Health
Elton John’s vision loss: How an eye infection can cause blindness
World-renowned singer-songwriter Elton John confirmed he has lost sight in his right eye after suffering from a severe infection.
On the opening night of his musical adaptation of “The Devil Wears Prada” in London, John shared, “I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews because, as you know, I have lost my eyesight.”
“So, it’s hard for me to see it, but I love to hear it and, boy, it sounded good tonight,” he said.
ELTON JOHN HAS ‘LOST MY EYESIGHT’ FOLLOWING SEVERE INFECTION
John first posted to his Instagram account in September that he had been dealing with a “severe eye infection” over the summer that has “unfortunately left me with only limited vision in one eye.”
“Since Sir Elton John did not state what type of eye infection he has, it is unclear whether he has complete blindness in his right eye or if there is still some partial vision,” Dr. Thuy Tran, optometrist and founder of Oculist in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
“It is possible that he may still be able to perceive light and motion, but is unable to discern enough details to read letters or musical notes,” added Tran, who did not treat the singer.
“He may also be experiencing other signs and symptoms, such as thick mucous discharge, pain, irritation, excessive tearing and redness.”
Types of eye infections
The most common types of eye infections are viral conjunctivitis and bacterial conjunctivitis, according to Tran.
“Viral conjunctivitis, caused by adenovirus, are like common colds and typically resolve on their own within a few weeks,” he said.
“When caused by herpes simplex virus, varicella zoster virus (same virus that is responsible for chicken pox and shingles), or cytomegalovirus (seen in immunocompromised individuals i.e. those with HIV/AIDS), more serious complications, such as corneal scarring, retinal damage and vision loss, may result.”
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Bacterial eye infections usually resolve within a week with proper antibiotic treatment, usually eyedrops or ointment, the doctor noted.
“A hyperacute bacterial eye infection, however, can be severe and rapidly progressive,” Tran warned. “If not treated immediately, it can lead to corneal ulcers, scarring and blindness.”
“This condition is most commonly caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a type of bacteria that can be transmitted through sexual contact.”
Fungal eye infections are often caused by fungi that are naturally present in our environment, according to Tran.
“Common risk factors include trauma to the eye with plant material, extended contact lens wear and diabetes,” he said.
Fungal infections are usually treated with topical or oral antifungal therapies.
“Rarely, they can lead to a medically-urgent condition known as endophthalmitis, which often requires hospitalization for administration of intravenous medications.”
Potential for permanent damage
Dr. Derek Cunningham, eye doctor and director of Dell Laser Consultants in Austin, Texas, also spoke with Fox News Digital about the dangers of both internal and external infections in the eyes.
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An internal infection can be caused by a virus, said Cunningham, who also did not treat Elton John. If it reaches the retina, or the back of the eye, permanent vision loss can occur.
More commonly, eye infections are the result of external triggers and trauma to the front of the eye, like scratches, chemical splashes or the misuse of contact lenses, he noted.
These incidents then allow bacteria and other foreign organisms to “colonize in the eye,” Cunningham said.
“Because [the eye] is specifically designed to transmit light, the cellular structure of all the tissues is very precise, and it cannot be altered.”
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“So, any amount of immune response or even bacterial or viral infection is going to cause not only a disruption in the cells, but it could potentially cause scarring – and that is going to reduce vision, very often on a permanent level,” he went on.
While the eye is sensitive and may have a harder time warding off infection since it’s a “compartmentalized” system, Cunningham said, the cornea is also the “fastest-healing tissue in the human body.”
But as people age, the body heals more slowly – so someone like John, who is 77 years old, will be at a higher risk of elongated infection compared to those who are younger.
“A little kid can scratch their eye and within hours be completely healed,” Cunningham said. “In an elderly person, [injury] can last for days, and that’s where the chance of infection builds up – every minute that the tissue is still compromised.”
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Some eye complications can be spotted and addressed early on during routine eye exams.
Cunningham recommends paying attention to visual function – and if vision is compromised, symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor.
“If there is … anything really infectious in the eye, the potential for vision loss is extremely high — and it’s permanent. It very often doesn’t ever come back.”
Representatives for John did not return Fox News Digital’s immediate request for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Stanton contributed to this report.
Health
Chrissy Metz Shares the 2 Key Habits That Helped Her Lose 100 Pounds
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Health
Deadly outbreak of Marburg, or ‘bleeding eye virus,’ leads to travel advisory
Health officials continue to monitor an outbreak of Marburg virus — also known as “bleeding eye virus” — in Rwanda, which has sparked concerns about a potential spread outside the country.
The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory on Nov. 22, recommending that travelers exercise “increased caution” in Rwanda due to the outbreak.
“Travelers may be subject to additional health screenings [when] entering and exiting Rwanda,” the advisory stated.
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What is Marburg virus?
Similar to the Elbola virus, Marburg is a “rare but severe viral hemorrhagic fever” that is highly deadly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It has a 20% to 90% fatality rate.
The first case in Rwanda was confirmed in September. As of Nov. 29, the country had reported 66 cases of the virus and 15 deaths. Most of the infected people have been health care workers.
Approximately 75% of the patients with Marburg have recovered, according to the CDC.
There have not been any confirmed cases in the United States, and the CDC says the risk of infection in the country is low.
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“Marburg is one of the deadliest viruses that infect humans,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.
“It is very similar to Ebola in that it causes hemorrhagic fever.”
Symptoms of the virus
Initial symptoms usually mimic the flu, including fever, body aches, diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting.
The interval between infection and symptoms is typically two to 21 days, according to Siegel.
In severe cases, patients may experience extreme weight loss, jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive hemorrhaging and multi-organ dysfunction, the CDC stated.
It can also cause bleeding from the eyes, nose, mouth or gastrointestinal tract, hence the nickname “bleeding eye virus.”
The virus is transmitted via bodily surfaces, blood and contact with contaminated surfaces, according to Siegel.
The “primary reservoir” (natural host) for the virus is the Egyptian rousette bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus), the CDC noted.
“There are no adequate drugs or vaccines for Marburg,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
Medical providers can manage symptoms with supportive care, including oxygen, pain medications and IV fluids for rehydration.
“There are other treatments in the works, including an experimental vaccine,” the doctor noted.
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For those who succumb to the disease, death usually occurs within eight to nine days after symptom onset, Siegel said — typically due to blood loss.
Although the doctor said there is a risk of intercontinental spread, he does not believe it is contagious enough for a widespread outbreak.
Prevention of Marburg
To avoid contracting the virus, the CDC has issued the following recommendations on its website.
- Avoid contact with the blood and bodily fluids of those who are experiencing symptoms.
- Do not touch items that may have come in contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.
- Avoid contact with Egyptian rousette bats and non-human primates in areas where Marburg cases have been reported.
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In order for a Marburg outbreak to be officially over, there must be a period of 42 days without any new infections after the last recovered patient has had two negative tests 48 hours apart, according to the CDC.
If there are no more new cases by Dec. 22, 2024, the outbreak in Rwanda will be declared over.
Health
New brain therapy allows paralyzed patients to walk again: 'I feel my legs'
New research suggests that paralyzed patients could regain some degree of movement — perhaps even walk again.
In a study led by EPFL (Swiss Federal Technology Institute of Lausanne) and Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland, two people with spinal cord injuries received deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy.
The therapy was applied to an “unexpected” part of the brain called the lateral hypothalamus, which has previously been associated with functions like eating and arousing from sleep.
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After the stimulation, the patients were able to walk without assistance and even climb stairs, according to a press release from Lausanne University Hospital.
The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine.
One of the participants in the study was 54-year-old Wolfgang Jäger from Kappel, Austria, who experienced a spinal cord injury in 2006 that left him in a wheelchair.
After having electrodes implanted in the targeted area of his brain and receiving deep brain stimulation, he regained some lower-body mobility.
“Last year on vacation, it was no problem to walk a couple of steps down and back to the sea using the stimulation,” Jäger said in the release.
“I can also reach things in my cupboards in the kitchen.”
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Study author Jocelyne Bloch, neurosurgeon and professor at the Lausanne University Hospital, UNIL and EPFL, shared the immediate effects of the therapy.
“Once the electrode was in place and we performed the stimulation, the first patient immediately said, ‘I feel my legs,’” she said in the release.
“When we increased the stimulation, she said, ‘I feel the urge to walk!’ This real-time feedback confirmed we had targeted the correct region, even if this region had never been associated with the control of the legs in humans.”
“At this moment, I knew we were witnessing an important discovery of the anatomical organization of brain functions,” added Bloch.
“When we increased the stimulation, she said, ‘I feel the urge to walk!’”
The participants also reported “long-term improvement” in mobility even when the stimulation wasn’t actively being applied.
“This research highlights the unexpected role of the lateral hypothalamus, a brain region not previously associated with locomotion in humans,” lead researcher Dr. Grégoire Courtine, professor of neuroscience at EPFL and Lausanne University Hospital and co-director of the .NeuroRestore center, told Fox News Digital.
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“Our findings show that this approach not only enhances motor abilities during stimulation, but also induces a reorganization of nerve fibers, leading to lasting improvements even in the absence of stimulation.”
DBS has traditionally been used to control tremors in people with movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease, the researchers noted.
The concept of applying it to the lateral hypothalamus is unchartered territory.
Looking ahead, the researchers hope to combine DBS with spinal implants to enable further recovery from paralysis.
“Integrating our two approaches — brain and spinal stimulation — will offer a more comprehensive recovery strategy for patients with spinal cord injuries,” added Courtine.
‘Pushing science forward’
Dr. Ann Murray, director of the Comprehensive Movement Disorder Clinic at WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute in West Virginia, said the study’s results are “surprising and exciting.”
“The targeted location of the brain they were stimulating, the hypothalamus, has not historically been known to be involved in the mechanism of gait,” Murray, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
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“As we continue to better understand the brain networks, it will continue to enable us to modulate areas that aren’t working correctly,” she went on.
“The brain communicates via electrical signaling, and technologies like deep brain stimulation therapy help us interface with the brain circuitry to improve and/or restore more normal connectivity.”
The potential for advancements in these types of technologies is “truly endless,” Murray said.
“I have the utmost hope that technologies like deep brain stimulation and other neuromodulation therapies will continue to advance the science in restoration of brain health for patients suffering neurologic injury.”
Potential limitations
The researchers acknowledged that there are some limitations of the research.
“This is precision medicine at its finest.”
“This therapy is only beneficial for patients with incomplete injuries, where functional neural circuits remain but are not fully utilized,” Courtine told Fox News Digital.
“For complete spinal cord injuries, only localized epidural electrical stimulation or a brain-spine interface bridge may assist in restoring functional movements.”
He also pointed out that this study is an “early-stage safety and feasibility trial,” conducted without a control group.
“For this therapy to become widely accessible, larger pivotal studies will need to be completed and thoroughly evaluated [before approval],” Courtine said.
“This process may take several years before the therapy becomes available to patients.”
Murray also emphasized that caution must be taken with this type of stimulation.
“Anytime we are investigating brain therapies, a tremendous degree of safety and precision has to be applied,” she cautioned.
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“The brain is the most precise, complicated organ in the body, which requires any treatment or innovation to appreciate not just the intended effects, but the potential unintended effects of interfering with certain networks.”
Every step of the process must be carefully executed by a comprehensive team, Murray said.
“This is precision medicine at its finest — any misstep in any one of those stages can result in suboptimal outcomes.”
The goal, she said, is to standardize this process so that more patients have access to this “life-changing therapy.”
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Added Murray, “This should give hope to millions of patients across the world suffering from neurologic conditions, as this is pushing the technology, pushing the science forward, to expand treatment to people that have never had any other options.”
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