RNA Granules Affect Eye Development

"A Jackson Laboratory research team, working in collaboration with researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, show that RNA granules - key players in messenger RNA (mRNA) processing - can affect eye development, leading to juvenile cataracts in humans and mice," according to a MedicalNewsToday post.

Self-Adjustable Glasses Voted Likely to Succeed

"Professor Josh Silver's self-adjustable glasses have been voted the idea most likely to make the biggest impact on healthcare by 2020 at the Healthcare Innovation Expo," says MedicalNewsToday.

Brits and Chinese Look Different and Differently

"The team, working with Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, investigated eye movements in Chinese and British people to further understanding of the brain mechanisms that control them and how they compare between different human populations," reports MedicalNewsToday. "They found that a type of eye movement, that is rare in British people, is much more common in Chinese people, suggesting that there could be subtle differences in brain function between different populations."

Grocery Stores Now Competing with British Opticians

"Major supermarket chains have tripled their share of the optician retail market in the last six years, according to new research published on RetailGazette.co.uk. "Research from independent analysts Verdict suggest that non-specialists have increased their market share of the opticians market from 1.7 per cent in 2005 to 4.7 per cent this year. Grocers like Asda and Tesco have hugely increased the number of optical products and services they provide in recent years, threatening even the larger specialist stores such as Specsavers."

New Anthem Vision Care Plan

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine is now offering Blue View Vision a vision plan providing access to more than 125 network providers across Maine and more than 50,000 providers and provider locations nationwide, according to a press release. Blue View network includes ophthalmologists, optometrists, and opticians. In addition to private practitioners, Blue View Vision(SM)'s broad national network includes retailers like LensCrafters, Sears Optical and Pearle Vision locations.  

"According to a study from the Vision Council of America, vision disorders account for more than $8 billion in lost productivity for American businesses each year," said Dan Corcoran, president, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine.  "Further, the study also states that uncorrected vision can decrease employee performance by as much as 30 percent.  That's why we're especially pleased to offer this new benefit to Maine employers.  Under the Blue View Vision(SM) plan, employees can receive access to the quality care they need quickly and conveniently."

Actor Struggles with CLs

"Robert Pattinson needs two people to put his contact lenses in," according to a ToNight post. 'The British actor hates having the lenses put into his eyes to transform his appearance into that of his Twilight Saga character, vampire Edward Cullen, and would love to find a way to 'kill' them now his work on the film series is almost complete. Speaking about the contact lenses, he said: 'My God, I'll be glad to see the last of those. I actually want to get some kind of plastic explosive. I want to reanimate them into something so I can kill them.'"

New CLs for Post Refractive Surgery Patients

"Metro Optics has launched new custom RevitalEyes Post-Surgical silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The lenses are specially designed for eyes that have undergone refractive surgery," reports ContactLensHeadlines.com.

AOA Looking at Nintendo

"Now, the American Optometric Association (AOA) is looking into the new Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system for its potential to help uncover subtle vision problems," according to Medgadget.com.

New CL Disinfectant

"A new contact lens solution has been described as a "next-generation" disinfectant by its manufacturer, Abbott," according to Contactlenses.co.uk. "According to the firm, its RevitaLens OcuTec disinfecting solution for silicone hydrogel and conventional soft contact lenses will help to revitalise the market when it is launched in Singapore."

CL Sweepstakes

"VisionDirect, Inc. has partnered with VISTAKON, Division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. on a Facebook sweepstakes where fans can win a free annual supply of contact lenses. This marks the first collaboration on a contest within social media for both VisionDirect.com and VISTAKON," according to a RedOrbit.com
post. The program started 28 Feb. 2011 and will end this week.

Help for People with Low Vision

"The VNA has announced the launch of a revolutionary clinical program designed to deliver state-of-the-art care to patients coping with vision loss," according to a TCPalm.com post. "Millions of Americans lose some of their vision every year while our nation ages and age-related eye diseases become more common. Now a HomeSight-Certified Provider, the VNA will provide low vision patients with access to specific care method designed to reduce accidents and facilitate maximum independence at home."

Secial USAToday Vision Insert

Mediaplanet and the American Optometric Association (AOA) will the seventh edition special section report in USA Today entitled "Vision: Envision a Brighter Future For Your Eyes." The special section will reportedly raise awareness and educate the American public about the importance of vision health. Articles in the insert will address the impact of nutrition on vision, how to improve office well-being beginning with vision, and how routine eye exams can improve overall health care. Two highlights of the report explore the vision woes of Olympic Hurdler Lolo Jones and golf phenomenon Kyle Lograsso's courageous battle with the rare eye cancer retinoblastoma.

Dodger Gibbons Gets New CLs

Recently OpticalCEU's blog ran a post about Dodger Jay Gibbons and his CLs. Here's an update from Contactlenses.co.uk: "Jay Gibbons, who is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, had complained in the past that his contact lenses were causing him trouble as the one in his left eye kept popping out. He went to San Francisco this week for an eye test and to get some new lenses, which are not only a different size from his old inefficient ones, but a different prescription too."

US Congress Should Make UV Protection National Priority

Prevent Blindness America is demanding that Congress make UV eye protection a national health priority, according to its new white paper, UV and Our Nation's Vision.

One-Eyed Pitcher Finds Strike Zone

"Losing an eye — and with it conventional depth perception — might seem devastating to an athlete, like a pianist developing Parkinson's disease," goes a NYTimes.com
post. "But less than two years after being fitted with an acrylic left eye, Underwood has emerged as the ace pitcher at Southeast Missouri State, a Division I program."

Seeing with Sounds

"Dr. Olivier Collignon of the University of Montreal's Saint-Justine Hospital Research Centre compared the brain activity of people who can see and people who were born blind, and discovered that the part of the brain that normally works with our eyes to process vision and space perception can actually rewire itself to process sound information instead," according to a post on MedicalNewsToday.

LA Dodger Gibbons Having CL Problems

"A leading contender for at least a part-time role as the Dodgers' left fielder, Jay Gibbons is leaving spring training for two days because of ill-fitting contact lenses," according to LATimes.com.

Correcting Kids’ Vision in the Developing World

Dow Corning and the Centre for Vision in the Developing World (CVDW) are collaborating to correct the vision of children in the developing world. Dow Corning has committed $3 million of funding and materials expertise to the CVDW as part of an initiative called Child ViSion. The initiative will design, manufacture and distribute a child-specific version of self-adjustable eyeglasses to children in the developing world. The aim is to increase the effectiveness of classroom-based education by improving children's ability to see the blackboard from which they are being taught.

Another Acuvue Receives AOA UV Approval

Acuvue Advance Plus Brand Contact Lenses became the sixth contact lens in the Acuvue brand to receive the seal of acceptance for UV absorbing contact lenses from the American Optometric Association's (AOA) Commission on Ophthalmic Standards, according to FinanzNachrichten.de.

March is Workplace Vision Month

"Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has designated March as Workplace Vision Month by in an effort to educate corporations and their employees on the importance of vision health," according to a post on ModernMedicine.com. "Tell employers in your community that they can participate in the non-profit organization's Healthy Eyes Vision Wellness Program at no charge. The program includes printed posters to hang in common areas of the workplace as well as various eye health educational materials designed to encourage workers to make their vision health a priority."

Omega-3 Could Reduce Mac D

"Regular consumption of fish and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing age-related macular degeneration in women, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the June issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals." That's the post on MedicalNewsToday.com.

Eyeglasses a Thing of the Past

"According to futurist Ray Hammond, glasses will be worn by fewer and fewer people over the next two decades as they seek out more permanent means of correcting poor eyesight, which can reduce or eliminate the need for spectacles," says ContactLenses.co.uk.

Keratoplasty—Good after 20 Years

"Penetrating keratoplasty performed for various indications, especially keratoconus, yielded high graft survival rates and good visual outcomes after 20 years or longer, a speaker said here," says OSNSupersite.com.

PA Assn. for Blind Push for Vision Care Coverage

"The Pennsylvania Association for the Blind is encouraging employers to consider Vision Care as an added benefit for their employees," says CNBC.com. "According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), two-thirds of all adults report wearing some type of eyewear and nearly one-quarter report they have an eye condition or disease. An estimated 11 million Americans have uncorrected vision problems."

Need a Hotel Room for the OpticalCEU's Conference

Some attendees are looking for an alternative to hotel accommodations at Foxwoods Resorts. There are two options: Hilltop Inn & Suites in North Stonington and Bellissimo Grande Hotel, both of which have shuttle service to the MGM.

Hilltop Inn & Suites, 373 Norwick-Westerly Rd., N. Stonington 866-538-0187
Bellissimo Grande Hotel, 411 A & B, Norwich-Westerly Rd., N. Stonington, 866-538-0187

Mapping the Optic Circuits

"The properties of optical stimuli need to be conveyed from the eye to the brain. To do this efficiently, the relevant information is extracted by pre-processing in the eye," reports MedicalNewsToday. " For example, some of the so-called retinal ganglion cells, which transmit visual information to the brain via the optic nerve, only react to light stimuli moving in a particular direction. This direction selectivity is generated by inhibitory interneurons that influence the activity of the ganglion cells through their synapses. Using a novel microscopy method developed at the Institute, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg have now discovered that the distribution of the synapses between ganglion cells and interneurons follows highly specific rules. Only those dendrites that extend from the cell body of the amacrine cell in a direction opposite to the preferred direction of the ganglion cell connect with the ganglion cell."

Training Yourself to See

"Our brains process many more stimuli than we become aware of. Often images enter our brain without being noticed: visual information is being processed, but does not reach consciousness, that is, we do not have an impression of it," starts the post from MedicalNewsToday. "Then, what is the difference between conscious and unconscious perception, and can both forms of perception be changed through practice? These questions are important not only for basic research, but also for the treatment of patients with perceptual deficits due to brain lesions e.g. following a stroke. Scientists at the MPI for Brain Research in Frankfurt/Main could now show that seeing can be trained. Their tests revealed that the brain regions underlying the learning effects on conscious perception are different than the ones underlying the learning effects on the mere processing of stimuli."

Women Wins Suit against British Optician

"A pensioner who claimed her eyesight was damaged after being misdiagnosed by optician giant Specsavers has received a payout," says the BirminghamMail. "Anne Holt, aged 64, from Solihull, said she was left with limited vision after classic symptoms of retinal detachment were missed."

VisionSpring and Ray-Ban Work Together

"VisionSpring (VS) is showing in partnership with Ray-Ban to bring greater attention to the need for quality eye care and encourage participation in the global effort to provide more eyewear to those in need. For the next month, people who donate $160 or more to VisionSpring will receive a free pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses," according to a VS post. "This offer kicks off today Friday, March 11 at 12am EST.  Tomorrow morning VisionSpring CEO and Founder Dr. Jordan Kassalow is scheduled to appear on Good  Morning America to discuss the organization's charitable cause (check your local listings for times and channels to watch or DVR the show). The Ray-Ban promotion will last until 11:59pm EST on Monday, April 11."

CEA Creating Standards for 3D Glasses

"If you buy a 3D TV that uses active shutter glasses, right now you're pretty much limited to buying 3D glasses that are made by the same manufacturer as the manufacturer of your TV. The Consumer Electronics Association wants to change that," according to TGDaily.

iPad Apps for ECPs

Eyemaginations has launched six new LUMA Eye Care Apps for iPad. With easy-to-understand videos, vision simulations, and closed captions, the LUMA Apps reportedly help eye care professionals explain eye conditions and treatments to patients within the office. The software is said to allow ECPs to present complex information to their patients in an engaging, easy-to-understand manner, helping patients visualize explanations.

Lucenetis Snub by Brit’s Health Dept

"Just weeks before the publication of a pivotal trial in the U.S. that could jeopardize sales of eye care medicine Lucentis, Britain's health services cost watchdog Friday denied reimbursement for the drug in cases of a diabetic-related eye disease," reports WSJ.com. "The medicine, which was developed by Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) and Novartis AG (NVS), which markets it in Europe, is under pressure from regulators, who are wary of the drug's high price amid attempts from doctors to use Roche's cheaper cancer treatment Avastin to treat vision loss. Although the final verdict is still pending, the U.K.'s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, or NICE, said that while Lucentis is effective in treating diabetic macular oedema, the drug's elevated price was problematic."

Eyewear with Video Cameras

"Eyez embeds an HD 1080p video camera within the frame of the eyeglasses to record live video data," according to a SFGate.com post. "The recorded data can be stored to the 16GB of flash memory within the Eyez™ glasses, transferred via Bluetooth or Micro USB to a computer, or wirelessly transferred to most iPhone or Android devices. After a one-time download of the 'Eyez' smartphone and tablet app, users can wirelessly broadcast the video in real time to their preferred social networking website."

State Agency Warns about Colored CLs

TheRepublic is reporting that the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is warning state residents that color contact "lenses that are popular, particularly among teenagers, are often sold at malls and flea markets from vendors who are not adequately trained. The agency says it is illegal for anyone other than licensed eye care professionals to sell the lenses. The agency says it has ordered beauty supply stores and flea markets to stop selling the lenses without a prescription and has fined vendors that do not have the proper health care license up to $10,000."

Tips for Eye Health from AOA

"Age plays a major factor when caring for vision. To treat current conditions and combat future diseases, patients should take the appropriate age-related steps to help keep their vision as healthy as possible," reports MedicalNewsToday about recommendations from the American Optometric Association (AOA). You can download a copy of the tips here to give to patients.

Link between Dry Eye and Weather

"Springtime may be just what the doctor orders for individuals suffering from dry eye condition, a disorder resulting from insufficient tear production or altered tear film composition," reports MedicalNewsToday. "According to a study published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, a temperature less than 30 degrees Celsius on the eye and eyelid could be the cause for the onset or worsening of the disorder."

World Glaucoma Week in NYC

Joining an international effort to raise awareness about the threat of glaucoma, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has officially proclaimed March 6-12, 2011 as World Glaucoma Week in New York City.  The week is observed around the globe by awareness and educational events organized by eye care institutions and local patient support groups worldwide, as listed on www.wgweek.net. 

Prez Proclaims Save Your Vision Week

"NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim March 7 through March 13, 2010, as Save Your Vision Week. During this time, I invite eye care professionals, teachers, members of the media, and all organizations dedicated to preserving eyesight to join in activities that will raise awareness of eye and vision health." That's the proclamation from the White House for Save Your Vision Week. You may want to download the proclamation as a promo.

Artificial Retina Coming to America

"For 20 years Eric Selby lived in darkness after a genetic eye disease robbed him of his sight. But now he can see flashes of light thanks a revolutionary 'bionic eye.' The Coventry grandfather is one of the first people in the world to have an artificial retina fitted." That was the story a week ago in the CoventryTelegraph.

All heck broke out yesterday, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is moving to approve it, according to a post on CBSNews, which also posted a video of an individual using the artificial retina that relies on a camera posted to eyeglasses.

Here's a description found on the TorontoSun:

Called the Argus II, and made by Los Angeles-based Second Sight Medical, the device has been in the testing phase for years.

After a successful clinical trial on 30 blind patients, the European Union on Wednesday approved the device's use in the European Economic Area.

Patients who use the device are first fitted with an implant on the outside of their eyeball. The implant is attached via a cable to the retina -- light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. A tiny camera mounted on a pair of glasses then transmits information to the implant.

While it doesn't allow blind people to see fully, it does allow them to recognize general shapes, light and movement.

In an interview with Reuters last year, Barbara Campbell of New York City said that after 16 years of total blindness, she can see shapes, the light on her stove top and letters on a computer screen just four months after being implanted with the then-experimental device.

 

Marchon Comes Out with Its 3D Glasses

"Marchon Eyewear…debuted a new sub-brand of passive 3D glasses called EX3D this week at the CeBit tech fair in Hannover, Germany," according to a CNET post. "The curved, scratch-resistant lenses offer full UV protection, and the glasses minimize peripheral light intrusion with a variety of wraparound designs. Passive 3D glasses usually have open sides, which can make nearby ambient light a big distraction. The EX3D glasses come in 25 styles; their above-average design makes these shades craveworthy, as does the very reasonable price of $35."

CLs Safer for Athletes

"People who wear contact lenses are less likely to suffer an injury than glasses wearers when taking part in sporting activities, one source has pointed out," says ContactLenses.co.uk. "When playing contact and ball sports in particular, glasses can pose a danger to people due to their propensity to smash, Price claims."

Visual Cortex Can Change Function

"Now, a study from MIT neuroscientists shows that in individuals born blind, parts of the visual cortex are recruited for language processing," says MedicalNewsToday. "The finding suggests that the visual cortex can dramatically change its function - from visual processing to language - and it also appears to overturn the idea that language processing can only occur in highly specialized brain regions that are genetically programmed for language tasks."

Churchill’s Eyeglasses for Auction

"A pair of tortoiseshell glasses that once perched on the end of Sir Winston Churchill's nose are to be sold at auction, reports the DailyMail. "The plastic-framed reading spectacles were made in 1954 for the former prime minister, who was often seen wearing glasses when appearing in public."

Luxottica Expands in Latin America. It's Still Growing

"Luxottica, the world's largest premium eyewear maker, is looking to buy small retail businesses in Latin America this year to offset slower growth in mature European markets, its chief executive told Reuters," according to a Reuters post. "The company behind Ray-ban eyewear and the Sunglass Hut chain has been ramping up investments in Latin America, one of the world's biggest markets for sunglasses, to strengthen its global reach."

The company "also reported a 34 percent rise in earnings per share for the year to EUR0.88.
Net income rose 34.5 percent to EUR402.2 million from EUR299.1 in fiscal 2009," says CompaniesandMarkets.

Combating Eyewear Modernization

"Leaders of the Vizhnitz Hasidism have issued new instructions in regards to the purchase of eyeglasses, as part of their attempt to combat modernization," according to YNetNews.

Carrera Launches New Marketing Campaign

Carry Carrera. Then you probably should visit www.carreraworld.com and see the collection's new marketing campaign, called "After All, No Regrets."

Luxottica Replaces Earthquake Victims Eyewear and CLs

ScoopNews reports that "as a result of the devastating impact of the Christchurch earthquake last Tuesday, eyewear company Luxottica will provide any individual or family directly affected by the earthquake with free replacement of their damaged prescription glasses or contact lenses."

Reporter Whines about Buying Glasses

Read this lame approach to eyewear proposed in a WashingtonPost
story: "A trip to the eye doctor can be stressful, from the mental duress of answering 'Which one is clearer, one or two?' to the daunting task of choosing frames. Luckily, you can minimize the stress while boosting your bottom line by ordering glasses or contacts online - but this isn't a one-click process." Answering "which one is clearer" creates duress? Choosing a frame is daunting? Has this reporter used a dictionary?

AAO Bashes KY for Optometric Surgery Bill

According to DailyFinance, "The following statement was released by Richard L. Abbott, MD, president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, in response to the Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear signing an optometric surgery bill that presents serious risks to patients into law:

"The signing of Senate Bill 110 into law is a serious blow to patient safety in Kentucky. In almost every state in the country, eye surgery is performed by medical doctors with years of extensive medical and surgical training and experience. Now in Kentucky complicated eyelid surgeries, laser glaucoma surgeries and corneal punctures can be handled by optometrists with little more surgical experience than a weekend mini-course. Just like we only rely on trained pilots to fly our airplanes, surgery should only be performed by surgeons. Optometrists simply do not have the training necessary to perform these procedures or manage the kinds of serious complications that can arise during surgery. Surgical proficiency is acquired through years of medical education and clinical training by medical doctors. For the sake of patient safety across the commonwealth, Governor Beshear and the legislature need to take another look at the complications and impact of this dangerous law, before it's too late."

Register Today for OpticalCEU’s 2011 Spring Continuing Education Seminar at Foxwoods

You can register for OpticalCEU's 2011 Spring Continuing Education Conference at Foxwoods—now. You can do it online at www.opticalceu.com/RegisterNowSpring2011.html. You may call (203-366-5991).

Here's the lineup for the Spring 2011 Conference:

• 8:30 AM: Registration at the MGM Grand Conference Center with complimentary coffee, tea, or decaf.
  
• 9-10 AM: History of Eyeglasses (1 ABO)
  
• 10-11 AM: In the Beginning: Embryonic Eye Development (1 NCLE)
  
• 11-Noon Cosmetics of Contacts (1 NCLE)
  
• Noon-1 PM: Complimentary Lunch for All Attendees (See the post below for details)
  
• 1-2 PM: What's Up with Myopia (1 NCLE)
  
• 2-3 PM: Make Sunwear Important with the New ot the World Sun Lens (1 ABO)
  
• 3-4 PM: The Boomer Business (1 ABO)
  
• 4-5 PM: Trends in Fitting Younger Contact Lens Patients (1 NCLE)
  

The semi-annual event, which has been running for more than a decade and last spring's conference setting attendance records, will have its great line-up of speakers and their excellent multimedia presentations. They will cover a variety of topics regarding vision care, eyewear, and contact lenses, providing opticians and ECPs with as many as seven ABO/NCLE continuing education credits, notes Linda Conlin.

As usual, the economical fee will include free coffee or tea for attendees arriving for the morning sessions. In addition, opticians and ECPs attending a full day of sessions (seven credits), sessions only in the morning (three credits), or sessions only in the afternoon (four credits) can enjoy a complimentary lunch. Here's the menu for OpticalCEUs 2011 Spring Conference for opticians and ECPs:

• Soup and Salads: hearty minestrone soup; crisp iceberg lettuce with pepperoncini peppers, garbanzo beans, chopped tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese served with either a house vinaigrette or buttermilk ranch dressing; tortellini pasta salad.
  
• Make Your Own Hot Sandwich: Philly cheese steaks with shaved rib-eye beef, melted cheese, grilled mushrooms and onions; honey BBQ pulled pork; eggplant Florentine; all served with fresh Hoagie rolls and seasoned curly fries.
  
• Desserts: chocolate fudge cake, blueberry lemon meringue cake, mandarin Earl Grey cake, along with coffee and assorted teas.
  

Course information and registration will be available online by the middle of March 2011. For directions to the resort, follow this link: Directions by car to Foxwoods. For information about the conference, email Linda Conlin at F.E.Enterprises@opticalceu.com.

New Treatment for Wet AMD before FDA

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. submitted a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for VEGF Trap-Eye for the treatment of the neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD).

New and Better Way of Dealing with Dry Eyes and CLs?

Read this if you have customers with severe dry-eye problems: "Inventor Dr. Courtenay created the Eye~POD to answer his struggles with dry eyes, a side effect of Bells-Palsy, " according to a post on Yahoo!Finance. "The affliction was caused by scratching his eye with a fingernail while putting in contact lenses. The quest for easier ways to put in eye-drops lead to easier ways to put in contacts. He succeeded in blending these functions into a single device with eight… eye care methods (http://eyepodmagic.com), dramatically changing the ways people use eye drops and contact lenses….The design efficiencies significantly lower the costs of eye care."

New Electronics Frontier Also the Optical Frontier

"A prototype implantable eye pressure monitor for glaucoma patients is believed to contain the first complete millimeter-scale computing system," says MedicalNewsToday. "And a compact radio that needs no tuning to find the right frequency could be a key enabler to organizing millimeter-scale systems into wireless sensor networks. These networks could one day track pollution, monitor structural integrity, perform surveillance, or make virtually any object smart and trackable. Both developments at the University of Michigan are significant milestones in the march toward millimeter-scale computing, believed to be the next electronics frontier."

Little Things (Like Sears Optical) Don’t Go Unnoticed

CommArts
notes that "With this spot Sponge, Chicago draws a parallel between people missing small, but important details in their daily lives and missing Sears Optical. The big idea: Anyone not going to Sears Optical is missing something. The Result: Increased sales and higher awareness through increased conversation, sharing and spoofing of the spots across social media platforms."

Another Pitcher Goes Under the Knife

ContactLenses.Co.Uk reports that "Chris Volstad, the pitcher for the Florida Marlins, recently followed the example of his teammate Josh Johnson and had the procedure on his right eye, blogs.palmbeachpost.com reported. Johnson told the blog that Volstad used glasses to correct his vision problem - which was blurriness in his eye - but never wore the aids when he was around others. After being given advice by his teammate, Volstad decided to correct his problem with Lasik eye surgery and used the services of Dr Cory Lessner, who operated on Johnson."

Free Eye Exams for KS Kids

"Kansas optometrists are using this week to ensure all kids can see to learn," reports WIBW.com. "'See to Learn Week' is a project of the Eye Care Council where the state's 250 member optometrists offer free vision assessments to 3-year olds. Dr. Bill Hefner of Topeka says it's an age when children are a bit more verbal and able to give accurate answers, yet still young enough that any problems can be addressed with a positive outcome. Hefner says, when abnormalities are caught early, they are often easier to treat and have a better result."

Four Misconceptions about Medicare from the “Wall Street Journal”

There are four misconceptions regarding Medicare, according to an article in the WallStreetJournal. Number three involves eye care: "Traditional Medicare doesn't cover routine dental care, eyeglasses, hearing aids or custodial long-term care. It generally won't cover health care you receive while traveling outside the U.S. To get extra coverage for things such as vision care, one option is to instead go with a Medicare Advantage plan, which is run by a private insurer. (With cuts in federal subsidies coming in 2012, insurers have cut the number of Advantage plans they offer.) These plans are required to provide the same coverage as Medicare Part A and Part B, but the cost-sharing is different, says Vicki Gottlich, senior policy attorney for the Center for Medicare Advocacy in Washington." You might want to download and photocopy for some of your patients.

Reading Doesn’t Require Vision. That’s the Word from “Current Biology”

"The portion of the brain responsible for visual reading doesn't require vision at all, according to a new study published online on February 17 in Current Biology," reports MedicalNewsToday. "Brain imaging studies of blind people as they read words in Braille show activity in precisely the same part of the brain that lights up when sighted readers read. The findings challenge the textbook notion that the brain is divided up into regions that are specialized for processing information coming in via one sense or another, the researchers say."

Optometrist May Get to Cut in KY

"A controversial bill that would allow optometrists to perform certain types of laser surgery and other procedures completed its express route through the legislature on Friday," reports the Courier-Journal.
"The House approved Senate Bill 110 on an 81-14 vote — making it the first measure this session to win approval from both houses of the General Assembly and be sent to Gov. Steve Beshear."

States Look to Cut Medicaid Vision Benefits

"New York State spent more than $20 billion on Medicaid this fiscal year — or nearly a quarter of the total operating budget. With the state confronting a projected $10 billion deficit for next year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has little choice but to cut back the program," goes an editorial in the NYTimes. "New York also provides a large menu of 'optional benefits,' including prescription drugs, dental and vision care…That is good for the health of low-income residents, but savings will have to be found." Yesterday California senators, facing similar challenges as New York's politicians, considered cutting its Medicaid vision benefits but backed off.

LI Businesses Cut Vision Coverage

“ Businesses' nickel-and-diming health insurance coverage has finally hit vision care,” reports LongIslandBusinessNews . “Against a backdrop of rocketing health insurance costs, companies had long seen vision insurance as an inexpensive perk untouched by the problems of the health insurance industry.”

CA Senate Keeps Vision Care

California is facing economic tough times. It must cut its budget. Vision care sat on the chopping block. “Before considering the proposal to fully eliminate vision coverage for the nearly one million children in the Healthy Families program, Senator [Mark] Leno ... recounted his own 'vivid memory' as a 4th grade student, suddenly being able to see again after a visit to an eye doctor and receiving glasses,” reports CaliforniaProgressReport. “For that cut, the Democratic majority voted to reject the $11 million proposal to eliminate vision coverage, but to instead restrict coverage for $3 million in budget savings.”

British 4th Estate Gets Wound Up about a Pair of Specs

“ Prince Charles gets double vision as both he and Camilla wear tortoiseshell glasses.” That was the headline in London'sDailyMailwhen the Prince of Wales and Lady Camilla showed at a dinner of business executives, whom the prince was addressing.

Luxottica Expands into Mexico

After expanding in New Zealand and Austrailia, Luxottica Group S.p.A. says it has entered into an agreement to acquire Stanza and High Tech, two sunglass specialty retail chains totaling more than 70 stores in Mexico.

Optical Market to Reach $24 Billion by 2016

According to the findings of a study by Research and Markets, the global market for vision care devices should grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3% to reach $24 billion in 2016, up from $20 billion in 2009.

Here's a glimpse at the study: “In 2009, the prevalence of refractive errors in US was 25%. Refractive errors affect one third of people who are 40 year or older in the US and Western Europe and one fifth of the same age group people in Australia. ..The US vision care devices market is expected to reach $6 billion in 2016, growing at a CAGR of 4% from 2009 to 2016. The spectacle lens market was valued at $2.4 billion in 2009 and the contact lens market was valued at $2.3 billion in 2009.”

NEI Releases Budget for Congressional Review

The National Eye Institute of the NIH (National Institute of Health) released its budget for 2012. It needs Congressional approval.

AAO Improves EyeSmart

AAO (American Academy of Ophthalmology) has expanded its eye health website EyeSmart. AAO claims the site is the most comprehensive online resource for eye care information provided by ophthalmologists. You may want to refer customers to the site.

Who writes the reviews of eyewear?

OMG, it's design season. Have you seen the frame designs for 2011? They are so happening. Some have rims, some don't. Some have thick temple stems, some are tapered, and others—well guys and gals, you know. Then there are the temple treatments—OMG. Funkkkkkyyy. And frames come in colors in 2011. Imagine that—colors. You don't have to look far to find a pair of frames.

Optometrist Says We Need Lenses for Peripherial Vision

“ Why don't traditional corrective lenses slow myopia's progression much?” the LATimes recently asked. Earl Smith, dean of the college of optometry at the University of Houston, has an answer or at least a theory. “Glasses and contact lenses affect the image in the center of the eye. They do not address vision at the periphery. And, he said, 'the peripheral retina — because there's so much more of it — can actually dominate the way that the eye grows.' Smith believes a process called 'visual feedback' is contributing to the worsening of myopia in individuals who develop nearsightedness.”

US Optical to Manufacturer PixelOptics Autofocus Lenses

OptoIQ reports that “US Optical signed an agreement with PixelOptics (Roanoke, VA) to manufacture emPower, PixelOptics' patented electronic [autofocus] eyeglass lenses, starting with the launch of the US Southeast region around April 4, 2011. . ..[It uses] composite lenses with a thin LCD-like transparent layer, microchips, micro-machine accelerometers, and miniature rechargeable batteries. It provides vision correction reportedly for all ranges of sight.”

Virtual Optician Expanding with Brick N Mortar Opticians

The online optical retailer Zip Eyewear seems to be getting some much needed traction. The company has dodged the three main consumer complaints about buying eyewear online: the inability to ensure proper fit, lens selection, and ongoing eye care. With Zip, consumers select the frames and lenses, if they wish. They pick up the product from one of the 200 local optician working with Zip, which is looking to expand that number this year.

How the Brain Compresses What the Eye Sees

Our brains, like computers, compress image “files.” “The images captured by light-sensitive cells in the retina are on the order of a megapixel. The brain does not have the transmission or memory capacity to deal with a lifetime of megapixel images,” notesMedicalNewsToday. “Instead, the brain must select out only the most vital information for understanding the visual world. In the online issue ofCurrent Biology, a Johns Hopkins team ...describes what appears to be the next step in understanding how the brain compresses visual information.”

An Optician by Any Other Name Is Not an Optician

“The Optometry Board of Australia has sent a letter warning 'optical dispensers' to cease using the title 'optician' or 'dispensing optician,'” according to MIVision. “The letter states that 'Section 113 of the National Law lists the protected titles for optometry as “optometrist” and “ optician” ...The Board is of the view that the use of the term “ Dispensing Optician” contravenes the restrictions on the use of the protected title “optician.”' Under the Health Practitioners Regulation National Law, an individual using this title 'who is not a registered health practitioner' could receive a maximum penalty of AUD$30,000 and in the case of a 'body corporate', AUD$60,000.” Intriguing. How would that play on the state level in the U.S., especially states that license opticians?

Liquid Crystal Glasses Go Nationally Later This Year

There's a cute NYTimes post about the new electronic spectacles, called emPower, that PixelOptics unveiled recently. As you may remember the liquid crystal lens varies its thickness on the wearer's command, enabling him/her to have reading or distance glasses on demand. The article reports that “to call up reading power..., users touch the side of the frame. Batteries in the frame send along a current that changes the orientation of molecules in the crystals....The glasses... will be on the market this spring — first in Virginia and North Carolina, and later in the year nationally, said Dr. Ronald Blum, an optometrist and the company’s president. The estimated price, $1,000 to $1,200, will include frames, lenses, coatings and charger.”

A Cheap Solution to Early Myopia for Most Kids

“ Eye experts increasingly believe that time spent outdoors could reduce the likelihood that children will develop myopia, or nearsightedness, a condition in which distance vision is blurred,” starts a post for the LATimes . “'Your mother was doing the right thing when she said, 'Go outside and play,”' says Earl Smith, dean of the College of Optometry at the University of Houston. Myopia is on the rise around the world. A recent study found that in Americans ages 12 to 54, the prevalence of myopia increased 66% between 1970 and 2000. Asia has also experienced a sharp jump in nearsightedness in urban areas. "Nearsightedness is showing up at younger ages and at higher progression rates," says Thomas Aller, an optometrist based in San Bruno.”

Aussie Optometrists Getting Rated

“ A new website, whitecoat.com.au, developed by nib health insurance will rank optometrists and other medical service providers by their charges and patient feedback,” reportsMiVisionfrom Australia. “The website, being launched in early this year, draws on survey information collected from nib members.” It's useful to an extent. Sometimes the health care professional with the worst “bedside” manner is the best professional for a particular patient at a particular time. Then again, optometrists and physicians need to be reminded that their patients are also customers.

KY's OD's & MD's Brawl.

“The Senate approved a bill Friday to allow optometrists to perform some surgical procedures on the eye and eyelid, brushing aside warnings from medical doctors who said optometrists are not qualified and could harm surgical patients,” according to Kentucky's Lexington Herald-Leader.

Optician and Bus Nut Rolled into One

“Gerard, 53, meticulously logs the comings and goings of all the double-deckers on the route,” reports the Sun. “And more than 500 enthusiasts log on each week to keep up with every detail of the pink-and-white buses' operations. The X1 - thought to be the country's longest bus route - serves destinations along 120 miles between Lowestoft, Suffolk, and Peterborough, Cambs” in Great Britain.

Custom Raid Nets $2.6 Millilon--not in Drugs, in Eyewear

“Customs has seized millions of dollars worth of fake sunglasses and reading glasses arriving from China,” according to a post on KABC Television's website. “ US Customs and Border Protection, also known as the CBP, seized nearly 10,000 pairs of counterfeit Givenchy sunglasses and 3,600 Giorgio Armani reading glasses at the Port of Los Angeles Feb. 2.” Those 13,600 pieces were valued at $2.6 million. The news show reported that “counterfeit glasses could be a danger to customers since they can shatter, cause eye injury, and may fail to provide UV protection.”

Progressives May Help Myopic Kids

“The progressive addition lenses (PALs) used in this study [published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science 9 Feb. 2011] were found to have a statistically but not clinically significant effect on slowing myopia progression in children with high accommodative lag and near esophoria,” according to a MDLinx post.

Bird Has Its Own Optical GPS System

A few weeks ago, Wired reported that “European robins may maintain quantum entanglement in their eyes a full 20 microseconds longer than the best laboratory systems, say physicists investigating how birds may use quantum effects to “see” Earth’s magnetic field. Quantum entanglement is a state where electrons are spatially separated, but able to affect one another. It’s been proposed that birds’ eyes contain entanglement-based compasses....Physicist Klaus Schulten of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign proposed in the late 1970s that bird navigation relied on some geomagnetically sensitive, as-yet-unknown biochemical reaction taking place in their eyes. Research since then has revealed the existence of  special optical cells containing a protein called cryptochrome. When a photon enters the eye, it hits cryptochrome, giving a boost of energy to electrons that exist in a state of quantum entanglement.” Imagine that as an optical implant. Not more GPS in the car.

Do You See Red When You See Red?

“When infant eyes absorb a world of virgin visions, colors are processed purely, in a pre-linguistic parts of the brain,” reports an older post from Wired . “As adults, colors are processed in the brain’s language centers, refracted by the concepts we have for them. How does that switch take place? And does it affect our subjective experience of color?”

Major Breakthrough in Causes of Age-Related Blindness

“ A team of researchers, led by University of Kentucky ophthalmologist Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, has discovered a molecular mechanism implicated in geographic atrophy, the major cause of untreatable blindness in the industrialized world,” according to MedicalNewsToday. He was aided by researchers in the the United Kingdom and Australia. Who reported that they “uncovered a probable cause of blindness in people older than 50,” with the discovery of enzyme DICER1. It stops working, reports MedicalNewsToday in another post. These discoveries are giving researchers hope that they will find an effective treatment for age-related blindness.

Employers Like Eye Care Benefits

EmployeeBenefits reports “n early half (47%) of employers believe their staff value eyecare benefits as much as the other perks, according to research conducted by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare. The eyecare provider's survey, conducted with nearly 300 employers, showed that only 7% believe the perk is valued more valued more than other benefits, while 7% believe it is the most valued benefit.”

Researchers Find a Blindness Gene

“Researchers led by geneticists at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have identified a new gene that causes retinitis pigmentosa, a form of blindness, ending one South Florida family's nearly 20-year search for what caused three of their four children to lose their sight.” So starts the post from MedicalNewsToday.

Most Americans Don't Feel Impact of New Health Care Law

“ A couple on Medicare got a rebate check to help with prescription drug costs. A Chicago man with diabetes got health insurance through a new government program. And a Philadelphia businessman is hoping his company will qualify for a tax credit.” That's the word from pro-business Business Week. “At a critical time for the nation's new health care legislation, The Associated Press revisited several Americans who first shared their health stories a year ago. Reporters asked: How has the law affected their lives, and how do they see the health care debate now roiling Washington? Many insured Americans have noticed no substantive difference in their lives under the new law. But health care has changed in subtle, and dramatic, ways for others. ”

Lovers' Squabble Puts Optician Out of Work

“ A former Lerwick optician [Brian Kelly formerly of Kelly Opticians]has lost an £800,000 civil action against his estranged wife and former business partner [Christine Kelly],” according to the Shetland Times . They worked together for 20 years. Brian claims has not been able to work in six weeks. After the two separated in 2004, Christine took out a court order dissolving their business partnership. Christine has “ insisted the interdict was to prevent him from personally taking stock from the premises. ”

AOA Says Fed's Policy Hurts Kids

The American Optometric Association (AOA) has warned if a set of U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations are adopted as policy, significant harm will be caused to the ongoing efforts of eye doctors nationwide to reverse the high rates of preventable vision loss in children across America, from the first year of life through age 5. Recognized as a public health emergency, high rates of undetected and untreated eye disorders continue to plague the nation's children and impair their ability to learn, grow and function normally; and even higher rates of disability exist among disadvantaged populations. See this OpticalCEUNews posting .

Poor Vision Okay, Says Health Secretary

States are running out of money and governors are looking to cut budgets. In an effort to help, Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of health and human services, gave governors carte blanche to cut Medicaid payments of good vision: “While state Medicaid programs must cover hospital and doctors’ services, Ms. Sebelius said, many other services are classified as optional. The optional services, she said, include prescription drugs, physical therapy, respiratory care, optometry services and eyeglasses, dental services and dentures,” according to NYTimes.

Source: Centers for Disease Control

You might want to write to your local state representatives and your governor, noting that poor vision in the U.S. costs the economy (excluding eye care costs) $8 billion. That number also does not factor in the economic impact of poor performance because children cannot see well. A conference at Harvard noted "the epidemic proportions of visual problems in urban poor children. ...53% of the children tested at the Mather School had visual problems that could affect their ability to read."

Athletes Promoting Eye Care

In an online post for Women's Health , Oakley athlete and Olympic medalist Gretchen Bleiler talks about her experiences volunteering at the South Africa OneSight Clinic in September 2010. The four-time Winter X Games snowboarding champ was one of several athletes who participated in the clinic sponsored by Oakley.

Great Eye Health Tip Sheet from CDC

Looking for an eye health tip sheet that you can distribute to patients? What about a hand-out at a local health fair? The CDC has one that an ECP easily could adapt for any purpose. For a glimpse, click this link: http://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/basic_information/eye_health_tips.htm.

Lucentis Helps Improve Vision

The National Eye Institute announced the results of a Lucentis trial:

Evidence has accumulated that abnormal blood vessel growth in diabetic retinopathy is caused by a protein, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This trial compared the effectiveness of laser therapy alone to laser therapy combined with Lucentis, a drug that prevents VEGF from stimulating abnormal blood vessel growth. The study involved 690 patients at 52 clinical sites within the DRCR.net. Nearly 50 percent of patients who received the combination of Lucentis and laser treatment experienced substantial visual improvement after one year, compared with only 28 percent who received laser treatment alone.

Vision Site to Improve Your Golf Game

Transitions Optical, Inc., is producing a year-long series of golf video tips from PGA Tour players and professional trainers as part of its "Improve Your Vision, Improve Your Game Video Series." The videos – approximately 60-90 seconds each – offer tips on enhancing your game as well as how to leverage vision to impact your game. Topics ranging from putting alignment and swing improvement, to eye dominance tests and visual exercises will be highlighted. A new video will be available every week by visiting www.improveyourvisionimproveyourgame.com. The site also offers a series of articles about improving how a player “sees” the game. ECPs might consider creating a promotion for the site in their shops or emailing the link to patients/customers, capitalizing on Transitions' promotion.

Dress Shops Giving CL Advice

“Undercover reporting by the BBC has revealed that some fancy dress and party shops are giving ‘contact lens’ safety advice, which their expert described as 'uncomfortable viewing,'” so reports OptometryToday.

Visser Warns Athletes and Spectators about UV

Famed sportscaster Lesley Visser is partnering with Transitions Optical and sports vision specialist Dr. Larry Lampert, to raise awareness about healthy vision and its connection to sports performance among consumers across the country. She is teaming up with Dr. Larry Lampert to educate athletes and spectators about the importance of wearing UV-blocking eyewear, along with getting regular, comprehensive eye exams. UV rays that can damage the eyes are still present, regardless of the time of year. Dr. Lampert notes that UV-related eye damage is cumulative, so it’s never too early or too late to get a regular, comprehensive eye exam and to start protecting your eyes.

Acuminder Improves CL Compliance

Contact lens wearers say that they forget which day to change their contacts as instructed. However, according to a new survey of contact lens wearers, Acuminder, a complimentary online reminder tool developed by Vistakon, is helping them change their behavior. Since its launch in 2007, nearly 40,000 contact lens wearers have registered for the service ( www.acuminder.com). It sends an automatic reminder via e-mail and/or cell phone text message reminding them to change contact lenses. It also prompts wearers when to buy new contacts  and when to schedule an eye exam.

Economic Impact of Poor Vision in U.S., says CDC

For the full report, follow this link.

Thief Gets $4000 in Sunglasses

“ A thief took more than $4000 worth of sunglasses from a Rock Hill Sears recently, Rock Hill police say,” according to WBTV . “The incident happened sometime during the weekend of January 16 when the optical store of Sears at 2197 Dave Lyle Blvd. was closed, police said.”

US Registry for Veterans with Eye Injuries

Over the next year, Harris Corp. reportedly will support the development of the Defense and Veterans Eye Injury and Vision Registry (DVEIVR) for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).  The registry will track the occurrence, treatment, and outcomes of all eye injuries or visual dysfunction experienced by members of the Armed Forces while serving on active duty.

VD Gift for Seniors

“ This February, EyeCare America is reminding seniors that sometimes, 'The Best Things in Life are Free,' and, that you can't put a price tag on love, friendship or the importance of eye sight. This Valentine's Day campaign encourages those age 65 and older to call EyeCare America to see if they qualify for a free exam,” according to an EyeCare America press release. ECPs might want to figure out how to tie into this promotion.