AOA Reacts to Fed Judge Who Ruled ODs Aren't Physicians

The AOA House of Delegates passed two resolutions reaffirming the American Optometric Association's commitment to defend the status of optometrists as physicians in federal law. The need came for the resolution after U.S. District Judge A. Howard Matz issued a summary judgement in the case between the American Optometric Society (AOS) and the American Board of Optometry (ABO). The judge stated that optometrists were not physicians. So the house also resolved that the AOS should join the AOA in petitioning the federal judge to correct his order.

Patients with Blindsight See Motion and Colors

"The visual information from eyes is sent into the brain unconsciously even if you are not aware. One example of unconscious seeing is a phenomenon called 'blindsight' [Subjects have no awareness, but their brains can see] in subjects with visual impairment, caused by damage to a part of the brain called the visual cortex," writes Medical News Today. "Although it is already reported that the patients with damage in the visual cortex, who were not aware of seeing, can walk and avoid obstacles, it was not proved whether this was really blindsight. In this new study, the international collaborative research team including Assistant Professor Masatoshi Yoshida and Professor Tadashi Isa from The National Institute for Physiological Sciences, The National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Japan and Professor Laurent Itti from the University of Southern California demonstrated that blindsight in monkeys is available not only under the specific conditions of the laboratory, but also in everyday environments. This research result appeared in Current Biology as an electronic version." Read more.

Bauer Acquires Cascade Helmets

Bauer Performance Sports Ltd.  acquired Cascade Helmets Holdings, Inc., for approximately US$64 million. Cascade is the leading designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of lacrosse helmets and eyewear in North America, and is a leading and well-recognized brand in the broader lacrosse equipment industry.Read more.

Doc Removes 5-Inch Worm from Patient's Eye

"When 75-year-old P.K. Krishnamurthy went to Dr. V. Seetharaman’s office, he complained about eye pain, irritation, and redness, from which he had been suffering for two weeks," reports Medical Daily. "The specialist was shocked to find a live, writhing 13-centimeter-long worm, about five inches, residing in the patient’s eye. He whisked Krishnamurthy into surgery immediately." Read more.

Eliot Berson Receives Visionary Award from the Foundation Fighting Blindness

Eliot L. Berson, M.D., director of the Berman-Gund Laboratory for the Study of Retinal Degenerations located at the Mass. Eye and Ear, recently received the Foundation Fighting Blindness Visionary Award. Mr. Gordon Gund, chairman of the Maryland-based Foundation Fighting Blindness, presented Dr. Berson with the award at the foundation's recent "Dining in the Dark" event at the Boston InterContinental Hotel.

Other recipients awarded include Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick and Joshua S. Boger, Ph.D., founder of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, an international company headquartered in Cambridge, Mass.

The Visionary Award was presented to Dr. Berson for his important role in research to advance the understanding of potentially blinding diseases and for the development of the first treatment for retinitis pigmentosa.

"Our studies have led to a better understanding of the causes of hereditary retinal degenerations at the DNA level and also have led to the first treatment for the common forms of retinitis pigmentosa. We have found that a high-dose of vitamin A combined with an oily fish diet and lutein will, on average, extend vision for up to 20 additional years, thereby making it possible for many patients with retinitis pigmentosa to see for their entire lives. We were also the first to show that high-dose vitamin E supplementation aggravates the course of these diseases," said Dr. Berson during his speech.

Sony's Smart Specs to Give Google Glass Competition

"Google might not realize it, but Project Glass isn't alone in the patent race these days," according to an Engadget post. "Sony has quietly applied for a patent on a familiar-looking smart glasses system whose advantage over Mountain View would be an emphasis on things in twos. Eyepieces are the most obvious, but Sony is also keen on sharing data between two friends: transmitters on a pair of glasses would send personal info through a likely very uncomfortable glance at someone else with the same eyewear." Read more.

Vivienne Westwood Signs for 5 Years with Allison

"According to today's edition of MF Fashion, the British stylist, Vivienne Westwood, yesterday signed a five-year licensing agreement with Allison for the production and distribution of eyewear. The company belonging to the It Holding Group will therefore take the place of Filos, owned by the German Metzler, which was acquired by the Chinese company, Moulin," according to a Mido News 365 post. "The agreement is for the production of frames for unisex and women's sun and sight eyewear, each category starting with about twenty models. The collection's debut is due to take place at Silmo, Paris, next October. The distribution network, which will be managed by Allison, covers the British brand's boutiques as well as top-level opticians. The eyewear is positioned in the medium-high price bracket and the aim is to achieve billings of 15 million euros over the next five years ." Read more.

More to the Eyes than Most People Think

"Our eyes don't just take in the world around us, they can also reflect our emotional state, influence our memories, and provide clues about the way we think," says Medical News Today. "Here is some of the latest research from the journals Psychological Science and Current Directions in Psychological Science in which scientists show there's much more to the eyes than people might think." Read more.

Jude Law at Vogue's Eyewear Bash in Paris

SociaLite Life notes that "Look dapper in a suit and scarf, Jude Law left the Vogue eyewear bash in Paris, France last night (June 27th). Law stars in the remake of Leo Tolstoy‘s famous novel, Anna Karenina (out November 9th) alongside Keira Knightley(in the title role), Kelly Macdonald, Aaron Johnson and Emma Watson. Law plays Aleksei Karenin, Anna’s wealthy, well-connected, “cold fish” of a husband." Read more.

Luzerne Now Using Hoya's iD Free-Form Technology

"Luzerne Optical is the first independently owned optical laboratory to have HOYA iD Lifestyle iQ Free-Form production in their facility," reports Eye Surf. The lab reports that with HOYA’s iD technology, which uses algorithms during fabrication to enhance visual acuity and widen fields of vision, it can offer their customers even more options for its patients.Read more.

Sound and Fury: Leaders in Eye Health Field Come Out and Say Nothing about the Supreme Court Health Care Reform Ruling

David Parke II, M.D. and ceo of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, issued this statement  for the AAO in response to U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is committed to working with Congress on solutions to expand coverage for the more than 40 million uninsured individuals in the United States, and simultaneously push for key changes in the health care law that protect patients' access to quality vision care. The Supreme Court's ruling that the health care law is constitutional is just one chapter in a book that is still being authored. The outcome of the November elections will be another important chapter. Ophthalmology and the medical community look forward to continuing to play a key role in ensuring the highest quality of care for all Americans.

Said Dori Carlson, OD and president of the American Optometric Association; and Ronald L. Hopping, OD and president-elect of the American Optometric Association:

 Battling organized medicine, insurers, and others with an anti-optometry agenda, AOA fought for and won a valued seat at the Washington, D.C. table as the debate over health reform intensified. And, as key health reform decisions are made in the nation’s capital and in statehouses across the country in the coming weeks and months, AOA will continue working to advance pro-access, pro-patient solutions aimed at ensuring that doctors of optometry and their patients are treated fairly under health reform and that policymakers and others fully understand the central role that optometrists play in enhanced care delivery and improved health outcomes.

Said Staurat Thomas, OD, chairman of the board of VSP:

We remain steadfast in our belief that stand-alone vision plans – which cover over 100 million Americans – should have the opportunity to participate directly in the Exchanges, and we will continue to advocate strongly for independent doctors and their patients towards this goal. 

Least you forgot your Shakespearean studies: To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, / To the last syllable of recorded time; / And all our yesterdays have lighted fools / The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! / Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, / And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.--Macbeth Act 5, scene 5, 19–28.

FDA Clears Biotrue ONEday Contact Lenses

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Biotrue ONEday, Bausch + Lomb's new daily disposable contact lens. The newly approved CL is made from a substance that the company calls HyperGel, that reportedly combines the best features of conventional hydrogels and silicone hydrogels.  The lens offers high water content and delivers more oxygen than a traditional hydrogel – all without the need for silicone – while maintaining the comfort of conventional hydrogels. The CLs also provide consistent, clear, comfortable vision throughout the day because the innovative, bio-inspired material helps them retain moisture and optical shape even after hours of wear.  The lenses contain 78 percent water, the same water content as the cornea, and deliver the oxygen level needed by the open eye to maintain healthy, white eyes. The outer surface of the lens is designed to mimic the lipid layer of tear film to prevent dehydration. Read more.

GlassesUSA Receives Retail Honor

GlassesUSA.com has been selected as the exclusive online eyeglasses company for the Internet Retailer Magazine's Top 500 Guide. The guide ranks the 500 largest North American online retailers according to their e-commerce prominence. According to GlassesUSA press release, Yahoo! News research reveals that buying eyeglasses online can save $7,042 over a glasses wearers' lifetime. Most online optical retailers offer a wider frame selection than their offline counterparts and offer the consumer significant savings, sometimes in excess of 70% off the average offline retail price. Read more.

Par for Sight Raises Almost Half a Million for OneSight

Par for Sight participants didn’t let a little rain dampen their ability to raise funds for OneSight. In just one day, more than 700 supporters enjoyed four flights of golf, a Putt Putt tournament, and a PARtee and raised more than $434,000. Changes to the tournament this year included moving all four flights of golf to one day across two courses, exciting prize additions like new cars, and elevating the Silent Auction. Read more.

PC Magazine Reviews Pivothead's Video Recording Eyewear

"In the late 1990's, Warren Ellis wrote a comic book called Transmetropolitan. It was about a gonzo journalist who covered politics in a cyberpunk future. One of his signatures was a pair of unique glasses that worked as a camera, recording video and taking photos whenever he wanted." That's the start of a PC Magazine review of Pivothead's video recording eyewear. The eyewear from Pivothead does the same thing as Ellis'--"without the politics, cyberpunk, or drug-fueled diatribes found in the comic book. Despite those omissions, this $349 (direct) pair of sunglasses is one of the most useful head-mounted high-definition video cameras we've tested. While it's not cheap and video quality isn't top-notch, Pivothead offers one of the best ways to record exactly what you're looking at." Read more.

Google Glass Used on a Jump from a Blimp

Gadget Box reports that "Sergey Brin turned up at the Google I/O keynote, and revealed that a trio of basejumpers were hanging out in a blimp overhead. Brin's instructions: Jump out of the airship, land on the roof of the Moscone Center, and deliver a box containing a pair of the augmented-reality glasses." Read more.



Geeky Gadget reported that "Google has now made available to Google I/O attendees to pre-order for $1500. The new Google Glass Explorer Edition eyewear which is still currently under development, will be shipped to Google developers who pre-order the eyewear in early 2013 says Google." Read more.

Classique Debuts New Lisa Loeb Eyewear

"Classique Eyewear is proud to debut the newest Lisa Loeb Eyewear frame styles. The newest frame styles are edgier and more refined, yet still incorporate Lisa Loeb’s signature and iconic cat-eye and retro shape," notes Midwest Lens. "These styles have a new design element; a unique marbelized purple temple tip, shaped as a guitar pic, which represents Lisa Loeb’s musical persona." Read more.

Eyeglasses.com Releases What It Calls a Consumer's Buying Guide

Eyeglasses.com released the 110-page "How to Buy Eyeglasses: A Consumer Buying Guide for Eyewear." The online retailer published the guide in response to questions from customers.  James Hilford, president of Eyeglasses.com, stated, "It is amazing how little information is available to consumers about eyeglasses and prescription lenses.  Consumers can access product information on virtually every consumer appliance, spending an hour of research before making a $250 purchase -- but not when it comes to eyewear." It's curious that Eyeglasses.com customers cannot find information while other eyewear shoppers can. That being the case, the company says that the guide provides information about features of different lenses and coatings. Read more.

The webpage on which the guide starts states: "Corporations and insurance plans can use the “How to Buy Glasses” guide to reduce employee and beneficiary spending on eyewear. Through education, consumers can learn how to buy fewer unnecessary features, and to find frame and lens types that will last longer. It can also help consumers access the internet for their eyewear purchase which increases their selection and could reduce the cost of out-of-network reimbursements for eyewear benefit plans. It will also help people answer the question, 'Are progressive lenses the right choice for my needs?'"

Surgeon at UC Irvine Implants Telescope in 94-Year-Old Patient

Dr. Sumit "Sam" Garg, cornea surgeon at UC Irvine Health's Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, implanted a tiny telescope in a patient's eye with end-stage macular degeneration (AMD). The first Orange County patient received a telescope implant late last year by fellow cornea surgeon Dr. Marjan Farid. The Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at UC Irvine is the only academic institution in Southern California currently implanting the mini telescope for end-stage AMD. Dr. Garg, cornea surgeon at UC Irvine Medical Center and Vice Chair of Clinical Ophthalmology at The Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, performed the most recent surgery on a 94-year old patient. The first-of-kind telescope implant is integral to CentraSight™, a new patient care program for treating patients with end-stage age-related macular degeneration, the most advanced form of AMD and the leading cause of blindness in older Americans. The FDA approved implant is the only medical/surgical option that improves visual acuity by reducing the impact of the central vision blind spot caused by end-stage AMD. The cost is covered by Medicare. Read more.

GlobalEyeglasses Offers Free-Form Progressives

GlobalEyeglasses.com is now offering free form progressive lenses. The company claims that it " is overcoming the limitations of the traditional lens manufacturing process by incorporating advanced craftsmanship and deciding on an ideal or target optical performance for the lens design for the given prescription. As the frontrunner in this dynamic and intensely competitive industry, the company is minimizing the differences between the target optical and the actual optical performance of the design. Each lens is custom made and finely crafted based on the prescription given." Read more.

Epiphany Eyewear Developer Gets Award

If you aren't already aware of the cutting-edge social video streaming glasses, Epiphany Eyewear, being developed by Vergence Labs (http://www.vergencelabs.com), here's your chance to get in on the ground floor. Vergence Labs is creating computer enabled eyewear -- video recording and video streaming glasses with software that integrates with the mobile app ecosystem and the social web. "Picture it as stylish glasses that will let you touch a button on the frame, and stream your point of view to apps like Instagram or SocialCam, then post your experience onto Facebook and Twitter," explained Erick Miller, founder and CEO. For these recent advancements, VMware and Nokia awarded Vergence's Chief Science Officer and co-founder, Jon Rodriguez, two coveted Technical Innovation awards at the Stanford University computer science exhibition.Read more.

Sunscape Licenses Baby Genius Brand for Eyewear

Sunscape Eyewear has licensed the Baby Genius Brand for an eyewear, according to a press release on Market Watch. "The two-year agreement grants Sunscape rights to manufacture and distribute worldwide Baby Genius-themed eyewear for boys and girls ages 0-4 years featuring the beloved Baby Genius(R) characters. Product categories include sunglasses, eyewear and eyewear accessories such as croakies and cases." Read more.

Eye Doc Uses Social Entrepreneurship to Provide Care

"So investors, take note: opportunities abound in parts of the world you might never have thought to look -- places like Tamil Nadu, India, where the Aravind Eye Care System, a non-profit purveyor of high-quality, low-cost cataract surgery and spectacles, has been treating India's visually impaired for more than 35 years," says the Huffington Post. "Founded in 1976 by the late Govindappa Venkatswamy, or "Dr. V" as he is commonly known, Aravind has grown from one hospital to a network of nine, with more than 4,000 beds and 40 primary eye centers." Read more.

Zyloware Introduces Its August Releases

"Zyloware Eyewear announces the August 2012 release of new styles from the Sophia Loren, Stetson, Randy Jackson and Gloria by Gloria Vanderbilt collections," says Eye Surf. Read more about the new lines.

OGA Introduces a Tubular Design Called Tub

"ÖGA is excited to introduce Tüb, a rounded tubular design concept, featuring a dual action integrated spring hinge. The stainless steel hinge mechanism combines delicacy with long-term reliability," notes Eye Surf. "Stamped, tubular, stainless steel endpieces meet with temples to create an oblong shape at the temple joint. A hint of colored lacquer is added to the slim recess on both the endpiece and the temple. is available in a wide range of sizes from 52 to 57." Read more.

Online Retailer Increases Competition

Competition from online retailers will increase. Here's an example of a recent LensWay promotion: "Sit back and relax with the AutoRefill program from LensWay.co.uk, the online glasses and contact lenses retailer, giving you the chance to order your contact lenses online and opt to receive an automatic refill every month on a day to suit you, delivered free of charge directly to your door. What's more, you'll get an exclusive 5% discount on every refill order you receive. And with no commitment, you're free to cancel or reschedule your refill at any time. As an added incentive, LensWay.co.uk is also offering customers that join the AutoRefill program the option of a free pair of glasses with 50% off a wide range of lenses, as well as 25% off a new pair of sunglasses!" Read more.

Monica Rose Styles Fall Line for Dita

"In-between curating ensembles for the entire Kardashian Klan and her adorable daughter, celebrity stylist Monica Rose recently took the time out of her insane schedule to style Dita Eyewear's latest lookbook," reports LA Racked. "Snapped by Lionel Deluy and the LA-based brand's cofounder John Juniper, Rose dressed models Mira K., recent Planet Blue lookbook star Lauren Hastings and the aptly-named Charlie Shades in a variety of rock-inspired looks to complement Dita's sleek new shades." Read more.

Sunwear That Takes Photographs

"Instaglasses is a concept by German Designer Markus Gerke. His design proposes the ability to take an Instagram picture directly from a pair of sunglasses," reports Mashable Tech. "The eyewear gadget would incorporate greater functionality and popular technology into sunglasses in an even more seamless way. Users would simply press the Instagram icon on the front of the glasses, and change the filter by scrolling on the frames, posting instantly to Instagram without the need for a smartphone." Read more.

The Heat's Ronny Turiaf Giving Gifts of Activist Eyewear

At the start of the playoffs, team player Ronny Turiaf, who had only just signed with the Heat in March of this year, presented each player with a gift set that included as Activist Eyewear/Alfred Julius bowtie and handkerchief set.  The idea was to not only bring good fortune in their pursuit of the title, but would encourage the team to win in style and class. Read more.

PBA Launches Its "Most Beautiful Eyes Contest 2012"

Guardians of children younger than 17 years of age can enter Prevent Blindess America's Most Beautiful Faces Contest. Participants can register at the Prevent Blindness America Facebook page. They can also vote for the individual with the most beautiful eyes at that site as well. Enourage your patients to participate or run your own contest in tandem with PBA's.

Why Women Want Reading Glasses Sooner Than Men--It's in the Arms

"Studies have consistently reported that women require reading glasses or bifocal lenses earlier than men. According to a recent Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science paper, the gender difference is caused by factors other than focusing ability, such as arm length or preferred reading distance, which should be considered when prescribing readers or bifocals," notes Science Daily. "While the results of a subgroup of studies showed that there was no significant gender-related difference in the eye's ability to focus clearly on objects at near distances, the overall analysis provided evidence that women have a need for higher power reading glasses or bifocals than men of an equivalent age. According to the researchers, this discrepancy is likely due to differences in preferred reading distances or arm length as women tend to hold reading materials closer than men do." Read more.

Miami Heats Star Dons Edward Beiner Sunwear

"Like the NBA giants who floss his unquestionably chic designs, eyewear designer Edward Beiner is at the top of his game," according to Fox News Latino. "Brazilian-born and now a Miami resident, he proudly boasts of Heat fever and proclaims his love of the city he’s called home for over 30 years. Fashion followers only had to watch the press conferences given by Heat superstar Dwayne Wade lately to see how hot Beiner’s line is. For the Heat’s win against the Celtics, the baller wore the Merrick style with a baby blue suit. For their loss against the Lakers, Wade wore the same style in grey, and for their win against Oklahoma, he wore tortoise shell." Read more.

Vision of Older Americans Better Than a Generation Ago

"Despite a general increase in health conditions like diabetes that can harm vision, Americans over 65 are about half as likely as their counterparts a generation ago to report having seriously impaired vision, according to a new U.S. study," according to a Reuters story posted on MSNBC. "Using two large national surveys, researchers found the percentage of older adults who said they needed help performing daily tasks because of severe vision problems fell from 3.5 percent in 1984 to 1.7 percent in 2010. Those whose poor eyesight made it difficult to read or make out certain objects declined from 23 percent in 1984 to 10 percent in 2010." Read more.

On the surface, this appears to contradict the Prevent Blindness America study, which this blog reported about a couple of days ago. It stated, "The number of Americans at risk for age-related eye diseases is increasing as the baby-boomer generation ages." It doesn't. The difference is simple. Baby-boomers have better eye health than their parents and grandparents, but the vision of baby-boomer still is slipping. Why? They're getting old. 

Spurs Tony Parker Suing Over Corneal Laceration

Rolling Stone reports that "San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker is suing the owners of W.i.P. nightclub over injuries he allegedly sustained during the Chris Brown-Drake brawl earlier this month, reports the New York Post. The NBA All-Star is seeking $20 million following a 'corneal laceration of the left eye and other injurie'" he says he suffered during the fight, though his lawyer David Jaroslawicz admitted the extent of the injuries are still unknown." Read more.

Hiliary Gets Funky with Her Eyewear

New York magazine writes "Hiliary Clinton spices up swearing in ceremony with funky glasses." Read more.

ZeaVision Adds a Zeaxanthin and Lutein Formulated Supplement

ZeaVision, LLC has introduced EyePromise Zeaxanthin + Lutein Macular Pigment Formula. It includes 10 mg of dietary zeaxanthin (reportedly the highest amount available in any eye vitamin brand) and 10 mg of Lutein, Dr. Stuart Richer's recent Zeaxanthin and Visual Function (ZVF) Trial demonstrated several visual function improvements in early AMD patients. Patients who consumed eight milligrams of dietary zeaxanthin for 12 months experienced improved driving skills and could read 8.5 more letters on an eye chart. Additionally blind spots were eliminated in their visual field, and their ability to discern fine detail improved.  Read more.

The Story of Hakan San, an Optician in Turkey

"International eyewear guru Hakan San only has eyes for spectacles," starts the Harriyet Daily News. "The shop owner not only sells eyewear he collects, exhibits and writes. San’s future goal is to create a real Turkish eyewear brand which he would be proud to announce is ‘made in Turkey’ created by Turkish designers and Turkish manufacturers. Hakan San’s Labistanbul Cité Française, which opened in March, offers very rare first-hand vintage sunglasses as well as limited editions of several international brands. San also gives private eyewear consultations in choosing sunglasses. Hakan San’s father Mehmet is one of the oldest and reputable opticians while his mother Sema is one of the first female opticians in Turkey." Read more.

Great Site about Decorative Contact Lenses for Your Patients

"Every year, the approach of Halloween heightens fears at FDA that consumers will harm their eyes with unapproved decorative contact lenses," notes WebMD. "These are lenses that some people use to temporarily change their eye color or to make their eyes look weird—perhaps giving them an 'eye-of-the-tiger' look. 'Although unauthorized use of decorative contact lenses is a concern year-round, Halloween is the time when people may be inclined to use them, perhaps as costume accessories,' says James Saviola, the Ophthalmic and Ear, Nose and Throat Devices Network Leader in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Read more or recommend to your patients to read.

NicOx to Market AdenoPlus in U.S. to ECPs

Rapid Pathogen Screening, Inc., (RPS) and NicOx, S.A., have entered into a licensing agreement giving NicOx access to RPS's innovative diagnostic tests. The agreement grants NicOx worldwide rights to unique point-of-care tests in the ocular field. The first of these tests is AdenoPlus, which reportedly enables rapid and accurate in-office diagnosis of specific ocular diseases and conditions. It's reportedly an easy-to-use point-of-care diagnostic test that identifies patients with adenoviral conjunctivitis using a small tear sample. It provides a definitive result in only ten minutes, making the correct diagnosis available at the time of the doctor visit rather than relying on only signs and symptoms or waiting for results from a laboratory. The agreement grants NicOx exclusive rights to commercialize AdenoPlus to eye care professionals in the US, as well as full exclusive rights to market the test in the rest of the world. RPS maintains rights to commercialize these ocular tests to primary and urgent care professionals in the US. The agreement also covers two additional diagnostic tests currently in development, one for the combined detection of Adenoviral and allergic conjunctivitis and the other to diagnose ocular herpes. Read more.

New Super-Flex Kids for Fall 2012

"With the anticipation of new school fashions, Classique Eyewear introduces the 2012 Back to School Super-Flex Kids collection with 6 new models," notes Eye Surf. "The boy’s collection gets most of the attention this season with four new models in eye sizes ranging from 43 to 47. Whether it is model SFK 110, an acetate model with a metal temple décor insert or SFK 108, a stainless steel, full rim model, the SFK boy’s collection is sleek, cool and right on trend. Key colors include navy, charcoal, black and brown. For the girls, SFK 106 is a trendy, playful stainless steel model in fun colors such as Brown/Fuscia, Pink/Aqua and Purple Blue. The centerpiece style for the Fall 2012 Super-Flex kids collection is SFK 107. This unisex style is a retro-inspired acetate model in sizes 44 and 46. [The model is] available in black crystal, brown crystal. Read more.

FDA Gives Its Approval of enVista

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the enVista hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL), announced Bausch + Lomb. The lens is the first and only FDA-approved IOL in the U.S. with labeling that states: "No glistenings of any grade were reported for any subject at any visit in the clinical study," notes B+ L. Glistenings are fluid-filled microvacuoles that can form within an IOL and are common in some hydrophobic acrylic IOLs. Glistenings may not only present an aesthetic issuebut could impact visual function, including visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in patients, because a portion of light coming into the eye could be scattered. Read more.

AOA Claims Its Accrediation Board Is "Under Attack"

Gird your loins, polish those shields, and sharpen those spears. Or head for cover, ODs. War is on. At least that's the tenor of a recent letter from AOA President Dori Carlson, O.D.

"Regulators and other outside groups are now attacking the Accreditation Council for Optometric Education (ACOE), optometry’s only recognized accrediting body for professional degree programs and residency programs. Claiming that the ACOE is not autonomous is an attack on the credibility of the entire profession and your professional degree. This attack may lead legislators and health care policymakers to question the legitimacy of your degree, your license, and your ability to act as an independent health care professional. These attacks falsely assert that the ACOE is not autonomous in the development of accreditation standards and in making accreditation decisions.

"State optometry boards regulate professional licensure; that is a fact of life. However, we don’t have to accept that an association of state licensing boards is the only stakeholder granted exclusive and powerful authority to review and approve continuing professional education. There may be a better way, the way all other independent health care professions review and accredit CE. Optometry is right to examine alternative best-in-class models with more inclusive governance of all key CE stakeholders.

"A profession takes pride in its ability and willingness to regulate itself, and continuing professional education is no exception to that obligation. Learn the facts on this issue at http://www.aoa.org/x22163.xml. False and misleading claims about the independence of the ACOE undermines the entire profession and threatens your professional degree."

Le Mans Team Audi Drivers Receive TAG Heuer Eyewear

News from Le Mans: "For the race, TAG Heuer provided to the drivers to use TAG Heuer Night Vision frames, which have been tested and worn by Dindo Capello, Benoit Treluyer and Marc Gene this week-end. Over daylight, Marc has also worn during the race TAG Heuer Panorama eyeglasses under his helmet," according to Zig Wheels. Read more.

WellPoint Finalizes 1-800 Contacts Buy Out

WellPoint, Inc., finalized its acquisition of 1-800 CONTACTS, Inc., reportedly the largest direct-to-consumer retailer of contact lenses in the U.S. The company serves approximately 3.3 million customers.Read more.

20 Work Days of Fog-Free Safety Eyewear Now Available

A new cloth from Defog It reportedly offers up to 20 work days of fog-free safety eyewear.  With the new resealable pouch, a worker can use a single Defog It cloth to give lenses up to 8 hours of fog-proofing, return it to a foil pouch, and zip it closed to use again as many as 20 times.Read more.

Midwest Lens Offers 7-Power Degression Lens for Near and Intermediate Vision

"The Perfecta Professional, available only from Midwest Lens, is a solution for those patients who require an intensive use of the near vision and the intermediate," reports Midwest Lens. "Seven power degressions of 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75, 2.00D, and 2.25D guarantee that all wearers will find the best adapted power degression, based on their normal near vision power. Near vision point is held at 14mm below the pupil. Such a long corridor provides an instant feeling of comfort and adaptation, swim effect disappears and distortions caused by lateral astigmatism zones are virtually invisible. Around 65% of the degression is reached at level pupil position, making it easier for wearers to find the intermediate vision. This lens has helped patients reduce symptoms associated with computer vision syndrome (CVS), such as neck and shoulder problems and eye strain." Read more.

Risk for Age-Related Eye Disease Increasing in U.S.

"The number of Americans at risk for age-related eye diseases is increasing as the baby-boomer generation ages." That's the start of the Introduction for the fourth edition of "Vision Problems in the U.S." as published by Prevent Blindness America. "These conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, affect more Americans than ever before. Disturbingly, the number of Americans with age-related eye disease and the vision impairment that results is expected to double within the next three decades. As of the year 2000 census, there were more than 119 million people in the United States in this age group. The table on the following pages provides an overview of the U.S. population age 40 and older by race and sex." Get the report and to see the table, click this link.

Another take on the study: "A study from Johns Hopkins University is showing an increasing number of vision impairment problems and blindness in those over 40. The report released today by Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute (NEI) shows a surprising 23% increase since 2000," according to a Medical News Today post. "The preliminary update to the 2007 Prevent Blindness America Economic Impact of Vision Problems report, pegs the problem as costing an extra $1 billion in medical care, informal care and health-related quality of life. Further cost data and a full updated report on the economic impact of vision problems will be available in the near future." Read more.

Typhoon Polarized Optics Sponsors Pro Angler Blaylock

Typhoon Polarized Optics will sponsor FLW Tour Angler Stetson Blaylock. Blaylock reportedly said, "It goes beyond a sponsorship deal for me. It's about having access to, and promoting, a high quality sunglass manufacturer. Typhoon not only makes high quality products, but they are affordable, so every angler can own a pair. Not everyone can afford a $200 plus pair of sunglasses, with Typhoon they don't have to." Read more.

Angelina Jolie Pops In Green CLs to Play Disney's Maleficent

Ace Show Biz reports that "Walt Disney Pictures has uncovered how Angelina Jolie will look like as the titular character in "Maleficent". In a newly released official picture of the film, the longtime partner of Brad Pitt is featured sporting a full Maleficent makeup complete with the fictional figure's iconic horns. She is also pictured donning bright green and yellow contact lenses." Read more.

Red 88 Eyewear Launches the Modern Collection

"Red 88 Eyewear launches the Modern collection from Motif Eyewear," reports Eye Surf. "The Motif Modern collection consists of six unisex styles in three colors each. Anything but average, Motif Eyewear Modern Collection uses a clean and contemporary design style from Denmark. A custom made titanium double barrel hinge incorporate the temple and end piece to create a solid and stable structure. Sophisticated and accessible, Motif Modern collection has character, style, smarts and confidence." Read more.

ClearVision Offers Training Program on Selling Kids Eyewear

"ClearVision announces Selling the Kids Biz, a comprehensive 3-part video series that serves as a training guide to selling kids frames in today’s marketplace. This powerful video series delivers on strategies, stats and unique insights into how to succeed in the kids business," notes Eye Surf. "Presented as three separate videos that build on each other, the series provides an educational opportunity in an easy to use format. Available to you through Cvoptical.com, the series can be viewed repeatedly or even used as a lunch and learn for your staff. Each video comes with a supporting white paper to reinforce the knowledge outlined in the video." Read more.

CDC Looking for Eye Health Care Professionals

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now accepting applications from health care practitioners for its Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) Program. The EIS is a unique two-year, post-graduate training program of service and on-the-job learning for health professionals interested in the practice of applied epidemiology, according to the CDC. Each year, 70 to 80 people are selected as EIS officers and assigned to the CDC, or to state or local health departments, where they conduct epidemiologic investigations, research, and public health surveillance. Read more.

Collection of Pizelated Eyewear from Dzmitry Samai

"Paris-based designer Dzmitry Samal‘s selection of futuristic glasses feature a retro-style pixelated effect. Designed to reflect society’s fascination with an “information aesthetic,” they refer to our digital roots and 'late 1980s computerized graphics and video games such as Tetris,'" notes PSFK. "The pixelated eyewear is available in a range of styles and colors, entirely manufactured in France. They feature an acetate frame and either transparent lenses or solar lenses from Christian Dalloz Sunoptics with 100% UV protection." Read more.

Five New Ophthalmics for Boys from Harley-Davidson

"Viva International Group introduces five new ophthalmic styles for boys from the Harley-Davidson Wild Child Eyewear Summer 2012 collection," according to Midwest Lens. "The new collection captures the riveting lifestyle of the Harley-Davidson brand with unique temple treatments featuring fun motorcycle-inspired design elements. Designed to accommodate a wide range of face shapes, each style is perfect for today’s tween on the go." Read more.

Healthiest Eye Care Cities in the U.S.

While rankings exist on the most health-conscious and physically fit cities in the United States,  VSP Vision Care (www.vsp.com) has identified the cities whose residents get their eyes examined most frequently, in the first ever “Eye Health City Index.”

 

The 2012 Eye Health Index of the most eye healthy cities include:

• Providence, RI
• Wichita, KS
• Raleigh, NC
• Birmingham, AL
• Denver, CO
• Columbus, OH
• Dayton, OH
• San Jose, CA
• Oklahoma City, OK
• Sacramento, CA

Read more.

Eastern States Releases 8 New Styles for Diva

"Eastern States Eyewear has announced the release of eight new optical styles in Diva Eyewear," reports Eye Surf. "This release marks the reintroduction of acetate fronts back into the Diva Eyewear Collection – four of the eight styles offered in this release feature plastic fronts.  Shapes range from more classic modified rectangles to fashionable deeper shapes with a retro slant.  A variety of themes can be seen in the acetate colors including mottled, laminates, and translucent shades.  Colors include burgundy with hints of violet, brown-leopard, purple-cognac, and a sand translucent plastic with hints of denim as well as some elegant classic shades such as pearl, charcoal, and gold." Read more.

New Augmented Reality Eyewear

"At first glance, Thad Starner does not look out of place at Google. A pioneering researcher in the field of wearable computing, Starner is a big, charming man with unruly hair. But everyone who meets him does a double take, because mounted over the left lens of his eyeglasses is a small rectangle," reports MIT's Technology Review. "It looks like a car's side-view mirror made for a human face. The device is actually a minuscule computer monitor aimed at Starner's eye; he sees its display—pictures, e-mails, anything—superimposed on top of the world, Terminator-style.Starner's heads-up display is his own system, not a prototype of Project Glass, Google's recently announced effort to build augmented-reality goggles." Read more.

Olympic Athletes Will Receive Free Eye Care

"Free dentistry and eyecare will be provided to Olympic athletes at a specially constructed £23m Polyclinic in the Olympic Park, it was revealed today," according to the Independent. "The 24-hour health centre, which expects to treat 200 athletes a day, has been funded by £17m of NHS money plus £6m from the £9.3bn Olympics budget. As well as the usual sports injuries, the Polyclinic will offer free dentistry and eye care." Read more.

Eyeglasses Reportedly Improve Memory

"Eyeglasses that stimulate alpha brain waves and improve memory," starts the Midwest Lens post. "No, it’s not an accessory for superheroes but the outcome of 10 years’ research by Francesco Ferro Milone of Vicenza, the former head of neurology who is now 85 and has created a device called Mnemosline. Instead of lenses, the glasses have two red LEDs with light impulses that increase alpha wave activity to help memory recovery. Ferro Milone created them together with colleague Adolfo Porro, former head of geriatrics." Read more.

Eyewear That Adjusts to Any Face

"Israeli designer Ron Arad has created a range of eyewear for eyewear brand, pq Eyewear, that can be adjusted to fit any face by adjusting its wired-body," reports Design Taxi. "Called the A-Frame, it features an A-shaped wire designed into the frame that can be raised or lowered to move the lenses closer or further apart—allowing users to adjust the frame to fit anyone’s face perfectly." Read more.

Ray-Ban's Foldable Aviators

"After 75 years of producing distinctive designs that have been deemed fashion classics worldwide, American eyewear brand Ray-Ban reinvents the Aviator eyeglasses in a foldable form, fit for traveling and compact storage," notes PSFK. "A small hinge is installed on the bridge of the Aviator frame to make it fold in half and fit inside a smaller lens case." Read more.

Antioxidant (rhSOD) May Reduce Retinopathy in Premies

"Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the second most common cause of childhood blindness in the United States, occurring in half of premature infants born earlier than or at 28 weeks gestational age. The condition is caused by abnormal blood vessel development in the retina of the eye. ROP risk increases with decreasing gestational age," says Medical News Today. "A study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) suggests that the antioxidant, rhSOD (recombinant human Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase), reduces the risk of developing ROP in extremely low gestational age newborns. The post-hoc analysis study was published online in Neonatology." Read more.

Spurs' Parker Scratches Cornea

"San Antonio Spurs All-Star point guard Tony Parker suffered a scratched cornea during a brawl at a nightclub that involved singer Chris Brown and a member of hip-hop star Drake’s entourage," notes SportsRageous. "Parker said his latest injury will keep him sidelined for about a week. Doctors treated Parker by giving him therapeutic contact lenses and he should make a speedy recovery. Parker did not have a clear explanation of what exactly happened, but said he will be okay and he will still play for the French national basketball team." Read more. Initially many sports sites reported the injury as a scratched retina. Think about that "injury" for a second., Not too pretty.

North Carolina Elephant May Be Fitted for CLs

"Only after the second cataract operation on C’sar the elephant’s gargantuan eyes did the veterinarians at the N.C. Zoo decide that maybe, just maybe, the idea wasn’t so crazy after all: Contact lenses for an elephant," according the News-Observer. "Big ones, of course. After all, C’sar, a 38-year-old African bull elephant, weighs about 12,000 pounds and sports a pair of peepers nearly as big around as racquetballs. He was the zoo’s first elephant, and his hulking form has been a mainstay there since 1978." Read more.

LensCrafters Taking on China's Retail Eyewear Market

China Daily reports that "after the aggressive purchase of three Chinese optical companies for an estimated 600 million yuan ($95.24 million) since it came to China at the end of 2005, US-based LensCrafters is launching a new concept store under the name of LC+.The outlet will be the flagship store of the giant high-end retail chain owned by Luxottica Group S.p.A., the world's largest eyewear company, whose most famous brands include Ray-Ban, Persol and Oakley Inc. It also makes sunglasses and prescription frames for designer brands such as Chanel and Prada. Luxottica also produces sunglasses branded Burberry, Polo Ralph Lauren, Stella McCartney, Tiffany, Versace, Vogue, Miu Miu, Tory Burch and Donna Karan. Read more.

Safilo and Its Unions Coming to Grips with Armani Loss

Safilo recently signed a preliminary agreement with the unions after a number of intense but constructive discussions and negotiations about the redundancies caused by the loss of the Armani license. The agreement ensures the use of the solidarity contract for 24 month, which Safilo says is in-line with its industrial plan. Safilo is looking to make its production more flexible and to improve plant efficiency through training programs, requalifying workers, and plant investments. Read more.

Herpes of the Eye Linked to AMD

"A team of researchers, including a scientist from the Viral Immunology Center at Georgia State University, have found that a type of herpesvirus infection of the eye is associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a disease that causes blindness in the elderly," reports Science Daily. "The scientists found that human cytomegalovirus, a type of herpesvirus, causes the production of vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, a signal protein that regulates the formation of new blood vessels." Read more.

Examiner Profiles Ophthalmologist, Eyewear Design A. Mikli of Beverly Hills

"Alain Mikli full-service LA Boutique is dedicated to the finest care, craftsmanship and service in eyewear. Alain Mikli is an Ophthalmologist who, when unable to find fashion and function together in eyewear, combined his medical skill and knowledge with superb talent to design frames with a unique hinge. He created fashion conscience glasses that meet function with each and every piece," according to an Examiner post. "Fans of Alain Milki’s eyewear include Brad Pitt, Meryl Streep, Elton John (who has his own eyewear line) and Samuel Jackson. Alain Mikli described his eyewear on 20/20 as 'Frames to see as well as to be seen.' With his frames you are seen in the very best way. They are hand crafted, custom colored eyewear; a piece of art worn on the face." Read more. See slide show of Alain Mikli's Custom Eeywear.

Concept Eyewear Adds to Its V.Design Collection

Concept Eyewear Inc. has released three new rimless ophthalmic models within the V.Design eyewear collection. All three models have a screwless lens mounting system utilizing acetate plugs. The designs are unexpected and fresh, featuring unique temple details and beautiful color combinations such as lime green with black and deep purple with white. Model 5670 is designed for men while 5667 and 5668 are distinctly feminine. The styles combine unexpected unique shapes and architectural temple details with bright fun colors.Read more.

NIH and NEI Create Great Site on Eye Care for the Elderly

It's a great website for those elderly patients who surf the web. It's called NIHSeniorHealth (nihseniorhealth.gov). And recently, the National Eye Institute contributed five vision-related topics to the enhanced version of NIHSeniorHealth. The National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine recently announced the expansion and updating of NIHSeniorHealth, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) health and wellness website designed for older adults. Visitors to the site can learn about ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat aging-related diseases and conditions including age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and low vision.

Health information is one of the key topics that older adults search for online according to the Pew Research Center, and since its launch in 2003, NIHSeniorHealth has been an accessible source of reliable, up-to-date health information for adults 60 plus. Built to address cognitive and vision changes that commonly occur with age, NIHSeniorHealth includes senior-friendly features such as large type, simple navigation, and open-captioned videos that make the site especially easy for older adults to use.