The eyes have it: Children with lazy eyes are usually treated by patching their "good eyes" in order to make the lazy ones work harder. Until now patching was prescribed for six hours a day.
But research in a group of 190 children with moderate amblyopia - the medical name for lazy eye - has shown that two hours' patching a day for four months is equally effective.
Needless deaths
Preventable injuries cause more than five million deaths worldwide every year, according to a report from the World Health Organisation. Nearly one in 10 deaths and tens of millions of visits to accident-and-emergency departments are because of accidents or intentional injuries. People in the 15-44 age group account for almost half of injury-related deaths; seven of the 15 leading causes of death for people in the five-29 age group include suicide, homicide, war, drowning, poisoning and burns.
Fruitful work
Community dieticians will this week be reiterating the healthy-eating message to eat at least four pieces of fruit a day. There'll be opportunities to sample fruit and smoothies at your local supermarket - and plenty of leaflets to remind you that fruit is the healthiest fast food there is - during the Health Promotion Unit's Focus on Fruit, which continues until Friday.
Relieving cystic fibrosis
A new exercise technique developed by Judy Bradley, a physiotherapy lecturer and practitioner in Northern Ireland, is helping cystic-fibrosis sufferers worldwide. Called the modified shuttle test, the technique measures cystic-fibrosis patients' capacity to exercise, which in turn allows more appropriate exercise programmes to be developed.
Cash mountains
The cancer support charity Aftercare Research Counselling (ARC) is looking for volunteers to go on a sponsored walk in the Bavarian alps, in Germany, from September 20th to 27th. Call 01-8307333 or visit www.arcchallenges.com for more details.
Care of the elderly
Older people living in nursing homes receive a poorer quality of care than those living at home, according to a new study. Nursing home residents were monitored less for chronic disease than those at home. The researchers in Bristol, England also found that elderly people in and out of nursing homes are overprescribed potentially harmful medication while being underprescribed beneficial drugs.
Study on stroke prevention
More than 100 Irish patients will participate in the world's largest study into secondary stroke prevention. The drug trial will investigate a new drug combination to prevent second strokes. Patient enrolment will start in September, and final results are expected in 2007.
Moody blues
People with mood disorders often experience a seasonal pattern to their illness. According to the latest research such a pattern is more likely if you are female and have had many negative life-events.
Lifelines is compiled by Dr Muiris Houston and Sylvia Thompson