Review of Optometry articles from April 2002

Review of Optometry archives from April 2002

Craig Steinberg. (In The News).(dismissal of 1-800 Contacts' lawsuit)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... A California Superior Court Judge has dismissed 1-800 Contacts' lawsuit against optometrist/lawyer Craig Steinberg and Jerrald Conder, an attorney formerly employed by 1-800 (see News Review, March2002).The company sued Dr. Steinberg for...

Migraine. (In The News).(steroid injection decreases symptoms)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... A steroid injection, aimed at decreasing swelling of the trochlea tendon (which attaches to the orbit of the eye), also decreases symptoms of migraine, says a study in the March issue of Neurology.

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. (In The News).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) has kicked off a new program to draw applicants to optometry schools. Dubbed "The Eyes Have It!" and underwritten by a grant from Vistakon, the effort targets students, alumni and...

By 2030, ranks of blind to double: As Americans live longer, the incidence of eye disease will vastly increase. (News Review).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population is also the oldest. About 33 million Americans are age 65 and older-- about one in eight people. By 2020, there will be about 53 million who are 65 and older, or about one in six Americans. ...

Contact lens fitting fees fall, material fees hold steady. (News Review).
April 15, 2002... To remain in the black as a contact lens dispenser, you face this dilemma: Raise your materials prices, or raise your fitting fees. But in tough times, don't do either? That seemed to be the case in 2001. In fact, O.D.s lowered their...

Atropine as good as patching for Amblyopia Treatment. (News Review).
April 15, 2002... Results of the Amblyopia Treatment Study (ATS 1) show atropine is nearly as effective as patching for treatment of children's amblyopia. The study was published in the March issue of Archives of Ophthalmology. Researchers studied 419...

AMO picks up Allergan's lens care, surgical optics. (News Review).(Advanced Medical Optics Inc.)
April 15, 2002... Soon you'll be dealing with a new supplier of contact lens care products: Advanced Medical Optics Inc., or AMO, which Allergan Inc. is spinning off. The Complete line of lens care products will come under AMO's umbrella, as will a line of...

Mast cell heterogeneity. (Alcon Challenge Series).
April 15, 2002... One of the challenges in managing ocular allergies is to address the wide variety of triggering events as well as the different ways in which individuals react not only to these allergens but also to the medications we use to curb the allergic...

Time to endorse and reciprocate. (Editor's Page).
April 15, 2002... Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of editorials on the future direction of optometry. A few setbacks on optometry's legislative front don't detract from the fact that the profession has a solid legislative agenda that has...

Stop the boat! I have CE sickness: Or, 'all I really need to know--and more--I learned in optometric CE'. (Chair Side).(continuing education)
April 15, 2002... Periodically, I sit in a darkened room full of squirming, whispering innocents as a wiser soul tries to turn mush into steak, lima beans into apple pie a la mode, ignorance into enlightenment. No, this is not cooking class at the middle...

Touched by the luck of the Irish: On St. Patrick's Day, a would-be O.D. taught me a lot about who we are. (Another Perspective).
April 15, 2002... Having grown up in an Irish neighborhood in the Bronx, I've always thought of myself as a little bit Irish. I like Irish music, love Irish stew and drink Irish whiskey. So it came as no surprise that when I lectured last month on St. Patrick's...

Letters & E-mail.(CRT: Is It or Isn't It The 'O' Word?)(Witness to the Grief of Reciprocity Scorned)(Missing the Point About Hyperopic Children)(Letter to the Editor)
April 15, 2002... CRT: Is It or Isn't It The 'O' Word? We read with great interest the article, "Corneal Refractive Therapy: Why it's Not the 'O' Word" (News Review, February 2002). We have no issue if Paragon Vision Sciences wants to call its...

Ramp up to provide access to all: Stricter enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act could affect your practice someday soon. (Practice Management).
April 15, 2002... Someday, that building you practice in is going to have to comply with federal standards for wheelchair access. No, the FBI isn't going to come pounding on your door with their badges flashing. However, the feds have stepped up enforcement of...

Prepare to care for the physically challenged: You're uniquely qualified to meet the needs of this growing patient group. (Patient Care).
April 15, 2002... Physically challenged patients have a greater incidence of refractive errors, strabismus, oculomotor anomalies and ocular diseases than your so-called "typical" patients. What's more, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that one...

The irregular cornea: Go beyond the routine; Here's how you can help patients left with significant astigmatism from corneal trauma, PK and refractive surgery mishaps. (26th Annual Contact Lens Report).
April 15, 2002... A 56-year-old male undergoes LASIK, only to find a year later that his vision never fully improved. A 73-year-old female undergoes corneal transplant surgery, but cannot achieve better than 20/70[+ or -] acuity with glasses. They now depend on...

Four fits to fix refractive surgery outcomes: These four cases demonstrate how to approach visual distortion following vision correction procedures. (26th Annual Contact Lens Report).
April 15, 2002... Though refractive surgery volumes dipped last year, some 307,300 procedures were still performed in the United States in the third quarter, the Refractive Market Perspectives newsletter reports. Another 314,800 procedures were done on U.S....

Help! I've been grafted: Here's how contact lenses can improve vision after corneal transplantation. (26th Annual Contact Lens Report).
April 15, 2002... Patients who are referred to you after corneal transplantation could be one of the greatest challenges to your contact lens fitting skills. You're not just fitting an irregular cornea; you're also fitting a patient who has waited a long time to...

Strategies for fitting the damaged cornea: Corneal topography is the key to making contact lenses work for these patients. (26th Annual Contact Lens Report).
April 15, 2002... Janice was a 26-year-old office worker, a bilateral -8.00D myope who had a 30-day contact lens wearing schedule. Unfortunately, the wearing schedule was of her own devising; she was originally prescribed seven-day disposables. After she...

What the CLEK study means to you: The Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus Study is providing new insights. (26th Annual Contact Lens Report).(Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus Observational Study)
April 15, 2002... Six years into the first major study of keratoconus, we've learned many things about this disease. Data indicate that keratoconus is a bilateral but asymmetrical disorder, and that the vast majority of patients wear rigid lenses. Keratoconus is...

Make your allergy Tx match your patient's needs: We have myriad agents available to treat allergic eye disease. These four cases show how to choose an appropriate agent for each patient. (Optometric Study Center).
April 15, 2002... The patient who presents with two red eyes and complains of itching is all too familiar, especially at this time of year. Of all anterior segment conditions, allergic eye disease can be the most challenging to manage because there are so many...

Horner's syndrome signals carotid artery disease: Headache, ptosis and miosis all pointed to a life-threatening problem. (Case Report).
April 15, 2002... A 36-year-old white female presented, complaining of constant periorbital headaches on the right side, accompanied by ptosis and miotic pupil. Some four weeks earlier the patient developed a temporal scintillating scotoma in her right eye;...

Where has all the SLK gone?: Contact lens SLK can have serious corneal consequences. (Comanagement Q&A).(superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis)
April 15, 2002... Q What is contact lens-superior limbic keratoconjuntivitis syndrome? A Contact lens superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis (CL-SLK) syndrome was initially seen in contact lens wearers in the early 1980s. Some soft lens patients using...

Color-deficient patients see Red?: There are a few options to help these patients. Here are some suggestions. (Cornea & Contact Lens Q&A).
April 15, 2002... Q Are there any contact lenses that will allow a red-green color-blind patient to pass the Ishihara test? -Deborah Mastrangelo, O.D., Pittsburgh. A Yes. There are several tinted contact lenses that can help this patient pass the Ishihara...

HZO and the eyes: some new insights: These new discoveries can expedite your management of herpes zoster patients. (Research Review).(herpes zoster ophthalmicus)
April 15, 2002... Editor's note: Over the next few months Dr. Karpecki will review the current research on common ocular conditions, and translate that into how you can apply that in your clinical practice. Approximately half of all patients with herpes...

Cancer patient has peculiar lesions: What are they, and do they explain her longstanding floaters? (Retina Quiz).(Gardner's syndrome)
April 15, 2002... A 38-year-old Hispanic female presented complaining of longstanding floaters O.S. She said they were more apparent when looking at light-colored backgrounds, such as when driving on a clear day. Otherwise, she had no visual complaints and wore...

New retinal cell may set 'clock': The discovery of a new retinal cell may help blind patients sleep better. (Therapeutic Forum).
April 15, 2002... Light synchronizes human circadian rhythms to environmental time by modulating retinal input to the suprachiasmic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, an area long thought to be the body's internal clock center. (1) Scientists recently discovered...

Punctal plugs in bulk. (Therapeutic Aids).(QuickLoad Parasol punctal occluders from Odyssey Medical)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Now you can get bulk economy packages of Parasol punctal occluders. This new package, introduced by Odyssey Medical, is called QuickLoad. The new plug stand makes loading quick and easy, the company says. QuickLoad is available in boxes of...

BIOs have new features. (Diagnostic Instruments).(Keeler Instruments adds enhancements)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Keeler Instruments has added enhancements to its line of binocular indirect ophthalmoscopes, and has introduced a new convertible power source. Both the Vantage and All Pupil II BIOs now come standard with headband dimmers. The Vantage also now...

Tomography in real-time. (Diagnostic Instruments).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Carl Zeiss Ophthalmic Systems, Humphrey Division, received FDA clearance to market the OCT3 Model 3000 optical coherence tomographer. The OCT3 provides real-time cross-sectional images of the retina that have axial resolution of 10 microns or...

New dietary supplement. (Diagnostic Instruments).(I-Sense OcuShield from Akorn Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Akorn Inc. launched I-Sense OcuShield, an ocular vitamin containing high concentrations of antioxidants and minerals, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin. The antioxidant and mineral formulation is intended to delay the onset of age-related...

For corneal asymmetry. (Contact Lenses).(Wave Contact Lens Systems introduces Z-Wave)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Wave Contact Lens Systems (WCLS) introduced Z-Wave contact lens design software, the next generation of its previously released Wave Design software. The original Wave software uses the Alliance Scout portable topographer data to design a...

Monthly Toric for high Cyl. (Contact Lenses).(CooperVision extends power range)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... CooperVision has extended the cylinder power range and axis steps of its Frequency 55 toric. Frequency 55 Toric XR is now available in base curves of 8.4mm and 8.7mm. Sphere powers are +6.00D to -8.00D, and cylinder powers are -2.75 to -5.75D....

Lens learning for O.D.s. (Contact Lenses).
April 15, 2002... If you fit or are considering fitting Acuvue2 Colours, Vistakon released a CD-ROM to help you through the specifics. The CD-ROM is intended to educate you and your staff on prescribing, fitting and treating patients with new Acuvue2 Colours....

A guide to Progressives. (Ophthalmic Lenses).(Optical Laboratories Association report on progressive contact lenses)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The Optical Laboratories Association (OLA) released the fifth edition of its Progressive Identifier chart. This guide features more than 160 lenses, and includes an index of recommended fitting heights. For each lens there is a diagram, which...

Progressive in a new material. (Ophthalmic Lenses).(Younger Optics introduces Image progressive lenses)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Younger Optics released the Image progressive in Trilogy. Made from PPG Trivex, this new technology-- co-developed by PPG Industries and Younger Optics-- offers superior optical performance while still supplying maximum impact resistance...

Lens and frame package. (Ophthalmic Lenses).(Advertising)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... In an effort to simplify the purchasing process for patients, select Essilor optical labs now offer frames from the Sophia Loren Eyewear collection and Essilor Varilux progressive addition lenses with Crizal in one package. The Sophia...

Variable focus for computers. (Ophthalmic Lenses).(PRIO Corp. computer lens)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 15, 2002... PRIO Corporation has introduced a variable focus lens for computer users. The PRIO Browser computer lens, designed by Carl Zeiss Optical, is an aspheric variable focus lens designed specifically for computer and intermediate use. The PRIO...

Tweaks the light spectrum. (Sunwear).(Costa Del Mar Wave 580 performance lens)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 15, 2002... Costa Del Mar introduced its Wave 580 performance lens. Wave stands for wavelength absorption for visual enhancement. This improves vision through greater color discrimination and reduction of glare, the company says. The lens raises the red,...

Safety in sight. (Sunwear).(Fitovers Eyewear add safety sunwear to Jonathan Paul collection)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Fitovers Eyewear, a manufacturer of sunglasses that fit over prescription eyewear, has added new safety sunwear to its Jonathan Paul collection. The new style, the Jonathan Paul Otto, features the company's PDX PolarDynamix lenses. PDX lenses...

Automated features. (In-Office Lab).(Axcell CL from Briot)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... The Axcell CL is a new lens edging system from Briot that offers automatic centering and blocking, a touch screen and 5-D tracing. The Axcell CL tracer-blocker features an image processing system that analyzes most single vision, bifocal...

Edger and Drill in one. (In-Office Lab).(WECO 450 Drill & Edge)(Advertising)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 15, 2002... WECO introduced an edger with a built-in drill for three-piece rimless mounts. The WECO 450 Drill & Edge drills all plastic and hard resin lens materials. It can drill up to four holes or four slots per lens. The unit also edges all lens...

Finishing system that's compact. (In-Office Lab).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 15, 2002... Gerber Coburn Optical's new compact finishing system, Delta, uses new processing technology, traditional blocking functions and a user-friendly interface. The Delta tracer not only measures x, y and z--it also provides the frame groove angle....

Customized e-mail outreach. (Practice Management Tools).(EyeMail.net from EyeMail)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... EyeMail.net designed a new e-mail marketing system, EyeMail. The system lets you send targeted e-mail messages. For example, you can use the system's "Reminders" to announce scheduled examinations. Or, you can set up "Auto Recalls." You also...

Computerized dispensing system. (Practice Management Tools).(Interactive Visual System's Activisu Solutions)(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... Interactive Visual System's Activisu Solutions is a digital imaging system that helps patients understand and select eyewear or contact lenses. The system lets patients choose from a virtual frame board or a selection of color contact lenses,...

Point-of-sale tools match ads. (Practice Management Tools).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 15, 2002... Transitions new consumer ad campaign seeks to establish Transitions lenses as a smart choice for everyday eyewear. The print ads challenge patients' perceptions about photochromic lenses and introduce them to the company's Next Generation...

Patient sees blur; doctor sees red. (Diagnostic Quiz).(Brief Article)
April 15, 2002... History A 19-year-old black male presented for an emergency eye examination with a chief complaint of blurred vision, redness and pain in the left eye. The patient was a non-compliant soft contact lens wearer. He slept in his lenses...

Bausch & Lomb.(Advertising)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 15, 2002... Dear Colleague Bausch & Lomb has invested many years and millions of dollars in the development of Pure Vision[TM] lenses, resulting in a chemistry that is highly differentiable from all other current hydrogel chemistry. The advent of...

Philip B. Morgan.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... Philip B. Morgan, PhD, MCOptom, FAAO - Manchester, England Phil Morgan has been with the Department of Optometry and Neuroscience, UMIST, Manchester, England, for 12 years. He is an examiner in the Professional Qualifying Examinations for...

Mike DePaolis.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... Mike DePaolis, OD, FAAO - Rochester, New York Mike DePaolis is a graduate of Pennsylvania College of Optometry and in private group practice in Rochester, NY. He serves as an adjunct faculty member at the Pennsylvania College of Optometry...

Jane Sparholt.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... Jane Sparholt, MD - Rome, Denmark Jane Sparholt shares a private practice that includes neuro ophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmology with her husband in Ronne, Denmark. She also participates in clinical trials, performs oculoplastic and...

Urs Businger.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... Urs Businger, OD, FAAO - Luzern, Switzerland Practicing in Luzern, Switzerland, Urs Businger is a member of the board of the Swiss Optometric Association and Diplomat in the Cornea and Contact Lens Section of the American Academy of...

Emmanuel Calligeros.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... Emmanuel Calligeros, OD - Newtown, Australia Emmanuel Calligeros has been practicing as an optometrist in Newtown, Australia, for more than 20 years. Emmanuel specializes in contact lenses, a subject that he has taught extensively...

Alan Saks.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... Alan Saks, OD, MCOptom, FAAO - Auckland, New Zealand A partner in Barry & Beale Optometrists, the oldest practice in New Zealand, Alan Saks is also the president of the New Zealand Society of Contact Lens Practitioners. In addition to...

John D. Jantzi.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... John D. Jantzi, OD, MSc - South Surrey, British Columbia, Canada John Jantzi received the OD degree in 1975 and an MSc in 1981 from the University of Waterloo School of Optometry. Over the past 20 years, he has conducted numerous FDA...

Burt Dubow.(Interview)
April 15, 2002... Burt Dubow, OD, FAAO - St. Cloud, Minnesota Burt Dubow received his Doctor of Optometry from Pacific University College of Optometry in 1975. He is a Past Chair of the Contact Lens Section of the American Optometric Association, a Fellow of...