Orbicularis oculi muscle activity during computer reading under different degrees of artificially-induced aniseikonia.

Background: Aniseikonia is a binocular vision disorder that has been associated with asthenopic symptoms. However, asthenopia has been evaluated with subjective tests that make difficult to determine the level of aniseikonia. This study aims to objectively evaluate the impact of induced aniseikonia at different levels on visual fatigue by measuring the orbicularis oculi muscle activity in the dominant and non-dominant eyes while performing a reading task.

Higher order aberrations according to spherical, and astigmatic refractive errors in children.

Clinical Relevance: The results of this study present novel insights into the impact of spherical and astigmatic refractive errors on overall, corneal and internal aberrations and may provide a clear understanding of the emmetropisation process and the development of visual function.

Background: This study aimed to assess the association between overall, corneal and internal higher-order aberrations and the spherical and astigmatic components (magnitude and angle) of refractive error in a large sample of children.

Methods: A total of 311 children aged 7 - 8 years old were classified based on spherical equivalent refraction (myopic, emmetropic and hyperopic); magnitude of astigmatism (none, low and moderate); and angle of astigmatism (with-the-rule, against-the-rule and oblique).

Diurnal Variation in Accommodation, Binocular Vergence, and Pupil Size.

Significance: Our results show significant diurnal variations in accommodative function and the magnitude of the phoria. Therefore, when comparing visual measures in clinical or laboratory settings, performing the visual examination at the same time of day (±1 hour) is encouraged.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accommodation, binocular vergence, and pupil behavior on three different times during the day.

Gaze behaviour during multiple object tracking is dependent on binocular vision integrity.

Introduction: Despite the critical importance of binocular vision integrity in daily activities, there exists limited understanding of how alterations in binocular vision integrity impact gaze behaviour during dynamic, complex psychomotor skills. This study aimed to measure how alterations in binocular vision integrity, created by Bangerter filters (BF), affect gaze behaviour during multiple object tracking (MOT).

Methods: During the experiment, 22 volunteers completed the MOT task under three different visual conditions.

Effect of manipulating the vergence/accommodation and image size mismatches of the ±2D flipper test on the frequency and precision of accommodative facility.

Purpose: The ±2.00 D accommodative facility test presents several limitations, including the lack of objective information and inherent characteristics such as vergence/accommodative conflict, change in apparent size of the image, subjective criteria for judging blur and motor reaction time. By using free-space viewing conditions and an open-field autorefractor to monitor the refractive state, we examined the impact of manipulating these factors on the qualitative and quantitative assessment of accommodative facility.

The role of ecosystem transpiration in creating alternate moisture regimes by influencing atmospheric moisture convergence.

The terrestrial water cycle links the soil and atmosphere moisture reservoirs through four fluxes: precipitation, evaporation, runoff, and atmospheric moisture convergence (net import of water vapor to balance runoff). Each of these processes is essential for sustaining human and ecosystem well-being. Predicting how the water cycle responds to changes in vegetation cover remains a challenge.

Manipulating expectancies in optometry practice: Ocular accommodation and stereoacuity are sensitive to placebo and nocebo effects.

Introduction: There is scientific evidence that an individual's beliefs and/or expectations play a role in the behavioural and physiological response to a given treatment. This study aimed to assess whether the dynamics of the accommodative response and stereoacuity are sensitive to experimentally induced placebo and nocebo effects.

Methods: Nineteen healthy university students performed three experimental sessions (placebo, nocebo and control) in randomised order, with the dynamics of the accommodative response (magnitude and variability), stereoacuity and subjective measures being assessed in all sessions.

Relationship between dynamic visual acuity and multiple object tracking performance.

We assessed the association between measures of dynamic visual acuity and a multiple object tracking task in physically active young adults. Ninety-four young adults performed the dynamic visual acuity and multiple object tracking tasks. Dynamic visual acuity was measured for horizontal and random walk motion paths at four target speeds (5, 10, 20, and 30°/s).

The short-term effects of wearing swimming goggles on corneal biomechanics.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the impact of wearing swimming goggles (SG) on corneal biomechanics.

Methods: Corneal deformation response, central corneal thickness (CCT), intraocular pressure (IOP) and biomechanically corrected intraocular pressure (bIOP) were measured with the Corvis system (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany) in thirty-one healthy young adults while wearing a drilled SG. All measurements were obtained before, at 30 s, 2 min, 3.

Immediate and cumulative effects of upper-body isometric exercise on the cornea and anterior segment of the human eye.

Objectives: The execution of isometric resistance training has demonstrated to cause changes in the ocular physiology. The morphology of the cornea and anterior chamber is of paramount importance in the prevention and management of several ocular diseases, and thus, understating the impact of performing isometric exercise on the eye physiology may allow a better management of these ocular conditions. We aimed to determine the short-term effects of 2-minutes upper-body isometric effort at two different intensities on corneal and anterior eye morphology.

Effects of water drinking on corneal biomechanics: The association with intraocular pressure changes.

Purpose: We aimed to assess the impact of drinking water (500 and 1000 mL) on corneal biomechanics and determine the level of association between changes in intraocular pressure and variations in the different biomechanical properties of the cornea.

Methods: A total of 39 healthy young adults ingested either 1000 mL (n = 21) or 500 mL (n = 18) of tap water in 5 min. The CorVis ST system was used to assess corneal biomechanics at baseline and at 15, 30, and 45 min after water ingestion.

Changes in accommodation and behavioural performance with a contact lens for myopia management: A comparison between a dual-focus and a single-vision soft contact lens.

Introduction: Dual-focus soft contact lenses for myopia management have demonstrated to be an effective strategy to reduce myopia progression. However, this optical design has been shown to alter visual quality and accommodative function. The aim of this study was to examine the accommodative and behavioural performance during the execution of a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) while wearing dual-focus and single-vision soft contact lenses.

Impact of dual-focus soft contact lens wear on near work-induced transient myopia.

Clinical Relevance: Dual-focus soft contact lenses are effective in slowing myopia progression; however, their influence on near work-induced transient myopia (NITM) remains unknown. When performing a 5-min near task at 20 cm, we observed that dual-focus soft contact lens wear induced greater lags of accommodation and a lower initial NITM than single-vision soft contact lenses, which provides relevant information for better understanding the impact of using this optical design on the accommodative function.

Background: NITM has been proposed as a myogenic factor, although it is a matter of debate by the scientific community.

Blue-blocking filters do not alleviate signs and symptoms of digital eye strain.

Clinical Relevance: There is some controversy about the utility of prescribing blue-blocking filters to mitigate digital eye strain. We found that using commercially available blue-blocking filters was ineffective in reducing orbicularis oculi muscle activity and visual symptomatology during a 30-min reading task from a computer screen.

Background: There are some claims that blue-blocking (B-B) filters may be effective in reducing symptoms and signs of digital eye strain.

Less is more: optimal recording time for measuring the steady-state accommodative response.

Unlabelled: Clinical Relevance Background: Steady-state accommodation is frequently evaluated with open-field autorefractors; however there is no consensus regarding the optimal test duration. Our results allow us to standardise the procedure followed for the assessment of the steady-state accommodative response in clinical and laboratory settings and may be of great relevance in time-constrained situations.

Background: The present study aims to determine the optimal recording time to assess the magnitude and variability of the accommodative response with a binocular open-field autorefractor.

A Collection of Designed Peptides to Target SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD-ACE2 Interaction.

The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor used by SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses to attach to cells via the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of their viral spike protein. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, several structures of protein complexes involving ACE2 and RBD as well as monoclonal antibodies and nanobodies have become available. We have leveraged the structural data to design peptides to target the interaction between the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 and SARS-CoV and ACE2, as contrasting exemplar, as well as the dimerization surface of ACE2 monomers.

Dynamics of the accommodative response and facility with dual-focus soft contact lenses for myopia control.

Objective: To assess the impact of using dual-focus soft contact lenses for myopia control on the dynamics of the accommodative response and facility.

Methods: 24 young adult myopes were fitted with dual-focus soft contact lenses for myopia control (MiSight®) and single-vision soft contact lenses (Proclear®). The WAM-5500 open-field autorefractor was used to measure the dynamics of the accommodative response (magnitude and variability) in binocular conditions, with accommodative data being gathered from the dominant eye, at three viewing distances (500 cm, 40 cm, and 20 cm) during 90 s.

Examining the Validity of a New Method for the Objective Assessment of Binocular Accommodative Facility (2Q-AF Test): A Comparison with ± 2.00 DS Lens Flippers.

Purpose: Recent technological advances have permitted to objectively record the accommodative response while shifting between two different levels of accommodation. This study is aimed at examining the concurrent validity of a new objective method for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of binocular accommodative facility, which is named 2Q-AF test, in comparison to the ±2.00 DS lens flippers.

Effects of caffeine ingestion on dynamic visual acuity: a placebo-controlled, double-blind, balanced-crossover study in low caffeine consumers.

Background: Acute caffeine ingestion has been associated with improvements in cognitive performance and visual functioning. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of caffeine intake on dynamic visual acuity (DVA).

Methods: Twenty-one low caffeine consumers (22.

Comparative Analysis of Mammal Genomes Unveils Key Genomic Variability for Human Life Span.

The enormous mammal's lifespan variation is the result of each species' adaptations to their own biological trade-offs and ecological conditions. Comparative genomics have demonstrated that genomic factors underlying both, species lifespans and longevity of individuals, are in part shared across the tree of life. Here, we compared protein-coding regions across the mammalian phylogeny to detect individual amino acid (AA) changes shared by the most long-lived mammals and genes whose rates of protein evolution correlate with longevity.

Capturing attention improves accommodation: An experimental study in children with ADHD using multiple object tracking.

The present study was aimed at assessing the impact of manipulating the attentional load using a multiple object tracking (MOT) task on the dynamics of the accommodative response in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The pupil size was recorded to assess the effectiveness of the experimental manipulation, and the role of ADHD medication was also explored. The accommodative and pupil dynamics (magnitude and variability) were monitored with an open-field autorefractometer (WAM-5500) in 41 children with ADHD (24 non-medicated and 17 medicated) and 21 non-ADHD controls, while they performed the MOT task with four different levels of complexity (i.

Effects of wearing swimming goggles on non-invasive tear break-up time in a laboratory setting.

Purpose: The use of swimming goggles (SG) has demonstrated to alter different ocular parameters, however, the impact of wearing SG on the tear film stability remain unknown. The main objective of this study was to determine the short-term effects of wearing SG on tear film surface quality break-up time (TFSQ-BUT).

Methods: Twenty-eight young healthy adults (14 men and 14 women) wore a drilled SG, and TFSQ-BUT was measured before, during and after SG use.

Effects of a blue-blocking screen filter on accommodative accuracy and visual discomfort.

Introduction: The prescription of blue-blocking (B-B) filters for the management of visual symptoms and signs associated with the use of electronic devices is routinely performed by eye care specialists. However, the utility of B-B filters is a matter of debate and discussion by the scientific community due to the lack of evidence supporting their use. Here, we aimed to determine the effects of using B-B filters on the dynamics of the accommodative response and pupil size and perceived levels of visual discomfort, while performing a 30-min reading task at a close distance in subjects who routinely use electronic devices.

The short-term effects of artificially-impaired binocular vision on driving performance.

Appropriate visual function is paramount to ensuring adequate driving performance and road safety. Here, we examined the influence of sudden artificially-impaired binocular vision on driving performance using a car simulator. Twenty-four young drivers (mean age 22.