Essilor Launches Crizal Sweepstakes on Facebook

Essilor of America is inviting consumers to defeat the five enemies of clear vision – glare, scratches, smudges, dust and water – with the “Combat the Enemies of Clear Vision with Captain Crizal” Facebook game and sweepstakes (www.facebook.com/CrizalUSA). The game, which has almost 4000 "likes," provides an engaging and interactive platform that will both educate consumers about how Crizal No-Glare lenses offer the clearest vision possible, and also direct them to enter the sweepstakes. The sweepstakes will offer one lucky grand prize winner a MOTOROLA XOOM with Wi-Fi, a $1,000 general use gift card and their own pair of Crizal Avancé with Scotchgar Protector lenses. The second place winner will receive a $1,000 gift card and a pair of Crizal lenses, and the third place winner will receive a $500 gift card and a pair of Crizal lenses. Participants may enter the sweepstakes without playing the game.

Vision Care Market Expands Slowly

VisionMonday reports that "the total U.S. vision care market’s revenues increased 2.2 percent for the 12 months ending September 2011 to $32.5 billion compared to $31.8 billion in the prior year 12-month period, according to the newly-released Q3 Consumer Barometer." Read more.

New Marketer for Solo-care Solutions in Europe and Canada

Menicon Holdings BV, Nagoya, Japan, will market exclusively Eye Shelter's  SOLO-care contact lens solutions in the European Economic Area and Canada. Menicon will take over distribution of the SOLO-care and AQuify brands as soon as all regulatory assignments have been completed between CIBA VISION (former owner of the SOLO-care and AQuify products in territories included in the scope of this partnership) and Eye Shelter, which is expected on March 31, 2012, at the latest.

Bloggers Arrested. Their CL Shops Closed.

Korean  CL being illegally sold in Singapore.

"At least three teenage blogshop owners are in trouble with the law and irate customers after their illegally imported contact lenses were seized by the authorities," according to a report from StraitTimes. "They are among at least 20 suppliers affected after investigations by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Ministry of Health. More than 1,600 pairs of contact lenses have been seized from four unlicensed importers since August last year. One of the distributors, 17-year-old Jenny, set up an online shop selling iris-enlarging contact lenses from South Korea in August, hoping to make some money despite knowing it was illegal. She participated in a mass order with 10 other blog shops, each ordering about 50 pairs of lenses. All the lenses were seized by Customs officers before they reached the blogshop owners. Now Jenny is unable to refund her customers, who paid in advance." IRead more.

Retailer Sells Contact Lenses after Warning

"A hidden camera investigation reveals local stores are selling colorful contact lenses illegally. The popular Halloween accessories can damage your eyes and aren't supposed to be sold without a prescription. But some stores aren't getting the message," reports ABC News in WVZN. "Since we first explored the dangers of the contact lenses, two stores yanked them from their shelves after we told them it's against state law to sell them without a prescription. While in one of the stores with a hidden camera, the clerk pulled the lenses from behind the counter. They were for sale for only $15. It was the same thing at another convenience store. And we confronted the owner of the Super Stop on Fowler Street in Fort Myers after buying a pair for $29. No prescription was needed." Read and see more.

Eye Health Gets Facebook Fan Page

Dr. Paul Krawitz launched a Facebook fan page that addresses news and research in vision, macular degeneration, cataract surgery, glaucoma, Lasik, dry-eye syndrome, as well as advice and vitamin discount information. The Facebook page for the assistant clinical professor of Ophthalmology at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York and the president and CEO of Vitamin Science, Inc., can be found by visiting http://www.facebook.com/doctorkrawitz.

Optical Goes Hollywood--at Least TV

McPartland Medical, LLC, Central Point, Oregon, launched the first digital television network designed exclusively for eye care offices and optical consumers: Ocuport TV. The initial launch attracted hundreds of optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians, which generated over 100,000 patient/consumer views per week. McPartland Medical anticipates several million view per year. Read more.

Prevent Blindness America Launches Anti-Diabetes Campaign in November

More than 25 million Americans have diabetes.  In addition to being the leading cause of kidney failure and non-traumatic lower limb amputations, it is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in those ages 20 and over. As part of November's Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, Prevent Blindness America is launching its new "Live Right, Save Sight!" campaign.  The goal of the new program is to educate the public on diabetes and its potential effect on vision, as well as healthy choices they can make today to save sight in the future.  Live Right, Save Sight! also provides free information including risk factors, treatment options and Medicare benefits as well as a dedicated web page at preventblindness.org/diabetes.  Read more.

Alzheimer Patients Improve after Cataract Surgery

Brigitte Girard, MD

Researchers at Tenon Hospital, Paris, France, found that patients with mild Alzheimer's disease whose vision improved after cataract surgery also showed improvement in cognitive ability, mood, sleep patterns and other behaviors. Lead researcher Brigitte Girard, MD, will discuss her team's results at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's 2011 Annual Meeting.

Zeiss Introduces New Self-Tinting Lenses

"Up to 40 percent of eyeglass wearers are interested in self-tinting lenses, according to an international Carl Zeiss Vision study of 5,800 eyeglass wearers," starts a post by Reuters. "Yet despite high consumer interest, only about 20 percent of eyeglass wearers purchase self-tinting lenses. Many consumers hold back because they want lenses that darken and clear faster. To meet this need, ZEISS, a leader in precision optics for over 160 years, has introduced a new self-tinting lens called PhotoFusion," which reportedly darken and clear faster than previous self-tinting Zeiss lenses. Read more.

Nouveau Expands Phoebe and Nickelodeon Lines

Nouveau Eyewear offers updates on its Phoebe and Nickelodeon lines. 

Phoebe Couture, self-described as the funky, flirtatious little sister of Kay Unger New York just with more daring color combinations and more casual designs, offers a lighter alternative for the teen to twenty-something trendsetter. The collection, distributed by Nouveau Eyewear, has expanded with three new frames from Nouveau Eyewear. 

With tens of millions of fans worldwide, SpongeBob SquarePants has become an icon unparalleled in the realm of children’s entertainment - And his superstar status continues to grow. That’s why Nouveau Eyewear has introduced to its Nickelodeon line three all new SpongeBob frames, designed to appeal to a customer-base as large and diverse as SpongeBob’s viewership. 

Physical Fitness Can Prevent Eye Disease

Physical fitness may lower the risk of developing the vision-devastating eye disease glaucoma, according to a long-term study of the relationship between physical activity and low ocular perfusion pressure (OPP), a key risk factor." That's the lead of a post on DigitalJournal. "A scientific paper detailing the EPIC-Norfolk Eye Study's findings that physical exercise appeared to ward off glaucoma by reducing the risk of low OPP, a condition that relates to high intraocular pressure (IOP), the main cause of glaucoma, has been published in the Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science journal, ScienceDaily reported." Read more.

Luxottica Looks to Land Armani

"Luxottica Group SpA has sets its sights on roping in Giorgio Armani to produce a designer line of luxury eyewear," according to EliteChoice. "Until now, Armani was beyond its reach because the Italian fashion house held a contract with smaller eyewear firm Safilo. The contract expires this year, which leaves the field open for Luxottica to court the coveted designer brand. Irrespective of whether the deal happens or not, Luxottica is on a growth path. The company has reported a respectable increase in third quarter profits. Moreover, it is aggressively targeting newer markets such as Brazil and China. Take a look at the figures. Luxottica witnessed a 9.1 percent increase in third quarter net profits, which rose to €111.2 million compared to €101.9 million a year ago. Sales increased by 4 percent in this quarter to €1.52 billion, up from €1.46 billion last year. Estimates suggest that Luxottica will see net profits of €105.3 million and sales of €1.5 billion." Read more.

Wooden Eyewear Company Named "America's Favorite Small Business"

"Shwood Handcrafted Wooden Eyewear began its starring role yesterday (Oct. 25) in a six-part Web reality series on Dell’s Facebook page," reports the BusinessNewsDaily. "The Portland, Ore.-based wooden eyewear company won the star turn as the winner of the 'America’s Favorite Small Business' contest sponsored by Dell, MasterCard and Microsoft." Read more.

Armani Offering Personalize Sunwear

From October 25th, individuals can personalize their own Armani sunglasses at an interactive website, www.emporioarmani30.com.  Visitors can choose their templates, lenses, and logos. Only 1030 models will be available, tracked on the webpage by a relentless countdown to the last pair.

Thom Browne Introduces New Line

"Thom Browne doesn’t hang about. First the American designer did ankle-bearing suits and now he’s bringing his idiosyncratic vision to glasses," says EsquireUK. " The collection, Browne’s first, has been produced with American eyewear manufacturer DITA. Featuring 20 styles inspired by “studio artists, designers and professors” from the fifties, shapes are flattering, frames feel (and are) expensive and the overall effect fits well with Browne’s typical look." Read more.

Eyewear Company Tricks Out an Explore

"Ford spares no effort dressing up its vehicles each year for SEMA in Las Vegas — so what exactly does it have in store this time around? DSO Eyewear, Superlift Suspensions, and Stitchcraft Interiors are just a few of the partners that worked with Ford" reports AutomobileMag. "DSO Eyewear makes this lowered Ford Explorer a looker with a Pearl Tri-Coat white paint, offset by black chrome detailing and 24-inch three-piece wheels. The specs, err headlights, are complements of Advanced Automotive Concepts, who used custom LED headlamps for high-tech lighting. Inside, Katzkin Midnight Tuscany leather with perforated Raven Suede accents makes for a plush interior. This entire package is supposed to exude an active sports lifestyle." Read more.

Carrera's Team Races in Solden

Janka skiing for the Swiss last season

The 2011/2012 Ski World Cup officially opened in Sölden (Austria) last week, and Safilo claims that Carrera Ski Racing Team has some of biggest names in the downhill racing circuit at the gates this season. For example, competing for Carrera is one of the favorites to win the overall title this year, Swiss-born champion Carlo Janka, who placed third last year at the World Championships then took gold in the giant slalom in Slovenia as well as making the podium on countless other occasions. Read more.

New Treatment Option for Patients with Keratoconus

"Patients in the United States who have the cornea-damaging disease keratoconus may soon be able to benefit from a new treatment that is already proving effective in Europe and other parts of the world," reports MedicalNewsToday. "The treatment, called collagen crosslinking, improved vision in almost 70 percent of patients treated for keratoconus in a recent three-year clinical trial in Milan, Italy. The treatment is in clinical trials in the United States and is likely to receive FDA approval in 2012. The results of the Milan study are being presented today at the 115th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in Orlando, Florida." Read more.

Baby Boomers Worry about Vision But Ignore Eye Exams

"Almost as many baby boomers say they worry about losing their vision as having heart disease or cancer, a U.S. survey indicates," according to a UPI post. "A survey by the Ocular Nutrition Society, supported by an educational grant by Bausch + Lomb, indicated 55 percent of baby boomers surveyed worry about vision loss. Sixty percent said they worry about heart disease and 65 percent say they worry about cancer. Yet fewer than half of survey respondents said they typically have an eye exam at least once a year as recommended." Read more.

FDA Site Warns about Use of Decorative Contact Lenses

In case you have customers who doubt you about the dangers of cosmetic contact lenses dispensed by an unlicensed provider, you could refer them to the site set up by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), called Decorative Contact Lenses (<http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/ContactLenses/ucm270953.htm>).

Luxottica Expanding in Latin America

"Italy's Luxottica, the world's biggest premium eyewear maker, is looking to new acquisitions in fast-growing Latin America next year, as it moves to shield its business from a slowdown in debt-hit mature economies," according to Reuters. Read more.

Reduce Children's Myopia: Play Outside

MedicalNewsToday notes that "children's risk for myopia or nearsightedness, where objects further away look blurred because light entering the eye focuses incorrectly, may be reduced by spending more time outdoors in natural light, according to a new review of research being presented at a conference this week." Read more.

Free Clinic in LA Draws People Needing Vision Care

"Avery Shapiro has had tooth pain for several years. Pat Morris’ dental insurance wouldn’t cover the tab for a filling. Chenell Bass had to stop driving because her eyesight got so weak," goes the LATimes post. "Such stories were typical among the first 1,200 people filing into a huge free medical clinic that opened Thursday at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. The four-day clinic, organized by Los Angeles-based nonprofit CareNow, is expected to draw 5,000 uninsured and underinsured patients who spent hours in line Monday to obtain wristbands to enter the event. Some even camped out overnight." Read more.

States Limit Medicaid Vision Benefits

"The new federal health law requires states to maintain Medicaid eligibility and enrollment standards until 2014, when the expansion begins to add 16 million Americans to the program. States are still free, however, to cut optional benefits, which include drugs, vision care and visits to certain providers such as chiropractors and podiatrists," reports USAToday. For example, "North Carolina this month stopped covering regular eye examinations and eye glasses for adults in Medicaid, and Connecticut in July cut the number of dental [and vision] exams covered for adults in Medicaid from twice a year to once a year." Read more.

Video Games Helps with Treating Amblyopia

MedicalNewsToday reports that "a new study conducted in an eye clinic in India found that correction of amblyopia, also called "lazy eye," can be achieved in many older children, if they stick to a regimen that includes playing video games along with standard amblyopia treatment. At the 115th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Somen Ghosh reported on the approaches that allowed about a third of his study participants, who were between 10 and 18 years old, to make significant vision gains." Read more.

Function Tops Fashion Yet Again

"As the economy continues to struggle and disposable income remains limited, consumers are now more likely to consider eyewear as a medical necessity in order to justify their purchasing decision. A recent study by The Vision Council indicates that a large majority of eyeglass users/buyers (83 percent to 87 percent) view eyeglasses primarily as a medical necessity while a slightly smaller majority of sunglass wearers (75 percent to 82 percent) see plano sunglasses as a medical necessity," according to a post on MidwestLens. "This data is based on The Vision Council 2011 Fashion vs. Function Eyewear Report that interviewed 10,000 American adults and included a series of questions regarding the functional attributes and fashion aspects of their eyewear to determine which holds more sway over users and buyers." Read more.

Austrailian Researcher Finds Common Cause for Rise in Cataracts

"The global trend towards using fluorescent globes instead of incandescent ones as a strategy to beat climate change could be increasing eye disease, according to new research by scientists at The Australian National University. Published [recently].... in the American Journal of Public Health, the new study has found that fluorescent lighting may cause a 12 per ent rise in UV-related eye diseases plus an extra 3000 cataract cases and 7500 cases of pterygia in Australia each year. Lead author Dr Helen Walls from the National Centre for Epidemiology & Population Health at ANU said moves to sustainability and a low-carbon economy had involved a shift toward more energy-efficient lighting."

Laub Design Elton John New Eyewear

Elton John "had a bespoke collection created for his new show 'The Million Dollar Piano,'... John tapped London-based designer Anna Laub, who launched her Prism line of glasses in 2009, to do the honors," reports WWD. "The musician had already bought a number of Laub’s frames, which are known for their chic, minimal aesthetic, when he asked her to create the custom designs for his show." Read more.

Teenager Launches CL Site

Lauren Makin, aged 18, recently launched FantasEyeZ, a website from where she will sell what she claims is one of the world's largest range of one-day , one-month, and three-month color contact lenses. Just because she can, the Yorkshire "lass" will also sell those absolutely unnecessary and dangerously dispensed cosmetic contact lenses, such as cat's eyes. In her announcement, her PR company did not talk about her years studying optics but how she  put aside her hobby of competing her horses at prestigious Countryside Live to become an exhibitor this past weekend at the Great Yorkshire Show Ground.
Lauren is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Riz Navsarka, who launched XtremeEyez and MesmerEyeZ cosmetic eyewear. Read more.

Trying to Decrease Workplace Eye Injuries

Prevent Blindness America and Uvex, Honeywell's safety eyewear brand, launched the Eye2Eye initiative, which aims to improve eye safety in the workplace with their new Eye2Eye initiative. More than 90 percent of workplace eye injuries are preventable through the use of proper eye protection and it's estimated that eye injuries cost companies $934 million annually. Eye2Eye is a Web-based educational resource that trains employees to communicate the importance of eye health and safety to each other, increases eye safety compliance and builds a stronger culture of safety in the workplace.

Providing Education Tools to Patients

The American Academy of Ophthalmology and Medflowmeaningful use criteria of the electronic health record incentive program of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2010. One measure of meaningful use requires doctors to show that more than 10 percent of patients are provided patient-specific education resources electronically." Read more. will provide AAO patient education tools through Medflow's electronic health records software. This initiative helps eye care practices meet the

Tennessee's MDs and ODs Duel over Use of Lasers

"Eye surgeons in Tennessee have begun a pre-emptive offensive against legislation to allow optometrists the right to do laser surgeries — even though optometrists say they aren’t seeking any law change," according to a post on the Tennessean. Read more.

Do You See What I See?

MedicalNewsToday reports that "although portions of the visible world come in through one eye only, the brain instantaneously takes all that information and creates a coherent image. As far as we know, we "see" with both eyes at once. Now a new study suggests that the brain may know which eye is receiving information - and can turn around and tell that eye to work even harder." Read more.

Silicone Oil Behind Aviara's Recall, Says FDA

AboutLawsuits reports that "Federal regulators say that silicone oil is the cause of problems with Aviara contact lenses sold by CooperVision, which were quietly removed from the market in August after a number of consumers suffered torn corneas, hazy vision and other potentially serious complications....More than 778,000 CooperVision Aviara contact lenses were impacted by the recall, which was not widely publicized until the FDA criticized the company last week for failing to take sufficient steps to make sure consumers were aware of the contact lens problems." Read more.


Here's what CooperVision has to say about the CL and the recall:


"If [a patient wears]...Avaira Toric contact lenses and experience[s] any symptoms, CooperVision recommends that [the patient]... stop wearing the lenses immediately.  Contact your eye care practitioner for advice. If [a patient wears]...Avaira Toric contact lenses and [is]... not experiencing symptoms, CooperVision recommends...:

• "Go to the CooperVision recall web page at www.coopervision.com/recall, and enter the lot number of [the]... package to determine whether [the]... lenses have been recalled.
• "Alternatively, ...contact [CooperVision on its}...toll-free consumer hotline (1-855-526-6737).
• "If ... lenses have been recalled, immediately remove [the]... existing lenses, discontinue lens wear; and return [the]... lenses to [the]... eye care practitioner or point of purchase.
  

"The recall was initiated because of the unintended presence of a residue on certain lots of Avaira Toric lenses, which may cause hazy vision, discomfort, or eye injuries requiring medical treatment. Not everyone experiences the same symptoms. Since the initiation of the recall, the company has received some additional complaints of severe eye pain. Avaira Toric contact lens wearers that experience any symptoms should stop wearing the lenses immediately and speak with their eye care practitioner. The company has  ongoing relationships with practitioners to continue to identify all the affected lots in the market. To date, the recall has impacted approximately 600,000 Avaira Toric contact lenses in the U.S." Read more.

CL Myth Spreads across Facebook

"Recently, an alarming message about how a 21 year old boy lost his eyesight, because of contact lenses, did the rounds on Facebook," reports the Times of India. "Apparently he stared at the burning coals for a couple of minutes, then started shrieking in pain. Once admitted to the hospital, a 'doctor' declared that he had been blinded by his contact lenses, which melted from the heat." Read more about the development of this Internet myth.

New Campaign for Fighting Glaucoma

Americans ages 40 and older must be better educated about the risk factors for glaucoma, the silent nature of the condition, and its potentially serious outcomes, according to a new declaration issued by the Glaucoma Working Group, a panel of experts including The Glaucoma Foundation, the Alliance for Aging Research and leading ophthalmologists, in partnership with Merck. To achieve this goal, the group encourages aging Americans to TAKE on Glaucoma (Take Action to Know your Eyes), by going to www.takeonglaucoma.com to learn about the risks, the importance of a comprehensive eye examination (including dilation) and proper disease management, if diagnosed.Read more.

B+L Hooks Up with WebMD

"Bausch & Lomb Inc. has struck a deal with WebMD Health Corp. to have the local company provide eye-health information through WebMD’s consumer and professional websites, officials said Monday," according to the Rochester Business Journal. "In addition to videos and information for patients at WebMD’s webmd.com/eye-health vision-care consumer link, Bausch & Lomb is producing ophthalmology information and links for doctors at the online medical publisher’s provider-oriented website, www.medscape.com." Read more.

Cards Closer Sometimes Can't See the Plate

"With his uneven, unkempt beard and a fastball that would break the speed limit in all 50 states and on the Autobahn, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jason Motte(notes) plays the role of stereotypical closer awfully well. There’s just one difference between him and the rest of the late-game lockdown artists in baseball," goes Yahoo!Sports. "Motte can’t see where he’s throwing. He’s not blind, exactly, but the 29-year-old’s nearsightedness is bad enough that he often squints on the mound because he can’t see catcher Yadier Molina’s(notes) fingers, which indicate the pitch Motte is supposed to throw. Afternoon games at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium, with their perilous shadows, are particularly difficult. Sometimes Motte will wave his glove up and down, asking Molina to hold his fingers lower – and, in the process, exposing the sign to the opposing dugout." Read more.

FDA Frustrated with CooperVision's Recall

"Frustrated by a brazen disregard of its request, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is threatening to widely publicize potential problems with recalled contact lenses made by a western New York firm and sold in stores such as Costco, Wal-Mart and Lenscrafters," reports MPOMag. "CooperVision Inc. of Fairport, N.Y., (located nine miles east of Rochester) reportedly has failed to heed a request by the FDA to broaden notification of problems with certain lots of its Avaira Toric contact lenses, which were recalled quietly in August due to unidentified “residue.” Company executives said the recall affected about 600,000 contact lenses in the United States, or 10 percent of those sold or issued domestically as samples." Read more.

New Alpha 10 Collection

Lightec's Alpha 10 is now available in 6 new rimless models (3 for men and 3 for women)," according to Eyesurf. "Alpha 10 features a slim stainless steel temple, over-molded with colored polyurethane rubber (latex-free). The velvety-textured soft rubber encases the temple resulting in an interesting material-color contrast. A technical and dynamic appearance is achieved thorough the clever integration of the frame’s materials." Read more.

OpticalCEUs Fall Conference a Grand Success

On October 16, a sold-out crowd of opticians came to the conference center at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods to attend OpticalCEUs semi-annual continuing education program for opticians. “It was a grand success,” noted Linda Conlin, founder and president of OpticalCEUs.Opticians from the New England area listened to accredited lecturers Linda Conlin, Jean Davidson and Deborah Kotob of Vision-Ease present their ABO and NCLE accredited courses:

• 9-10: Ocular Allergies by Jean Davidson (1 NCLE);
• 10 1: In the Beginning: Embryonic Eye Development by Linda Conlin (1 NCLE);
• 11-Noon: The Healthy Eyecare Solution by Deborah Kotob (1 ABO);
• Noon-1: An elegant, hot buffet luncheon compliments of OpticalCEUs;
• 1-2:Presbyopia:  Boomers and Bifocals by Jean Davidson (1 ABO pending);
• 2-3: The Three Bugs: Acanthamoeba, Pseudomonas, and Fusarium by Linda Conlin (1 NCLE);
• 3-4: Eye Know Why by Jean Davidson (1 ABO); and
• 4-5: Trends in Fitting Younger Contact Lens Patients by Linda Conlin (1 NCLE). 
  
   

SpecSavers Raises Money for Zambian OD School

Until now, there has been no public accessible eyecare provision for the one in four people in Zambia who desperately require it. Three million Zambians have visual difficulties, with 100,000 of those suffering from serious visual impairment. But now, thanks to more than £300,000 raised by Specsavers staff and customers, a school for optometry has been built in the capital, Lusaka, and students have already begun training to become qualified optometrists. Read more.

Computer Whizs Unravel Braille Keyboard for Tablets

MedicalNewsToday reports about two computer geeks who discovered how to create an effective Braille keypad: "Dharmaraja and Duran mulled their options before arriving at a clever and simple solution. They did not create virtual keys that the fingertips must find; they made keys that find the fingertips. The user simply touches eight fingertips to the glass, and the keys orient themselves to the fingers. If the user becomes disoriented, a reset is as easy as lifting all eight fingers off the glass and putting them down again." Read more.

New Drugs May Effect Eye Function

"According to new research by University of Kentucky investigators, an emerging pharmaceutical platform used in treating a variety of diseases may produce unintended and undesirable effects on eye function," reports MedicalNewsToday. "The paper, "Short-interfering RNAs Induce Retinal Degeneration via TLR3 and IRF3", appears in the current online edition of the journal Molecular Therapy, a publication of the Nature Publishing Group and the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy." Read more.

Much of the World's Blindness Is Preventable

AllAfrica reports that "Minister of Health Professor Christian Onyebuchi Chukwu yesterday said over one million Nigerians are blind while another three million are visually impaired," which is how World Sight Day started in Nigeria. The minister noted "over 50 percent of children become blind before they get to the age of five....He said the national blindness and low vision survey carried out between 2005 and 2007 revealed that 'Over 80 percent of the causes of blindness in Nigeria are avoidable. 50 percent of avoidable blindness is attributable to cataract, followed by glaucoma (16 percent), corneal opacity (12 percent), trachoma (4 percent), optic Atrophy (3 percent) and refractive error being the major cause of visual impairment.'" Read more.

Non-Compliance of CL Users Worrisome

NetDoctor reports that "a worrying number of contact lens wearers fail to take care of their lenses properly, new research suggests. A poll of 2,000 adult contact lens wearers, conducted on behalf of Biotrue multi-purpose contact lens solution, found that 20 per cent have used something other than lens solution to clean their lenses. Many admitted using spit or saliva - which could be highly dangerous, considering there are between 500 and 1,000 different types of bacteria in the average person's mouth."  Read more.

Almost Half Internet Glasses Have Wrong Rx

In conjunction with the Optical Laboratories Association and The Vision Council, the American Optometric Association (AOA) has published the results of a months-long study investigating the level of compliance of prescription eyewear ordered online for compliance with optical tolerance and impact resistance requirements. The study was published in the September issue of Optometry: Journal of the American Optometric Association. While patients may believe that ordering prescription glasses online is an easy way to save money, the study discovered that about half of all glasses (44.8 percent) ordered through the Internet had incorrect prescriptions or did not meet physical parameters to provide sufficient protection to the wearer.  Read more.

Mikli Comes Out with a Folklore Collection

"Alain Mikli’s latest journey into the world of eyewear takes us to a far off place into a wonderful world full of legends and folktales," starts a MidwestLens post. "Inspired by the French comic book, Prince de Sassoun, written and illustrated by Alban Guillemois and Yvon Bertorello, eyewear artist and designer, Alain Mikli, tells the tale of this fantastical journey through his new collection. The tale, based on Armenian folklore, is a story of joy and optimism in the face of doom and gloom." Read more.

Helping the Hungry and Those in Eye Care Need

To help Americans stay healthy and to help the hungry, Jeffrey Gold, M.D., and the staff of Liberty Vision are sponsoring a different type of food drive. People do not bring food to Liberty Vision. Rather they sign up for the food drive's comprehensive eye exam, which costs them only $39, significantly less than the regular rate of $150. Dr. Gold's press release notes that "every penny of the $39 will be donated to the Connecticut Food Bank." Read more.

CooperVision Recalls Avaira Toric CLs for Second Time

"CooperVision issued its second announcement in two months about the recall of 600,000 Avaira Toric contact lenses linked to pain, red eye and blurred vision by wearers," reports FoxNews. "The company first announced the recall Aug. 19 and said it had focused its efforts on more than 7,000 eye care professionals who sell the lenses. The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday a larger effort was needed to alert consumers to the defective products, which contain a residue caused by a manufacturing problem." Read more

40% of Irish Drivers Older Than 55 Cannot See Well

"Recent results on the driving standard from the over 55s in Mayo were extremely worrying and dangerous," says a MayoAdvertiser post. "Six out of 10 patients tested required spectacles for driving, [but] ...only two in 10 were wearing spectacles. That is a shocking four in 10 over 55s with vision which is below the legal standard." Read more. The question remains: How many drivers in the U.S. do not have adequate vision for driving?

Blind Cop Settles over CL Dispute

"A Garda [police] sergeant who claimed he was left blind due to a failure to promptly diagnose an infection of the eye linked to wearing contact lenses has settled his High Court medical negligence action for an undisclosed sum," reports the IrishExaminer. Read more.

French Arrest Four in Casino for Using Specialty CLs

"The Frenchman is accused of marking a deck of cards with invisible ink [in a Cannes casino] and ensuring the three Italians played from that deck, reports say," according to the BBC. "The Italians, meanwhile, wore special lenses to enable them to see the markings, according to police.  The gang are accused of swindling one casino out of up to 64,000 euros ($88,000; £56,000). But detectives believe they may have used the technique elsewhere in Europe before coming to their attention in France." Read more.

OpticalCEUs Sells Out Luncheon at its Semiannual Continuing Education Conference for Opticians

OpticalCEUs Semiannual Conference for Opticians will being with registration at 8:30 am this Sunday (October 16) at the lavish MGM Grand's conference center of the splendid Foxwoods Resorts and Casinos in eastern Connecticut. Several days before the conference, OpticalCEU's sold out its luncheon, prepared by the culinary staff of the MGM Grand. For the conference itself, only a few seats remained to be sold. For the past several conferences, OpticalCEUs has sold out or almost sold out events at its conferences. For more details about the conference, go to www.opticalceu.com.

Kidd Speaks Out about Eye Health in Ethiopia

Moved and humbled by the fact that blinding diseases can be prevented for as little as 25p, founder of Jemma Kidd Make Up, Jemma Kidd, speaks out on the shocking reality that 10 million people in Ethiopia suffer from disease causing blindness and 100% needlessly so. During a recent trip to Ethiopia with sight-saving charity ORBIS, Jemma saw first-hand how a disease that is no longer prevalent in the West is devastating lives, leaving families and communities facing hardship, suffering and isolation, making every day a struggle to survive. Read more.

B+L Launches PureVision

Bausch + Lomb launched PureVision2 for astigmatism with High Definition Optics contact lenses, yesterday. The HD Optics feature of the lens reportedly provides clarity and meets the special vision correction needs of patients with astigmatism.Read more.

Pressure Growing on CooperVision and its Avaira Toric Lens

"A maker of more than half a million recalled contact lenses blamed for reports of corneal tears and other injuries acknowledged Wednesday that some of its users may have experienced '"severe eye pain,'" according to MSNBC. "Officials with CooperVision Inc. of Fairport, N.Y., urged wearers of Avaira Toric contact lenses who believe they’ve suffered harm to stop the using the products, which were first voluntarily recalled on Aug. 19 because of problems with residue left behind during manufacturing."Read more.

Forbes applied a different slant to the story, noting that "One of the nation's largest eye care companies is stepping up efforts to publicize the recall of more than a half-million contact lenses after coming under pressure from federal health regulators. CooperVision issued its second announcement Wednesday on an August recall of 600,000 Avaira Toric contact lenses linked to pain, red eye and blurred vision by wearers." Read more.

Original Penguin Offers Display with New Line

"The Kenmark Group is releasing new displays for the launch of its Original Penguin Eyewear collection," according to a MidwestLens post. "In keeping with the Original Penguin look and feel, each display provides a cool way to display the hip new vintage-inspired eyeglasses and sunglasses. The new displays are reminiscent of the 1950’s with wooden freestanding fixtures. These countertop displays offer everything from a “Pete” the Penguin Logo Block to an Image Holder featuring imagery for the brand. Designed to be used individually, or in a group, they’re sure to catch the attention of the Original Penguin customer." Read more.

Blocked Tear Eye Increases Rick of Amblyopia

"A recent study published in the Journal of the AAPOS, the official publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, has found that children under the age of 3 with a nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO), or blocked tear duct, were at an increased risk for developing amblyopia. About 6% of children are born with blocked tear ducts," reports MedicalNewsToday. Read more.

New CL Website for Consumers

The American Optometric Association (AOA) launched www.ContactLensSafety.org to help answer consumer questions about contact lens safety. The AOA Contact Lens and Cornea Section (CLCS) created the site with the assistance of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO). The website covers such topics as lens replacement schedules, purchasing contact lenses and contact lens wear in various environments. Consumers also can submit questions in "Ask the Expert." Read more.

Public Warning about Avaira Toric CLs Coming?

MSNBC reports that "amid growing reports of eye problems ranging from blurry vision to torn corneas, federal health officials are threatening to issue a public warning about recalled contact lenses manufactured by CooperVision Inc. and sold widely at stores such as Costco, Wal-Mart and LensCrafters. The Fairport, N.Y., firm has yet to heed a request from the federal Food and Drug Administration to broaden notification of problems with certain lots of its Avaira Toric contact lenses, which were recalled quietly in August because of unidentified 'residue.'" Read more.

Carrera Offers "After All, No Regrets" Line

Safilo reports that "the latest Carrera eyewear collection is dedicated to those who live life in the fast lane, who are not afraid to achieve goals, dreams and desires, and who express their individuality without hesitation or regret. The new sunglasses and optical frames emphasise the message behind the Carrera campaign, 'After All, No Regrets'." Read more.

Rigid Gas Permeable CLs Improve Topography Parameters

"Rigid gas permeable contact lens wear provided improved topographic parameters after cross-linking to stabilize progressive keratoconus, a study found." That's the lead of a PConSuperSite post. "The study compared 15 eyes without contact lenses and 12 eyes that were fitted with contact lenses 1 to 10 weeks after surgery. Outcome measures included the change from baseline in best corrected visual acuity, refractive sphere and cylinder, keratometry and astigmatism values, inferior-superior (I-S) value on EyeSys (EyeSys Vision) and maximal keratometry value on Pentacam (Oculus). Measurements were taken before surgery and at three 6-month intervals after surgery." Read more.

Transitions Releases Healthy Sight Calculator

As benefits enrollment season begins, research by Transitions Optical, Inc., shows that reportedly nearly half of employees do not take full advantage of their company's vision benefits, leaving themselves at higher risk for eye-related and overall health problems. So Transitions developed the Healthy Sight Calculator in an effort to help individuals see the full picture of what a vision benefit can do for them.The calculator also summarizes risks and related costs for 11 vision-related issues. Read more.

Study Shows Children Have Eye Problems

"About 4% of preschoolers have myopia, 21% have hyperopia, and 10% have astigmatism, according to data from 2 studies supported by the National Institutes of Health and published in the October issue of Ophthalmology," says MedscapeToday. "Risk factors such as age, exposure to smoking, ethnicity, and access to health insurance were also identified." Read more.

It's probably for such reasons that "three associations of ophthalmology and pediatrics have jointly proposed an in-depth vision care program to the Department of Health and Human Services for inclusion in state insurance plan exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a news release." Read more on the OSNSuperSite.

Raising $4 Billion on World Sight Day

Having lead the battle for improved vision in developing communities, Australian Professor, Brien Holden, and South African Professor, Kovin Naidoo, will try to raise US$4billionRead more. to do enough training, enough eye examinations and supply enough spectacles to help the 670 million people who need care.On World Sight Day this year on 13 October, Holden and Naidoo will demand that governments and institutions stop ignoring the simplest eye care problem to correct – refractive error. The term refractive error encompasses myopia (short sightedness), hyperopia (long sightedness) and the biggest concern – presbyopia (the need for reading glasses which affects everyone over the age of 45 years). When left untreated, refractive error can cause vision impairment and blindness, drastically reduce educational and employment opportunities and can often lead to poverty.

Sneaking Duck--The New Online Eyewear Store

"The team behind successful design-your-own-shoes site Shoes of Prey have launched their next concept store online, Sneaking Duck for eyewear featuring a virtual fitting application and customisation tools," according to PowerRetail. Read more.