Review of Optometry articles from June 2007

Review of Optometry archives from June 2007

1-800 Contacts announced a definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Fenway Partners, LLC.(IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... 1-800 Contacts announced a definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Fenway Partners, LLC, pursuant to which, Fenway Partners will acquire 1-800 Contacts for $340 million, or $24.25 per share.

The World Council of Optometry, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, the International Centre for Eyecare Education and the International Council of Ophthalmology have all adopted the Durban Declaration on Refractive Error and Service Development.(IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... The World Council of Optometry, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, the International Centre for Eyecare Education and the International Council of Ophthalmology have all adopted the Durban Declaration on Refractive Error...

Researchers in Sweden found a link between alcohol consumption and risk of cataract extraction in women.(IN THE NEWS)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Researchers in Sweden found a link between alcohol consumption and risk of cataract extraction in women. The study took place over seven years. Results showed that an intake of 13g of alcohol per day was related to a 7% increase in risk of...

Two suitors eye B & L: B & L's future depends on who acquires it, but the buyers' futures vary, too.(News Review)(Bausch and Lomb )
June 15, 2007... June is turning out to be a big month for corporate marriage in the contact lens industry, but it's a rocky road to the altar for Bausch & Lomb as its suitors are faced with product recalls and shareholder lawsuits. On May 16, B & L...

Pay for performance program starts July 1.(News Review)(for optometrists )
June 15, 2007... Starting July 1, optometrists can participate in a new physician quality reporting initiative that offers a 1.5% Medicare bonus payment for those health-care providers who report specific measures designed to improve patient care. This new...

Eating away the risk of AMD.(News Review)(age-related macular degeneration)
June 15, 2007... Individuals who eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D may have a reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to two studies in the May edition of Archives of Ophthalmology. In one study, the...

Migraine sufferers may have greater risk of retinopathy.(News Review)
June 15, 2007... Individuals with a documented history of migraine headaches are more susceptible to retinopathy, according to a study in the May issue of Neurology. Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill examined 10,902...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
June 15, 2007... * On page 63 of the April 15, 2007 issue, "A Look at Microbial Keratitis Today" was written by Greg Black, O.D., Julie Tyler, O.D., and Kimberly Reed, O.D. Dr. Tyler is the module two director of primary care at the Nova Southeastern University...

Life and career at a crossroads: are you working to finance your 'real' life? Or, is your work a part of what you enjoy in life?(Editorial)
June 15, 2007... As you know, there is a delicate balance between life and career. In optometry, as in all professions, you will stumble upon colleagues who grudgingly go to the office every day, earn an honest living and breathe a sigh of relief when the day...

'Eye' write the songs: eat your heart out, Barry Manilow. Take a powder, Paul McCartney. You're nothing until you write a great optometry song.(Chair Side)(Column)
June 15, 2007... One of my secret dreams (one that doesn't include the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders) is to be an optometric educator. That's right. I can use this column not only to give you a laugh but to teach as well. Through my years as a columnist, I have...

O.D.s with Multiple Degrees: whether for more diverse experience or a career change, these O.D.s went back to school and learned something new.(Life + Career)(optometry doctors)
June 15, 2007... To some folks, the average optometrist might seem like an educational over-achiever. Many O.D.s will agree that completing eight years of higher education was more than enough for them. But, a select group of optometrists gives a whole new...

Minority report: how O.D.s are meeting the needs of underserved populations; From L.A. to Boston and everywhere in between, eye-care practitioners need to serve their underserved patients.(optometry doctors)(Cover story)
June 15, 2007... All across the country, optometrists and ophthalmologists alike are making the effort to ensure that patients who need eye care receive it. Be it through a chapter of VOSH or through an NEI-funded study, eye-care practitioners are serving their...

Open your practice to low vision patients: you can incorporate aspects of low vision rehabilitation into your practice without specializing.(Low Vision)
June 15, 2007... Consider this scenario: An elderly female patient who has age-related macular degeneration (AMD) struggles to read her mail. Her store-bought magnifying glass is no longer strong enough, so she now looks to you for help. Based on her eye exam,...

Presbyopic contact lenses: from selection to success; Here's how to fit even your patients with advanced presbyopia.(Contact Lenses)
June 15, 2007... You've heard the good news. Advances in lens design and material chemistry can combine to offer superb contact lens options for our presbyopic patients. Skeptical? Have you been offered "promising" new multifocal contact lenses in the past,...

Put a stop to recurrent corneal erosion: this painful, persistent problem can strike without warning and be difficult to get rid of. Fortunately, several treatment modalities can resolve this recalcitrant condition.(OPTOMETRIC STUDY CENTER)
June 15, 2007... Mornings are painful enough. Imagine how surprised and distraught you'd feel if you woke up with a severely painful eye accompanied by lacrimation, photophobia and blurred vision. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Your eye was fine the night...

Is it an ulcer or an infiltrate? What do you do when a patient presents with a 'white spot' on the cornea? Here's how to tell if it is sterile or infectious.(Cornea)(Disease/Disorder overview)
June 15, 2007... Differentiating between infectious microbial keratitis (MK) and a non-infectious contact lens-induced peripheral ulcer (CLPU) is essential for any practitioner involved in contact lens care. While the former can lead to devastating visual...

Defect won't heal? Try AMT: amniotic membrane transplant is a helpful option when a persistent epithelial defect doesn't respond to more conservative methods.(Comanagement Q+A)(amniotic membrane transplant)
June 15, 2007... Q I have a patient with a non-healing corneal abrasion. I've tried patching, applying a bandage lens and prescribing antibiotics. What else can be done? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Another option is an amniotic membrane transplant, or...

Take eye trouble to heart: when a patient presents with vortex keratopathy secondary to use of amiodarone, comanage the case with the patient's cardiologist.(Cornea+Contact Lens Q+A)
June 15, 2007... Q A 72-year-old patient who uses amiodarone for a cardiac condition presented with vortex keratopathy, reduced visual acuity and significant glare. What are the best management options? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A First, contact the...

Small BB, big problems: following injury, this patient has reduced vision in the affected eye and other fundus changes.(Retina Quiz)
June 15, 2007... A 13-year-old white male, accompanied by his parents, presented following a BB wound to his left eye two days earlier. The patient was accidentally shot through the lower eyelid while he and his friend were playing with a BB gun. He immediately...

Options in chalazia management: when a patient presents with a chalazion, consider conservative therapy, intralesional steroid injection or surgical incision.(Therapeutic Review)
June 15, 2007... A 29-year-old female presented complaining of a large, painless lump in her left upper eyelid that developed rapidly over several days and has been present for the past three weeks. Though painless now, she experienced moderate pain while the...

A viral cause of glaucoma: patients with herpes zoster ophthalmicus and herpes simplex virus may be at great risk for glaucoma development.(Research Review)(Clinical report)
June 15, 2007... Upon hearing the word "glaucoma," you immediately think of the back of the eye. You are well aware that an increased intraocular pressure (IOP) may cause irreparable damage to the optic nerve and nerve fiber layer. However, did you know that a...

Applanation tonometer.(Diagnostic Technology)
June 15, 2007... The Tono-Pen Avia, by Reichert, Inc., is an ergonomic tonometer that features an LCD screen on both sides and a molded grip. It allows the practitioner to take a reading in any position, the company says. The Tono-Pen Avia uses a 1.0mm...

Automated fundus camera.(Diagnostic Technology)
June 15, 2007... The AFC-210 Pro Photographer, by Nidek, Inc., is an auto-focus, auto-alignment non-mydriatic fundus camera. It takes 45-degree images without cropping and features high-resolution 12.8 megapixel image capabilities. The camera meets government...

Aberrometer.(Diagnostic Technology)
June 15, 2007... The Z-View Aberrometer, by Ophthonix, uses wavefront technology to "map" the patient's "optical finger-print." It analyzes lower- and higher-order aberrations (from second-order aberrations through sixth-order aberrations), sphere, cylinder and...

Fluorescein strips.(Diagnostic Technology)
June 15, 2007... Fluorescein GloStrips 1.0mg, by Amcon Laboratories, aid in fluorescein staining of the eye when fitting contacts, examining corneal injury or measuring applanation tonometry. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The strips are available in packages...

Test Card.(Diagnostic Technology)
June 15, 2007... The Computer Screen Clip-on Test Card, by Gulden Ophthalmics, may be used to test patients' vision at the distance and height that they commonly use a computer. This card features sentences to be read by the patient. It may be used to...

AR Sun Tints.(Ophthalmic Lenses)
June 15, 2007... Crizal Sun Tints, by Essilor of America, Inc., are now available for Crizal Sun anti-reflective tinted ophthalmic lenses. The new tints: gray, gray-green, brown and black. Each tint is available in grades 0 to 3 (ranging from lightest to...

Daily disposable lenses.(Contact Lenses)
June 15, 2007... Proclear 1-Day, by Cooper Vision, are daily disposable contact lenses. These lenses have a 60% water content. They are made of omafilcon A and feature a handling tint and molded round edges. Proclear 1-Day lenses are available in strengths...

Communication platform.(Practice Management)
June 15, 2007... ConnectionManager, by EMR Logic, is an internal web browser for use with the company's OD Professional practice management software. This browser connects directly to the Internet to download or send information, images and data from diagnostic...

Product Simulator.(Practice Management)
June 15, 2007... The Volk Product Simulator, by Volk Optical, is a CD-ROM of product-comparison computer animations. In a side-by-side format, the specifications of each lens are discussed, and images of each lens are presented. Also, the lenses are compared by...

Braille products.(Tools for the Blind)
June 15, 2007... The Alva BC640, distributed by VisionCue, is a console with a smooth-surface refreshable Braille display that features wireless note-taking capabilities. The console can link with a laptop computer or PDA via Bluetooth or USB port. Also, the...

AFB Senior Site.(What's New on the Web)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... The American Foundation for the Blind has launched the AFB Senior Site, an online resource for patients with low vision, as well as their family members. This Web site presents instructional videos, tips and testimonials. One such feature is...

Nautica by Marchon.(FRAMES)
June 15, 2007... Marchon introduces a new collection by Nautica: Navigate Life. This collection consists of modified aviators and navigators. It includes: * Drifter, a men's plastic and rubber modified navigator frame that floats in water. It is available...

Tommy Hilfiger by Viva International.(FRAMES)
June 15, 2007... Viva International introduces a new men's ophthalmic grouping. This trio of frames each features a metal face with plastic temples and a flag logo treatment on the left temple. Also, each frame in this grouping includes flex hinges and...

Mattel by REM Eyewear.(FRAMES)
June 15, 2007... REM Eyewear presents a line of young girls' eyewear by Mattel, based on the Barbie brand. This collection includes: * B-320, a modified pillow-shaped metal frame that features contrasting engraved hearts and flowers on the temples. This...

Vogue eyewear by Luxottica.(FRAMES)
June 15, 2007... Luxottica introduces the newest women's collection of the "Gisele Plays with Vogue" line. This line includes: * VO 2459 SB, an oversized wraparound mask-shaped sunglass made of propionate that features a crystal temple treatment. It is...

Versace by Luxottica.(FRAMES)
June 15, 2007... Luxottica introduces a new sunglass for the Vertigo collectionby Versace. The Vertigo sunglass, VE 4110 B, features a crystal temple treatment reminiscent of another Versace line, Medusa. This oversized plastic frame is available in colors...

Street Series by Wiley X.(FRAMES)
June 15, 2007... Wiley X introduces the new unisex Street Series, a grouping of ANSI-certified wraparound grilamid sunglasses that feature the "WX" logo. This series includes: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * Revolvr, a slim wraparound frame that is available...

Meetings + conferences.(Calendar)
June 15, 2007... June * 27-July 1. The 110th Annual AOA Congress and 37th Annual AOSA Conference, Boston. CE hours: 200. Contact Dawn Gittemeier, 243 North Lindbergh Blvd., floor 1, St. Louis, MO 63141; call (314) 991-4100; fax (314) 991-4101; e-mail...

Is this an antibiotic reaction?(Diagnostic Quiz)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... History A 37-year-old black male was referred for an emergency eye examination following an allergic reaction to an oral antibiotic. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] His ocular complaints included mild blurry vision, red eyes and pain; the...

Divisive or representative?(Shout out)
June 15, 2007... Is Women In Optometry (WO) divisive or representative? What do you think? Does WO cause hostility between people? Or does it reflect issues of importance to WO readers? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In this issue, WO looks at how women O.D.s...

Impressive, but not the first.(Emails to the Editor)(Correction notice)
June 15, 2007... There is one small error in the article [on Dr. Nikki Iravani in the March issue]. It states that Dr. Iravani is the first woman O.D. to hold a vice presidential position for a major corporation. In 1989, I was the first woman to hold that...

Good news travels fast.(Letter to the editor)
June 15, 2007... I met Sandra Wang-Harris, O.D., [featured in the March 2007 issue] at a reception-dinner in New Delhi, India, on her way to Kathmandu, Nepal. She had gone there, as an unpaid Senior World Council of Optometry Fellow, on a one-year leave of...

Advisory panel to Guide WO.(Women In Optometry)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Six women O.D.s have agreed to serve as an advisory panel to provide input into the editorial direction of Women In Optometry (WO). To regular readers of WO, most of these O.D.s will look familiar. A few have been featured already in WO. Their...

Who will teach the next generation of O.D.s?(optometry doctors)
June 15, 2007... In exam rooms across the country, a generation of younger women is joining the profession and changing the face of optometry. But in optometry school classrooms, the transition may not be going as smoothly. While young women are flocking to...

Back to school: O.D. enjoys role as professor while continuing her own education.(optometry doctors)(Loretta T. Ng studies master's degree in public health at the University of California)
June 15, 2007... Loretta T. Ng, O.D., F.A.A.O., spent five years in a private practice before returning to the world of academics. Now she's back in the classroom but in two very different roles: as an assistant professor at Southern California College of...

Gender a factor in limiting success, survey says.(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... A survey of more than 2,200 executives in 13 countries shows 26 percent of women executives believe that gender has been the top factor hindering their achievement. Four percent of men responded that way. Another 24 percent of women said their...

Engineering your patients' experiences.(It's Your Business)
June 15, 2007... If you had to select one company after which you'd like to model your practice, which would it be--Disney, The Ritz Carlton or Nordstrom? All are icons of customer-friendly service and outstanding quality. All meticulously cultivate their...

A biz wiz: business training would ease school of hard knocks, O.D. says.(doctor of optometry, Beverly Jue-Smith on business school )
June 15, 2007... Beverly Jue-Smith, O.D., recently earned her M.B.A.--and realizes it could have saved her a lot of trial-and-error lessons in the two decades she's been practicing. Dr. Smith and her husband, Erik Smith, O.D., opened San Ramon Family Optometry...

Million dollar practice: milestones along the way offer road map for others.
June 15, 2007... A million dollar practice. In terms of financial success, that's a golden goal. Getting there, however, can take years, ambition, willingness to sacrifice and vision. Pamela Lowe, O.D., F.A.A.O., Chicago, IL, has all that--and the result is...

Wait until your mother gets home; O.D. leaves children in good hands: their dad's.(doctor of optometry)
June 15, 2007... Middle school teachers do excellent work, but it's hard to pay the bills on that salary. That's why Rebecca St. Jean, O.D., returned to full-time practice weeks after her babies were born, and her husband Rob St. Jean became a stay-at-home dad....

Made in the shade: sunwear for babies and small children a growing niche.
June 15, 2007... In the 12 years Amy Fuhr-Dechant, O.D., worked for other practitioners, there was no space devoted in the optical area for babies and very small children. But when she and her husband Curtis Dechant, O.D., opened their own practice, Family...

Dr. Doty.(Women in the NEWS )(Cathy P. Doty)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Cathy P. Doty, O.D., New Bern, NC, spoke at the Better Vision Institute (BVI) summit on children's vision in Washington, DC, in April. Dr. Doty is a pediatric optometrist and immediate past president of BVI. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dr. Alexander.(Women in the NEWS)(Carol Alexander joins Vistakon Inc. )(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Carol Alexander, O.D., F.A.A.O., AOA's Young Optometrist of the Year in 1997 and Ohio's Optometrist of the Year in 2006, has joined Vistakon as director, professional affairs. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dr. Huebner.(Women in the NEWS)(Kathleen M. Huebner speaks on adapted mobility devices )(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Kathleen M. Huebner, Ph.D., associate dean at Pennsylvania College of Optometry, spoke in Hong Kong in November on "Adapted Mobility Devices for Daily Living Skills." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dr. Marsh-Tootle & Dr. Fuhr.(Women in the NEWS)(Wendy Marsh-Tootle, Patti S. Fuhr speak at the Inaugural World Congress on Refractive Error and Service Development)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Wendy Marsh-Tootle, O.D., and Patti S. Fuhr, O.D., both University of Alabama at Birmingham faculty, spoke at the Inaugural World Congress on Refractive Error and Service Development in South Africa in March. Dr. Marsh-Tootle discussed...

Dr. Bozich.(Women in the NEWS)(Sandra Bozich)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Sandra Bozich, O.D., F.A.A.O., Los Altos, CA, appeared on the 1Q 2007 cover of Vision Source O.D. quarterly magazine. Dr. Bozich detailed her practice growth as she adapted practice management strategies for success. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]...

Dr. Schaumberg.(Women in the NEWS)(Debra A. Schaumberg does research on age-related macular degeneration)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Debra A. Schaumberg, O.D., Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, was lead author on the recent study finding that women who develop age-related macular degeneration may have higher blood levels of markers related to...

Dr. Bitton & Dr. Arnal.(Women in the NEWS)(Etty Bitton, Roxanne Arnal speak on optometry)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Etty Bitton, O.D., F.A.A.O., from the University of Montreal spoke on "The 'Manolo Blahnik' Tear Film: Is it attainable?" for Alcon. Roxanne Arnal, O.D., Alberta, presented on "Optometry: New Look... New Attitude!" for NIKON. Alcon Canada and...

Dr. Anderson.(Women in the NEWS)(Kristin K. Anderson appointed at Hayes Center for Practice Excellence )(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Kristin K. Anderson, O.D., is now executive director of the Hayes Center for Practice Excellence at Southern College of Optometry. The center's programs teach O.D.s how to manage the business side of the practice. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Testosterone and tears: quirky news angle helps O.D. get the story out.(doctor of optometry)
June 15, 2007... About eight years ago, Angela August, O.D., Tampa, FL, was reading an optometry journal when a small news item caught her eye. Researchers were trying to determine whether hormonal changes in the tears of pregnant women could predict the sex of...

Optometry runs in the family.(Martha Rosemore Greenberg)
June 15, 2007... Martha Rosemore Greenberg, O.D., Russellville, AL, once told her kindergarten classmates that she was going to be an optometrist when she grew up. Lucky for her, she had the support and encouragement of her father, Fred Rosemore, O.D. "By the...

Like mother, like daughter.(less female are in optometry)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... There are relatively few mother/daughter O.D. pairings right now. In fact, neither family interviewed for Women In Optometry knew of others. "First of all, women would have to be about my age--55--in order to have a child who is old enough to...

Key metrics by gender.(financial success for optometry doctors)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... Does gender make a difference in the financial success of a practice? The statistics don't show it, at least among some of the largest and most financially successful practices, according to data analyzed by the Management & Business Academy...

Mother and child reunion.(Kelli Price and her mother in the medical field)
June 15, 2007... Kelli Price, O.D., had rare role models while she was going through The Ohio State University College of Optometry: her mother, Jodi Price, O.D., and her father, John Price, O.D. Her parents had been running two optometric practices in...

Through a patient's eyes: O.D.'s struggle with breast cancer helps her empathize.(doctor of optometry)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... In 2000, Sandy Spender, O.D., got the kind of news that takes your breath away. She was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer, and her prognosis was poor. She was 30 years old and working full time in an ophthalmology practice in Lake Worth,...

Introduction.
June 15, 2007... Dear friends and colleagues, Can you believe that optometrists write as many prescriptions for allergy medicines as our surgical counterparts? It's true, and that is very exciting. When this statement comes true for glaucoma meds, we will...

Enhancing patient care: the OD-MD link; Some family physicians and other M.D.s have no idea of the scope of optometric training and care. To change this, we must communicate with these doctors.(OD-MD Communication)
June 15, 2007... We just returned from a conference where a family doctor, whose brother was an O.D., attended our lectures. He told us he would like to work more closely with the O.D.s in his service area, especially with regard to his patients with diabetes,...

Update on diabetes mellitus.(Diabetes)
June 15, 2007... ** Definition: fasting plasma glucose greater than 126mg/dl. ** 5% to 10% of diabetic patients have Type I diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent). ** 90% to 95% of diabetic patients have Type II diabetes mellitus (treated with oral...

Be a part of the diabetic care team.(Diabetes)
June 15, 2007... Of all parameters of diabetic care, by far the greatest shortfall is the recommended annual dilated eye examination. This begs the questions: Are the patients not receiving timely eye care? Or, are the provider optometrists not communicating...

Quality Reporting guidelines for diabetic retinopathy.(Diabetes)(Brief article)
June 15, 2007... The 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) guidelines can be seen at www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI. These 74 unique guidelines, issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), cover all elements of medical care. The stated...

Antibiotics: rather than prescribing an antiobiotic that will "do no harm" in a red eye, nail the diagnosis first, then prescribe with precision.
June 15, 2007... Everybody loves antibiotics. They are considered a cure-all for most medical maladies, but they aren't. Parents commonly prevail upon the doctor to give their child an antibiotic, even though the condition is viral. Even more common is the...

Corticosteroids: the epidemiology of eye disorders is largely one of inflammation. For this reason, this class of drugs is the most important to master.(Drug overview)
June 15, 2007... The ability of steroids to suppress inflammation (clinical efficacy) is based on two factors: potency (as compared on a mg-per-mg basis) and bioavailability (the ability to penetrate into target tissues). The most clinically effective of...

Clinical cases for combination drugs: perhaps half of all inflamed eyes require a combination drug, rather than an antibiotic or steroid alone.
June 15, 2007... This class of ophthalmic drugs is highly useful and rivals the pure topical corticosteroids in the treatment of the acute red eye. As with most drugs, there are clear indications and clear contraindications, with a gray zone in between. In...

Allergy drugs: allergic conjunctivitis prompts many office patient encounters. New and modified anti-allergy drugs provide patient-friendly dosing and over-the-counter availability.
June 15, 2007... Optometric physicians write roughly equal numbers of prescriptions for anti-allergy medicines as do our surgical counterparts. This is appropriate prescriptive behavior, similar to the observation that primary care physicians write for more...

Glaucoma: the arsenal of glaucoma therapies is robust, with the addition of a preservative-free prostaglandin. But, the question of when to initiate glaucoma therapy remains.
June 15, 2007... We are now at a point where we have sufficient topical medicines to achieve "non-progression," or "minimal acceptable progression" in most patients with glaucoma. In fact, one could argue that the greater public good would be to divert all...

Age-related macular degeneration.(AMD Update)
June 15, 2007... The new measures for Medicare's Physician Quality Reporting Initiative speak directly to patient care in the setting of macular degeneration. Measure 13 states that patients over age 50 with a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration...