated in the Series B round. Andrew Schiff, MD, Managing Director of Aisling Capital commented, "Sirion's experienced management team has put together an impressive portfolio of products. We are pleased with the company's progress to date. It is extraordinary to have achieved so much in such a short period of time and we appreciate the opportunity to support them at a crucial time in the company's development." Curt LaBelle, MD, Vice President of Investor Growth Capital, Inc.
• Zeeland East soccer looks ahead
Zeeland East's girls soccer team has an eye on the future, however, the Chix plan on having fun and success in the present, too. The Chix have as many freshmen as seniors (five), and they have 12 underclassmen. But Chix coach Javier Lopez said he is confident the Chix can field a competitive team this spring, and that proved to be true during the first week of play. Zeeland East opened the year with a 3-0 loss to Holland. However, the Chix beat Hamilton 3-1. "Zeeland hasn't been known for being a big soccer school," Lopez said. "We didn't do real well last year, but we didn't have experience. We picked up five freshmen this year, and a bunch of the girls played club and they have a lot of skill and touches. So I didn't have to start (from scratch).
7 Great Careers for 2007
If someone asked me which careers were best, I wouldn't cop out and simply say, "It's a matter of what fits you." But here are seven careers that I believe, for many college-educated people, provide an ideal combination of money, status, sense of fulfillment and good quality of life, and have good job market prospects for the foreseeable future. Orthodontist. It's one of the few medical specialties in which self-employment remains a possibility, and the average self-employed orthodontist earns more than $200,000 a year. Also, you develop a long-term relationship with most of your patients. And, at the end of treatment, you've succeeded with nearly all -- they walk out with a better smile. For more information, see the American Association of Orthodontists' Web site or William Proffit's book, Contemporary Orthodontics, fourth edition.
Seasonal ailment brings red-eyed hell for young
Spring is here, bringing cheer and short sleeves to most and seasonal conjunctivitis to an unfortunate minority. Despite the misery red and itchy eyes can bring, your mom is right -- don't rub your eyes. According to Wanfang Hospital's records, one in 10 patients in its optometry department is there because of seasonal conjunctivitis, said Chien-liang Wu (dب}), chief of optometry at Wanfang hospital. Of those patients, 60 percent suffered from the complaint on a chronic basis, going to the doctors for itchy, red eyes for at least three years. Wu said that although seasonal conjunctivitis is a common complaint, it should not be dismissed as an unimportant ailment. "I have seen kids who have rubbed their eyes until they become swollen, like lychees," said Wu. "But what's more dangerous is chronic eye-rubbing, which can eventually lead to irreversible damage to the cornea." According to Wu, the reason seasonal conjunctivitis occurs in spring and fall months is the presence of flower pollen in the spring and grass pollen in the fall.
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