Regular visitors to our office know that we use cutting edge technology in our practice. That includes every step of the way from electronic documentation to integration of test results with our machines.

An old technology that simply refuses to go away is the Fax machine – many insurance companies will insist on sending information regarding patient benefits via fax. We also get a fair number of ‘promotions’ via fax. It can be a wide range from cruise vacations to deals and offers from optical labs. This spat out a paper which then sat until someone grabs and tosses it to the bin!

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It has now become an annual tradition in our office. Our ‘Open House’ and Trunk Show Gala happens on the Friday of St. Patrick’s day week. We invite all our patients to come see us for the new collections of Spectacle Frames we carry; meet our optician to learn of the latest advancements in digital lens technology and hear from our contact lens staff about finding the most comfortable lens at the right price!

This year was a blow out…

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This third month of the year is (a) National Nutrition Month (b) Save Your Vision Month and (c) Workplace Eye Wellness Month.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage an increased focus on fruits and vegetables and an understanding of proper portion sizes. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) helps consumers understand how to implement these suggestions into their daily lives with “Get Your Plate in Shape,” this year’s theme of National Nutrition Month.

Launched in June 2011, USDA’s MyPlate replaced MyPyramid as the government’s primary food group symbol as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines. Dividing the plate into four sections: fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins, as well as a glass representing dairy products, it shows consumers how they can incorporate the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines into every meal. As part of this public education campaign, the Academy’s National Nutrition Month website (www.eatright.org/nnm) includes helpful tips, fun games, promotional tools and nutrition education resources, all designed to spread the message of good nutrition around the “Get Your Plate in Shape” theme.

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People who sit in front of a computer for long periods of time often encounter a variety of uncomfortable symptoms. Headaches, neck strain, backaches and wrist pain are common, but, sadly, the most prevalent symptoms of prolonged computer use-eye strain, blurred vision and dry eye-are often overlooked. In fact, eye and vision problems are the most frequently reported health care problems among computer users.

Each of the following factors  play a part in computer vision syndrome.

• Screen resolution — Better resolution offers greater clarity and usually leads to improved comfort. Adjust the resolution to the highest resolution your monitor will support. If the increased screen resolution makes items too small, try increasing the font size (DPI) to compensate.
• Screen contrast — Adjust the contrast between the characters on the monitor and the background so the letters are easily read. Adjust the brightness of the monitor to an intensity that is comfortable to your eyes–not too bright and not too dim. Adjust both brightness and contrast for the best clarity.
• Screen glare and reflections — Minimize reflected glare on your monitor by using window treatments, dimmer switches on lights and glare reduction filters. Look for glare reduction filters that have received the American Optometric Association Seal of Acceptance. Proper adjustment should eliminate any reflected images from the monitor screen. To reduce glare, eliminate bright light sources from your peripheral vision and position your monitor perpendicular to windows or other bright light sources.
• Image refresh rates and flicker — A higher refresh rate for your monitor is best. The image on the screen should not flicker at all. (This is not a concern with LCDs.)
• Working distances and angles — It is important to work at a distance that is comfortable for you and where the image on the screen is clear. Having to move your head to an awkward angle to see the screen clearly suggests that your prescription may need adjustment.
• General eyeglass prescription may not be adequate — Computers are usually further and higher than a typical reading task. Glasses for most people wearing bifocals are not adjusted for this new distance or angle and therefore often are not adequate for using the computer.
• Repetitive and stressful tasks — Difficult tasks are challenging. Don’t forget to take occasional breaks and let the eyes look far away while resting.

Tips for Healthy, Comfortable Vision at the Computer

While decreasing time spent at a computer may not be an option, there are ways to maximize healthy vision for comfortable use of the computer.

• Have a regular comprehensive eye exam to ensure your eyes are healthy and that you have the correct eyeglass or contact lens prescription (if necessary). Be certain to tell your optometrist about the computer work you do.
• Wear glasses that are specifically designed to function comfortably at the computer. The lenses you wear for day-to-day activities may not be the best for working at the computer. Rest the eyes
  • Blink forcefully
  • Use a humidifier
  • Instill artificial tears

After you have had a comprehensive eye examination, there are a number of things that you can do to arrange and use the elements of your workstation to eliminate or minimize discomfort.

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Eye injuries in the workplace are common. According to Prevent Blindness America, more than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day.

OSHA’s eye and face protection standard (1910.133) states, “the employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.”

Whether on the job or working on projects around the house, remember to wear proper safety glasses, goggles or face shields. Follow employer guidelines or the safety instructions provided with the equipment, materials or tools you are using.

In addition:

• Make sure you have properly fitted protection. For example, if your safety glasses slip, or are crooked or too tight, adjust them.
• Keep your protective equipment clean to improve visibility. Wash it regularly with mild soap and water or eyeglass cleaner. Polish with a soft cloth or tissue.
• Use anti-dust and anti-fog sprays to help prevent buildup on your safety glasses.
• Store your protective equipment carefully to avoid damage when not in use. Any damage to lenses or shields can lessen the impact-resistance and result in inadequate protection.

Current treatments to slow the progression of myopia in children either don’t work or cause problematic side effects, according to a recent review published by pediatric eye doctors and study methodologists.

The reviewers analyzed data from 23 randomized controlled trials, which included a total of 4,696 participants. They considered a number of potential myopia treatments including bifocal glasses, eye drops, intraocular pressure-lowering drugs and contact lenses:

Two studies investigated undercorrection of myopia.

12 studies investigated multifocal spectacles (progressive addition lenses [PALs] or bifocal spectacles).

One study investigated bifocal soft contact lenses (BSCLs).

Two studies investigated rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGPCLs).

Six studies investigated pharmaceutical eye drops (five of these were of anti-muscarinic medications).

One study investigated new lenses designed to reduce peripheral hyperopic defocus (i.e., lenses that help to focus peripheral vision as well as central vision).

One study evaluated both multifocal lenses and pharmaceutical eye drops.

The follow-up period was at least one year for all studies.

Of all the treatments, anti-muscarinic eye drops offered the largest positive effects for slowing myopia progression, the authors found, but they caused either light sensitivity or blurred near vision. Also, these drops are not yet commercially available, so their use is limited and impractical.

PALs and bifocal spectacles were found to yield a small slowing of myopia progression. RGPCLs were found to have no evidence of effect on myopic eye growth, while undercorrection of myopia was found to increase myopia progression slightly.

Lastly, “other methods of myopia control, such as the use of corneal reshaping contact lenses or bifocal soft contact lenses (BSCLs) with a distance center, are promising but currently no published randomized clinical trials exist,” the authors concluded.

An overview of the report is available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004916.pub3/pdf/abstract.

Macular degeneration is a progressive eye condition affecting as many as 15 million Americans and millions more around the world. The disease attacks the macula of the eye, where our sharpest central vision occurs. Although it rarely results in complete blindness, it robs the individual of all but the outermost, peripheral vision, leaving only dim images or black holes at the center of vision.
Because you never become blind with AMD, there is always sight available if you know how to use it. There are many different products currently in the market to assist people with low vision, and more are being developed.

Low vision devices in the past have been mainly extraocular (outside your eye). There are now four new devices that can be placed inside the eye, in different stages of development and implementation that are currently available. Three of them are implanted into the anterior segment:
Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT, VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies),
Intraocular Lens for Visually Impaired People (IOL-VIP, IOL-VIP System, Soleko), and
Lipschitz Mirror Implant (LMI, Optolight Vision Technology)
while the Argus II (Second Sight Medical Products) is implanted into the posterior segment.

The goal of these devices is to increase the patient quality of life.  The IMT is the only device that has been shown to increase the visual function.  It is the only FDA-approved device in the US while the Argus has been approved in Europe. Each of these prosthetics has potential benefits for patients. We’ll keep watching!

Dr Gregg Homer claims 20 seconds of laser light can remove pigment in brown eyes so they gradually turn blue.

He is now seeking up to $750,000 of investment to continue clinical trials. However, other eye experts urge caution because destroying eye pigment can cause sight problems if too much light is allowed to enter the pupil.

Stroma Medical, the company set up to commercialise the process, estimates it will take at least 18 months to finish the safety tests. The process involves a computerized scanning system that takes a picture of the iris and works out which areas to treat. The laser is then fired, using a proprietary pattern, hitting one spot of the iris at a time. When it has hit every spot it then starts again, repeating the process several times. However the treatment only takes 20 seconds.

“The laser agitates the pigment on the surface of the iris,” Dr Homer – the firm’s chairman and chief scientific officer – told the BBC.

“We use two frequencies that are absorbed by dark pigment, and it is fully absorbed so there is no danger of damage to the rest of the eye. It heats it up and changes the structure of the pigment cells. The body recognizes they are damaged tissue and sends out a protein. This recruits another feature that is like little pac-men that digest the tissue at a molecular level.”

After the first week of treatment, the eye colour turns darker as the tissue changes its characteristics. Then the digestion process starts, and after a further one to three weeks the blueness appears. Since the pigment – called melanin – does not regenerate the treatment is irreversible.

The current estimate to have such an operation done is about $5,000 for each eye, though the technology won’t be fully ready for prime time for at least three years. In the meantime, Homer is confident that the procedure will prove to be safe with minimal side effects. However, at east one expert has expressed that safety might be a concern.