Review of Optometry articles from December 2002

Review of Optometry archives from December 2002

Armani. (In the News).
December 15, 2002... Armani is ending its eyewear distribution relationship with Luxottica as of May 31, 2003. Armani is looking to reduce the number of sellers of its eyewear to make it more of a niche product.

Elton John. (In the News).
December 15, 2002... Get back, honky cat! Elton John, the poster boy for eyewear, is getting LASIK. Sir John has owned 20,000 pairs of glasses over the years, but says that he is fed up with using and losing his glasses.

Automobile. (In the News).
December 15, 2002... Automobile airbags are more likely to cause motorists minor eye injuries, although airbags reduce the chance to sustain severe eye injuries, according to a new study in the November Archives of Ophthalmology. However, this trend may reverse...

Vitamin therapy. (In the News).
December 15, 2002... Vitamin therapy can save vision in AMD patients--and save major healthcare dollars, says ophthalmologist Sanjay Sharma, of Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. Speaking at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting, Dr. Sharma says that...

VSP plans changes that spark O.D. ire: VSP says the changes help doctors be more competitive. Many O.D.s disagree. (News Review).
December 15, 2002... Vision Service Plan is rated one of the top 25 companies in the U.S. to work for, according to Fortune magazine. But with new changes to its contact lens and frame benefit plans, VSP's rating among its doctors may be slipping. These...

Pennsylvania O.D.s to acquire steroids and glaucoma. (News Review).
December 15, 2002... A law that would allow Pennsylvania O.D.s to prescribe anti-glaucoma medications and steroids was awaiting the governor's signature at press time. The Pennsylvania House and Senate both unanimously passed bills that would allow...

HHS takes a closer look at comanagement care. (News Review).
December 15, 2002... The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General will review cataract comanagement relationships between optometrists and ophthalmologists to look for any Medicare anti-kickback violations as part of its 2003 work plan....

Empire State optometrists regain right to occlude. (News Review).
December 15, 2002... A New York State appeals court has restored the Empire State's optometrists' right to insert punctal plugs, scuttling an ophthalmologist's legal attempts to deny New York O.D.s that right because, he contended, it was an illegal use of...

An independent's independence. (Editor's Page).
December 15, 2002... There's one thing I've learned about independent optometrists through the years. They like the "independent" part as much as they like the "optometrist" part. Ask them to give up one or the other, and they'd probably quit. Vision Service...

Now, that's entertainment! Thank you! I'll be here all week! And don't forget to tip your lovely assistants. (Chairside).
December 15, 2002... The blank stare. I hate to see it. You deliver your very best "I am a good guy and you should want to come to me for eye care and recommend me to all of your family and friends," and you get the blank stare. I mean, how could this...

Letters & E-Mail.
December 15, 2002... Try Nature's Way To Treat Migraine Medication can sometimes do the trick to alleviate a migraine headache, as Dr. Paul Ajamian comments in his Comanagement Q&A column "Is Teenager Having a Typical Migraine?" (October 2002). However,...

Back to the beltway for the lone O.D. in the House: Dr. John Boozman expects more on health care from the 108th Congress. (News Analysis).
December 15, 2002... Health-care legislation that got shelved or shot down no matter how much tweaking this past year may get a second chance with the Senate's new Republican majority. With Republicans controlling both the Senate and the U.S. House of...

A parade of PALs the race to fit the lens to the presbyope: A host of new lens-design methods took center stage at this year's Optical Laboratories Association meeting. (Presbyopia Report).
December 15, 2002... Lens manufacturers have rolled out all kinds of new techno-terms to explain the science behind today's progressive addition lenses. Terms such as "Individual," "retina forward," "ray-tracing," etc. all describe different design methods lens...

Presbyopia: new insights into an age-old problem; researchers are coming to better understand accommodation--knowledge that may one day lead to new treatments. (Cover Focus).
December 15, 2002... Of all ocular conditions, presbyopia is perhaps the only one that affects everyone who lives past age 40. Given the aging of the population, it's no wonder that the National Eye Institute has made presbyopia one of its research priorities, as...

Neovascular membrane makes an unusual appearance: A 'gray film' in the vision of a patient with fundus flavimaculatus signals a diagnosis of CVNM. (Case Report).
December 15, 2002... A 54-year-old white female presented for her yearly examination in May 2000. She had experienced a decrease in vision in her right eye over the previous three weeks. She described it as a stationary, transparent "gray film." She reported no...

OHTS guide: The clinical findings; The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study enforces what we've long believed about progression and uncovers new findings that may change your clinical approach.
December 15, 2002... Ocular hypertension, a relatively common clinical finding, is elevated IOP in the absence of clinically detectable optic nerve or visual field changes. When faced with this finding, the clinician may elect to: * Treat all ocular...

OHTS guide: medical management; POAG and ocular hypertension management standards may change as a result of findings from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study.
December 15, 2002... The medical management of POAG and ocular hypertension focuses on lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) because elevated IOP is the primary treatable risk factor associated with glaucoma. Further, studies suggest a dose response relationship...

Answers to Diagnostic Quiz 2002.
December 15, 2002... December 2001 Yellowish Skin Appearance Raises Doctor's Curiosity Diagnosis: Xanthelasma palpebrarum. January 2002 What Caused Patient's Multiple Ocular Findings? Diagnosis: Multifocal choroiditis. February 2002 ...

The future of IOLs that accommodate: preliminary findings show good results in the right kind of presbyope. (Research Review).
December 15, 2002... New research into accommodating intraocular lenses indicates that many patients who get these implants will enjoy good distance and near vision. The first hint that intraocular lens implants could accommodate came back in 1986, when Spencer...

Who's the best fit for bifocal IOL? An Array IOL implant will improve vision for some. For others, it's discouraged. (Comanagement Q&A).
December 15, 2002... Q Which patients are good candidates for an Array bifocal implant? A Hyperopic presbyopes with unaided visual acuity of <20/40 are generally the best candidates for an Array bifocal implant, from Advanced Medical Optics. Presbyopic lens...

Extended wear for presbyopes? Presbyopes have limited options for extended wear in soft contact lenses. (Cornea & Contact Lens Q&A).
December 15, 2002... Q Are there any soft extended-wear options for multifocal contact lens wearers? A Hyperpermeable soft contact lens materials give patients unparalleled levels of safety and comfort, and in many cases the convenience of wearing contact...

Why do maculae have disturbances? And, what will it take to restore vision to the patient's left eye? (Retina Quiz).
December 15, 2002... A 69-year-old Haitian female presented complaining of decreased vision in the right eye for approximately four months. The vision in her fellow eye had been severely diminished since 1996. She had no prior history of ocular surgery or trauma....

The retinal view. (Product Review: Diagnostic Aids).
December 15, 2002... The Heidelberg Retina Angiograph 2 (HRA2) is the newest tool for imaging and evaluating retinal and optic nerve pathology. Diagnostic capabilities include autofluorescence, stereo and wide-field imaging, and high-speed angiography. The...

This rod brings it near. (Product Review: Diagnostic Aids).
December 15, 2002... PRIO Corporation has redesigned its Nearpoint Rod (NPR) so that it now fits on the phoropter and replaces the standard rigid model. The NPR also provides retractability to change the working distance to the target, and allows mounting of a...

A ro-table. (Product Review: Diagnostic Aids).
December 15, 2002... The newest pretest diagnostic table from Rota Systems is designed to endure technological advances in eye care. The Boomerang supports four 110V instruments, and features a hydraulic base that lets you adjust the height of the table from 27...

PDA pal. (Product Review: Diagnostic Aids).
December 15, 2002... The Pixelvue PDA Holder from Gulden Ophthalmics is a new tool designed to help you determine the best refraction for patients who use computers. The one-piece PDA holder simulates the pixelated view of a computer screen. It fits onto the...

Ever expanding Transitions. (Product Review: Ophthalmic Lenses).
December 15, 2002... Essilor of America has extended the range of the 1.50 index Next Generation Transitions Gray finished single-vision lenses. The lenses now come in powers of +4.00D to -4.00D with up to -2.00D cylinder. Other Next Generation Transitions...

Three times better than conventional AR. (Product Review: Ophthalmic Lenses).
December 15, 2002... A new anti-reflective coating system is available on Hoya Vision Care's lenses. Super HiVision AR coating provides a scratch resistance of 12.43 on the Bayer abrasion test, compared with a resistance of 12-14 for glass. Hoya claims...

What's in a lens? A new name. (Product Review: Contact Lenses).
December 15, 2002... The LifeStyle toric bifocal lens will now be called MVt multifocal toric. The LifeStyle Company made this change so that practitioners would know the lens is a toric version of the company's MV2 multifocal lens. MVt multifocal contact...

The ESSential generation. (Product Review: Contact Lenses).
December 15, 2002... The ESSential Xtra is a second-generation aspheric multifocal contact lens that Blanchard Contact Lens says improves upon the design of the ESSential RGP. ESSential Xtra has an improved aspheric posterior surface design, larger distance...

Punctal plug package. (Product Review: Therapeutic Aids & Agents).
December 15, 2002... Surgical Specialties Corporation has made three additions to its UltraPlug Punctum Plug Line. The first is ZoneQuick, a 15-second dry eye test, which uses a yellow thread that changes color when it comes in contact with tears. You place the...

Medinotes is HIP-AA. (Product Review: Office Equipment).
December 15, 2002... Charting Plus Version 4.3 from Medinotes Corporation has added and enhanced features that have been certified for HIPAA regulations by an independent HIPAA consultant. Enhancements to Charting Plus 4.3 include features related to HIPAA...

Edge express. (Product Review: Optical Equipment).
December 15, 2002... The LE-9000Ex express lab edger from Santinelli International is a more affordable edition of the company's SE-9090 industrial edger. A new, high-speed motor helps the edger produce mirror-like finishes so that optical staff can polish...

Office design.
December 15, 2002... Caption: The Legacy display units from Fashion Optical Displays feature handcrafted, mahogany doors and panels. With bright halogen lighting, the units use Fashion Optical's Hallmark and Display Plus frame support systems. Mirrored back and...

Star-bound telescopes. (Product Review: Low Vision).
December 15, 2002... Eschenbach has introduced two new binocular Galilean telescopes that utilize diffractive lens technology. The company says this allows for thinner lenses, reducing the barrel length and weight of the instrument. The 1638 Galilean telescope...

Get your groove on. (Ophthalmic Frame Board).
December 15, 2002... Part of Ellen Tracy's Urban Influence line by Viva International Group, the new Groovy Baby group is a trio of metal frames for women. The ET 283, a modified tea-cup shape, is available in sizes 47/18-130 and 49/18-135. The ET 284 is a...

Autumn in NY. (Ophthalmic Frame Board).
December 15, 2002... The latest offering from Marchon's DKNY is a unisex geometric frame made with lightweight stainless steel. The DKNY 6440 features a three-piece mount and tri-dimensional temple tips. It comes in sizes 48/18-50 and 50/18-150. Colors are shiny...

Go glam. (Ophthalmic Frame Board).
December 15, 2002... Three new plastic frames for women are offered from Jessica McClintock Eye-wear by Clear-Vision Optical. * JMC 128 is an almond eye shape with a filigreed end piece that tapers into slim plastic temples. Colors are blue, brown and...

For men of action. (Ophthalmic Frame Board).
December 15, 2002... Designed for active men, Luxottica's new PE 2667 features DuPont Hytrel temples that keep the frame from sliding during wrap frame is available with or without polarized lenses in tortoise and black plastic. Lens colors are light gray fade...

Clash of a titan. (Ophthalmic Frame Board).
December 15, 2002... The Nike Hyperion III from Marchon is a metal frame with an interchangeable lens system to accommodate varying light conditions. Each semi-rimless frame includes two polycarbonate lens options for sunny and flat light conditions. The Hyperion...

Meetings & Conferences.
December 15, 2002... February * 14-16. Heart of America Contact Lens Society's annual meeting, Kansas City, Mo. CE hours: 14. Contact Dr. Greg Joyce, P.O. Box 216, El Dorado, KS 67042; call (316) 3214020; e-mail registration@hoacls.org; go to www.hoac1s.org....

What is this mass on patient's cheek? (Diagnostic Quiz).
December 15, 2002... History A 23-year-old black female presented complaining of left facial pain and an inflamed red cheek for the past three days. Her previous ocular history was non-contributory, and her systemic history was unremarkable. There was no...