Review of Optometry articles from July 2003

Review of Optometry archives from July 2003

Under a new agreement with Cole National, customers of 1-800 Contacts can receive discount eye exams.(In The News)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Under a new agreement with Cole National, customers of 1-800 Contacts can receive discount eye exams at offices in the Cole network.

"Pink eye".(In The News)(bacteria on computer keyboards probably caused college outbreaks)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Remember the "pink eye" outbreaks on college campuses last year? Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta carried out sensitive lab tests by placing bacteria on computer keyboards. Later, they found the bacteria...

HMO rate hikes.(In The News)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... HMO rate hikes will continue in the double digits, says benefits consulting firm Hewitt Associates. While HMO rate increases average 17.7% for next year, that's better than the 21% expected for this year. Yet the average increase in premiums...

Automobile air bags don't cause serious eye injuries, despite the popular belief that they do.(In The News)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Automobile air bags don't cause serious eye injuries, despite the popular belief that they do. That's the conclusion of a study in the June issue of Ophthalmology. The researchers described the risk for eye injury caused by air bags as very...

AOA resolves to fight amblyopia; this year's House of Delegates calls for free eye exams to infants.(American Optometric Association)(News Review)
July 15, 2003... The AOA is setting its sights on knocking out amblyopia with the new InfantSEE program, a resolution passed at this year's American Optometric Association's House of Delegates during the 106th Annual AOA Congress and 33rd Annual AOSA Conference...

National panel: OHTS affects when optometrists treat glaucoma.(News Review)(Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study)
July 15, 2003... Three out of four panelists say that the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) has affected the way they manage glaucoma patients. Says optometrist Michael Lamb of Mesa, Ariz.: "We now routinely perform ultrasound pachymetry on all...

Conjunctival melanoma in men rises nearly 300%.(News Review)(eye cancer)
July 15, 2003... Now that summer is here, take note of a recent study that suggests white men should put on their shades to protect their eyes from sun damage. Research reported in the June issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology found the rate of...

Ophthalmologist draws fire for supporting O.D. bill.(Douglas Grayson)(News Review)
July 15, 2003... What happens to the nail that sticks out from the others? It gets hammered down. That's what happened to ophthalmologist Douglas Grayson when he testified on behalf of New Jersey optometrists' scope of practice bill. Dr. Grayson is in...

O.D., and so much more: those letters that follow your name will never tell the whole story.(Editorial)
July 15, 2003... Without question, choosing appropriate medical treatment regimens is paramount to the optometric profession and to the patients whose visual health depends on your decisions. This is especially true when treating diseases that, in some states,...

Pass the peas and the bullets, please: a hoedown could turn into a showdown at a Wild West optometric dinner.(Chairside)
July 15, 2003... Those crazy cowboys! Imagine yourself as master of ceremonies at an Old West-themed optometric association banquet. Imagine trying to pick the right outfit to seem rootin'-tootin' while you also must have enough gravitas to lead the formal...

Oral meds: an Rx for lawsuits?(Letters & E-Mail)(Letter to the Editor)
July 15, 2003... Private Practice? The connotation of this term at one time in optometric history simply meant practicing solo. Today it can also mean practicing in a commercial setting or practicing in an ophthalmology group. As Don Corleon said, "Ya...

An O.D.'s view from above: Lawrence DeLucas, O.D., went from performing eye exams on Earth to conducting research experiments in space.(Out Of The Office)
July 15, 2003... Staring down from the Space Shuttle Columbia, astronaut Lawrence DeLucas, O.D., was mesmerized by peaceful planet Earth despite smoke trails emanating from the oil fires burning in Kuwait, a remnant of the Persian Gulf War. The only...

Considerations in geriatric contact lens fittings: patients over the age of 60 have very specific needs, both physically and psychologically.(Contact Lenses)
July 15, 2003... By the age of 60, our bodies begin to change. In regard to eye anatomy, many changes in structure and function take place. Lids become lax, tears change in quality and quantity, corneal sensitivity decreases, and changes in corneal cell...

Beyond the Rx: help your patients who cannot afford meds.(prescription)(9th Annual Glaucoma Report)
July 15, 2003... President Bush challenged Congress to pass a Medicare prescription drug benefit by July 4. After four years of debate, it looks like Medicare recipients will finally have a drug plan to call their own. (How substantial the coverage is remains...

A field guide to glaucoma drugs: drug therapy is often a first-line treatment option for glaucoma patients, and our options are more plentiful.(9th Annual Glaucoma Report)
July 15, 2003... Drug therapy most often is the first treatment option for glaucoma patients. We generally accept medications as a safe and effective method of reducing intraocular pressure, the only known modifiable risk factor for the progression of glaucoma....

Is patient's glaucoma related to stomach bacteria? Studies previously suggested such an association, but new research gives cause for doubt.(9th Annual Glaucoma Report)
July 15, 2003... A 45-year-old white male presented with symptoms of mild blur at distance and near. His personal and family ocular history was otherwise unremarkable. He reported no significant medical history at this initial visit except for a subtle...

When is aura more than a migraine? Sudden-onset scintillating scotoma may indicate other medical problems.(Research Review)
July 15, 2003... A 70-year-old male recently presented with an onset of a scintillating scotoma. He had no history of migraine headaches, nor had he experienced an episode of a migraine prodrome or aura until now. Is this significant, or is it simply a case...

How to filter glaucoma patients; making the decision on when to refer glaucoma patients is multi-factorial.(Comanagement Q&A)
July 15, 2003... Q When should I refer a glaucoma patient for a laser procedure or surgery? A Refer glaucoma patients for laser or surgical intervention when they reach maximum tolerated medical therapy. "Generally, a patient has reached maximum...

Which is better: spectacles or CL? What correction should a keratoconus patient wear for a visual field exam?(Cornea & Contact Lens Q&A)(contact lenses)
July 15, 2003... Q A patient with forme fruste keratoconus is now a glaucoma suspect. Visual acuity is 20/30 O.U. with spectacle correction and 20/25 O.U. with contact lenses. Which form of correction should he wear during a visual field exam? A One school...

Is laser treatment behind vision loss? Or is there another reason for the patient's blur and trouble seeing at night?(Retina Quiz)
July 15, 2003... A 48-year-old Hispanic male presented complaining of blurred vision at both distance and near. He also reported trouble seeing at night. He said that he underwent laser treatment in his right eye two years earlier while incarcerated. He...

When a change is not a change; don't alter therapy based on one visual field. Take your time and verify progression.(Glaucoma Grand Rounds)
July 15, 2003... A 76-year-old white female with normal-tension glaucoma presents for a four-month follow-up visit that includes applanation tensions, visual field and optic nerve evaluations. Visual field analysis demonstrates that the visual field defect in...

Interactions with glaucoma meds; some glaucoma medications can interact with other systemic therapies.(Therapeutic Review)
July 15, 2003... It's always important to consider possible drug interactions when prescribing treatment for ocular conditions. At no time is this more true than when treating glaucoma. Glaucoma patients may have a variety of concurrent conditions that require...

Progress in progressives.(Ophthalmic Lenses)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Definity lenses (formerly Definity 2) from the Spectacle Lens Group of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care are the latest innovation in progressive lenses. Manufactured with the company's patented Dual Add technology, these lenses distribute the add...

It's a thin line.(Ophthalmic Lenses)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Essilor of America expands its Thin & Lite 1.67 line with the introduction of FSV (Finished Single Vision) and SFSV (Spheric Finished Single Vision) lenses with scratch-resistant coating. The company says the Thin & Lite lenses are 50% thinner...

U.S. FDA approvals.(Therapeutics)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved two new therapeutic products. Allergan's Acular LS Ophthalmic Solution (ketorolac tromethamine) is approved for the reduction of ocular pain, burning and stinging after refractive surgery....

A lens of a different color.(Contact Lenses)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Three new opaque lens colors have been added to Vistakon's Acuvue 2 Colors brand contact lens line. Chestnut brown, Sapphire blue and Hazel green bring the number of available colors in the line to ten. The company has also re-named the seven...

Solid solution.(Contact Lens Care)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... The U.S. FDA has approved Bausch & Lomb's new Boston Simplus Multi-Action Solution for GP lenses. Active ingredients in the solution are: * Poloxamine removes dirt and repels deposits from the lens surface. * Hydroxyalkylphosphonate...

Ergonomic pupillometer.(Diagnostic Instruments)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... A new pupillometer from Breitfeld & Schliekert Optical Tools not only measures the distance between pupils and vertex, but is ergonomically designed to fit both your hand and the patient's forehead. The company says this modification makes the...

Flip out.(Diagnostic Instruments)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Gulden Ophthalmics offers new color-coded flipper sets in packages of six. Each flipper has a one of six powers: -0.25, -0.50, -0.75, -1.00, -1.50 and -2.00. Frames and lenses are made of hard plastic and are accompanied by a stand. Call...

All-in-one lensometer.(Lab Equipment)
July 15, 2003... The AL200 Auto Lensometer from Reichert Ophthalmic Instruments features a high-contrast LCD screen with an icon-based operating system that the company says ensures fast and simple operation. Indicators on the screen guide the operator to...

New age low vision.(Low Vision)(magnifying eyewear)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... New Premium Prism Half-eyes from Eschenbach Optik of America offer an attractive alternative to old-fashioned magnifying eyewear. The new eyewear is available in powers of 4D, 6D, 8D and 10D and come in a gold-metal, unisex frame with...

Sound it out.(Low Vision)(speech processing software)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... A new software application lets low vision patients ask their computer questions and hear the answers in a human voice. Telesensory's new SoundAdvice software combines voice-activated instructions with an information-retrieval engine. Using...

Subtypes of rosacea.(Patient Education)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... The National Rosacea Society now offers a free educational poster that illustrates the four subtypes of rosacea. The color poster identifies the primary and secondary features of rosacea with patient photographs showing the most common patterns...

Natural healing.(Patient Education)(Eye Care Naturally: A Guide to Prevention and Natural Treatment of Common Eye Conditions)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Optometrist E. Michael Geiger suggests methods that may prevent or slow the progression of eye disease in a new book, Eye Care Naturally: A Guide to Prevention and Natural Treatment of Common Eye Conditions. He also suggests ways to reverse...

Starting your collection.(Office Design)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Eye Designs latest offering is the Viewpoint collection--modular, semi-custom displays and furniture featuring multiple styles in both modern and traditional designs. Call 1-800-346-8890 or go to www.eyedesigns.com.

Tweens and teens.(Back To School)(eyewear for youth)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... Safilo group offers 23 new children's frames just in time to get kids back to school in fashion. Unisex styles. Safilo's house brand features four contemporary unisex styles in rectangle, butterfly and modified pillow shapes. Two acetate...

Disney does it.(Back To School)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... New point-of-purchase materials are available for your dispensary from Marchon's Disney Eyewear. Die-cut counter cards feature happy, young faces and a Mickey Mouse mirror lets kids check out frames. Mickey's famous white-gloved hand holds four...

Meetings & conferences.
July 15, 2003... August * 1-3. Southwest Florida Optometric Association's Educational Retreat 2003, Captiva Island, Fla. CE hours: 15. Contact Dr. Brad Middaugh, 6360 Presidential Court, Suite 5, Fort Myers, FL 33919; call (239)481-7799; e-mail...

Did aneurysm decrease vision?(Diagnostic Quiz)(Brief Article)
July 15, 2003... History A 69-year-old white male, previously hospitalized with a brain aneurysm, presented complaining of decreased vision. The problem was worse in the left eye than the right. His ocular history was otherwise unremarkable. His...

New horizons in glaucoma.
July 15, 2003... For the past fifty years, clinicians and scientists have been on a quest to understand the relationship between intraocular pressure (IOP) and the development of glaucoma. As we look back at the history of this relationship, the importance of...