Review of Optometry articles from May 2004

Review of Optometry archives from May 2004

Patients who undergo LASIK during hot, humid weather are more likely to need follow-up treatment than those who have the procedure during cold, dry weather.(In the News )(Laser in situ keratomileusis)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Patients who undergo LASIK during hot, humid weather are more likely to need follow-up treatment than those who have the procedure during cold, dry weather. In the April Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, ocular surgeon Keith Walter,...

Cole National announced that it will begin negotiations with Moulin International Holdings.(In the News)
May 15, 2004... Cole National announced that it will begin negotiations with Moulin International Holdings regarding Moulin's unsolicited, non-binding offer to acquire Cole at $25 per share. Both Cole and Luxottica say their previous merger agreement remains...

The FDA has approved a labeling change for Vigamox (moxifloxacin, Alcon).(In the News)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The FDA has approved a labeling change for Vigamox (moxifloxacin, Alcon). The drug now includes 22 additional pathogens on its efficacy list, including atypical mycobacteria (Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium marinum and Propionibacterium...

Canada Opticians usurp refraction: a proposed regulation, a first of its kind, would permit independent refraction.(News Review)
May 15, 2004... In early April, the Ministry of Health Services in British Columbia issued a proposed regulation that would allow opticians to perform automated refractions--which they refer to as "sight tests"--without supervision of an optometrist or...

American Academy of Ophthalmology bans O.D.s from meetings.(News Review)(optometrists)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has issued a resolution that bans optometrists from attending its annual meeting. "Non-members have attended these courses and then used their attendance as arguments to legislatures to expand...

Puerto Rico O.D.s may finally get therapeutics.(News Review)(optometrists)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... If new legislation goes through, optometrists in Puerto Rico may finally catch up to their colleagues in the rest of the United States. A bill, currently in the health commission of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives, requests privileges...

Optometry goes global.(News Review)(World Council of Optometry )(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The World Council of Optometry (WCO) will be holding a World Congress on Optometric Globalization (WCOG) from June 21-24 in Orlando, Fla., right before the American Optometric Association's Annual Congress. Half-day sessions will cover five...

Number of blind and vision-impaired Americans expected to increase.(News Review)
May 15, 2004... At present, more than one million Americans over 40 are blind. Another 2.4 million are visually impaired. A new study predicts these rates will double in the next 30 years as the baby boomer generation ages. A series of articles in the...

Jewelry or tomfoolery?(News Review)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... JewelEye has sparked an overseas ocular fashion frenzy. The 3.5mm-wide implant, available in rings, stars and hearts, is placed within the superficial interpalpebral conjunctiva. Its inventors, the Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular...

Statins and aspirin may reduce risk of CNV.(News Review)(choroidal neovascularization )(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Therapy with aspirin and statins, typically used for lowering cholesterol, may help prevent blindness due to choroidal neovascularization in patients with age-related macular degeneration, according to a study in the April American Journal of...

The marriage of education and ethics: why would the American Academy of Ophthalmology want to limit the learning of O.D.s with whom its members have patients in common?(Editor's Page)(Editorial)
May 15, 2004... Continuing education is a cornerstone of optometry. Optometrists take pride in building upon their knowledge base, seeking scope of practice privileges in the treatment of glaucoma or the use of oral drugs, for example. Many also go above and...

Thirty-one flavors of optometrists: rumor has it that O.D.s will adopt new levels of licensure. sounds O.D.D.!(Chairside)
May 15, 2004... Most rumors I hear about our profession are specious and stupid. Remember the one about me dating Julia Roberts? That was just silly. We are merely close friends. However, I've heard another rumor that seems to be strengthening. It says...

A dozen ways to present premium lenses and add-ons: techniques your opticians use to please and retain patients.(Ophthalmic Lenses)
May 15, 2004... When asked to discuss a case involving premium lenses and add-ons, optician Amy King talks about a female patient who came in for an eye exam and then chose to fill her prescription elsewhere. She lacked full insurance benefits and felt the...

Test yourself on these ethical challenges: what would you do if faced with these four thorny ethical dilemmas?(Ethics in Optometry)
May 15, 2004... As health care providers, optometrists must be ethical, moral, responsible and knowledgeable decision-makers. But what happens when you're faced with a case that isn't cut-and-dried? What if you must pick between two equally important...

From the research lab to your exam room.(Report from ARVO)(Editorial)
May 15, 2004... The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) wrapped up its annual meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in late April. Here, our clinical editors give you the highlights. We've culled through all the conclusions, data, theories...

Cornea: new studies discuss bacterial resistance, dry eye etiology and treatments, and more.(Report from ARVO)
May 15, 2004... New research on bacterial resistance rates to antibiotics offered some surprising findings at this year's Association for Research in Vision Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting. Other corneal studies focused on the effects of graft-versus-host...

Glaucoma: each year, we learn more about the value of corneal thickness measurements and diagnostic technology.(Report from ARVO)
May 15, 2004... From comparisons of the latest high-tech equipment to research on medications, this year's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting had something of interest to anyone with an interest in glaucoma. The past 10 years...

Retina: photodynamic therapy for CNV and intravitreal steroids remain major areas of research interest.(Report from ARVO)
May 15, 2004... Photodynamic therapy (PDT) remains a major area of study in the world of retinal subspecialists. Most of the papers presented at this year's ARVO meeting are follow-ups of ongoing studies defining the success of PDT on various types of...

Cataract & refractive: researchers find new ways to capitalize on wavefront and present alternatives to penetrating keratoplasty.(Report from ARVO)
May 15, 2004... We saw many examples of practitioners capitalizing on existing technology at this year's Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting. This trend was most evident in wavefront diagnostics, which is proving useful in...

Gaining ground in the war on AMD: research offers us new weapons, including nutrition, laser and surgical treatments, against this disease.(Optometric Study Center)(age-related macular degeneration)
May 15, 2004... Age-related retinal disease, comprising age-related maculopathy (ARM) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness and visual disability among the aging in the Western hemisphere. About 1.8 million Americans are...

Does optic neuritis mean MS? Are all patients who present with optic neuritis suspect for multiple sclerosis?(Comanagement Q & A)(multiple sclerosis )
May 15, 2004... Q A patient presented to my office with optic neuritis. Should I comanage her with a neurologist to rule out MS? A There is a well-established link between optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis (MS). "Although the exact risk of developing...

Is ortho-K really OK? Or, should reports of bacterial corneal ulcers change our current practice?(Cornea & Contact Lens Q & A)(orthokeratology)
May 15, 2004... Q I am concerned about the recent overseas reports of corneal ulcers in orthokeratology lens wearers, including children. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Seven reports overseas illustrate a possible link between overnight orthokeratology and...

Sudden vision loss is latest problem: patient with systemic problems and reduced vision O.S. now has decreased vision O.D.(Retina Quiz)
May 15, 2004... A 72-year-old white male presented with a sudden onset of decreased vision in his right eye. He said the vision loss was painless and was unchanged since its onset a week earlier. This patient had a longstanding history of decreased vision...

Have beta-blockers breathed their last? Beta-blockers are a mainstay of therapy. But we monitor pulmonary function for safety.(Glaucoma Grand Rounds)
May 15, 2004... A 61-year-old black female glaucoma patient, previously managed with beta-blockers, requires medical intervention for airway obstructive disease. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The patient initially presented to me in 1997 at age 54 with a...

Injections for wet AMD: how intravitreal injections can halt choroidal neovascular membranes seen in wet AMD.(Therapeutic Review)(age-related macular degeneration)
May 15, 2004... The "wet" form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects approximately 250,000 Americans per year. (1) Because severe vision loss in wet AMD is commonly associated with choroidal neovascular membranes (CNVM), scientists have gained much...

Optimizing GP lenses.(Contact Lenses)(gas permeable )(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... A new range of gas permeable contact lens materials is now available from Contamac, U.S. Optimum contact lenses are cast molded from individually formed lens blanks and include a variety of lens options and wear modalities. Optimum Classic...

Customized eyeglasses.(Ophthalmic Lenses)(Ophthonix Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The new Z-View technology from Ophthonix Inc. is a fully integrated system that allows you to create customized ophthalmic lenses for your patients. The process involves three steps: * The system's Z-View aberrometer, an objective,...

UV protection.(Ophthalmic Lenses)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The AOA's Commission on Ophthalmic Standards has granted its Seal of Acceptance for Ultra Violet Absorbers/Blockers to Transitions lenses. Transitions lenses are the first to meet the criteria of the new category in the AOA Seal of...

Natural protection.(Ophthalmic Lenses)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Vision-Ease Lens Inc. announces the latest addition to its sun lens offerings, the SunRx line. These new lenses combine the light-absorbing properties of melanin, the natural substance found in the skin and retina, with Vision-Ease's patented...

Eye Designs.(Office Design)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The new Viewpoint collection from Eye Designs is a line of modular, semi-custom displays and furniture. Multiple styles in both modern and traditional designs are featured. Call 1-800-346-8890 or go to www.eyedesigns.com. [ILLUSTRATION...

Screening topographer.(Diagnostic Equipment)(Art Optical Contact Lens Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The Medmont E300 Corneal Topographer from Art Optical Contact Lens Inc. can be used as a contact lens fitting aid for any type of irregular cornea. This includes post-op corneal transplant patients, keratoconus patients and patients with high...

Online contact lens ordering.(What's New on the Web)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Gotlenses, a new tool from Ocular Sciences Inc., allows your patients to order replacement contact lenses at their convenience. You can choose prices and lens availability, or you can choose the competitive pricing feature that monitors...

Retinal imaging.(Diagnostic Equipment)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The new Canon Eye Q Digital Retinal Imaging System is designed to help you diagnose patients without dilation. The system can capture and store millions of multi-dimensional images. You can then save these images to monitor a patient's...

Patient positioning.(Diagnostic Equipment)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Richmond Products' Heavy Duty chin rest is constructed of machined chrome uprights and cast metal crossbars. Features include adjustable chin height, chin rest stop for careful positioning, 500 chin rest papers, forehead rest for secure...

Cleaning Caddie.(In-Office Lab Equipment)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... The new Tip Cleaner Caddie from Gulden Ophthalmics lets you quickly disinfect and store tonometer tips in one place. The caddie keeps drops organized and includes a removable, refillable cup; one small hole for Goniosol; a peroxide cup with a...

Rimless tools.(In-Office Lab Equipment)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Breitfield & Schliekert Optical Tools introduces another tool to help you work with rimless frames. The company's new screwdriver includes a protective cap that fits over the blade to prevent scratching lenses. The screwdriver is available in...

Frame tools.(In-Office Lab Equipment)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Hilco has two new kits for your dispensary. The Precision Screwdriver Kit features screwdrivers with high-impact plastic handles and swivel tops. The kit includes three flat screwdrivers (1.2mm, 2.0mm and 2.4mm) two Phillips (sizes 0 and 00)...

Step up to Success.(Practice Management)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Johnson and Johnson Vision Care's new DVD, Five Steps to Success, features three video segments that illustrate specific tactics for dispensing premium products. The presentation recommends an office-wide approach that encompasses these five...

City styles.(Sunwear)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Marchon's DKNY Eyes features 24 new styles in its spring 2004 collection. Styles include: * DKNY 7832S, a zyl frame in geometric cat eye shape. Color combinations include black with black lens, silver pearl with black/gray mirror lens,...

Classic sun.(Sunwear)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... Luxottica's Ray-Ban brand has added nine new styles to its 2004 spring/summer collection. The new styles include: * RB 2132. A modification to the brand's classic Wayfarer frame, the RB 2132 features a slightly more rounded profile. It...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
May 15, 2004... The March 2004 Review of Optometry Product Review incorrectly listed the Chanel 2004 collection of frames as a Marchon brand. Chanel is a Luxottica line. Review of Optometry editors apologize for the error and any confusion this may have caused...

Meetings & conferences.(Calendar)
May 15, 2004... May * 20-24. Cruise the Caribbean, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Sponsored by Nova Southeastern University. CE hours: 8. Contact Shakara Rosenbaum, 3200 S. University Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33328; call (954) 262-4224; fax (954) 262-1818; e-mail...

Red eye in morning, sclera take warning.(Diagnostic Quiz)(Brief Article)
May 15, 2004... History A 63-year-old black female was referred by her primary-care physician for a red left eye of one day's duration. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Her ocular history was noncontributory. Her systemic history was remarkable for...