Review of Optometry articles from July 2001

Review of Optometry archives from July 2001

The governor of Oregon.
July 15, 2001... The governor of Oregon (an M.D.) signed a bill to expand O.D.'s scope to include oral and injectible drugs.

Ocular Sciences Inc.
July 15, 2001... Ocular Sciences Inc. has filed its second suit this year against an unauthorized distributor of its products. The company seeks to block Go2Contacts.com from advertising Biomedics 55. OSI claims that the retailer cannot obtain the lenses, so...

EyeMed Vision Care has acquired First American Health Concepts Inc.
July 15, 2001... EyeMed Vision Care has acquired First American Health Concepts Inc. Now EyeMed, the third-party unit of Luxottica Group, has about 30 million subscribers with 8,000 practitioners on its panel.

American Diabetes Association.
July 15, 2001... An aspirin a day may help prevent retinopathy in diabetics, the June 2001 issue of Diabetes reports. The authors say early and chronic use of the drug may prevent platelet aggregation and clotting in retinal capillaries. The American Diabetes...

The Health Care Financing Administration.
July 15, 2001... The Health Care Financing Administration has a new name: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It is also reorganized into three divisions. The one you'll probably deal with most: The Center for Medicare Management.

AOA Calls for More Children's Exams.
July 15, 2001... Children's vision is optometry's manifest destiny, says Tom Annunziato, O.D., who represented the Infant's and Children's Vision Coalition to the House of Delegates at the 104th Annual Congress in Boston. In making that destiny manifest,...

Ocular Sciences Halts Online Sales and Tampering.
July 15, 2001... Weblens.net, an online contact lens site, won't be selling or advertising any more lenses from Ocular Sciences Inc. That's according to a settlement reached after the contact lens manufacturer sued the Web site in February. OSI charged...

AOA House of Delegates Officially Retires ABOP.
July 15, 2001... A group that looked into the merit of board certification for optometrists proposed that the AOA House of Delegates officially remove Resolution 1935 (which got the American Board of Optometric Practice started), and put it in the historical...

Alphagan, Xalatan Among Drugs Costing Seniors More.
July 15, 2001... The 50 most heavily prescribed drugs for seniors rose in price, on average, at more than twice the rate of inflation over the past year, reports a new study from the consumer health organization Families USA. The prices of these 50 drugs...

Senior Drivers with Cataract More Likely to Crash.
July 15, 2001... Researchers have known that older drivers with cataract have twice the risk for car crashes. Now they know why. A University of Alabama at Birmingham study--authored by doctors of ophthalmology, trauma, epidemiology, health behavior and...

Medicare O&A: The New Cataract Code.
July 15, 2001... Q:1 sometimes comanage cataract patients. How wilt the new HCFA complex cataract surgery code affect me? A: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly Health Care Financing Administration) will now pay ambulatory surgery...

National Panel: O.D.s Confident when Treating Glaucoma.
July 15, 2001... Optometrists treat glaucoma on a case-by-case basis. So it should be no surprise that their criteria on when to treat glaucoma run the gamut. Some doctors still look to high intraocular pressure measurements as their primary deciding...

For the Record.
July 15, 2001... A couple points in the article "Why Don't O.D.s Rally to Poly?" (May 2001) require clarification or correction: * Ultraviolet-protecting properties are inherent in the resin, not the design, of polycarbonate lenses. * Polycarbonate...

People: What This is All About.
July 15, 2001... RICH KIRKNER Several things in this issue remind me that what you do is really very simple. It's about people--enabling them to see well, live well and enjoy their lives as much as they possibly can. The eyes are an important component...

And the Award Goes to...
July 15, 2001... Let's hear it for pomp and circumstance! (Your circumstances may vary.) Optometry loves ceremony and awards. For example, I love it at SECO when the comedian tells a joke about a chicken, an outhouse and a 1967 Corvair Monza, and then...

Finding the Person Within.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
July 15, 2001... The line between patient and doctor sometimes becomes very thin. One of the things we're supposed to learn in optometry school is that there are lines that separate us from the patients. At first the lines seem both broad and well defined....

LETTERS & E-MAIL.
July 15, 2001... Is There a Need For Lower IOPs? Editor: In "Glaucoma Grand Rounds: Protection for Normal Tension" (February 2001), Dr. James Fanelli started a 51-year-old black male patient on IOP-lowering medication. Dr. Fanelli chose this path because...

Your Patients Can't Get Ascend[TM] Unless They're Your Patients.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Introducing a contact lens that provides a great pre-emptive way to keep your patients connected to your practice and gives them the ultimate in convenience: delivery right to their door. "It's not just a new lens. It's a new way of doing...

Bonuses: Their Place ... and Pitfalls.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Most O.D.s don't have incentive plans, but some find ways to make it work. Optometrists have mixed feelings about offering incentive programs to their staffs. In fact, fewer than half of those who responded to a recent National Panel,...

We Can Fight Fire with Fire!(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... The Web can help us beat alternative lens distributors at their own game. Patients get their contact lenses from alternative sources like 1-800 Contacts because it's convenient. They like having the freedom to order products anytime. Like...

Prism Testing And Therapy.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Gulden Ophthalmics' new Prism Holder and VF Prism set allow you to perform vergence facility testing. You also can use the prism holder with any traditional fusion vergence therapy, in the office or for home-based vision therapy. The Prism...

Digital Imaging.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... The Eyecap digital imaging system from Haag-Streit can store up t 350,000 images on its 20GB hard drive. This icon-based program is simple to use and doesn't have overlapping windows or confusing pull-down menus, Haag-Streit claims. The Eyecap...

Telescope Demo.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Eschenbach says it designed its new Snap-in Snap-out telescope kit to simplify your demonstrations of mounted telescopes to patients. This kit includes six Galilean telescopes that snap in and our of one of the four customized trial frames. ...

Expanded Powers.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... The Proclear Compatibles line of soft contact lenses from Biocompatibles now includes high plus powers in the 8.6mm base curve. The lenses now come in sphere powers of +0.50D to +6.00D (0.25D steps), and +600D to +10.00D (0.50D steps).

Transitions' Positions.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... To complement its consumer advertising campaign, "See Life in a Whole New Light," Transitions offers point-of-purchase materials that convey the idea that, "While lenses in general give people better vision, Transitions redefines perfect vision...

New Campaign for Flexon.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... The "Bend Me, Shape Me" campaign has passed, and soon your patients may be humming Marchon's new campaign slogan, "Be Flexible." Point-of-purchase materials feature a young man and woman energetically jumping into mid-air. Another ad features...

Roadenstock Scores Points.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... The company's Active Partner Program lets you accumulate points when you purchase Rodenstock, Cerruti and Enjoy frames. You can cash in these points for free travel, merchandise or cash awards. Enroll by contacting your Rodenstock sales...

Modern, but Classic.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Heritage, a new interior design collection from Eye Designs, mixes modern flair with traditional details. For example, crown molding is added to sleek styling. Heritage also includes halogen lighting and modular base cabinets.

Hypoallergenic Patch.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Ortopad, the new hypo-allergenic orthoptic patch from Eye Care & Cure Corporation, is made of a mono-stretch material with a latex-free adhesive. The company says skin irritation and allergic reactions to the material are rare. The...

Living With AMD.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Living Well with Macular Degeneration: Practical Tips and Essential In formation, is a new book that offers advice for patients suffering from AMD and their caregivers. It explains how it's possible to see better, remain active and live a rich...

Interactive Database.
July 15, 2001... FRAMES Data has launched the FRAMES CD-ROM version 2.0, with information on more than 50,000 ophthalmic frames and 20,000-plus color images. The Windows-based CD-ROM lets you search by manufacturer, collection, frame name, eye size,...

Brooks Brothers.
July 15, 2001... The Brooks Brothers 248 is a unisex metal frame by Luxottica. It's available in sizes 49/17-135 and 51/17-135. Colors include satin natural, satin navy, satin brown, dark steel, satin black and satin aqua.

Retro-Active.
July 15, 2001... A retro-styled metal trio is available through Viva International's Candie's Eyes collection. The three styles are C Forever, C Retro and C Vintage. The frames feature flexible spring hinges and adjustable nose pads, and are available in...

Turbulence.
July 15, 2001... This Bolle sunglass offers an interchangeable lens and fixed-frame model for sports and recreation. Turbulence integrates a nylon frame and interchangeable polycarbonate lenses, available with polarization. The Turbulence is available in...

Hush Puppies.
July 15, 2001... The Lancer International division of Kenmark Optical has introduced 10 new styles of sunwear to its Hush Puppies Shades collection. Both metal and plastic frames are available in a variety of colors. Six styles offer gradient lenses and four...

Vogue 3341S.
July 15, 2001... This oversized, rimless, geometric design from Luxottica comes in size 55/16-135, in frame colors gold natural and satin black, and with an assortment of gradient lenses in such colors as teal, orange, violet and dark blue fade.

Marilyn.
July 15, 2001... This latest addition to Serengeti's Celebrity Collection comes in black, tortoise and butterscotch. All Marilyn frames include the Serengeti Drivers Sienna lenses-- photochromic copper lenses with an anti-reflective coating on the reverse...

All-Americans.
July 15, 2001... Chesterfield Kids, by Safilo, has added four new all-American styles to its collection of eyewear for boys and girls, ages 8 to 12. The new metal frames come in basic oval and modified rectangular eye shapes. They come in a variety of sizes...

Sugar and Spice.
July 15, 2001... Candie's Girl from Viva International Group was created especially for girls ages 8 to 15, and includes four metal and two plastic styles. The metal styles feature spring hinges and flexible nose pads. C Gracie is a modified oval frame; C...

Little Grown-ups.
July 15, 2001... ClearVision Optical has added 11 new Fisher-Price styles to its line. The frames are designed for kids who want a "grown-up " look. The line includes metal frames with spring hinges, and features smooth-sided interior hinging to reduce the...

Colorful Style.
July 15, 2001... Viva International has introduced a new GUESS? eyewear collection for kids. The line includes: * GU 1065. Available in sizes 44/16-120 and 46/16-125, this plastic frame is a small egg-shaped design in colors of brilliant blue, bursting...

Frame Risers.
July 15, 2001... Fashion Optical's new Kids' Display Plus frame riser package is made for back-to-school. These risers fit on shelves, counters and in window and display cases. The package includes three risers in sizes 7.25, 10.25 and 13.25 inches, and in...

Cartoon Fun.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Luxottica Group offers a display kit to showcase its latest Sferoflex Kids eyewear. The kit features Tiramolla, a cartoon character whose spring body bends and moves in a fashion similar to the spring hinges on the eyewear. The kit...

How Tiny Patients Made Us Better Doctors.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Catering to infants improves our standing with patients and other doctors, and makes us feel good, too. When Tangela Johnson brought her 8-month-old daughter, Chenequa, in to have her eyes examined, no one would have thought that so many...

A Fix-It Guide For Toric Lens Fits.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Here's a guide to get around the problems your astigmatic patients may encounter. The trouble we often encounter with soft toric contact lenses lies not so much in fitting the patient, but resolving her subjective complaints and/or...

Make Every Glaucoma Claim Count.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Be vigilant and accurate when billing, because every nickel and dime matters. A pediatrician once said to me that we are both in a "nickel-and-dime" business. His implication was that we both bill a relatively large number of CPT codes,...

Pick a Team.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... GDx: Early diagnosis is the key. The GDx is a powerful diagnostic tool that can help us evaluate the glaucoma suspects we see every day in clinical practice. In many cases, it's not enough for us to perform visual fields and optic nerve...

HRT VS. GDx ...(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... HRT: Monitoring change is the key. No matter how much clinical information we gather, glaucoma is difficult to diagnose in some patients. Frankly, this will always be the case, despite new technology. But, managing glaucoma is even more...

The Complaince Conundrum.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... How can you keep patients on track with their glaucoma treatment? These O.D.s offer some suggestions. By ARTHUR B. EPSTEIN, O.D., Director of Optometric Programs A 48-year-old female patient whose glaucoma I assumed management of had been...

An Unusual Case of Pigmentary Glaucoma.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... A routine exam of an elderly black female reveals glaucoma from atypical pigment dispersion syndrome. An 81-year-old black female presented complaining of blurred vision at both distance and near in her left eye. She reported no significant...

The Next Thing For Astigmatism.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... CK utilizes radio waves for correcting hyperopia and astigmatism. Conductive keratoplasty, or CK, is a procedure that utilizes radio frequency waves to shrink collagen for the correction of hyperopia or astigmatism. Here's a look at how the...

How to Manage Epithelial Defects.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Handling the rare post-LASIK problem. Epithelial defects after LASIK occur in about 5% of cases, based on our experience. They occur for various reasons, and how you manage them depends both on the etiology and the size of the defect....

HSK Recurs Less With Oral Therapy.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Treat the keratitis aggressively, and then use an oral antiviral to prevent recurrence. Q Is there a role for oral antivirals in herpetic epithelial disease? A In terms of treatment, the answer is probably no. In terms of prevention,...

Pairing a BCL With Antibiotics.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Take extra care to maintain microbial resistance with this combination. Q When is an antibiotic useful with a bandage contact lens? Are prophylactic antibiotics appropriate? A Adjunctive antibiotic therapy is indicated when a frank...

Lesion Has Patient Off the Road.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... What is this unusual finding, and why can't we fully correct the patient's right eye? One of our employees asked me to see her husband on an urgent basis when he failed the vision screening for his driver's license renewal. When I saw him...

Other Options For Dry Eyes.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... Punctal plugs have their place, but consider other options, too. Foreign body sensation and chronic irritation are among the chief complaints we encounter every day in clinical practice. Typically, these patients' problems are related to...

Patient Has Scratchy Eyes.(Brief Article)
July 15, 2001... History A 53-year-old white male presented complaining of headache and scratchy eyes. He had a history of systemic hypertension. Diagnostic Data Best-corrected acuity was 20/25 O.U. at distance and near. External examination was...