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Irish Times
3 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
‘I knew straight away': coming to terms with MS and being the healthiest version of yourself
We've all had tired eyes from spending too much time looking at phones and computers, so when Naomi Donaldson began to experience blurred vision, coupled with a pressure and pain in her eye, when she was in her mid-twenties, her doctor referred her to an optician, who advised regular screen breaks. Adhering to this advice, her symptoms improved and she didn't think any more about it, until four years later, in 2011, when she temporarily lost the sight in her left eye. Without vision for a couple of days, she immediately knew what was wrong with her as her sister had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis the previous year and had experienced similar symptoms. Her grandmother had also died from it in 1996. 'As a result of my sister's diagnosis, mine was pretty quick,' said the 43-year-old, who lives in Meath with her husband Ronan and son Evan. 'Once I began experiencing the symptoms again I knew straight away what it was, so I visited my GP who referred me to St Vincent's for MRIs and a lumbar puncture.' READ MORE After receiving the official diagnosis, she thought she would be prepared, but says that it wasn't until the reality of living with MS hit her that she 'really had to come to terms with it'. [ Multiple Sclerosis: What is it and what does the future hold as treatments improve? Opens in new window ] 'Initially, I was massively in denial and the shock of a relapse (in 2013) knocked me not only physically, but emotionally too,' she said. 'On the outside I talked about what a positive life I was living as a person with MS, but in reality, because I hadn't been looking after myself properly, I ended up becoming unwell again. Thankfully, I soon realised I needed to get a grip, take my health seriously and stop doubting myself.' Friday, May 30th, is World MS Day, when health officials aim to shine a light on the condition which affects more than 10,000 people in Ireland. Although often genetic, there are other reasons why people can develop MS, the condition in which the immune system harms the protective covering of nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Dr Hugh Kearney, consultant neurologist in the MS Unit at St James's Hospital, says that the main risk factor for MS is the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). But while this common virus infects most people, only a small number develop MS. [ Cillian O'Sullivan played for Meath in 2024 championship despite being diagnosed with MS Opens in new window ] 'The relationship between the virus and MS is complex,' he said. 'It's the immune (system) response to the virus which matters most, not just the infection itself. Low vitamin D in early life, childhood obesity, smoking and social health factors can affect the immune system. And, there is a genetic component to the response to the virus.' Dr Kearney says that although, there is no single MS gene, many genes related to immune function may increase the risk. MS is not inherited like other diseases, but having a family member with MS does increase the risk to a small degree. The immune-mediated disease affects more women than men and usually happens between 20 and 40, but some can show symptoms in childhood or after the age of 50. Worldwide, 2.9 million people have MS, and the number of cases is rising – with symptoms varying from person to person. ' Common signs are pain behind an eye, vision loss, balance issues, double vision and numb legs with power loss,' he said. 'Many people recall symptoms starting long before a diagnosis, such as fatigue, mood changes and urinary issues. Together, these symptoms form a pattern known as the prodrome. Right now, spotting this pattern of non-specific symptoms before neurological problem occurs is tough. But, research is working to make early detection better.' Detecting MS early is crucial and diagnostic criteria highlights this. Dr Kearney says that current treatments can help prevent future issues, but they can't fix past damage, which highlights the need for a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to treating the condition. [ Medicinal cannabis 'significantly benefits' treatment of MS and diabetes, Health Research Board says Opens in new window ] World MS Day helps people to know the early signs. It also builds connections, pushes for better care access, and teaches others about the condition's realities. 'The day is designed to unite the MS community, support those affected and raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with the condition,' he said.' Donaldson agrees and says that MS Ireland also offers invaluable support and people with the condition should never be afraid to reach out for help. 'As a person with MS you are your biggest cheerleader, so it's important to let your voice be heard,' she said. 'Ask all the questions, no matter how unimportant you may think they are. Understand why your neurologist is recommending one treatment over another, find out what supports are available to you, and ask for help. 'Listen to your inner voice, not the negative one that tells you that you can't do things, but the one that tells you that you can, that you are strong enough, and that nudges you to ask questions. Living with a chronic illness, you can sometimes already be on the back foot health-wise, so you need to look after yourself, both physically and emotionally, to allow you to be the best, healthiest version of yourself.' For more information visit
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Kim started forgetting faces and bumping into things. She blamed her glasses - then doctors revealed she had dementia. Now they warn of the early sign too many ignore
When Kim Norris began bumping into things, misjudging distances and walking past people she knew without realising, she assumed the problem lay with her new glasses. But when she went to the optician, they assured her the prescription was spot on.
CTV News
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Should Canada launch its own automaker? One industry voice says it's time to seriously consider it
Flavio Volpe outlines his vision for a Canadian-owned automaker during a Canadian Club Toronto panel on May 21, 2025. (Source: Canadian Club Toronto) (Picasa)
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Everyone can see the cars in this optical illusion – but it takes a genius to spot the convertible in under 15 seconds
PUT your vision to the test with this tricky brainteaser, perfect for car lovers. Everyone can see the motors, but only the most hawk-eyed can spot the car with its roof down in under 15 seconds. 1 Whether you're trying to improve your sight, or test your IQ, this puzzle will prove a challenge to many readers. Put your observation skills to the test and figure out whether you have what it takes to spot the convertible in just a few seconds. Make sure to set your stopwatch before undertaking this challenge, to make it extra hard for yourself. If you can do it in under 15 seconds, you are said to have 20/20 vision. The brainteaser, provided by car insurance experts at AChoice shows a pattern of different coloured cars. At first glance it looks like all of the vehicles are just bog standard motors. However, those with eagle eyes will immediately be able to spot that this is the case. Unless you're lucky enough to spot the car with its roof down immediately, we recommend analysing the image very carefully. The visual deception of this image will have you peeling your eyes, but the payoff is worth it. If you need a hint, we recommend focusing on the right hand side of the image. Everyone can spot the woman & a fan in the sweaty bedroom scene - but can you find 5 hidden changes in under 10 seconds? The convertible can be found around half way down the picture. The most obvious difference can be found on the face of the sun. If you're looking for something a bit harder, only those with eagle eyes will be able to find the hidden word amongst the flowers in this summer scene. Another tricky puzzle challenges readers to say the colour without reading the word. How can optical illusions and brainteasers help me? Engaging in activities like solving optical illusions and brainteasers can have many cognitive benefits as it can stimulate various brain regions. Some benefits include: Cognitive stimulation: Engaging in these activities challenges the brain, promoting mental agility and flexibility. Problem-solving skills: Regular practice enhances analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Memory improvement: These challenges often require memory recall and can contribute to better memory function. Creativity: They encourage thinking outside the box, fostering creativity and innovative thought processes. Focus and attention: Working on optical illusions and brainteasers requires concentration, contributing to improved focus. Stress relief: The enjoyable nature of these puzzles can act as a form of relaxation and stress relief. If that's not hard enough, why not try looking for the jokers hidden in this poker scene in 10 seconds. Finally, only the sharpest drivers will be able to spot all hazards in 15 seconds in this busy motorway scene. Coming back to our challenge, were you able to solve it in under 15 seconds? For those struggling to find the answer, we have marked the solution for you.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The Speed of Your Eyes Could Hide Objects in Plain Sight
A gently lobbed baseball is easy to see. The same ball, however, can seem to vanish from the hand of a skilled pitcher, whizzing invisibly into the catcher's mitt. Given enough acceleration, moving objects become too fast to see. Yet this visual speed limit isn't universal – some people are apparently better at seeing in high-speed. According to a new study, the secret may lie in subtle eye movements known as saccades. These rapid motions of the eyes shift our focus between various points of interest, and are regarded as the most frequent movement the human body makes. By some calculations they occur two to three times every second, adding up to around 10,000 times every waking hour. Saccades take place naturally constantly without our thought or even awareness, but they don't occur at the same speed in everybody. The quickness of each person's saccades may determine their visual speed limit, the authors report, enabling those with faster saccades to perceive faster motion. The findings seem to demonstrate how our perception depends not just on the sensory limits of our eyes, but also on how our eyes behave as they observe. From bow hunters to baseball players, those with exceptional skills in fast visual tasks might be unwittingly capitalizing on speedy saccades. "What parts of the physical world we can sense depends fundamentally on how good our sensors are," says lead author Martin Rolfs, a vision scientist at Humboldt University of Berlin. Human eyes aren't sensitive to infrared light, for example, so we can't see it. This is an in-built limitation, illustrating how the mechanics of our sensory organs dictate our perception. "In this paper, however, we show that the limits of seeing are not just defined by these biophysical constraints, but also by the actions and movements that impose changes on the sensory system," Rolfs says. As we scan a scene or read text, our eyes naturally dart around to different focal points, briefly pausing on each before flitting to the next. While this helps our vision cover more territory, it risks disrupting the entire retinal image, effectively blinding our perception for fractions of a second at a time. Fortunately our brain's visual system edits out this disrupted motion in real-time, providing us with a seamless visual input by selectively excluding the careening effect of saccades. "Even though visual processing remains operational during saccades, this saccade-induced retinal motion is subjectively invisible during natural vision – a phenomenon referred to as saccadic omission," the researchers write. Saccades occur with incredible speed, outpacing most ordinary moving stimuli. Yet when we do encounter unusually fast objects, those similar enough to our own saccade motions may be edited from our perception. In the new study, Rolfs and his colleagues used high-speed video projections to display fast-moving objects that either matched or deviated from the motion of saccades. For each stimulus, observers performed perceptual tasks that were only possible if they'd seen the trajectory of motion. Stimuli following the specific movement patterns of saccades became invisible to observers, the study found. "So we are basically suggesting that the kinematics of our actions (here, saccades) fundamentally constrain a sensory system's access to the physical world around us," Rolfs says. Considering how active our eyes are, this highlights the importance of factoring that movement into our understanding of the broader visual system. "In simple terms, the properties of a sensory system such as the human visual system are best understood in the context of the kinematics of actions that drive its input," Rolfs says. "Our visual system and motor system are finely tuned to each other, but this has long been ignored." The study was published in Nature Communications. Tales of Viking Pregnancy Reveal The Fierce Side of Norse Mothers Song And Dance May Not Be Universal Human Behaviors, Study Shows TikTok Trend Has Men Shaving Their Eyelashes – Here's Why You Shouldn't
