Family Vision | Your Lansdale Optometrist

Cornea Gene Discovery Reveals Why Humans See Clearly

2012-03-06T09:43:00.003-08:00

Cornea Gene Discovery Reveals Why Humans See Clearly

ScienceDaily (Dec. 12, 2011) — A transparent Cornea is essential for vision, which is why the eye has evolved to nourish the Cornea without blood vessels. But for millions of people around the world, diseases of the eye or trauma spur the growth of blood vessels and can cause blindness.

A new Northwestern Medicine study has identified a gene that plays a   major role in maintaining clarity of the Cornea in humans and mice --   and could possibly be used as gene therapy to treat diseases that cause   blindness. The paper is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"We believe we've discovered the master regulator gene that prevents   the formation of blood vessels in the eye and protects the clarity of   the Cornea," said lead author Tsutomu Kume, associate professor of   medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a   researcher at Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute.

The existence of the gene, FoxC1, was previously known, but its role   in maintaining a clear Cornea is a new finding. Working with a special   breed of mice that are missing this gene, Kume and colleagues found   abnormal vascular formations, or blood vessels, streaking their Corneas   and blocking light.

When Kume discovered the Corneal blood vessels in the mutant mice, he   called a collaborator at the University of Alberta in Canada, Ordan   Lehmann, MD, professor of ophthalmology and medical genetics.

Lehmann found that his patients who have a single copy of this   mutated FoxC1 gene -- and who have congenital glaucoma -- also have   abnormal blood vessel growth in their eyes.

"The exciting thing is by showing the loss of FoxC1 causes   vascularization of the Cornea, it means increasing levels of the gene   might help prevent the abnormal growth of blood vessels, potentially in   multiple eye disorders that cause blindness," said Lehmann, a coauthor   on the paper. "That's the hope." One possible use might be in corneal   transplants, he said, where the growth of new blood vessels onto the   transplanted cornea is a major problem.

Kume next plans to test the gene therapy in mice to see if injecting   FoxC1 inhibits the formation of blood vessels in the cornea.

The research is funded by National Institutes of Health and Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111212153121.htm

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Northwestern University. The original article was written by Marla Paul.

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Contact Lenses Provide Extended Pain Relief to Laser Eye Surgery Patients

2012-03-01T07:24:00.000-08:00

ContactContact Lenses Provide Extended Pain Relief to Laser Eye Surgery Patients

Scientists are reporting development of ContactContact lenses that could provide a continuous supply of anesthetic medication to the eyes of patients who undergo laser eye surgery -- an advance that could relieve patients of the burden of repeatedly placing drops of medicine into their eyes every few hours for several days.Their report appears in ACS' journal Langmuir

.

Anuj Chauhan and colleagues explain that more than 1 million laser eye correction procedures are performed each year in the U.S. The surgery enables most patients to see clearly without eye glasses or ContactContact lenses. The procedure known as LASIK is the most common type of laser eye surgery, but complications can develop if the patient undergoes trauma or is hit very hard at any time after the procedure. Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) doesn't have this complication, and that's why it is preferred for athletes and those in the military. A downside to PRK, however, is a longer period of pain after surgery. To ease their pain, PRK patients place drops of several medications, including anesthetics, into their eyes every few hours, which can interfere with daily life and increase the risk of drug overdose. PRK patients receive a special "bandage ContactContact lens" after surgery to help the outer layer of the eye heal.

The researchers tested whether anesthetics loaded onto this type of lens could release the drugs over time automatically. They found that adding vitamin E to the lenses extended the time of release of three commonly used anesthetics from just under two hours to up to an entire day -- or a few days in some instances. The vitamin E acts as a barrier, keeping the anesthetics on the eye, right where they are needed. The researchers say that, in the future, these lenses could serve as bandage ContactContact lenses after PRK surgery while also delivering necessary pain medications.

The authors acknowledge funding from the University of Florida.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120118112001.htm

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Chemical Society.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please ContactContact the source cited above.

New Light Shed On How Retina's Hardware Is Used in Color Vision

2012-02-22T04:36:00.000-08:00

New Light Shed On How Retina's Hardware Is Used in Color Vision

Biologists at New York University and the University of Würzburg have identified, in greater detail, how the Retina's cellular hardware is used in color preference. The findings, published in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), enhance our understanding of how eyes and the brain process color.

Light can serve as an attractive or repulsive landmark for   orientation -- we identify an object or a light source at a certain   location in visual space, then approach it or retreat from it. This   process, called phototaxis, was the focus of the PNAS study.

Conducted by biologists at New York University's Center for   Developmental Genetics and the Department of Genetics and Neurobiology   at the University of Würzburg in Germany, the research specifically   examined the photoreceptor cells in the Retinas of the fruit fly Drosophila. Drosophila is a powerful model for studying the color vision process as it is   amenable to very specific genetic manipulations, allowing researchers to   analyze how its visual system functions when different elements of its   Retina are affected.

The visual systems of most species contain photoreceptors with   distinct spectral sensitivities that allow animals to distinguish lights   by their spectral composition (i.e., color). In Drosophila,   six of these (R1-R6) are responsible for motion detection and are   sensitive to the brightness or dimness of a broad spectrum of light. Two   others (R7 and R8) are used for color vision by comparing ultraviolet   light (UV), detected by R7, with green or blue light detected by two   types of R8. The NYU and University of Würzburg biologists investigated   how photoreceptor types contribute to phototaxis by blocking the   function of either R7 or R8, or a combination of a range of   photoreceptors (R1-R6, R7 and/or R8).

In the study, they constructed two sets of "Y-shaped mazes" with two   different types of light at the ends of each: UV and blue in one and   blue and green in the other. Under this arrangement, the fly would show a   preference for certain type of light (UV vs. blue in one maze; blue vs.   green in the other) by moving toward it. The researchers could then   link specific preferences to the make-up of each fly's visual system.

In a "UV vs. blue" choice, flies with only R1-R6 and flies with only   R7/R8 photoreceptors preferred the blue to the UV light. This finding   suggested that these two sets of photoreceptors (R1-R6 and R7/R8)   function separately in phototaxis as flies with only one of these sets   showed similar preferences. In addition, flies without a functioning R7   photoreceptor preferred the blue to the UV light, whereas flies without   R8 preferred UV. In the "blue vs. green" maze, flies without a   functioning blue R8 photoreceptor preferred green, whereas those with a   defective for green R8 photoreceptor preferred blue. This shows that   each subclass of photoreceptors [R1-R6, R7, R8 (blue), R8 (green)] is   used by the fly to distinguish colors and setup its innate color   preference. In a previous work, the same authors had shown that motion   detection only involves R1-R6 and not R7 and R8, suggesting that there   are two independent channels in the fly visual system -- one for motion   and one for color.

"This simple insect can achieve sophisticated color discrimination   and detect a broader spectrum of colors than we can, especially in the   UV," said NYU biologist Claude Desplan, one of the study's authors. "It   is a great model system to understand how the Retina and the brain   process visual information.

The research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100308151051.htm

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by New York University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

New Glaucoma Test Allows Earlier, More Accurate Detection

2012-02-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

New Glaucoma Test Allows Earlier, More Accurate Detection

Cumbersome Glaucoma tests that require a visit to the ophthalmologist could soon be history thanks to a home test developed by a UA engineer.

Phoenix ophthalmologist Dr. Gholan Peyman demonstrates a prototype Glaucoma test instrument that's noninvasive and simpler to use than current procedures. It can also be used in situations that are difficult or impossible with current tests. (Credit: Image courtesy of University of Arizona College of Engineering)

The self-test instrument has been designed in Eniko Enikov's lab at   the UA College of Engineering. Gone are the eye drops and need for a   sterilized sensor. In their place is an easy-to-use probe that gently   rubs the eyelid and can be used at home.

"You simply close your eye and rub the eyelid like you might casually   rub your eye," said Enikov, a professor of aerospace and mechanical   engineering. "The instrument detects the stiffness and, therefore,   infers the intraocular pressure." Enikov also heads the Advanced Micro   and Nanosystems Laboratory.

While the probe is simple to use, the technology behind it is   complex, involving a system of micro-force sensors, specially designed   microchips, and math-based procedures programmed into its memory.

Enikov began working on the probe four years ago in collaboration   with Dr. Gholan Peyman, a Phoenix ophthalmologist. "We went through   several years of refinement and modifications to arrive at the current   design," Enikov noted.

The National Science Foundation has funded the work, and Enikov and   Peyman now are seeking investors to help fund final development and   commercialization of the product.

In addition to screening for Glaucoma, an eye disease that can lead   to blindness if left untreated, the device corrects some problems with   the current procedure, and can be used to measure drainage of   intraocular fluid.

"Eye pressure varies over a 24-hour cycle," Enikov said. "So it could   be low at the doctor's office and three hours later it might be high.   With only a single test, the doctor might miss the problem. Having the   ability to take more frequent tests can lead to earlier detection in   some cases."

Once the diagnosis is made, several treatments are available. The   question then is: How effective are they? Patients could use the probe   at home to trace how much the pressure decreases after using eye drop   medications, for instance.

"One of the reasons pressure builds up in the eye is because fluid   doesn't drain properly," Enikov noted. "Currently, there are no methods   available to test drainage."

Current tests require applying pressure directly to the cornea, but   only very light pressure is safe to use, and it doesn't cause the fluid   to drain.

"Our technique allows us to apply slightly greater pressure, but it's   still not uncomfortable," he said. "It's equivalent to rubbing your eye   for a brief period to find out if the pressure changes. If it does, we   know by how much and if there is a proper outflow of intraocular fluid."

Sometimes, a surgical shunt is used to help fluid drain from the eye.   "The problem with Glaucoma shunts is they can plug up over time,"   Enikov noted. "Or if they're not properly installed, they may drain too   quickly. So you would want to know how well the shunt is working and if   it is properly installed. Our device could help answer those questions."

In another scenario, certain patients cannot be tested for Glaucoma   using currently available procedures. "If a patient had cataract surgery   or some other surgery through the cornea, the cornea sometimes   thickens," Enikov said. "The cornea's structure is different, but our   test remains accurate because it's not applied to the cornea."

Instead, it presses the entire eyeball, much as you might press a balloon to determine its stiffness.

"The innovation with our device is that it's noninvasive, simpler to   use and applies to a variety of situations that are either difficult to   address or impossible to test using the current procedures," Enikov   said. "That's why we're so excited about this probe. It has great   potential to improve medical care, and significant commercial   possibilities, as well."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110104101331.htm

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Arizona College of Engineering. The original article was written by Ed Stiles.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

The Pupils Are the Windows to the Mind

2012-02-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

Untitled Document

The Pupils Are the Windows to the Mind

The eyes are the window into the soul -- or at least the mind, according to a new paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. Measuring the diameter of the Pupil, the part of the eye that changes size to let in more light, can show what a person is paying attention to. Pupillometry, as it's called, has been used in social psychology, clinical psychology, humans, animals, children, infants -- and it should be used even more, the authors say.

The Pupil is best known for changing size in reaction to light. In a   dark room, your Pupils open wide to let in more light; as soon as you   step outside into the sunlight, the Pupils shrink to pinpricks. This   keeps the retina at the back of the eye from being overwhelmed by bright   light. Something similar happens in response to psychological stimuli,   says Bruno Laeng of the University of Oslo, who cowrote the paper with   Sylvain Sirois of Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and Gustaf   Gredebäck of Uppsala University in Sweden. When someone sees something   they want to pay closer attention to, the Pupil enlarges. It's not clear   why this happens, Laeng says. "One idea is that, by essentially   enlarging the field of the visual input, it's beneficial to visual   exploration," he says.

However it works, psychological scientists can use the fact that   people's Pupils widen when they see something they're interested in.

Laeng has used Pupil size to study people who had damage to the   hippocampus, which usually causes very severe amnesia. Normally, if you   show one of these patients a series of pictures, then take a short   break, then show them another series of pictures, they don't know which   ones they've seen before and which ones are new. But Laeng measured   patients' Pupils while they did this test and found that the patients   did actually respond differently to the pictures they had seen before.   "In a way, this is good news, because it shows that some of the brains   of these patients, unknown to themselves, is actually capable of making   the distinction," he says.

Pupil measurement might also be useful for studying babies. Tiny   infants can't tell you what they're paying attention to. "Developmental   psychologists have used all kinds of methods to get this information   without using language," Laeng says. Seeing what babies are interested   in can give clues to what they're able to recognize -- different shapes   or sounds, for example. A researcher might show a child two images side   by side and see which one they look at for longer. Measuring the size of   a baby's Pupils could do the same without needing a comparison.

The technology already exists for measuring Pupils -- many modern   psychology studies use eye-tracking technology, for example, to see what   a subject is looking at, and Laeng and his coauthors hope to convince   other psychological scientists to use this method.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120127162800.htm

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Association for Psychological Science.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month.

2011-12-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

Glaucoma

The Silent Thief

Three million American have glaucoma, which is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States. “It’s astounding, but 50 percent of the people who have glaucoma aren’t even aware that they have the disease,” explains Dr. Mark Miller, of Vision Source Centennial Hills. What’s alarming is that roughly 120,000 Americans have lost their vision to glaucoma, a disease that can begin to wreck havoc on person’s vision before a single symptom is apparent.

Yet if it’s caught early, there is hope. In fact, the Glaucoma Foundation estimates that 90 percent of cases could have been prevented if early detection had occurred. “The longer a person goes undiagnosed the less of a chance we have to begin treatment to at least preserve their vision. Since there’s no cure early detection is crucial,” adds Dr. Miller.

What is Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of diseases characterized by increased fluid pressure inside the eye that results in damage to the optic nerve. This damage to the nerve fibers in the optic nerve can lead to vision loss. The reason that the pressure in the eye elevates and how the drainage system becomes blocked sometimes unknown. And the only way glaucoma can be detected is through an eye exam.

• Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) – The most common form of glaucoma in the United States, POAG occurs when the eye’s drainage canals become clogged and inner eye pressure rises because the fluid cannot drain. There are no symptoms, and if not diagnosed early, POAG can lead to vision loss. It does respond to medication, especially in its early stages.

• Secondary Glaucoma – Occurs as the result of another condition such as cataracts, eye injury, or diabetes. Steroids and other drugs can also cause this form of the disease.

• Normal Tension Glaucoma – In this case, though intraocular pressure is not very high or may even read as normal, the optic nerve is still damaged. It is not known why this occurs. High-risk candidates include those with a family history of normal tension glaucoma.

Facts & Stats

More than three million Americans have glaucoma; 50 percent of these people are unaware they have the disease.

Roughly 120,000 Americans have lost their vision to glaucoma, accounting for 12 percent of all cases of blindness in the United States.

Symptoms

Glaucoma has no symptoms, and increased eye pressure causes no pain.

Glaucoma can only be detected through an eye exam.

Who is at Risk

Women and men over age 60 are six times more likely to develop glaucoma.

Glaucoma is the number one cause of blindness among African-Americans, who are six to eight times more likely to develop the disease than Caucasians.

Latinos over age 60 fall into a high-risk category.

What to Do

The treatment for glaucoma includes prescription eye drops and medicines to lower the pressure in your eyes. In some cases, laser treatment or surgery may be effective in reducing pressure.

Vision Source and the American Optometric Association recommend annual eye examinations for people at risk for glaucoma. A comprehensive eye examination will include a tonometry test to measure the pressure in your eyes; a dilated examination of the inside of your eyes and optic nerves; and a visual field test to check for changes in central and side vision.

Surgeons Perform Better With Eye Movement Training

2011-12-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

Surgeons can learn their skills more quickly if they are taught how to control their eye movements. Research led by the University of Exeter shows that trainee surgeons learn technical surgical skills much more quickly and deal better with the stress of the operating theatre if they are taught to mimic the eye movements of experts.

Students learned that successful surgeons 'lock' their eyes to a critical location while performing complex movements using surgical instruments. This prevents them from tracking the tip of the surgical tool, helping them to be accurate and avoid being distracted.

After repeating the task a number of times, the students' eye movements soon mimicked those of a far more experienced surgeon. Members of the other groups, who were either taught how to move the surgical instruments or were left to their own devices, did not learn as quickly. Those students' performance broke down when they were put into conditions that simulated the environment of the operating theatre and they needed to multi-task.

"This exciting collaboration with the Universities of Exeter and Hong Kong has allowed us to trial a very novel approach to surgical education, applying the team's international expertise in the field of high performance athletes. Focussing on surgeons' eye movements has resulted in a reduction in the time taken to learn specific procedures and, more importantly, demonstrated that their skills are less likely to break down under pressure. Our current work has now moved into the operating theatre to ensure that patients will benefit from the advances in surgical training and surgical safety."

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ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2011)

Use it. Don't lose it.

2011-11-27T18:03:00.000-08:00

Here are nine ways you can use your Flex Spending Account on vision-related

needs before you lose your dollars for good.

Prescription Sunglasses: Because prescription sunglasses are considered medical devices, they qualify as an eligible Flex purchase. So if you’ve been dying to add a great pair of designer prescription sunglasses to your eyewear collection, now is the time. Any sunglass frame qualifies — including designer sunglasses — just as long as they contain valid prescription lenses.

Prescription Eyeglasses or Reading Glasses: Like prescription sunglasses, eye glasses are medical devices. So Flex funds can be spent on both prescription lenses and the frames to hold the lenses. If you’ve been putting off getting a new pair of prescription glasses, December is a great time to get an eye exam and upgrade your eyewear. If you’ve recently purchased a pair of “everyday” eyeglasses, you might use the remaining balance in your Flexible Spending Account to add a second, more “daring” pair of designer eye glasses to your wardrobe.

Contact Lenses: Daily wear and extended-wear disposal contact lenses typically have up to a four year shelf-life, provided they are stored in their original, sealed-packages under normal conditions. So if you want to stock up on contact lenses for the coming year, you can use your Flexible Spending Account funds to buy ahead for 2012. Even better, buying a year’s supply of contacts enables you to take advantage of bulk discounts and rebates to stretch your Flex Spending dollars even more. If you’re concerned about your prescription changing during the year, don’t worry: Most manufacturers and optical providers (including Urban Optiques) will let you return your unsealed contact lenses for a new prescription, if it changes.

Colored Contact Lenses: Want to make your brown eyes blue? Colored or tinted contact lenses are eligible for Flexible Spending, provided they are prescription lenses and not “no-power” contacts for purely cosmetic purposes.

Special Effects Prescription Contact Lenses: If you want to get a pair of prescription, special effects contacts for next Halloween (or just to add a little excitement at the next office party), special effects contact lenses like Crazy Eyes qualify for Flex Spending, provided they match your regular contact lens prescription.

Contact Lens Solution and Cleaners: It’s a small individual expense, but over the year, contact lens solution and cleaners can add up. If you have a few dollars left in your Flexible Spending Account, you can stock up on contact lens care products like solution and enzyme cleaners for the coming year.

Computer Glasses: Suffering from eye strain, headaches or blurry vision after a long day at the computer? Computer glasses might help. And, they qualify for Flex spending. Many people who don’t normally need eyeglasses find that a good pair of computer glasses can help them focus better after extended stints on the computer, as well as reduce eye fatigue. And computer glasses don’t have to be ugly — we can pair them up with any fashion or designer frame that you like.

Prescription Safety Glasses: While regular safety glasses don’t qualify for Flexible Spending, if you require a prescription in your safety glasses, you can use your Flexible Spending benefit to help cover the cost.

Eye Exams: You can also use your Flexible Spending Account dollars to offset deductibles and co-pays for eye exams. So if you haven’t had an exam in the past year and you have some Flex funds you are about to lose, get your peepers checked in December and be sure to get your receipts in before the end of the calendar year.

While prescription eyewear and vision care products can help you make sure you spend all of your Flexible Spending Account dollars without turning any unused balance over to Uncle Sam come January 1st, there are plenty of other non-vision ways to use your Flex Spending Account dollars.

Noninvasive Current Stimulation Improves Sight in Patients With Optic Nerve Damage

2011-11-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

It has long been thought that blindness after brain lesions is irreversible and that damage to the optic nerves leads to permanent impairments in everyday activities such as reading, driving, and spatial orientation. A new study published in Elsevier's Brain Stimulation suggests that treating such patients with low levels of non-invasive, repetitive, transorbital alternating current stimulation (rtACS) for 10 days (30-40 min per day) significantly reduces visual impairment and markedly improves vision-related quality of life.

The results of this study showed that treatment with rtACS resulted in an average of 41% shrinkage of the visual field loss. The rtACS-treated patients show significantly improved visual field sizes, which was not seen in patients who received sham treatment. Actively treated patients confirmed that their "general vision" was improved. In the sham-group, visual fields and estimates of subjective visual functioning remained largely unchanged.

"Our findings are important because they show that partial blindness can be reversed. We show for the first time that partial blindness can be reduced by a short-lasting therapeutic procedure using non-invasive electrical current stimulation," states Dr. Bernhard A. Sabel, researcher and senior author of this study

A group of 42 patients with visual impairments following optic nerve damage participated in the study. Patients were randomly assigned to either a control condition with sham stimulation or rtACS given with an alternating current stimulation device (EBS Technologies GmbH, Kleinmachnow, Germany) with electrodes positioned near the eyes. The length of the daily treatment session (both rtACS and sham-treatment) varied between 10 to 20 min for each eye, i.e. max 40 min. The optic nerve lesions were treated long after the early recovery phase (mean lesion age 5.5 yrs). Both patients and the experimenter evaluating the vision parameters were unaware to which treatment arm the patients belonged. The study's idea was to enhance visual system plasticity by increasing synaptic strength of residual cells in the partially damaged visual system and thus improve any residual visual capacity. The study documents a considerable activation potential of residual vision following optic nerve damage. Current pulses administered to the eye in a non-invasive manner might be able to unveil this plasticity.

The researchers were particularly interested to learn if rtACS has an effect on self-estimated visual and health-related functioning as assessed by quality of life questionnaires (e.g., the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire, NEI-VFQ). Vision parameters and patient reported outcomes were collected before and after the 10-day treatment course.

The findings of this study are not only of interest to basic scientists, showing that the adult visual system is more modifiable than was previously thought, but may also help develop new therapies for patients with visual field loss. Improving vision in a subjectively meaningful way is a clinical achievement that reduces the suffering of the partially blind.

Additional studies are now underway to document in patients with visual dysfunction the neurobiological basis of the rtACS effects. Furthermore, a clinical trial with larger patient groups is currently underway to replicate these findings. Finally, the use of rtACS for the treatment of hemianopia after stroke is now being explored as well.

ScienceDaily (Oct. 31, 2011) —

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The unseen danger of Diabetes

2011-10-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

November is American Diabetes Month and Vision Source optometrist Dr. Mark Lee urges patients with diabetes to schedule an annual comprehensive eye exam.

“Often there are no symptoms or pain in the early stages of the disease, which makes it important that all diabetics are monitored for diabetic retinopathy,” explains Lee. “Through an eye exam, we can detect the disease and can take action in the early stages. If left untreated, proliferative retinopathy can cause severe vision loss and even blindness. Also, the earlier you receive treatment, the more likely treatment will be effective.”

Symptoms of retinopathy include seeing floaters in one’s field of vision, blurred vision, dark spots and difficulty seeing at night. Patients experiencing any of these symptoms are strongly advised to schedule an appointment with their optometrist immediately. Diabetics can do their part to prevent or slow the development of diabetic retinopathy by taking medication prescribed by their doctors and controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, blood pressure while maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

“Small leaks in the retina can happen to any person with diabetes, even someone doing a great job of managing sugar levels. These leaks can be in areas of the retina that don’t cause any vision symptoms whatsoever,” says Lee. “That’s why it’s important to have regular, dilated eye examinations. Leaky vessels, if serious enough, can be treated to prevent major vision loss.”

By 2050, one in three adults in the United States could have the disease; currently, more than 25 percent of people over the age of 40 with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy1.

September is Sports Eye Safety Month.

2011-08-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

In honor of Home and Sports Eye Safety Month, this post will highlight ways to keep your home eye safe specifically in purchasing toys that are safe for your children's eyes. It's important to take the earliest chance to guarantee your home is an eye-safe zone.

In general, children enter the world with an underdeveloped optical structure that grows with them. As part of normal infant optical development, infants can see objects at close range only. Throughout their growing stages, children are visually stimulated. Children's games and toys can be one of the easiest methods for stimulating a youngster's sight. However, at the same time, you should consider that most childhood mishaps occur at home, many of them with toys.

So what can you do to avoid compromising your children's eyes? There are many precautions you can take when buying toys and games for the home that are safe for your child's eyes.

Firstly, ensure long-handled toys - such as sticks- aren't sharp-edged, and prohibit or monitor young children carefully if they are handling them. While building blocks are usually fine for almost all ages, it's good to make sure the corners are rounded, in order to prevent eye or other bodily injury. It's a good idea to stay away from shooting toys, such as slingshots or dart guns. In an instance where you can't eliminate them altogether, then use of these toys should only be used when accompanied by a responsible adult. When allowing older children to play with chemicals or tools, be sure he or she wears protective glasses.

Toys are not the only danger in the home environment. Corners with a sharp edge that are found on tables are right at eye level for small children and can often cause serious injury. Cleaning solutions that are not stored properly are another culprit for injury for kids and should be placed away or locked up to prevent curious children from obtaining them.

True, toys can sometimes be hazardous, but it's important to not overlook all of the advantages they offer. There are many age-appropriate toys for kids that provide amazing ways to advance optical development. When purchasing toys for kids, go for those that refine coordination between the hands and eyes and will help youngsters to understand colors, shapes and space. It can also be a good idea to do some research before making a purchase. Then you can guarantee that your purchase is safe for your children's eyes and will enrich their visual development as well!

Helping Eye Care Providers Better Assess Driving in Older Adults

2011-08-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Drivers over age 65 are the fastest-growing segment of the driving population, and their eye care providers -- ophthalmologists and optometrists -- are playing an increasingly important role in assessing their ability to drive safely.

Many eye care providers (81 percent) stress that certain resources -- driving assessment guidelines, clinical screening instruments and a patient self-evaluation tool -- would help them in assessing the driving capabilities of their senior patients, and help to address higher accident rates for older drivers.

"We've identified a need and a desire on the part of vision care professionals to help," says Dr. Musch, who cites research indicating that when seniors lose the ability to drive, there are consequences. These individuals have higher rates of depression and social isolation, more limited access to health care services, and are more likely to need long-term care. "Our goal is to intervene and work with our patients in modifying their driving habits. This will allow them to drive appropriately and maintain their independence," he says.

While most eye care providers feel confident in their ability to determine whether vision is adequate for safe driving, few consider themselves the most-qualified professional to identify unsafe drivers. Only a small number of eye care providers (8 percent) communicate driving concerns with the patient's primary care physician or refer patients to driving rehabilitation specialists or driving school. And, when asked about reporting unsafe drivers, some common concerns were negative impact on the doctor-patient relationship, liability issues, doctor-patient confidentiality and patient's quality of life.

Still, eye care providers are among the most important professionals in seniors' health care, and they need to be on the lookout for seniors who may need special attention, says Dr. Musch. Identifying and providing effective resources to eye care providers to aid them in evaluating and assisting patients is the next step in the process, he adds.

ScienceDaily (Aug. 22, 2011)

Additional authors include Brenda Gillespie, Ph.D., Nancy K. Janz, Ph.D., Rebecca Leinberger, M.P.H., and Leslie M. Niziol, M.S.

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August is Children's Eye Health and Safety Month

2011-08-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

August is just around the corner, and with it comes the start of a new school year. Along with back-to-school shopping, consider making August the month for basic healthcare services such as immunizations, dental cleanings, a physical and eye exam. In fact, children younger than school age can benefit from such services.

Ages Zero to Five

Proper vision screenings and examinations are essential for early detection and intervention of vision problems in children. Newborns should have their eyes checked before leaving the hospital. The examination in the nursery is for general eye health and includes a red reflex test. The exam can help detect several congenital eye problems, some of which may lead to blindness.

During well baby exams from birth to 2 years of age, your child’s pediatrician will use history and a vision evaluation to determine if vision problems exist. From ages 3 to 10, well child exams should include vision screenings to assess visual acuity and ocular alignment.

If there is ever a concern during a vision screening, your child should be referred for a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. The American Optometric Association recommends that in addition to screenings offered by primary care physicians, comprehensive eye examinations should be scheduled for ages 6 months, 3 years and 5 years for all children, regardless of vision concerns.

School-age Children

Vision can change frequently during the school years, hence the importance of the annual eye exam. More than 80 percent of early learning is visual. If your child is not performing well in school, don’t attribute it to lack of interest or laziness. In some instances, the problem could be vision related. The American Optometric Association (AOA) indicates the most common vision problem is nearsightedness or myopia. However, some children have other forms of refractive error like farsightedness and astigmatism. In addition, the existence of eye focusing, eye tracking and eye coordination problems may affect school performance.

Simply put, children have a hard time concentrating if they are unable to see well enough to follow along. And when children don’t comprehend that their inability to process information or see the chalkboard is related to their vision, they may develop poor self esteem, become frustrated with formalized education or act out. According to the AOA, many children are mislabeled as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when, in reality, they actually have an undiagnosed vision problem.

Vision is an integral part of learning and early intervention is the key to ensuring lifelong independence. An undetected visual impairment at an early can set a child back years in development in just a few short months.

Without good vision, a child’s ability to learn and comprehend the world around them suffers. Since many vision impairments begin at an early age, proper care and early detection is key to ensuring a lifetime of success and independence for children.

Ensure early detection by scheduling an annual eye exam. If you notice the following problems with your child between appointments, see your regular eye doctor right away.

Frequent eye rubbing or blinking
Frequent headaches
Covering one eye
Short attention span
Avoiding reading assignments or holding reading materials close to the face
An eye turning in or out
Seeing double
Losing his or her place when reading
Difficulty with reading retention