Review of Optometry articles from June 2003

Review of Optometry archives from June 2003

Johnson and Johnson Vision Care. (In the News).(new eyeglass lenses)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... The Spectacle Lens Group of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care is rolling out its Definity Lenses (formerly Definity 2). Definity lenses distribute add power between the back and front surfaces. In addition to the near, intermediate and distance...

Acular LS. (In the News).(drug approval)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... The FDA approved Acular LS (ketorolac tromethamine, Allergan) for the reduction of ocular pain, burning or stinging following corneal refractive surgery. Acular LS is a new formulation of ketorolac tromethamine, already used to treat a range of...

Bausch & Lomb. (In the News).(new drug application for brimonidine tartrate)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Bausch & Lomb has received FDA approval for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (AN DA) for brimonidine tartrate, indicated for lowering IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. The company also received marketing...

House bill argues plano CLs are medical devices: proposed legislation would re-classify cosmetic contact lenses. (News Review).
June 15, 2003... U.S. Reps. John Boozman (R.Ariz.) and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) have introduced a bill that would allow the FDA to regulate plano contact lenses as medical devices. The bill, H.R. 2218, would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to...

Treating myopic and amblyopic children. (News Review).
June 15, 2003... A tropine eye drops can effectively retard the progression of myopia in children, according to preliminary study results announced at last month's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting. This is one of several...

One in 10 Latinos go blind from diabetes. (News Review).(Author Abstract)
June 15, 2003... Diabetic retinopathy robs almost one in 10 adult Latinos of their sight, according to the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Results of the study were presented by Rohit Varma, M.D., associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of...

Review's new chief editors.(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Amy Black has been promoted to editor-in-chief of Review of Optometry. She replaces Richard Kirkner, who served as Review's editor-in-chief for 12 years. Ms. Black first joined Review of Optometry in 2000 as managing editor, and later was...

Researchers claim new cone in the Retina. (News Review).(photoreceptor cone)(Author Abstract)
June 15, 2003... Researchers from France say they have found a new type of cone photoreceptor in the human retina. The researchers presented their findings in a poster at last month's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting. (1) The...

It's a matter of perception: the direction that your profession will take depends on whether you update or accept age-old perceptions. (Editor's Page).(Editorial)
June 15, 2003... "Hey, don't forget: You have an editorial to write." And with that, Rich Kirkner, Review of Optometry's long-time Editor-in-Chief, was out the door. Or, at least half-way out. I jumped from my chair and accosted him before the door could swing...

Help wanted (only wives need apply): my best employee will stay with me forever, for better or for worse.(husband-wife relations at work)
June 15, 2003... Dr. Vickers, do you consider yourself one of the top optometrists in the country?" No, this was not a patient. They know better, I guess. This was a sales pitch by an absolutely charming fellow on the phone. "No," I said, "I just have...

Letters & E-mail.(Letter to the Editor)
June 15, 2003... Why We Need The CL Petition Regarding your News Review article "Put Teeth into CL Laws, Petition Says" (March 2003): In March we received an automated phone call from a mailorder contact lens business about a patient whom we last saw in...

How to buy the best monitor: don't think the manufacturer will find the monitor just right for you. (Technology Review).
June 15, 2003... Buying a new computer system involves many decisions. What processor should you get? How much memory will you need? How big a hard drive do you want? One thing we don't give much thought to: the monitor. Most new systems come bundled with...

Four steps to a streamlined schedule: Analyzing your schedule in minute detail can help you gain control and keep your practice at peak performance. (Practice Management).
June 15, 2003... How much of the time you spend at work are you and your staff working to capacity? And, how well does your schedule fit your personal and practice goals? As these goals change over the years, so should the practice schedule. Control over...

Optometry's glass ceiling: have women broken through to assume leadership roles? (Cover Story).
June 15, 2003... The only female dean of an optometry school says that if she had to do it all again, she would have learned how to play golf much sooner. Optometrist Janice Scharre, dean/vice president for academic affairs at Illinois College of Optometry...

The five A's of Oral medications: here's are five groups of agents--antivirals, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and antihistamines--to consider when topicals are not enough. (Opthometric Study Center).
June 15, 2003... A 56-year-old retired sheriff presented with a history of recurrent anterior uveitis in his left eye. We successfully managed his condition with cycloplegic agents and topical steroids in the past, but his most recent episode was slow to...

Retinal telangiectasis in HIV-positive woman: Idiopathic, bilateral disease is typically found only in men. Fluorescein angiography helped differentiate the diagnosis in this patient. (Case Report).
June 15, 2003... A 53-year-old white female was referred so that we could rule out retinopathy secondary to or associated with HJV. She complained of fluctuating decreased vision in her right eye, and was concerned that she would not pass the vision exam for...

How to avoid legal trouble: comanagment can leave you open to litigation. Here's your best line of defense. (Comanagement Q&A).
June 15, 2003... Q: When co-managing patients, what precautions can I take to avoid a lawsuit? A: It's always a good idea to check with your attorney and/or malpractice carrier when in doubt. However, you can keep some general guidelines in mind. ...

The risk of a Thinner Cornea: do these patients have an inherent problem that puts them at higher risk? (Cornea & Contact Lens Q&A).(glaucoma risk factors)
June 15, 2003... Q: Recent studies suggest an increased risk for glaucoma in patients with thin central comeas. Are we just underestimating lop, or is there an inherent problem that puts these patients at greater risk? A: Both factors may be at work. "On...

Parents seek help after patching fails: examination for decreased vision in left eye turns up optic disc anomaly. (Retina Quiz).
June 15, 2003... A 5-year-old Hispanic male was referred when a pre school screening three months earlier noted decreased vision in his left eye. His parents had attempted amblyopia occlusion therapy in the right eye, as instructed by an outside doctor. The...

Ocular HSV: treatment options; There are several viable options for treating a patient with herpetic eye disease. (Therapeutic Review).(herpes simplex virus )
June 15, 2003... A 28-year-old white male presented complaining of a red, painful eye that was light sensitive and watery. His ocular history was unremarkable, but his medical history was significant. He tested positive for HIV five years earlier and reported...

Tint times two. (Ophthalmic Lenses).(tinted eyeglass lenses)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Essilor's Varilux Panamic polarized lenses are now available with a brown tint, in addition to the existing gray option. These lenses combine Essilor's Varilux and Younger Optics' NuPolar technology. The lenses are made of 1.50 index plastic,...

Focus on therapy. (Contact Lenses).(therapeutic contact lenses approved)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... The FDA recently approved CIBA Vision's Focus Night & Day contact lenses for therapeutic use. You can now use these lenses as a bandage to protect the cornea and relieve pain when treating acute or chronic pathologies, or after surgery. Because...

Trend-setting technology. (Lab Equipment).(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... To accommodate smaller lenses and frames that are the current fashion, the Briot Accura Cx all-in-one edger now features S-D tracing. It measures the size, shape, curvature, thickness and frame bevel angle of each lens. The Accura Cx...

RTA plus. (Diagnostic Instruments).(Retinal Thickness Analyzer)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... You can now add optional features to Talia Technology's Retinal Thickness Analyzer (RTA), which will now be sold as a modular system. The RTA's standard features include retinal thickness mapping, disc topography, and the ability to measure the...

The digital age. (Diagnostic Instruments).(digital diagnostic tools)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Volk Optical offers a new digital 1.0x lens for general diagnosis, slit lamp imaging and photography. This new lens provides a clear view of the posterior pole with a 60[degrees] static and 72[degrees] dynamic field of view. The company says...

Lock and load. (Sunwear).(hinged frames)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... Marchon Eyewear has four new hinged, three-piece mount frames featuring Airlock technology, a screwless mounting system. A variety of beveled lens shapes and chassis colors are interchangeable, and the bottom of the lens creates a soft rose...

Meetings & Conferences.(Calendar)
June 15, 2003... July * 16-20. Florida Optometric Association's annual convention, Palm Beach, Fla. CE hours: 25. Contact Kellie Beumer, P.O. Box 13429, Tallahassee, FL 32317; call 1-800-3992334; e-mail kellie@fao.vistech.net; go to www.floridaeyes. org....

Is homework the problem? (Diagnostic Quiz).(diagnosing eye diseases)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... History A 12-year-old black male presented complaining of "headaches while completing schoolwork." He explained that he had lost his glasses two weeks ago. He also said he had better vision in his right eye than his left. There was no...

Introduction. (2003 Clinical Guide to Ophthalmic Drugs).
June 15, 2003... Do you know how mast patients with glaucoma come to be diagnosed? The answer: During the course of routine eye examinations! And now that the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study and the Early Manifest Glaucoma Treatment Study show that early...

Antibiotics: Brace yourself. Here come the new fluoroquinolones.
June 15, 2003... For all the chatter regarding antibiotics--and the noise level has never been higher--this class of medications is the least useful. In the office setting of community eye care, bacterial infections are rare, particularly in adults. The...

Update on Plaquenil Retinotoxicity. (Plaquenil Update).
June 15, 2003... The antimalarials--Aralen (chloroquine, Sanofi) and Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine, Sanofi)--are widely used in rheumatologic care, particularly for rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosis. Since prescribing doctors are generally...

Glaucoma medications: While no new glaucoma drugs came to market this year, the OHTS study has refined the way we evaluate glaucoma risk assessment.
June 15, 2003... It has now been two years since the last "new" glaucoma drug came to market. Patients with glaucoma represent some of the most poorly cared-for people in the U.S., and probably the world. If there is one area where optometry can make a major...

What does the Ocular Hypertension treatment study mean to practicing optometric physicians? (Glaucoma).(health screening for glaucoma)
June 15, 2003... Several major landmark studies in glaucoma cases have been completed and published over the past several years. Each of them have contributed to our clinical understanding of glaucoma, but none has impacted glaucoma care like the Ocular...

Equip your examination room: a checklist of office essentials. (Equipment).
June 15, 2003... DILATING DROPS: * Paremyd; 1% and 0.5% tropicamide; 2.5% and 10% phenylephrine ANESTHETICS: * 0.5% proparacaine; a combination of 0.25% sodium fluorescein with a topical anesthetic (i.e., Fluress, etc.) CYCLOPLEGICS: *...

Ocular allergy treatment drugs: to treat ocular allergy; first rule out dry eyes. Treat the true allergy with precision. (Allergy Drugs).
June 15, 2003... Most all of the allergy drugs work well in managing seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. More and more, it comes down to determining which is the least expensive medicine, since there can be up to a $25 difference among these excellent medicines....

Corticosteroids: Topical corticosteroids remain the cornerstone of ocular anti-inflammatory therapy. (Corticosteroids).
June 15, 2003... Next to refractive error and dry eye, inflammatory conditions represent the most common clinical challenges. It is imperative that optometrists become familiar with the various topical steroids, and become competent and comfortable in their...

Giant cell arteritis--don't mess around!
June 15, 2003... If you see a patient over the age of 50 with acute unilateral vision lass from anterior schemic optic neuropathy (AION), or a central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO), or abrupt diplopia, a STAT sed rate should always be obtained to help...

Fluorets[R].(corneal epithelial defect diagnosis)(Brief Article)
June 15, 2003... fluorescein sodium ophthalmic strips USR 1 mg DESCRIPTION: Fluorets consist of sterile, individually wrapped paper strips each impregnated with approximately 1 mg Fluorescein Sodium, USP. There are no other ingredients. ...

Oral medications: what happens when topical medicines fail to control inflammation? Here are the finer points of oral anti-inflammatory therapy. (Oral Medications).
June 15, 2003... Oral corticosteroids are prescribed daily by most primary care physicians, thus proving two key points: that they are commonly needed, and that such practice is safe. Fortunately for those of us who care for patients with eye diseases, most...

Steriod-antibiotic combination: these combination drugs enjoy extremely broad use within the ophthalmic community. Consider them primarily as steroids that also include an antibacterial agent. (Combinations).
June 15, 2003... Use these medications when your primary goal is inflammation suppression and there is a concurrent clinical indication for antibacterial prophylaxis; for example, chemical keratitis with significant epithelial compromise, or a suspicious...

Dry eye products: here's the latest on dry eye research and patient care. (Dry Eye Products).
June 15, 2003... What separates a neuro-ophthalmologist from an ophthalmologist? The answer is: "About an hour"--that is, the time difference spent with the patient. This witticism also reflects the situation when we examine and treat patients with symptomatic...

Vitamin & Mineral supplements: the AREDS study has helped to refine our 'supplemental' approach to macular degeneration. (Vitamins).(Age-Related Eye Disease Study)
June 15, 2003... The popularity of alternative and supplemental approaches to health care is at an all-time high. Most uses of such products are unsubstantiated by prospective, well-controlled, clinical studies. However, the benefit of a specific vitamin...

Evaluating the diabetic patient.
June 15, 2003... Let's go beyond the mundane, annual dilated eye examination. Every doctor reading this is quite capable of detecting macular edema, microaneurysms, intraretinal microvascular abnormalities, dot/blot hemorrhages, hard and soft exudates, vitreous...

A page of pearls.(What to Do When the Patient Can't Sit at the Slit Lamp)(Practice Management Pearls)(Treatment of Corneolimbal Dellen, aka Fuchs' Dimples)(Malingering)(A String of Pearls)
June 15, 2003... What to Do When the Patient Can't Sit at the Slit Lamp Some patients are not anatomically configured to fit into slit lamp chin rests, thus precluding slit lamp ophthalmoscopy with a high dioptric condensing lens. For these anatomically...

OPTOMAP[R] is improving the standard of care: Eyecare providers can capture a digital image of almost the entire retina with unprecedented technology that enables a higher quality retinal exam.
June 15, 2003... "What is meant by the standard of care?" Jeffry Gerson, O.D. of Overland Park, Kansas asks rhetorically. "Standard of care is not a description of the highest care available--it simply describes a level of performance which care should not fall...