New Test Detects First Signs of Macular Degeneration (AMD)

"Researchers based at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, received funding from Fight for Sight and the Special Trustees of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust which has resulted in the design of a new test that can spot the first stages of sight loss in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The test could lead to earlier diagnosis for millions of people worldwide. Professor Roger Anderson led the research team." That's the beginning of a post on Medical News Today.

Tear Study May Help Contact Lens Wearers

"When contact lenses work best, wearers forget forget they are on their eyes. But after too many hours of wear, the lenses and the wearer's eyes dry out, causing irritation that might outweigh the convenience of contacts. Now researchers hope to alleviate that pain by both advancing the understanding of how natural tears keep our eyes comfortable, and developing a machine for designing better contact lenses," according to a post on Western Daily Press. "The work was inspired in part by a scientist's own dry eyes. Doctor Saad Bhamla, of Stanford University in the US, said: 'As a student, I had to stop wearing lenses due to the increased discomfort. Focusing my PhD thesis to understand this problem was both a personal and professional goal.' The researchers suspected that most of the discomfort arises from the break up of the tear film, a wet coating on the surface of the eye, during a process called dewetting." Read more.

Stopping Glaucoma with Stem Cells, a Hope

Medical News Today (MNT) wrote, "By devising a way to produce retinal ganglion cells from stem cells derived from individual patients, researchers hope to improve personalized treatments for glaucoma." Read more.

 Related MNT story: "Using stem cells derived from human skin cells, researchers led by Jason Meyer, assistant professor of biology, along with graduate student Sarah Ohlemacher of the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, have successfully demonstrated the ability to turn stem cells into retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), the neurons that conduct visual information from the eye to the brain. Their goal is the development of therapies to prevent or cure glaucoma." Read more.

An Orange a Day May Keep Cataracts Away

"Eat foods rich in vitamin C, if you want to keep cataracts at bay," reports Medical News Today. "A study published in Ophthalmology suggests that diet and lifestyle, rather than genetics, may have the most significant impact on cataract development, and vitamin C could cut the risk of the disorder by one third." Read more. 

Researcher Find Contact Lenses Change Microbial Structure of the Conjunctiva

"Over 30 million Americans enjoy the technological delight of contact lenses — a number so high that it’s easy to forget how super gross contacts can actually be. Much of that is because of human error: The Centers for Disease Control report that between 40 to 90 percent of contact lens-wearers don’t properly follow the care instructions, meaning they are much more susceptible to developing inflammation infections infections like conjunctivitis and keratitis," according to a post on Inverse. "A study published today in the journal mBio could have implications for discovering why these disease risk factors exist. Researchers from New York University’s School of Medicine found that wearing contact lenses actually changes the microbial structure of the eye’s conjunctiva, causing it to become more similar to that of skin microbiot." Read more.

Medical News Today has coverage of the study as well.

Bioengineer's Dry Eye Inspires Improvement in Contact Lenses

"After long hours of studying as a graduate student, Saad Bhamla’s eyes hurt. Contacts and intense visual focus just didn’t go together," notes Stanford Medicine's Scope blog. "He resolved to make contacts more comfortable and now, as a postdoctoral scholar in bioengineering with a PhD in chemical engineering, he’s taken a step to do just that. As reported in a Stanford News release:

"Bhamla and [chemical engineer Gerald Fuller, PhD,] suspected that most of the discomfort arises from the break up of the tear film, a wet coating on the surface of the eye, during a process called dewetting. [In a study,] they found that the lipid layer, an oily coating on the surface of the tear film, protects the eye’s surface in two important ways – through strength and liquid retention. By mimicking the lipid layer in contact construction, millions of people could avoid ocular discomfort.

"The engineers and their team then designed a device that mimics the surface of the eye." Read more.

After long hours of studying as a graduate student, Saad Bhamla’s eyes hurt. Contacts and intense visual focus just didn’t go together.
He resolved to make contacts more comfortable and now, as a postdoctoral scholar in bioengineering with a PhD in chemical engineering, he’s taken a step to do just that. As reported in a Stanford News release:

Bhamla and [chemical engineer Gerald Fuller, PhD,] suspected that most of the discomfort arises from the break up of the tear film, a wet coating on the surface of the eye, during a process called dewetting. [In a study,] they found that the lipid layer, an oily coating on the surface of the tear film, protects the eye’s surface in two important ways – through strength and liquid retention. By mimicking the lipid layer in contact construction, millions of people could avoid ocular discomfort.

The engineers and their team then designed a device that mimics the surface of the eye,
- See more at: http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2016/03/24/a-bioengineers-dry-eyes-spurred-a-hunt-for-ways-to-improve-contact-lenses/#sthash.zGhbLPCc.dpuf

After long hours of studying as a graduate student, Saad Bhamla’s eyes hurt. Contacts and intense visual focus just didn’t go together.
He resolved to make contacts more comfortable and now, as a postdoctoral scholar in bioengineering with a PhD in chemical engineering, he’s taken a step to do just that. As reported in a Stanford News release:

Bhamla and [chemical engineer Gerald Fuller, PhD,] suspected that most of the discomfort arises from the break up of the tear film, a wet coating on the surface of the eye, during a process called dewetting. [In a study,] they found that the lipid layer, an oily coating on the surface of the tear film, protects the eye’s surface in two important ways – through strength and liquid retention. By mimicking the lipid layer in contact construction, millions of people could avoid ocular discomfort.

The engineers and their team then designed a device that mimics the surface of the eye,
- See more at: http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2016/03/24/a-bioengineers-dry-eyes-spurred-a-hunt-for-ways-to-improve-contact-lenses/#sthash.zGhbLPCc.dpuf

After long hours of studying as a graduate student, Saad Bhamla’s eyes hurt. Contacts and intense visual focus just didn’t go together.
He resolved to make contacts more comfortable and now, as a postdoctoral scholar in bioengineering with a PhD in chemical engineering, he’s taken a step to do just that. As reported in a Stanford News release:

Bhamla and [chemical engineer Gerald Fuller, PhD,] suspected that most of the discomfort arises from the break up of the tear film, a wet coating on the surface of the eye, during a process called dewetting. [In a study,] they found that the lipid layer, an oily coating on the surface of the tear film, protects the eye’s surface in two important ways – through strength and liquid retention. By mimicking the lipid layer in contact construction, millions of people could avoid ocular discomfort.

The engineers and their team then designed a device that mimics the surface of the eye,
- See more at: http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2016/03/24/a-bioengineers-dry-eyes-spurred-a-hunt-for-ways-to-improve-contact-lenses/#sthash.zGhbLPCc.dpuf

After long hours of studying as a graduate student, Saad Bhamla’s eyes hurt. Contacts and intense visual focus just didn’t go together.
He resolved to make contacts more comfortable and now, as a postdoctoral scholar in bioengineering with a PhD in chemical engineering, he’s taken a step to do just that. As reported in a Stanford News release:

Bhamla and [chemical engineer Gerald Fuller, PhD,] suspected that most of the discomfort arises from the break up of the tear film, a wet coating on the surface of the eye, during a process called dewetting. [In a study,] they found that the lipid layer, an oily coating on the surface of the tear film, protects the eye’s surface in two important ways – through strength and liquid retention. By mimicking the lipid layer in contact construction, millions of people could avoid ocular discomfort.

The engineers and their team then designed a device that mimics the surface of the eye,
- See more at: http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2016/03/24/a-bioengineers-dry-eyes-spurred-a-hunt-for-ways-to-improve-contact-lenses/#sthash.zGhbLPCc.dpuf

OcuSoft Donates to Prevent Blindness's Women's Wellness Program

OcuSoft Inc. will donate 10 percent of its gross monthly online sales to Prevent Blindness. The campaign runs for the month of April, PB's Women’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month.  The donation will go to support “See Jane See: Women’s Healthy Eyes Now,” a web-based educational campaign dedicated solely to women’s vision health that includes free information and downloadable tip sheets created specifically for women on a variety of issues across the age spectrum.  Information will also include symptoms, causes and treatment options for a variety of conditions. Read more.

Data from the Prevent Blindness study, “The Future of Vision: Forecasting the Prevalence and Costs of Vision Problems,” found that women make up the majority of the 4.4 million visually-impaired or blind Americans 40 and older. Put simply, women have different vision issues than men. For example, cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration pose a greater risk for women than men. According to the National Eye Institute, twice as many women have dry eye than men.  Dry eye occurs after menopause. Women who experience menopause prematurely are more likely to have eye surface damage from dry eye. Finally, pregnancy can cause vision changes including refractive changes, dry eyes, and puffy eyelids.  Expectant mothers may also experience vision effects from migraine headaches, diabetes and high blood pressure. Glaucoma medications such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors can be harmful to the developing baby.  All pregnant women should discuss all medications and any changes in their vision immediately with their doctor. Read more.

Quality of Life Improves with Contact Lenses

"Johnson & Johnson Vision Care presented data at the scientific research symposium of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) held during the Netherlands Contact Lens Conference (NCC) that showed 1-Day Acuvue Moist brand contact lenses for Astigmatism (etafilcon A toric soft contact lenses (TCLs)) resulted in significant improvements to quality of life measures compared to its spherical soft contact lens (SCL) counterpart for patients with astigmatism," according to an EyeWire post. Read more.

Shaq Collaborates with Zyloware

Zyloware Eyewear is now collaborating with basketball great, Shaquille O’Neal with the launch of a men's line in the next few months, reports Zyloware. The renowned athlete is a 4-time NBA champion, NBA TV analyst, author, PhD, comedian, actor and now fashion designer. The collection includes a variety of shapes in full rim and semi-rimless styles in a range of color accents and authentic styling. The collection has contrasting pops of color highlighted on the frame, sporty temple tips, adjustable library temples,and extended fit sizing. Read more.

Steven Alan Renews Eponym Licensing Agreement

"Steven Alan has renewed its eyewear licensing agreement with Eponym, to design, produce and distribute its optical and sunglass designs through March 2021," according to WWD. "The brand first launched its eyewear program in partnership with Eponym in 2013. The label says that its eyewear sales have doubled each year throughout their initial three-year contract. In 2015, Eponym opened two Steven Alan Optical brick-and-mortar units in New York. As part of this renewed agreement, Eponym has agreed to open between five and 10 more stores in the next five years. The first in this grouping will be a West Village location in Manhattan, to open in April." Read more.

Safilo Enlists Marcel Wanders to Design Eyewear Collection

"Great designers transcend mediums—a point that Safilo, one of the largest and oldest manufactures of optical frames, ostensibly embraces, considering that it has enlisted the talents of Marcel Wanders for new collection of eyewear," notes Forbes. "Though relatively unknown in sartorial circles, Wanders is noted for being one of the most prolific product and interior designers working today. So much so that the New York Times christened him the “Lady Gaga of the design world.” And just like the songstress, Wanders seemingly never fails to showcase works that are bold, modern, and appeal to a diverse range of consumers." Read more.

Using Fish and Insects to Design Contact Lenses

Contact lens designed for presbyopia

"Making the most of the low light in the muddy rivers where it swims, the elephant nose fish survives by being able to spot predators amongst the muck with a uniquely shaped retina, the part of the eye that captures light. In a new study, researchers looked to the fish’s retinal structure to inform the design of a contact lens that can adjust its focus," reports the National Institutes of Health (NIH). "Imagine a contact lens that autofocuses within milliseconds. That could be life-changing for people with presbyopia, a stiffening of the eye’s lens that makes it difficult to focus on close objects. Presbyopia affects more than 1 billion people worldwide, half of whom do not have adequate correction, said the project’s leader, Hongrui Jiang, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. And while glasses, conventional contact lenses and surgery provide some improvement, these options all involve the loss of contrast and sensitivity, as well as difficulty with night vision. Jiang’s idea is to design contacts that continuously adjust in concert with one’s own cornea and lens to recapture a person’s youthful vision." Read more.

Drive to Improve Vision Care for Children

The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH), and the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality (NICHQ) are calling on health professionals, eye care professionals, and others to apply for a vision-health collaborative,  named “Improving Children’s Vision: Systems, Stakeholders & Support.”

Its mission: Increase by 20 percent over 2011-2012 levels (according to the National Survey of Children’s Health measure) the proportion of children five and younger who receive vision screenings in five selected states by 2018. At that time, NCCVEH should have a comprehensive approach that reduces vision problems of children in hard-to-reach areas.

All teams interested in participating must submit applications via an online portal by April 25, 2016 at 5 p.m. ET. Applications will be selected and parties notified by May 23, 2016.

Reservations Pouring in for OpticalCEUs Spring Continuing Education Seminar

Opticians from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are registering quickly for OpticalCEUs Spring 2016 Continuing Education Seminar. It will be held April 10th in the Celebrity Ballroom of the Fox Tower at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino. The opticians will pick up seven ABO/NCLE continuing education credits, which they can apply to their requirements for their state licenses and their ABO/NCLE certification. Register now before the seminar sells out.

Scientists Move Closer to Creating Human Eye from Stem Cells

"A breakthrough in stem cells just brought us much closer to lab-grown human eyeballs," says Popular Mechanics. "Biologists led by Kohji Nishida at Osaka University in Japan have discovered a new way to nurture and grow the many separate tissues that make up the human eyeball, and the scientists need only a small sample adult skin to build them all. Using their new method, Nishida's team can grow retinas, corneas, the eye's lens, and more. In a preliminary trial, the Japanese researchers cultured and grew sheathes of rabbit cornea—the transparent cover of the eye— that restored sight in blind rabbits born without fully-grown corneas. The research is published today in the journal Nature. Don't throw away your glasses (or eye patch) just yet, but human trials are up next." Read more.

1-800 Contacts Files Complaints against Arizona ODs

"One of the nation’s largest contact lens retail companies filed complaints Monday against hundreds of Arizona optometrists for allegedly failing to turn over patients’ prescriptions so they can sell them lenses," according to a Casa Grande Dispatch post. "Draper, Utah-based 1-800 Contacts filed 3,200 complaints with the state Board of Optometry, asking the board to censure or fine the optometrists or suspend or revoke their licenses. The complaints mark a new tack by the discount contact lens supplier in an ongoing battle with contact lens manufacturers and retailers over pricing.
The company alleges the optometrists failed to follow federal and state laws requiring them to provide prescriptions to a patient’s designated representative upon request. Stacey Meier, president of the state optometric association, said his members know and follow the law and that there’s no requirement that optometrists respond if the prescription is valid. He said 1-800-Contacts can fill a prescription if they don’t hear back within eight business hours under 'passive verification' rules." Read more.

Specsavers Research Says Employers Focusing on Employee Well-Being

"New research from Specsavers Corporate Eyecare shows that three quarters of employers (75%) state their focus on well-being has increased in recent years. A significant 61% spend more than 1% of their well-being budget on eyecare and, perhaps surprisingly, 19% of employers allocate more than 5% of their well-being budget to eyecare," notes Personnel Today. "Furthermore, more than two thirds (69%) of employers think eyecare delivers a good return on investment (ROI). Less than one quarter (22%) are undecided if eyecare delivers a good return on investment, and just 8% think it did not actually deliver a good return....Research released earlier this year by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare showed how employers believe that having an eyecare policy in place helps with the overall health and well-being of their staff and can help to increase productivity at work." Read more.

Eye Grows Lens after Cataract Surgery

“A new study describes a pioneering new cataract treatment - tested in animals and in a small trial with human patients - where, after the cloudy lens is removed, the eye grows a new lens from its own stem cells,” according to a Medical News Today post. “The researchers - including teams from the University of California-San Diego (UCSD), Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou and Sichuan University, both in China - describe their new regenerative medicine approach in a paper published in the journal Nature. The treatment was tested in 12 babies born with cataracts. It resulted in significantly fewer surgical complications than current treatments, say the researchers. Sight was improved in all 12 patients. In the new study, the team used the ability of stem cells to grow new tissue. They did not use the more common approach - where stem cells are taken out of the patient, grown in the lab and then put back in the patient. This method can introduce disease and raise the risk of immune rejection. Instead, the team coaxed stem cells in the patients' eyes to regrow the lenses. So-called endogenous stem cells are stem cells that are naturally already in place, ready to regenerate new tissue in the case of injury or some other problem. In the case of the human eye, the endogenous stem cells - known as lens epithelial stem cells (LECs) - generate replacement lens cells throughout a person's life, although production wanes with age.” Read more.

New Gwen Stefani Eyewear and Sunglasses from Tura

"Just in time for spring, Tura Inc. and Gwen Stefani have launch their new line of sunglasses and optical eyewear for the L.A.M.B. and gx by Gwen Stefani brands," notes Fashion & Style. "The L.A.M.B. collection, which includes 12 optical styles ranging from $195 - $275 and 13 sunwear styles ranging from $149 - $249, mixes luxury materials and complex constructions with street, rock and roll, and retro influences to deliver an edge and sophisticated glamour. Signature elements include custom metal tips, slotted screw heads and graphic interpretations of Gwen's signature black and white palette. gx by Gwen Stefani, which includes 12 optical styles beginning at $150, with sunwear to follow, tells an urban street story using bold color and expressive shapes. Metal accents throughout the collection give it an edge and distinctive rock and roll flavor." Read more.

Moscot Teams Up with Australian Music Company

"Future Classic – the electronic-music tastemakers and independent music label – has now ticked designing sunglasses off their to-do list. They have taken time out from managing Flume, Chet Faker and Flight Facilities to work with New York eyewear makers MOSCOT to create two limited-edition ranges of eyewear," according to Broadsheet. "The unisex collection is designed to last. Reeves calls the Lemtosh model, a blonde-matte frame with green lenses, 'a minimal classic.' The Yukel, a Matte Classic Havana Acetate and matte-black metal combination frame with brown glass lenses is, 'a bit more unusual, but still in an understated and subtle way.'" Read more.

New Dolce & Gabbana Sunglasses and Eyewear from Luxottica

"Luxottica has launched the latest optical and sun collection from Dolce & Gabbana, the Sicilian

Carretto Eyewear Collection," reports Moodie. "Taking inspiration from Sicily and traditional painted Sicilian carts, the eyewear range features the same decorative techniques used by the master craftsmen who once worked with the carts. Available in a numbered, limited edition of 100, the eyewear is crafted from Canaletto walnut and features a painted relief design on the front of the frames. The colors are applied by hand in the following order: red with yellow motifs, followed by blue, green then orange. According to Luxottica, no two pairs are the same, since the decorator’s hand renders each model 'completely unique.'" Read more.

Scotty, Beam Me Up Some Presbyopic Lenses

What happens to your body--even your vision--after spending a year in zero gravity? That's what scientists are trying to understand, according to a New York Times article about astronaut Scott Kelly. "One of the unanswered concerns is how much astronauts could be expected to do right after landing on Mars as they readjust to gravity. Mr. Kelly, 52, now holds the record for the longest single stay in space for a NASA astronaut, and the most time overall: 520 days over four missions. (A Russian, Valeri Polyakov, holds the overall record for the longest single spaceflight: nearly 438 days.) NASA and the Russian space agency collaborated on a series of scientific studies to examine how extended weightlessness changes bones, muscles, nerves and the cardiovascular system. 'You name it, we’re interested in all of it," Dr. Charles said. In addition, NASA aims to compare changes, including genetic mutations, between Mr. Kelly and his twin brother, Mark, a retired NASA astronaut," goes the article.

Zero gravity affects the eyes: "One experiment looked at 'fluid shift' — the movement of water from the lower body toward the head when there is no gravity to hold things down. Increased pressure in the skull could cause the flattening of the eyeballs seen in some astronauts, pushing their vision toward farsightedness." Read more.

According to the website AmeritasInsight, "During extended space travel, astronauts live in microgravity, which scientists believe creates excessive pressure inside the head and impacts an astronaut’s fluid level in the eyes. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, these specific changes to the eyes were noticed:

• Flattening in the back of the eyeball
• Swelling of the optic nerve
• Creases in the tissue behind the retina

"Through the study, medical professionals learned that many astronauts experience correctable near and distance vision problems following space travel. This included about 23 percent of those participating in brief missions and 48 percent of those in an extended space program of at least six months. Although most reported that these were short-term issues, some continued to experience problems for several months or years following space travel. Decades ago, after documenting incidences of near-vision problems, NASA started equipping astronauts with space anticipation glasses to improve vision sharpness during aeronautical missions." Read more.

And there's more. "Pirates saw green flashes at sunset; many space-flight crew members see light flashes at night during a mission. For space crew, these flashes  are thought to come from high-energy particles interacting with the eyes and brain. The Anomalous Long Term Effects of Astronauts (ALTEA) investigation measured the effect of exposure to radiation in space, particularly on the central nervous system. One part of the study relates the light flashes to the radiation passing through the spacecraft. This knowledge helps to more accurately determine the risk and  the specific type of radiation exposure of ISS crew members, and to develop ways to protect future crews," according to a NASA website. Read more.

Maryland AG Files Antitrust Complaint against Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

“The nation's largest maker of contact lenses is being accused of violating Maryland's antitrust law by conspiring with retailers to set a higher minimum price for their products, Attorney General Brian E. Frosh announced today,” reports Southern Maryland Online. “Attorney General Frosh said that the Office of the Attorney General Antitrust Division has filed a civil complaint charging Florida-based Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc., the makers of Acuvue lenses, with violations of the Maryland Antitrust Act. The complaint seeks civil penalties and an end to the anti-competitive pricing policy.” Read more.

New Online Program to Support In-School Vision Care Programs

The National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness (NCCVEH) has partnered with the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to create a new online resource to support school nurses in the implementation of stronger vision health programs for the students they serve. More than 12.1 million school-age children, or one in four, have some form of a vision problem which includes refractive errors such as near- and farsightedness, astigmatism, and strabismus. Significant vision problems can begin well before a child reaches school-age. Vision impairments are common conditions, affecting 5 to 10 percent of all preschool-aged children. According to the National Eye Institute, two to five percent of children ages three to five have amblyopia, three to four percent have strabismus, and 10-15 percent have significant refractive error. Read more.

Marchon and Lacoste Continue Deal

Marchon Eyewear, Inc., has renewed of its global licensing agreement with Lacoste. Originally signed in 2011, the long-term extension of the licensing agreement grants Marchon the rights to design, produce and distribute Lacoste-branded sun and ophthalmic collections. Read more.

Alcon to Sponsor Eurovision Song Contest

“Confirmation of the partnership was announced by Jon Ola Sand, the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, on behalf of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). "We are delighted that Dailies is renewing their partnership with us again this year. We are very much looking forward to working with them to prepare exciting activities for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest” Sand says,” according to the Eurovision.tv website post. “’Alcon is proud to partner with the Eurovision song contest which is a perfect event to put in the spotlight our contact lens product: Dailies AquaComfort Plus. Our Dailies contact lenses are recognised for their refreshing comfort throughout the day, so wearers can enjoy every moment of the Eurovision!’ said Per Iver Nielsen, Business Unit Head Vision Care, Alcon Nordics.” Read more.

A Roundup about the MIDO Eyewear Convention

Didn't have time to hop on a jet to fly to Milan last month. Do you want to see some of the latest and crazy eyewear at the MIDO Convention? Go to this DW site.

Children's Book That Tests Eyes Rated the World's Most effective Ad Campaign

"A children's book in Australia, which makes it easier for parents to screen their child's vision, has been named the world's most effective advertising campaign," according to a post on Mashable. "Australian ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi created Penny the Pirate book, which has eye tests disguised as images on its pages, for optometry company OPSM. The Warc 100, an annual ranking of marketing campaigns that tests effectiveness of ads, placed the book and app as its number one campaign for 2016, based on its performance in 2015. Combining a traditional book and a tablet app that is available for free, Penny the Pirate incorporates multiple vision tests into a fun kids' book, allowing parents to test their eyesight as they read the story to their child. No frightening optometrist visits here." Read more.

101 Million People Have Uncorrected Refractive Error

"Uncorrected refractive error -- nearsightedness, farsightedness, and other focusing problems correctable by prescription lenses -- is responsible for moderate to severe vision impairment in 101 million people and blindness in seven million people worldwide, reports a new study." That's part of a post on Science Daily. Read more.