OANY News & Views

Laser Surgery for Treatment of Macula Degeneration.

“A short zap from the specially created “soft-pulse” laser will turn back the clock on the eye’s aging process by 30 years and reverse the effects of age-related macular degeneration, scientists believe. The rejuvenating treatment could eventually eradicate altogether the condition which robs elderly people of their sight. Mark Howard, of Guide Dogs for the Blind which funded the research, said “This is an absolutely massive breakthrough. It should be a cheap and simple procedure that people can have done before their eyesight degenerates. This treatment could make AND a thing of the past. In future people will be having this treatment to keep their eyes healthy before they go wrong. AND is the leading cause of blindness in the over 60’s in the Western world. Initially it causes blurred or distorted central vision but worsens over time to cause partial or total blindness. It is caused when a membrane, called Bruch’s Membrane at the back of the eye, becomes clogged with natural waste products which block vital nutrients from passing into the retina. This leads to the death of retinal cells and eventual blindness in one or both eyes. In ‘youthful’ eyes, enzymes clear away this debris, but as the aging process sets in, the body’s natural waste disposal system becomes weak and unable to deal with its workload.

Pioneering, ophthalmologist Professor John Marshal found that focusing a laser beam on part of the retina stimulates the release of the enzymes which then return the eye to its previously uncluttered state. In most cases the “clogging” begins when people reach their mid 40’s. Professor Marshall discovered the laser’s effects in clinical trials on diabetics. He now plans to conduct more trials on AND sufferers. He hopes his “retinal regeneration therapy” will open up a whole new avenue of treatment for the condition. Conventional laser treatment has been used in the past but it has been too powerful and damaged the eye’s light sensitive cells in the process. Prof Marshall’s specially-created laser is bale to pass through the eyeball without damaging it. He said “The laser I've used is a totally new soft-pulse laser which doesn't cause any damage to any of the nearby tissues. All it does is stimulate the required chemical reaction. And it treats both ‘dry’ AND and the effects of aging. The eye surgeon hopes his new clinical trials on sufferers with AND in one eye will show that treating the unaffected eye could delay the onset of the disease by up to seven years. ”

Drug Dispensing Contact Lens

Taking eye drops multiple times a day can be difficult for patients to do, and because of blinking and tearing, as little as 1 to 7 percent of the dose is actually absorbed by the eye. Now, researchers led by Daniel Kohane, MD, PhD, director of the Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery at Children’s Hospital Boston, have developed special contact lenses that can gradually dispense a constant amount of medication to the eye, at adjustable rates. They describe their prototype lens in the July issue of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science.

Although other groups have developed drug-releasing contact lenses, none have been able to achieve a constant, steady release of substantial amounts of drug; typically, a burst of drug is delivered in the first few hours, followed by rapidly dwindling amounts that are too low to be therapeutic. Kohane, collaborator Joseph Ciolino, MD, of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, and colleagues at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) created a two-layer contact lens with an inner drug-bearing biodegradable polymer film known as PLGA. Both PLGA and pHEMA (used for the coating) have been well studied and are already approved for ocular use by the Food and Drug Administration.

In laboratory testing, the prototype lenses dispensed ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic often used in eyedrops) for 30 days, the longest duration for which contact lenses are currently approved by the FDA; in some tests, the lenses continued releasing drug for up to 100 days. The amounts dispensed were sufficient to kill pathogens in a laboratory assay.

Kohane and Ciolino see applications in conditions such as glaucoma and dry-eye which require frequent daily eye drops. They have begun to test the lens in animals and plan to begin human testing as soon as possible. The technology recently won the Life Sciences track in MIT’s 100K Entrepreneurship Competition.

The study was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the National Institutes of Health, a Fight for Sight Grant-in-Aid, a Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology/Johnson & Johnson Young Investigator Award and the Boston KPro Fund, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.

10 Reasons Why Children Should Wear Sunglasses

The lens of the child’s eye transmits about 70% more UV than the adult eye, putting their retina at greater risk.
Half of the lifetime sun exposure occurs in the first twenty years of life. Children are outdoors much more than adults.
Because children are little, they spend much more time looking up toward the sun than adults.
Children have generally not learned about the risk of sun exposure, while adults have.
When a child’s eye gets sunburned, unless it is severe, they will not feel the pain as they do with the skin. The warning signs are not so apparent.
The long-term effects of sunburned eyes are cumulative and not completely reversible. The cataract, pterygium and macular degeneration of older age likely begin with childhood UV and blue light exposure.
Hats only protect from above, not below, where reflected UV from water, sand or concrete can do a lot of damage.
Children can be taught the importance of wearing sunglasses, just the same as wearing a seat belt or sunscreen for their skin.
With ozone depletion occurring as much as 12% per year in certain parts of the world, our children are at greater risk of UV than we were growing up. We must protect our children’s eyes more than we protected our own.
With newly designed sunglasses for children, like Frubi Shades, that are soft, durable and affordable, and offer 100% UV and blue light protection, there is no longer any excuse for not buying your child sunglasses or for them wearing them.

The information above is presented by the concerned people at www.frubishades.com.

Laptop Sunglasses Reduce Glare

(OpenPR) As most laptop users are aware, the freedom of using a laptop outdoors is often ruined by the struggle to get a good view of the screen in broad daylight. Even with regular sunglasses, the experience is far from perfect as the screen brightness is affected and sunlight reflects off the screen.

For the past year Glarewear has been developing a new kind of eyewear lens with unique capabilities in laptop brightness enhancement. The lens is designed to pass light emitted by LCD screens unfiltered while still reducing both regular and harmful UV light reaching the eyes. On July 10 Glarewear releases the first publicly available sunglasses fitted with the new patent pending lenses. The new Glarewear sunglasses deliver a whole new experience for laptop users longing to work without limitations at their patio or local cafe, or spend time at the beach while still being able to keep contact with their friends and family.

The new Glarewear sunglasses reduce glare, sun reflection and general light level while allowing up to 99% of the LCD emitted light to pass. This gives a clear experience of enhanced screen brightness, even under normal lighting conditions. The magic behind it all is the unique light polarization pattern of LCD screens which has been studied in detail and subsequently matched with the new patent pending lenses from Glarewear. The result is stunning and will most certainly have impact on the lifestyle of outdoor laptop usage.

As younger generations become more mobile and agile in both their work life and leisure time, Glarewear sunglasses are the ultimate accessory for the metropolitan individual spending time in parks, cafes and beaches. And since the sunglasses work just like any other pair of sunglasses when you’re doing something else, there’s no longer any reason to bring your old, regular sunglasses. All you need is a pair of Glarewear and you’re set, regardless of how your day looks.

The first publicly released unisex model of Glarewear sunglasses delivers a modern, sporty design and is manufactured with high quality, low weight frames with rubber textured resting hooks making them both long lived and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They are delivered with a designed micro-fibre bag that protects the sunglasses from scratches and dust when not being worn. For longer storage in your luggage, the Glarewear sunglasses are shipped in a convenient protective hard box case. Glarewear is a new invention combined with quality and fashion, and we are so sure of our customer satisfaction that we offer 100% money-back guarantee in case any of our customers is not completely satisfied. As of July 10 the sunglasses can be bought online at www.glarewear.com.

Hands Free Binocular Glasses

With the price of theater tickets and sporting events today coupled with cash strapped consumers- these hands free binocular glasses will let you see what’s going on a mile away. We found them on coolestgadgets.Com - ($199.95) We like them because almost everybody could use a pair!

Attention Optical Alliance Member:
ADAPTING & FITTING NON-CORRECTIVE CONTACT LENSES BILL PASSES LEGISLATURE
Albany, N.Y.
June 2005

A-6394a/S-317a, sponsored by Assemblyman Canestrari and Senator Saland, passed the legislature in the closing hours of the legislative session this past Friday. This bill will soon be sent to the Governor’s Office for consideration.

Below is information from the bill memo. If you would like to see the full bill text, please visit the Assembly website at http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=a6394a and use the Quick Bill search tool located right under Speaker Silver’s message.

Summary of Specific Provisions: The bill amends the Education Law to require contact lenses used for cosmetic purposes to be dispensed only upon a valid prescription from a physician, optometrist, or ophthalmic dispenser.

Justification: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued warnings regarding the serious risks of permanent eye injury presented by non-corrective, decorative lenses distributed without a prescription and without proper fitting by an eye care professional. In October 2002, the FDA issued an import alert instructing FDA and Customs officials to automatically detain all decorative contact lenses presented at U.S. ports of entry, and to seize decorative contact lenses currently on the market in violation of federal law.

The FDA has received reports of corneal ulcers associated with wearing decorative contact lenses in excess of recommended time periods. Corneal ulcers can progress rapidly, leading to internal ocular infection if left untreated. According to the FDA, uncontrolled infection can lead to corneal scarring and vision impairment. In extreme cases, this condition can result in blindness and eye loss. Other risks associated with the use of decorative, non-prescription contact lenses include conjunctivitis, corneal edema, and corneal abrasion. Unfortunately, decorative lenses have been found to be especially popular among teens. Despite seizure efforts and public awareness campaigns regarding the threat such lenses pose to the wearer’s health, the lenses continue to be found in flea markets and stores, as well as on the Internet.
This bill will reinforce the message by the FDA of the dangers of non-prescription cosmetic lenses by requiring them to be fitted by an appropriate eye care professional and only upon written prescription.

Carter, AOA Promote Free Eye Exams for Kids

Carter, AOA Promote Free Eye Exams for Kids

Each year, millions of children are faced with undiagnosed eye problems that can lead to permanent vision loss or difficulty in school. To address this serious problem, former President Jimmy Carter has joined forces with the American Optometric Association (AOA).

The InfantSEE program launched by the AOA provides free eye exams for infants in an effort to detect amblyopia (‘lazy eye’) and other vision problems early in life. InfantSEE doctors use lights and other handheld objects to make sure infants’ eyes are working together. They also check for nearsightedness and retinoblastoma (a cancer that can lead to loss of an eye if not treated early).

As honorary chair and national spokesperson, former President Jimmy Carter is urging parents to take action. “We have eleven grandchildren and two of them have been afflicted with amblyopia, or “lazy eye”. And we really didn’t know it until they got to the first grade and had problems seeing the blackboard,” said the former president. “It took us a lot of effort and time to correct it. But if they just had the opportunity to go to an optometrist the first year of life, they could have been corrected and they never would have suffered.”

Over 6,500 optometrists have signed up to participate in the InfantSEE program. Parents with infants aged 6 months to one year olds can schedule an appointment with an InfantSEE optometrist. For more information on the InfantSEE program, please visit www.infantsee.org.

Congress Passes Federal Employee Vision Benefits Bill

Congress Passes Federal Employee Vision Benefits Bill
Eight Million Eligible for Reduced Fee Eye Exams in 2006

Eight million Americans are one step closer to receiving an eye exam thanks to legislation passed by the US Congress last week. If signed into law, federal government workers, retirees, and their dependents would automatically qualify for enhanced vision benefits (eye exams and products) and, potentially, more government supplementation of costs in the near-term future.

“This new federal benefit could have a significant effect on vision care in the coming years,” noted Richard C. Elias, Chairman of the Vision Council of America. “I know of no other way we can impact so many people so quickly than with this type of legislation”.

The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), currently offers very little coverage for vision care. Under the new law, employees would receive discounts for refractive services, preventative care and eyewear. It also requires Congress to evaluate whether the cost of vision care should be further reduced for employees in order to increase their use.

The most obvious effect of this legislation is short-term. On January 1, 2006, eight million participants in the FEHBP will have a greater incentive to access the vision care they need to prevent unnecessary vision loss. If national worker statistics citing that 7 out of 10 workers want vision benefits is an indicator, it is likely that the number of federal employees receiving an eye exam in 2006 will rise.

But there are long-term effects as well. The FEHBP insurance program frequently serves as a benchmark for businesses and insurance providers across the country. Many of the benefits that FEHBP has implemented in the past (such as flex-time and cafeteria-style offerings) have been widely adopted; there is no reason to believe that would change with vision care benefits.

“These types of changes don’t happen in a vacuum,” Elias said. “We’ve spent the last four years telling both the public and policymakers about the importance of regular eye exams through our Check Yearly program and our advocacy campaigns. These efforts have a ripple effect,” he continued, “and help create an environment in which these types of changes can occur.”

Elias was also quick to praise United States Senator Susan Collins (ME), Representative Tom Davis (VA-11), Representative Jo Ann Davis (VA-01) and Representative Tim Murphy (PA-18) for their commitment and leadership in securing the passage of this legislation.