Behind the headlines - Winter 2023

8 February 2023
Winter 2023

Eye health issues that are making the news - Winter 2023.

RPE65 drives visual cycle

Researchers have identified new details about the role of vitamin A in enabling the eye to sense light. The discovery could inform the hunt for new therapies for a number of visual impairments.

When light hits photosensitive pigments called opsins in the retina, a chemical called 11-cis retinal, derived from vitamin A, is converted into the molecule all-trans retinol. This triggers chemical reactions that generate the electrical signals that form the basis of vision in the brain.

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) drives the reversal of this process to restore the sensitivity of opsins to light, enabling the visual cycle to begin again. A protein called RPE65 plays a key role by binding to RPE cells.

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Related further reading

The College of Optometrists and the Optical Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC) call on the government to make a long-term commitment to primary eye care in its NHS 10-Year Health Plan as part of the shift from hospital to community.

The College of Optometrists calls for vital community minor and urgent eye care services to be universally commissioned in England

Optometrists talk to patients about eye health every day, and have an important role to play in health promotion and public health.