Second Sight News

New guidelines urge better vision tests for preschoolers

2004-06-09T14:07:00.000-06:00

Few preschoolers have their eyesight thoroughly checked, although up to 20% have some eye problem that, if uncorrected, could delay learning or even cause permanent vision loss.
New guidelines are urging pediatricians and health workers to better screen children under 5 for lazy eye and other disorders — even as a major study of preschoolers' vision shows many of those screening tests are far from perfect.

It's part of a growing debate over whether all youngsters should see an eye doctor before starting school, or whether improving routine vision screening could spot more tots who need help.

"It's a very touchy topic," says Dr. Susan Taub, a Northwestern University ophthalmologist who chairs the Better Vision Institute. "The key message is kids are getting lost in the system the way it exists."

Until the controversy's settled, she advises parents to watch for warning signs, even when playing peek-a-boo with babies, to help ensure their children's eye problems aren't missed.

Read the whole article at USA Today: New guidelines urge better vision tests for preschoolers

New Drug Offers Hope for People With Two of the Most Common and Debilitating Eye Diseases

2004-06-09T14:04:00.000-06:00

Results from Research in Victoria, Australia Give New Hope to People Suffering from Diseases that Are Major Causes of Blindness

A drug developed by Melbourne-based biotech company, Antisense Therapeutics, has shown animal studies that it decreases levels of a hormone associated with diabetic retinopathy and wet age-related macular degeneration - two diseases that affect the eyesight of millions of people, and which currently have no effective drug treatments. The results from animal testing also confirmed the drug's potential as a treatment for acromegaly, a growth hormone disorder Antisense Therapeutics will be presenting on these results, and other key aspects of its business at the Business Forum at BIO2004, the world's biggest biotech conference, San Francisco June 6-9.

With an aging population and increasing prevalence of diabetes Australia can expect a surge in the incidence of blindness. Two of the major causes of blindness are diabetic retinopathy and wet-age related macular degeneration.

Of the estimated 940,000 Australians (around 1 in 13) who have diabetes all are at risk of vision loss or blindness and ten per cent will develop a vision threatening condition. More than 18 million people in the US have diabetes and each year about 12-24,000 Americans lose their sight because of diabetes retinopathy. Patients with Type I diabetes who have had their disease for more than ten years have a 90 per cent chance of developing retinopathy, and about 20 per cent of patients with Type II diabetes will get the disease. Wet age-related macular degeneration affects between 1.2 million and 1.65 million Americans.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: New Drug Offers Hope for People With Two of the Most Common and Debilitating Eye Diseases

ISTA Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Approval for ISTALOL(TM) for the Treatment of Glaucoma

2004-06-09T14:02:00.000-06:00

ISTA begins full-scale commercial operations in preparation for ISTALOL(TM) launch

ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISTA - News) today announced that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ("FDA") has approved the New Drug Application ("NDA") for ISTALOL(TM), a once- a-day liquid formulation of timolol, for the treatment of glaucoma.

Thomas K. Mundorf, M.D., a leading ophthalmologist and a clinical investigator for the U.S. ISTALOL(TM) clinical studies, commented, "Because glaucoma is a serious, chronic disease that must be treated for life, it is important to offer patients alternatives in their treatment regimen. ISTALOL(TM) gives patients an effective, therapeutic option with the convenience of a once-daily formulation. I believe that this is an advance that patients and their caregivers will greatly appreciate."

ISTALOL(TM) is ISTA's second product approved by the FDA. In May, ISTA announced FDA approval of ISTA's NDA for Vitrase® (hyaluronidase for injection; lyophilized, ovine) for use as a spreading agent to facilitate the dispersion and absorption of other drugs.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: ISTA Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Approval for ISTALOL(TM) for the Treatment of Glaucoma

Brilliant biotechs fight eye disease

2004-06-08T14:00:00.000-06:00

A POSSIBLE cure for two causes of blindness is among Victorian innovations on show this week at the world's biggest biotech conference.

Premier Steve Bracks, in San Francisco for the conference, last night signed an expanded biotechnology alliance all Australian states, the ACT and New Zealand. The deal to encourage joint research, development and marketing expands on last year's agreement between Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
"This expanded Australia-New Zealand alliance can only give us greater critical mass in the global market," Mr Bracks said.

A new drug developed in Melbourne by Antisense Therapeutics is being promoted at the conference as offering new hope to millions of people suffering diabetic retinopathy and wet age-related macular degeneration -- two eye diseases that cause blindness.

Read the whole article at Herald Sun: Brilliant biotechs fight eye disease

Key Study Findings About Diabetic Microvascular Complications May Lead to Improved Screenings and Treatment for People with Diabetes

2004-06-08T13:58:00.000-06:00

At least half of all people with diabetes have some degree of microvascular complications

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY - News) today announced key findings from two analyses of prior study data that may lead to improved outcomes for two major diabetic microvascular complications -- diabetic neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy. One study presented during the 64th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) described the correlation between vibration detection testing -- a comfortable way of testing nerve function, and commonly used nerve conduction studies which are costly and associated with patient discomfort. A second set of data pinpointing a critical phase in the progression of diabetic macular edema, a complication of diabetic retinopathy, suggest that earlier treatment may minimize vision loss in people with diabetes.

The three major diabetic microvascular complications include diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic microvascular complications result from damage to the small blood vessels in the nerves, eyes and kidneys, and eventually lead to loss of function in these tissues.(1,2a-d,3) If undetected and untreated, these complications can potentially lead to severe organ damage possibly resulting in limb amputation, blindness, and kidney failure.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: Key Study Findings About Diabetic Microvascular Complications May Lead to Improved Screenings and Treatment for People with Diabetes

Woman leaves behind more than $700,000 for battling blindness

2004-06-08T13:57:00.000-06:00

When Sarah Slack died in May she had already made provisions to leave a gift to the community.

A gift which has the potential to help the blind.

The Muskingum County Community Foundation announced the creation of the Sarah E. Slack Prevention of Blindness Fund on Friday. The fund was made possible by Slack's gift of between $700,000 and $900,000.

"This is new territory for us," said David Mitzel, MCCF executive director.

While the foundation have received gifts before, this is the first one which has been set aside for research. Slack, who died May 3 at the age of 87, suffered from macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among people over the age of 65.

"In macular degeneration, the light-sensing cells of the macula mysteriously malfunction and may over time cease to work," according to the Macular Degeneration Foundation. While it is more common in older people, it can affect the young.

Slack was determined to help find a cure for blindness and decided to create an endowment fund. Through her attorney, Mark Watson, she worked with Hendley & Company to set up the gift. Hendley & Company will manage the fund.

Read the whole article at TimesRecorder: Woman leaves behind more than $700,000 for battling blindness

Colour blindness cell loss clue

2004-06-07T13:55:00.000-06:00

some colour blind people are missing as many as one third of the normal number of specialised light-detecting cells.
However, apart from colour blindness, the general quality of their sight appears unaffected.

The researchers hope their work will enable earlier detection of eyesight disorders.

The study, by the University of Rochester, is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The Rochester team used a technique called adaptive optics to study the retina of the eye in much closer detail than has previously been possible.

It was originally developed to help astronomers see more clearly through the Earth's atmosphere.

Read the whole article at BBC News: Colour blindness cell loss clue

Cataracts -- The Crystalens™

2004-06-07T13:53:00.000-06:00

Normally, the lens of the eye is transparent to focus sharp images onto the retina. A cataract is a clouding of the lens. The clouded areas interfere with the passage of light and images. Patients may have blurred or double vision, glare, poor night vision, a need for brighter lights for reading and frequent changes in eyewear prescriptions. Eventually, the lens can completely cloud vision and lead to blindness.

According to Prevent Blindness America, cataracts affect more than 20 million people in the U.S. The condition is more common with age. By 65, more than half of all Americans have some degree of cataract. Cataracts are a leading cause of blindness in this country.

An age-related cataract can develop in one of two ways. The most common method involves protein deposits. The lens of the eye is made of mostly protein and water. Over time, some of the protein may clump together, creating tiny clouded deposits. Those deposits slowly grow. As the cataract increases in size, vision becomes more impaired.

Read the whole article at WSOCTV: Cataracts -- The Crystalens™

System strikes right chord for young blind musician

2004-06-07T13:51:00.000-06:00

While playing the uplifting melody of "You'll Be in My Heart," Cory Lipsett plucks away at an upright bass and then draws out some of the notes with a bow.

At first glance, the Batavia seventh-grader looks like any other of the 36 kids in the Rotolo Middle School room.

If you get a closer look, though, you'll see his hands and feet actually multitask more than the other students'.

Considered legally blind by doctors, Cory uses computer software to help him play with the orchestra. The software, called Finale, enlarges and reformats pages of music to display it in on a monitor one measure at a time.

The screen and keyboard are strapped to the music stand in front of him. His left foot also steps on a pedal to advance him to the next measure.

Read the whole article at Daily Herald: System strikes right chord for young blind musician

National Eye Institute Ranks Welch Allyn SureSight Vision Screener as a Top Performer in Preschooler Study

2004-06-06T13:41:00.000-06:00

Affordable, Easy to Use Product Lauded for Its Accurate Detection of Common Vision Problems

Welch Allyn, a leading global manufacturer of frontline medical products and solutions, today announced that its award-winning SureSight(TM) Vision Screener landed in the top performing group during a National Eye Institute (NEI) study of the most effective methods to accurately detect common vision disorders in preschool-age children. The Vision in Preschoolers (VIP) Study Group reviewed 11 options for testability, sensitivity, and specificity with nearly 2,600 preschoolers for serious and potentially blinding eye disorders including amblyopia and refractive error. The findings of the landmark, multi-million dollar, multi-site study benefit primary care practitioners and allow them to identify the optimum screening methodology. In addition, the SureSight Vision Screener is the only automatic primary care instrument selected by the NEI researchers to advance to the next phase of the study for further testing.

"Quality ophthalmic care is an extremely important part of a child's overall health and development program," said Scott Gucciardi, director of EENT Group for Welch Allyn. "The SureSight Vision Screener provides practitioners with an affordable, efficient and highly effective screening method for refractive amblyogenic risk factors in young children."

Welch Allyn's SureSight Vision Screener is an objective, automatic, and accurate vision test that is child-friendly and delivers results in just seconds. Since SureSight does not require patient response and boasts flashing lights and sounds to engage a child's attention, it is a far superior testing option than traditional eye chart acuity screenings. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that early and accurate detection of treatable vision disorders in children can lessen the extent of eye disease in their future.

Read the whole article at BusinessWire: National Eye Institute Ranks Welch Allyn SureSight Vision Screener as a Top Performer in Preschooler Study

Cholesterol Drug May Help With Serious Eye Problem

2004-06-06T13:10:00.000-06:00

New research finds a drug designed to help your heart may also help with a serious eye problem that leaves many seniors without vision. As Dr. Dean Edell reports, the drug doesn't treat the disease, but it may is prevent it.

There are a lot of things Louise Collier doesn't like about growing old. So far, losing her vision has been the hardest.

Louise Collier, macular degeneration patient: "That's the worst thing that can happen to you. You don't realize it as you go day by day seeing, but you can't do anything when you can't see."

Louise has wet macular degeneration -- a deterioration of the retina that blurs her central vision. At 82, she's not alone. It's the leading cause of vision loss in America.

Read the whole article at ABC7News: Cholesterol Drug May Help With Serious Eye Problem

Advanced Medical Optics and OPHTEC USA Expand Strategic Relationship to Collaborate on Veriflex Foldable Phakic IOL

2004-06-06T12:52:00.000-06:00

Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (AMO) (NYSE:AVO), a global leader in ophthalmic surgical devices and eye care products, and OPHTEC USA, Inc., a privately held medical device manufacturer and subsidiary of OPHTEC B.V. (Netherlands), today announced an agreement to expand their strategic relationship to include the design and U.S. regulatory approval process for the Veriflex(TM) foldable phakic intraocular lens (IOL).

Under terms of the agreement, AMO and OPHTEC USA will join forces to complete design work for the Veriflex(TM), a foldable version of the Artisan(R) / Verisyse(TM) phakic IOL, which is pending FDA approval. OPHTEC is currently engaged in clinical trials in Europe on a foldable silicone phakic IOL. AMO and OPHTEC will continue to improve on the foldable lens design and develop a compatible insertion system. AMO and OPHTEC will also share responsibility for submission of the FDA Pre-Market Approval (PMA) application and implementation of human clinical trials in the United States.

Similar to its distribution rights to the Verisyse(TM) lens, AMO will be the exclusive source for the Veriflex(TM) lens in the U.S. and Japan, and also plans to market the lens in Europe and other parts of the world.

Read the whole article at BusinessWire: Advanced Medical Optics and OPHTEC USA Expand Strategic Relationship to Collaborate on Veriflex Foldable Phakic IOL

QLT collaborates with the National Eye Institute to develop preservative-free triamcinolone

2004-06-05T13:07:00.000-06:00

QLT Inc. (NASDAQ: QLTI - News; TSX: QLT - News) announced today that it has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Eye Institute (NEI) to study the effects of preservative-free triamcinolone acetonide (PFTA) as an adjunct to Visudyne® therapy in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

The study will enroll approximately 300 patients in a multi-center, randomized, prospective Phase III clinical trial that will investigate the long-term safety and potential efficacy of PFTA in all wet AMD patients undergoing Visudyne therapy.

"This is a very exciting development for QLT and is a great fit with our efforts in identifying new opportunities for expanding Visudyne," said Paul Hastings, President and Chief Executive Officer of QLT Inc. "We hope the results of combination therapy will lead to improved vision for the many people with AMD."

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: QLT collaborates with the National Eye Institute to develop preservative-free triamcinolone

Students spend time in world of darkness

2004-06-05T12:49:00.000-06:00

Do you know anyone who is blind? Can they read and write like other people? Can they walk? Can they go shopping? Can they match the colors of their clothing? This is how Jane Mulloy began the blindness and visual impairment program for the second-graders at Doyon Elementary school.

Each spring this program is presented by the Friends of the Ipswich Elementary Schools (FRIES). Through this program, students learn to treat people with visual impairments as they would treat any person and experience a few everyday activities through the eyes of the blind.

"The Blindness Program hopes to clear up any misconceptions children may have about people who are blind or low vision. Hopefully the children will come away with more compassion, patience, and understanding of what it is like to live with visual impairment," says Mulloy

Read the whole article at Ipswich Chronicle: Students spend time in world of darkness

ScienceBased Health Offers Comprehensive Information Resources and Newsletter on Nutrition and Eye Health

2004-06-05T12:48:00.000-06:00

Online Collection Helps Reporters and General Public Stay Abreast of Latest Eye Health Research

ScienceBased Health, a leading provider of premium nutraceuticals for eye health, has assembled a comprehensive information resource for reporters, doctors, and consumers on the subject of eye health, with particular emphasis on the role of nutrition in eye care.

Intended for reporters, physicians and consumers seeking credible information, the collection is based on the latest scientific research on the subject. The online resource consists of several volumes of frequently published essays and a monthly newsletter written by nutritional scientist Penelope Edwards, MPH, CNS, as well as links to well-respected medical archives and journals about eye health and nutrition. For reporters, ScienceBased Health will also offer, on a first-come, first-served basis, interviews with experts in the eye health field, including some of the world's most renowned ophthalmologists and optometrists.

Among the specific topics and resources available are:

EduFacts Eye Health Essays -- The ScienceBased Health web site includes more than 50 of ScienceBased Health's exclusive EduFacts essays -- concise, single-page summaries of the latest scientific research on nutrition's role in eye health. EduFacts are compiled several times a year, when new clinical research or other noteworthy information in the field becomes available, and they are distributed via fax to a list of reporters and physicians who have opted into the distribution list. Topics range from how nutrition can impact macular health, optic nerve health and dry eye to the role of antioxidants (such as lutein), omega fatty acids and other key nutrients in maintaining visual health. Examples of topics recently covered by EduFacts include the LAST (Lutein Antioxidant Supplement Trial) research, linking lutein and antioxidants to macular health; and the National Eye Institute's AREDS (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) research, linking antioxidant and zinc intake to a decrease in the rate of progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Read the whole article at BusinessWire: ScienceBased Health Offers Comprehensive Information Resources and Newsletter on Nutrition and Eye Health

Inspire Initiates Diquafosol Phase III Dry Eye Trial

2004-06-05T12:43:00.000-06:00

Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISPH - News) today announced the initiation of a Phase III trial of diquafosol tetrasodium for the treatment of dry eye. Inspire received an approvable letter for diquafosol from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2003 and met with the agency in January 2004 to clarify requirements for approval. The FDA indicated that an additional clinical study would be required to provide additional evidence of the efficacy of this potential treatment.

The Phase III trial is a double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled safety and efficacy study of diquafosol tetrasodium 2% ophthalmic solution in patients with dry eye. The study will be conducted in approximately 500 patients at 36 U.S. sites that are experienced in the conduct of dry eye trials. Diquafosol or placebo will be administered four times daily over a six-week treatment period.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: Inspire Initiates Diquafosol Phase III Dry Eye Trial

InSite Vision Stockholders Approve $16.5 Million Financing

2004-06-04T12:41:00.000-06:00

InSite Vision Incorporated (AMEX:ISV), an ophthalmic therapeutics, diagnostics and drug-delivery company, today announced that its stockholders have approved all four proposed items included in the Company's 2004 Proxy Statement at today's Annual Meeting of Stockholders, including measures regarding a proposed $16.5 million private placement. InSite Vision expects the final closing of the private placement to occur prior to June 15, 2004, assuming all other conditions to closing are satisfied. Paramount BioCapital, Inc. served as the sole placement agent for this financing. InSite Vision intends to use a portion of the proceeds from this financing to fund clinical development of its lead drug candidate, AzaSite(TM) (ISV-401), for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.

"I extend my sincere appreciation to our stockholders for voting in favor of this very important financing, and in turn demonstrating their confidence in our Company's future," said S. Kumar Chandrasekaran, Ph.D., InSite Vision's president and chief executive officer. "With new capital, we expect to aggressively move forward with the development of AzaSite. We anticipate initiating the first of two Phase 3 trials early in the third quarter, initiating the second trial shortly thereafter and filing an NDA during the second half of 2005."

Read the whole article at BusinessWire: InSite Vision Stockholders Approve $16.5 Million Financing

Miravant's SnET2 New Drug Application Accepted for Filing by FDA with Priority Review Designation

2004-06-04T12:36:00.000-06:00

Miravant Medical Technologies (OTCBB: MRVT), a pharmaceutical development company specializing in PhotoPoint(R) photodynamic therapy (PDT), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for filing the Company's New Drug Application (NDA) for SnET2 and has also granted a Priority Review designation. Acceptance of the filing means that the FDA has made a determination that the NDA meets the standard for substantive review, and the Priority Review designation expedites the review period. Miravant is seeking approval from the FDA for its proprietary new drug SnET2 as a treatment for patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness in older adults.

Wet AMD is a major health problem with an estimated 500,000 new cases each year worldwide. The disease is characterized by abnormal blood vessels at the back of the eye that leak fluid and blood and can lead to severe loss of central vision. The SnET2 treatment uses a light-activated drug intended to selectively destroy these abnormal blood vessels and stabilize vision loss.

Read the whole article at BusinessWire: Miravant's SnET2 New Drug Application Accepted for Filing by FDA with Priority Review Designation

Hoop dream now a reality

2004-06-04T12:34:00.000-06:00

Donte Mickens always wanted to be a stellar basketball player. But at 6-feet-2 and with no exposure, he knew a long time ago that it was just a dream.

He dreamed anyway. He played a lot in high school, too. College scouts were interested. They didn't know - the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind just isn't the place scouts would go to look for potential star athletes.

Mickens has been legally blind since birth. His visual impairment is caused by ocular albinism, a genetic pigment disorder that's often accompanied by blindness.

Read the whole article at Tallahassee Democrat: Hoop dream now a reality

Optelec Furthers Commitment to Blind Consumers

2004-06-03T12:30:00.000-06:00

Only one month since announcing the appointment of a new Director of Corporate Development for its new blindness products division, Optelec USA, Inc. announced today yet another prestigious hire for the rapidly expanding division. Ms. JoAnn Becker has accepted the position of Blindness Products Manager.

“JoAnn Becker brings yet another dimension to our blindness initiative, namely the strong commitment to customer training and education”, stated Annette Fasnacht, President of Optelec. “JoAnn is an experienced trainer who will ensure our customers are fully able to maximize the practical, functional applications of our expanding line of Braille and speech technologies.” As product manager, JoAnn will play an active role in the design and development of new blindness products, in the implementation of marketing strategies and in maintaining close relationships with customers throughout North America.

JoAnn attended the Iowa School for the Blind as a child, later mainstreaming into a public high school. After studying at Wellesley College with a major in psychology, JoAnn attained extensive sales and marketing experience in the field of blindness technology, including regional marketing director of Kurzweil computer products and, most recently, as consultant for Adaptive Technology Consulting. When asked about her new role with Optelec, JoAnn replied, “I regard the new division of blindness products at Optelec as a paradigm shift. We are committed to making available to blind people mainstream applications that are cost effective and user-friendly. We will not be repeating what has already been done. We will be developing new and robust cutting-edge products for blind consumers that will allow them to compete on an equal footing with their sighted peers.”

The addition of Becker is the third in a series of hiring by Optelec of what can easily be considered high profile Braille and speech professionals, underscoring the company’s commitment to its blindness division.

Read the whole article at eMediaWire: Optelec Furthers Commitment to Blind Consumers

Braille-reading champ helps open classmates' minds at Waukesha South

2004-06-03T12:25:00.000-06:00

I am convinced that one of the best gifts a parent can give a child is a love of reading.

Meghan Whalen, blind since birth, is one lucky young woman.

"My parents read a lot to me when I was little," said the Waukesha South High School sophomore. "My grandma still does. She takes me to the library every three weeks and will read to me over the phone. You can be sure for your birthday and Christmas, you'll always get a book."

Reading - in her case, by Braille - is second nature to Whalen, 16.

"I remember sitting at the snack table when I was 4 and learning Braille," she said. "A little before kindergarten I remember bringing a book home and reading it to my mom. That's when she started Brailling for me."

Read the whole article at JSOnline: Braille-reading champ helps open classmates' minds at Waukesha South

Better eye surgery may help older drivers avoid accidents

2004-06-03T12:23:00.000-06:00

New technology for eye surgery can help people with cataracts avoid traffic accidents, according to the companies that developed and are marketing the procedure.

At a news conference last week, doctors and officials of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) released the results of a new study on the results of cataract surgery using a lens implant that does a better job of helping the eye focus on light and produces a sharper image.

The lens, which is flatter and can fold, compensates for something called "spherical aberrations," which older eyes can no longer do.

The study, "Seeing is Believing: Advancing Senior Health and Automotive Safety" showed how the Tecnis lens, designed by Wavefront technology and manufactured by Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, can provide a 10 percent increase in the detection of objects and improve reaction time to such things as brake lights by half a second over older lenses

Read the whole article at axcess news: Better eye surgery may help older drivers avoid accidents

Even Preschoolers Should Have Their Vision Tested

2004-06-02T12:20:00.000-06:00

Parents need not wait until their children start kindergarten to have their eyes tested for vision problems.

Children under the age of 5 should undergo screening so that any signs of amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (crossed eyes) or other visual impairment can be detected and possibly corrected, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

The panel advises doctors to incorporate vision screening into each well child care exam or check-up. Their new recommendation statement is published in the Annals of Family Medicine.

Up to 10 percent of all preschoolers have some type of visual impairment caused by refractive error (nearsightedness or farsightedness), lazy eye, crossed eyes or astigmatism.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: Even Preschoolers Should Have Their Vision Tested

Boomers look to new type of eye surgery

2004-06-02T12:18:00.000-06:00

It got to where Ray Bergey kept one pair of reading glasses alongside the television remote, another on his bedside reading table, still another in the car and at least one more at the office.

Pairs piled up as he repeatedly upgraded lenses to keep pace with increasingly blurry near vision.

"My world was going from one set of readers to the next," says Bergey, who is 47 and a real estate agent. "Part of my own psychology was, hey, how bad is this going to get?"

Read the whole article at Tribnet.com: Boomers look to new type of eye surgery

CustomLASIK Produces Superior Vision Quality Says Paul M. Ernest M.D. Founder of TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers of Michigan

2004-06-02T12:12:00.000-06:00

CustomLASIK produces superior vision quality compared to Conventional LASIK eye surgery, according to research presented at the recent American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annual meeting.

CustomLASIK produces superior vision quality compared to Conventional LASIK eye surgery, according to research presented at the recent American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) annual meeting.

The research was conducted by US Navy Captain Steve Schallhorn, MD, who is the Director of Cornea and Refractive Surgery at the Navy Medical Center in San Diego. Schallhorn said that his CustomLASIK patients experience improved quality of vision, fewer problems with halos and glare, better night vision, and higher patient satisfaction when compared to Conventional LASIK patients.

“These findings are similar to what TLC Laser Eye Centers® patients are experiencing,” said Paul H. Ernest, M.D., founder of the TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers of Michigan. TLC Laser Eye Centers is the world’s largest corporate provider of CustomLASIK and performs thousands of CustomLASIK procedures each month.

Read the whole article at eMediaWire: CustomLASIK Produces Superior Vision Quality Says Paul M. Ernest M.D. Founder of TLC Eyecare & Laser Centers of Michigan

Would You Hire a Blind Woman to Design Your Web Site?

2004-06-01T12:10:00.000-06:00

“To understand a technology, perhaps one should not only hear from the inventors, but also from the individuals whose lives are forever altered.” In Liberation: One Writer’s Adventures and Misadventures on the Digital Playground, Sarah Mankowski reveals how computers and the Internet provided mobility, expanding opportunities for expression. Look for Sarah at Book Expo America in Chicago, June 4, 5, 6. Please contact in advance to arrange an interview. “Yes, people actually pay this legally blind gal to design web sites. As I like to say, I have to design web sites because I don’t know enough about baseball to become an umpire.” –Sarah Mankowski

Sarah Mankowski represents the fourth generation born with cataracts in her family. She also inherited a burning desire for self-expression that could not be extinguished despite many obstacles. Now, in Liberation: One Writer’s Adventures and Misadventures on the Digital Playground, she reveals how computers and the Internet provided mobility, expanding opportunities for expression. In this collection of essays Mankowski shares her enthusiasm for digital publishing and web design, drawn from experiences as writer, mentor, and owner/editor of WordThunder.com.

Read the whole article at eMediaWire: Would You Hire a Blind Woman to Design Your Web Site?

Canada and U.S adopt the Global Solar Ultraviolet (UV) Index

2004-06-01T12:08:00.000-06:00

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes the action by more and more Member States to adopt the Global Solar Ultraviolet (UV) Index. In recent days, Canada and the United States of America have begun using the Index (UVI), joining several other WHO Member States, to ensure that the UVI is used on a regular basis to educate people about the dangers of overexposure to UV radiation.

The UVI is an internationally-agreed and standardized measure of the UV radiation levels expected for the next day and is usually given in conjunction with local news and weather reports. In the UVI, as developed by WHO in collaboration with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization, UV radiation levels are expressed on a scale of 1 (low) to >11 (dangerously high).

“UV radiation contributes significantly to the burden of skin and eye diseases around the world. The Global Solar UV Index will certainly help raise awareness of the importance of sun protection and hopefully will have an impact on reducing the number of skin cancers and cataracts in years to come. In this context, the adoption of the UVI by countries such as Canada and the United States, where there is a strong 'tanning culture', is particularly welcome,” commented Dr Mike Repacholi, Coordinator of Radiation and Environmental Health at WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

Read the whole article at News-Medical.net: Canada and U.S adopt the Global Solar Ultraviolet (UV) Index

Eye care tips given for farmers

2004-06-01T12:05:00.000-06:00

Of course, the eyes have a certain degree of natural protection. But that protection is not sufficient against most of today's environmental and machinery hazards. A vision injury could sideline a farmer for many months and therefore cause long-term damage to his or her livelihood.

Farmers need eye protection for the variety of jobs they do. This includes work around animals and feed, agricultural chemicals, operating and repairing machinery, welding, lumbering and tree trimming, carpentry and other building repairs and blasting or other jobs creating flying debris and particles. Farmers should be aware of what eye hazards exist with each task and to determine the best equipment for the right protection.

Read the whole article at Madison Daily Leader: Eye care tips given for farmers

The Minnesota Optometric Association Says Save Your Eyes; Wear Sunglasses to Protect from Harmful UVA and UVB Rays

2004-05-31T16:48:00.000-06:00

Though many people wear sunglasses for the "cool factor", sunglasses serve a very important purpose. They protect eyes from the sun's harmful rays, and the Minnesota Optometric Association (MOA) advises, don't leave them home this summer.

Ultraviolet (UV) glare is especially dangerous during hazy sun conditions because people don't think they need sunglasses. In fact, there is risk of up to 85 percent of UV rays being reflected upward and that leads to sunburn of the eyes or photokeratitis. In addition, UV rays contribute to the development of cataracts and are thought to be a factor in diseases such as macular degeneration as well.

UV radiation is made up of invisible rays from the sun. The three bands of UV light are: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVB rays are the most worrisome. They burn the skin and cause damage to the eyes. UVA rays are absorbed primarily within the eye's lens, and research suggests that they are not as harmful as UVB. UVC rays are not a problem because they are absorbed by the upper atmosphere and do not reach the earth's surface.

Read the whole article at Business Wire: The Minnesota Optometric Association Says Save Your Eyes; Wear Sunglasses to Protect from Harmful UVA and UVB Rays

Nutrition Supplement Found To Help Vision Loss

2004-05-31T16:46:00.000-06:00

Lutein May Reverse Macular Degeneration

A new study found that a nutritional antioxidant supplement may be an effective way to improve symptoms of macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of vision loss among older Americans.

Research done at the North Chicago Veterans Affairs Medical Center showed that patients who ingested a lutein supplement had significant improvements in several visual functions.

Lutein is a naturally occuring molecule found in dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and collard greens.

Read the whole article at TheIowaChannel.com: Nutrition Supplement Found To Help Vision Loss

Lasik America, Inc. Positioned in Laser Vision and Dialysis Industry Medical Technology Sectors

2004-05-31T16:44:00.000-06:00

www.Investorideas.com is pleased to announce Lasik America, Inc. (OTC BB: LSIK)(www.LasikAmerica.net) has retained its services to profile and feature the company on its global investor portal, InvestorIdeas.com at: http://www.investorideas.com/Medical_Technology/Default.asp.

The medical technology company operates a medical facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, providing laser vision correction surgery procedures and has now implemented a "growth through acquisition" strategy in the medical technology field. LSIK recently acquired Salus Holdings, a New York-based company that operates a kidney dialysis business near Rome, Italy, which will commence operations next month. The acquisition broadens LSIK's business model and offers a foothold in the European marketplace.

The acquisition of Salus also brings with it a new Chairman and CEO, Ernest B. Remo, whose previous experience as Chairman of one of the largest refractive providers in North America, with revenues of over $60 million and the originators of the popular priced lasik model will enhance management's ability to roll out an expansion model.

Read the whole article at Market Wire: Lasik America, Inc. Positioned in Laser Vision and Dialysis Industry Medical Technology Sectors

FDA Announces Advisory Committee Meeting Date for Macugen(TM) (pegaptanib sodium injection)

2004-05-30T16:42:00.000-06:00

Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: EYET - News) a biopharmaceutical company that specializes in the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat diseases of the eye, has learned today that the Food and Drug Administration has announced the forthcoming meeting of a public advisory committee of the FDA to discuss the new drug application 21-756, pegaptanib sodium injection (proposed trade name, Macugen) by Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Inc., indicated for the treatment of exudative (wet) age-related macular degeneration to be held on August 27, 2004 at 8:00 AM EDT at FDA in Rockville, Maryland.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: FDA Announces Advisory Committee Meeting Date for Macugen(TM) (pegaptanib sodium injection)

SAVING SIGHT

2004-05-30T16:40:00.000-06:00

Baby boomers opt for surgery to improve fading vision

It got to where Ray Bergey kept one pair of reading glasses alongside the television remote, another on his bedside reading table, still another in the car and at least one more at the office. Pairs piled up as he repeatedly upgraded lenses to keep pace with increasingly blurry near vision.

''My world was going from one set of readers to the next,'' says Bergey, 47, a real estate agent in Virginia Beach, Va. ''Part of my own psychology was, hey, how bad is this going to get?''

Bergey put aside frustrations with his vision last year when he opted for conductive keratoplasty, a new type of outpatient eye surgery marketed as offering baby boomers a chance to turn back the clock. The eye care business is convinced there are plenty of other consumers like him out there.

Read the whole article at Monterey County Herald: SAVING SIGHT

Doctors Researching Gel To Treat Nearsightedness

2004-05-30T16:38:00.000-06:00

Experimental Gel Could Help Replace Lost Fluid Content Of Eye

A new gel treatment might help nearsighted people see more clearly.

With age, the natural lens inside the human eye loses the flexibility needed to change focusing distance.

"When you focus up close, it [the eye's lens] becomes thicker and rounder, and when you focus far away, the lens is thinner and flatter in shape," said Dr. Steven Gedde, an ophthalmologist and cataract specialist at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

A space-age gel might make aging eyes young again, using a polymer to replace the fluid content of the eye lens, which hardens with age.

"The lens can become denser and more rigid and less able to change in shape in the natural focusing of the eye," Gedde said.

Read the whole article at WNBC: Doctors Researching Gel To Treat Nearsightedness

Eye surgeries find bright market in boomers

2004-05-29T14:52:00.000-06:00

Aging Americans willing to pay thousands for surgery to avoid inconvenient glasses

It got to where Ray Bergey kept one pair of reading glasses alongside the television remote, another on his bedside reading table, still another in the car, and at least one more at the office. Pairs piled up as he repeatedly upgraded lenses to keep pace with increasingly blurry near vision.

"My world was going from one set of readers to the next," says Bergey, who is 47 and a real estate agent in Virginia Beach, Va. "Part of my own psychology was, hey, how bad is this going to get?"

Bergey put aside frustrations with his vision last year when he opted for conductive keratoplasty, a new type of outpatient eye surgery marketed as offering baby boomers a chance to turn back the clock. The eye care business is convinced there are plenty of other consumers like him out there.

Read the whole article at Oakland Tribune: Eye surgeries find bright market in boomers

Woman faces insurance fraud charges from blindness claim

2004-05-29T14:49:00.000-06:00

A woman whom prosecutors say fraudulently took insurance money and bought a beauty salon and two houses was being held by Wake County authorities on five charges while her family tried to raise $1 million secured bond.

A prosecutor said he wanted to be sure none of the property bought with the insurance proceeds was used in the bond.

Denise Sharon Hargrove claimed she was blinded by chemicals at a beauty parlor, obtained $650,000 from insurance companies and bought a hair salon and several houses, said Assistant Wake District Attorney Ned Mangum.

Read the whole article at The Charlotte Observer: Woman faces insurance fraud charges from blindness claim

Athletics: Sunglasses - Not Just A Fashion Statement

2004-05-29T14:47:00.000-06:00

Whether you're a long-distance runner, mountain biker, traveling salesperson or a bird watcher, the most important reason to wear sunglasses is to protect your eyes against ultraviolet radiation.

Unfortunately, while trying to emulate movie stars and fashion models, consumers often pay top dollar for trendy sunglasses advertised with fancy slogans but offering insufficient protection.

The American Optometric Association (AOA), estimates more than $2.5 billion is spent annually nationwide to purchased approximately 275 million pairs of sunglasses.

While such companies as Bausch & Lomb, the world's largest sunglass manufacturer, Vuarnet and Oakley have well-established market niches, numerous others including Killy, Hobie, Serengeti, Gargoyles, Revo, Rudy Project, Nikon and Swiss Army all tout their brands with varying marketing savvy.

But the perceived mystique, glamour and "coolness" of wearing sunglasses should never be overshadowed by the more important issue of eye protection.

Read the whole article at Runner's Web: Athletics: Sunglasses - Not Just A Fashion Statement

‘I Want to See the World’

2004-05-28T14:37:00.000-06:00

Legally Blind Woman Sees After Surgery Performed Live on Good Morning America

Sauda Pleasant was just 9 years old when she lost her vision. She spent her life seeing poorly, through glasses as thick as a Coke bottle and contact lenses that weren't strong enough.

Despite her vision problems, caused by a combination of myopia and astigmatism, Pleasant managed to build a life, balancing a full-time job working with special needs children and a family that included a devoted husband and beautiful son. But four years ago, the San Diego woman developed intolerance to contact lenses and glasses, and began getting migraines and vertigo that were so severe she could not bear to wear contacts or glasses for than a few hours at a time.

As it got worse and worse, Pleasant's world closed in on her and she began giving up pieces of her life. First came her job, then driving, then reading. Finally she was unable to see her 19-year-old son Maurice and her husband Wayne. She could only see them in outline and shadow. Doctors could not help Pleasant, and she prepared for a life of total blindness.

Read the whole article at ABC News: ‘I Want to See the World’

Nation's First Blind Doctor Addresses Gettysburg College Graduates

2004-05-28T14:33:00.000-06:00

"Each of us is disabled in one way or another," blind psychiatrist David Hartman told 597 graduates at Gettysburg College today. "Some of us are shy, some of us are overconfident...the important thing is how we deal with those disabilities."

Dr. Hartman, the first blind person to graduate from a U.S medical school, was diagnosed with glaucoma and lost his sight at age 8. He attended a school for the blind and later transferred to a public high school in his hometown of Havertown, Pa., before enrolling at Gettysburg College.

"So often, medicine is focused on disease and handicaps, but it's important to look at individual strengths and how we can compensate," Dr. Hartman said. "A society required to accept greater individual difference is, thereby, enriched and we enrich ourselves."

Hartman graduated summa cum laude from Gettysburg College in 1972 with a bachelor's degree in biology and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After being denied admission to nine medical schools, Dr. Hartman was accepted at Temple University School of Medicine and graduated with a doctorate in psychiatry in 1976.

Read the whole article at AScribe: Nation's First Blind Doctor Addresses Gettysburg College Graduates

Look, Ma, no drops in my eyes

2004-05-28T14:30:00.000-06:00

Son's loss of sight inspires dad to invent easier way for eye doctors to check retinas

Five-year-old Leif Anderson of Scotland had been undergoing regular eye exams for some time because he was severely nearsighted. Nevertheless, he went blind in one eye in 1990 after suffering a spontaneous retinal detachment that doctors couldn't detect in time.

Detection was hindered because the boy couldn't sit still long enough for his eyes to be thoroughly examined.

That experience inspired Leif's father to devise a quicker and easier way for eye doctors to examine patients, especially children.

What he came up with is a dual-laser scanning system called the Optomap Panoramic200, which peers into the back of the eye and instantly records a digital image, without having to dilate the patient's eyes.

Read the whole article at San Francisco Chronicle: Look, Ma, no drops in my eyes

Blindness doesn't stop William Carey grad

2004-05-27T14:26:00.000-06:00

Jeff and Cathy Giacone of McComb were without adequate words to describe their feelings as they watched their youngest child and only daughter graduate with honors from William Carey College.

"She has always been a fighter," Jeff Giacone said. "To raise her since she was a baby and see her go through school and college and now graduate with honors, it's just great. You just don't know how we are feeling right now. I don't know the words to describe it to you."

Their daughter, Amy Giacone, 22, was born blind. Throughout her childhood, she underwent 17 surgeries to repair her vision. Today she is totally blind in her right eye and has 40 percent vision in her left eye.
But that didn't stop her from pursuing her dream of becoming an elementary school teacher.

Read the whole article at The Clarion-Ledger: Blindness doesn't stop William Carey grad

Eye-surgery industry lobbies for higher Medicare payments

2004-05-27T14:24:00.000-06:00

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen leaned into the Zeiss IOLMaster and let the device measure the inside of her eye with flashing yellow, red and white lights.

She grimaced when told that older machines would have had to use sound waves and touch her eyeball.

The display was at a technology expo Thursday on Capitol Hill sponsored by medical supply companies for the Congressional Vision Caucus, of which Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., is a leader. The companies were there to show lawmakers why Medicare should pay more for vision procedures and new technologies that older Americans will demand in increasing numbers.

"There's a lot of pressure we can exert on these agencies," Ros-Lehtinen said afterward of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that administers payments. "I think it's important to encourage businesses to have new technologies."

Read the whole article at Herald Tribune: Eye-surgery industry lobbies for higher Medicare payments

Restoring vision

2004-05-27T14:22:00.000-06:00

Some people who undergo Lasik procedures find afterward that their vision isn't as sharp as they'd hoped. With their dreams of tossing away their glasses and contact lenses deferred, an estimated 10 percent must undergo follow-up procedures to fine-tune their sight.
Now an eye surgeon in a region with extremely muggy summers says he's found a reason for some of the less-than-perfect results, at least among his own patients.

Humidity in the operating room, and even outdoors, he says, might affect how well the laser procedure corrects vision.

Dr. Keith Walter, an ophthalmologist at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., noticed a few years ago that he was busy performing follow-up surgeries in November and December on patients who had undergone Lasik in summer.

Read the whole article at The Sun Link: Restoring vision

New hope for weak eyes

2004-05-26T16:44:00.000-06:00

People born before or during the baby boom may be using reading glasses to read this. Presbyopia — the inability to read or see near detail — is the curse that comes to pretty much everyone between 40 and 51. It's the most common vision problem in America.

That's exactly what happened to Doug Rohner, 54, who wore reading glasses for a while, then switched to "monovision," wearing one contact lens so he could read up close.

Recently, he tossed out his glasses and lens in favor of NearVision Conductive Keratoplasty, a quick procedure that uses radio waves to reshape the cornea and restore the ability to see things close up.

The principle is that of tightening a belt around the cornea, said Dr. E. Leigh Wilkinson of Rocky Mountain Eye Care Associates, who did Rohner's one-eye procedure.

After numbing Rohner's eye with drops and marking an ink ring to make measurements precise, Wilkinson gently poked the radio-frequency probe (smaller than a human hair) into the cornea, outside the field of vision, to create three rings with eight small spots each. The radio wave reshapes the cornea and restores the near vision by shrinking small areas of collagen in the cornea, causing its surface to steepen a bit and redirect the light that enters.

Read the whole article at Deseret News: New hope for weak eyes

Golf is blind ambition

2004-05-26T16:42:00.000-06:00

The kids from Perkins School For the Blind weren't trying to win a championship, just have a little fun on Wednesday at MGA Links at Mamantapett in Norton, where the staff of the par-3 course owned by the Massachusetts Golf Association hosted the second annual golf clinic for the school.

Mike Haberl, head professional and director of the Massachusetts First Tee program, and his staff were at the kids' disposal as they practiced their putting and driving. But it never would have happened without Bill McMahon of Framingham, who lost his sight to diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma in 1984.

McMahon, 46, was in a way repaying a debt of gratitude to his mentor, Joe Lazaro, the Waltham native who lost his sight in World War II and went on to become an eight-time national blind golf champion.

``I'd like to think I've made a difference in a number of students lives,'' said McMahon. ``To me, Joe Lazaro has been my mentor for years. I was very fortunate that we played together in many tournaments. He was my inspiration and taught me all about the game.

Read the whole article at Boston Herald: Golf is blind ambition

McCullough warns of blind danger

2004-05-26T16:40:00.000-06:00

Colleen McCullough is going blind, and the best-selling author hopes to help others avoid the same fate.

Ms McCullough has macular degeneration, the major cause of blindness in Australia even though it's largely preventable and can be slowed down if caught early enough.

"It's an absolutely terrible sentence, really an awful thing to try and compensate for," she said.

Read the whole article at seven news: McCullough warns of blind danger

New treatment for dry eye syndrome (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)

2004-05-25T16:38:00.000-06:00

Researchers in the department of ophthalmology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson played an important role in the development of Restasis, the first alternative to artificial tears for the treatment of dry eye syndrome.

Dry eye syndrome (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is a common and very painful condition affecting more than 1 million people in the U.S., especially older adults, post-menopausal women and those with Sjogren's Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Parkinson's and other chronic diseases.

Characterized by insufficient tear production, the syndrome eventually may lead to vision loss. Symptoms - which include a dry, gritty feeling in the eyes, or burning, made worse by low humidity or windy days - are relieved only temporarily by artificial tears.

"Clinical trials conducted by our researchers and several other centers around the country helped provide the data for the Food and Drug Administration approval of the drug last year," says Dr. Robert Snyder, head of the UA department of ophthalmology. "This is an example of how basic science research can be translated into new therapies to fight eye disease and prevent vision loss."

Read the whole article at News-Medical.net: New treatment for dry eye syndrome (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)

Foxx Went Blind For Ray Charles Biopic

2004-05-25T16:36:00.000-06:00

Comedian Jamie Foxx went to extreme measures for a convincing portrayal of Ray Charles while filming the upcoming biopic - he made himself blind for up to 14 hours each day.

In Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story, Foxx wore special lenses to stimulate blindness.

He says, "I couldn't see for 12 to 14 hours a day. I never saw the sets - it was crazy.

'My hearing was so acute. People would be talking, and I'd have to ask, 'Man, could you keep it down a bit?' All the voices were crashing into each other.

"And when a person who wasn't used to helping a blind person would

Read the whole article at 1490 WBEX: Foxx Went Blind For Ray Charles Biopic

Blindness doesn't stop SUCO senior

2004-05-25T16:33:00.000-06:00

Kate Pavlacka won't see the diploma she'll be getting from the State University College at Oneonta, but it will embody one of her greatest accomplishments to date.

When Pavlacka was in eighth grade, an autoimmune disease caused her body to attack the cells in her retinas, she said, and by 14 she was blind.

Saturday, the 23-year-old Liverpool native will walk across a stage and get her bachelor's degree in dietetics.

Read the whole article at The Daily Star: Blindness doesn't stop SUCO senior

Better Screening Needed for Glaucoma

2004-05-24T16:31:00.000-06:00

New research suggests doctors need to do more than just measure pressure in the eye when screening people for glaucoma.

According to researchers presenting a review of glaucoma research in this week’s issue of The Lancet, examination of the optic nerve is the most effective way to determine whether or not someone has early stage glaucoma.

In addition to assessing the optic nerve, authors of the report suggest doctors look at the retinal nerve fiber layer and visual functioning when making a diagnosis of glaucoma. Doctors can also use new imaging and psychophysical tests to improve detection and monitoring of the disease.

Finding the glaucoma in its earliest stages is important because the condition can be easily treated with eye drops. Unfortunately, glaucoma often goes undetected until it has already caused visual disability or even blindness. The disease is currently the world’s second leading cause of blindness. More than 66 million people around the world are affected by glaucoma.

Read the whole article at Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs: Better Screening Needed for Glaucoma

Blind entrepreneurs could lose priority for military base contracts

2004-05-24T16:27:00.000-06:00

For the past five years, Missouri food vendor Walter R. Lang has run Fort Leonard Wood's 13 cafeterias, feeding 10,000 people a day in a job he calls the "culmination of a lifelong career."

But a little-noticed provision in the defense bill now before the Senate would eliminate the program under which Lang got the contract, which he says could cost him - and other blind people - a rare chance for a good job.

Even worse, he says, it would take away the federal government's most successful program for blind entrepreneurs, one that allows them to show their business skills and break down stereotypes.

Read the whole article at STLtoday: Blind entrepreneurs could lose priority for military base contracts

Eye Gel Could Help Those with Sight Problems

2004-05-24T16:26:00.000-06:00

If your nearsighted, you know what it's like to try and read something without glasses or contacts.

An eye-opening invention, being developed in south Florida could one day help people look clearly at anything with no glasses.

Like millions of baby boomers 50 year Kathy Corser has presbyopia, which literally means "old eye"

Kathy Corser, nearsighted : “I just cannot read anything at a reasonable distance without glasses anymore. this has been going on for about 8 or 9 years now where its been total dependence. “

With age the natural lens inside your eye loses the flexibility needed to change focusing distance.

Read the whole article at KSL News: Eye Gel Could Help Those with Sight Problems

Researchers Look For Way to Eliminate Need For Reading Glasses

2004-05-23T15:47:00.000-06:00

Some say an 'eye-opening' invention is in development in south Florida which could one day help older American look clearly at anything - without the need for bifocals or reading glasses.

Like millions of baby boomers, 50-year old Kathy Corser has presbyopia - which literally means "old eye."

"I just cannot read anything at a reasonable distance without glasses anymore," says Corser. "This has been going on for about eight or nine years now where it's been total dependence."

With age the natural lens inside your eye loses the flexibility needed to change focusing distance.

"When you focus up close it becomes thicker and rounder and when you focus far away the lens is thinner and flatter in shape," says ophthalmologist and cataract specialist Dr. Steven Gedde.

Read the whole article at WAVY: Researchers Look For Way to Eliminate Need For Reading Glasses

FDA: Eye implant aids driving

2004-05-23T15:45:00.000-06:00

An implantable lens for people with cataracts dramatically enhances night vision, improving night-driving performance for elderly motorists, medical regulators said yesterday.

It is the first time the Food and Drug Administration has approved an eye implant as a driving aid. Just as night goggles can greatly improve the vision of jet pilots, so, too, can an implantable lens for older drivers.

"It doesn't borrow from that technology, but the end result is almost the same," said Dr. Stephen Obstbaum, director of ophthalmology at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan who helped design the study that led to yesterday's approval.

Read the whole article at Newsday: FDA: Eye implant aids driving

Blind golf's world champion faces inquiry over his sight

2004-05-23T15:42:00.000-06:00

A British blind golfer who retained his world title last month, is being investigated by officials after a complaint that his eyesight may be too good for the category he plays in.

The English Blind Golf Association, a charity whose patrons include Nick Faldo, is looking into claims that David Morris, 61, may have some vision. At last month's biennial world championships at the Rosebud Country Club in Melbourne, Australia, Mr Morris became the first person successfully to defend a world title in the B1, or total blindness, category.

Despite carrying a shoulder injury through the two-day tournament, he won by a comfortable margin of 24 strokes. The B1 category states that a competitor must have no sight at all up to light perception and should not be able to recognise the shape of a hand at any distance.

Read the whole article at telegraph.co.uk: Blind golf's world champion faces inquiry over his sight

Study Shows Advanced Lens Technology for Cataract Surgery May Improve Driving Performace in Elderly; Policy Makers, Medical Experts Briefed

2004-05-22T15:38:00.000-06:00

A new study released today shows that an advanced eye implant used in cataract surgery has the potential to improve the driving performance of older Americans, a key public safety issue in an automobile-dependent nation with an aging population.

The study was presented at a briefing, titled "Seeing is Believing: Advancing Senior Health and Automotive Safety," which was attended by members of congress, government officials, senior citizen groups and medical experts.

Read the whole article at US Newswire: Study Shows Advanced Lens Technology for Cataract Surgery May Improve Driving Performace in Elderly; Policy Makers, Medical Experts Briefed

Carter Center receives $1 million to fight river blindness disease

2004-05-22T15:36:00.000-06:00

The Carter Center has received a $1 million donation from a pharmaceutical company to help in the fight against river blindness disease in the Americas.

The contribution by Merck & Co., Inc., will be matched by another $1 million under a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, officials from The Carter Center said Wednesday in a statement.

The donation will be used to provide financial and technical assistance for national health programs in six endemic countries in the Americas.

River blindness is a parasitic disease of small, thread-like worms that are spread by the bite of small, black flies. They cause intense itching, skin discoloration, rashes and eye disease.

Read the whole article at AccessNorthGa: Carter Center receives $1 million to fight river blindness disease

Oxygen Therapy May Improve Vision Worsened By Diabetes

2004-05-22T15:34:00.000-06:00

Oxygen delivered through the nose may improve poor vision caused by diabetic macular edema, fluid buildup in the part of the eye responsible for central vision, according to a pilot study by scientists at Johns Hopkins and the National Eye Institute.

In a study of five diabetic patients with persistent macular edema, breathing supplemental oxygen for three months reduced fluid buildup and swelling in the macula and, in some cases, improved visual acuity. Researchers think the therapy could be used in conjunction with laser treatments that also improve oxygenation in the retina to provide long-term stability in these patients.

"The results were really dramatic," says Peter A. Campochiaro, M.D., senior author of the study and a professor of ophthalmology and neuroscience at Hopkins' Wilmer Eye Institute. For the study, published in a recent issue of the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, the researchers studied nine eyes of three men and two women, ages 52 to 69, who had type 2 diabetes for an average of nine years. All patients had received at least one laser eye treatment. Despite an average of 2.7 treatments per eye, all eyes except one had persistent edema.

Read the whole article at ScienceDaily: Oxygen Therapy May Improve Vision Worsened By Diabetes

Dimming of vision

2004-05-21T15:21:00.000-06:00

Walter Ross, a 90-year-old New York City resident and former Reader's Digest roving editor, is legally blind from age-related macular degeneration he has had for 37 years. He can't see enough to read or drive, and facial features appear fuzzy because of the disease, which affects his central vision.

"Don't be sorry for me," the upbeat nonagenarian says. "I'm able to do whatever I feel like doing, except drive in the Indianapolis 500."

For the past 15 years, Mr. Ross has written a newsletter called Eyes Only for a nonprofit volunteer membership group helping others with the disease. He does so with the help of a computer program that reads aloud what he types.

"People were very unaware of [AMD] when I got it, and the first eye came before I understood what was happening," he says.

Read the whole article at The Washington Times: Dimming of vision

Technology Takes New Look at Color Blindness

2004-05-21T15:20:00.000-06:00

A technology originally developed for military space purposes has helped solve a puzzle about color blindness and holds promise for diagnosis and treatment of a number of eye disorders, new research says.

The technology is adaptive optics, which uses a constantly changing mirror to give clear pictures of images that would otherwise be blurred because they are passing through a constantly changing medium -- the earth's atmosphere in astronomy, the fluid of the eye in optometry.

Adaptive optics has become a powerful tool of ground-based astronomy. Its potential medical uses are illustrated by this latest report.

Researchers at the University of Rochester in New York, where much work on adaptive optics has been done, report in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have used the technology to compare the light-receiving molecules in the eyes of two color-blind individuals.

Read the whole article at Forbes: Technology Takes New Look at Color Blindness

Lens Implant Could Replace Glasses

2004-05-21T15:18:00.000-06:00

A new kind of implantable lens could make wearing glasses a thing of the past for millions of people.

"I could read with the glasses, but everything was just a little bit blurry," said Richard Chais, who wore glasses for years. "At night when you're driving and the lights are coming at you, it was really hard."

Chais, 58, recently found out that cataracts were causing vision problems that glasses couldn't correct. He was getting ready for cataract surgery when his opthamologist told him about something new -- an implantable lens that could replace his glasses.

"This goes beyond what we thought was possible," Dr. Neil Martin said.

The FDA just approved the Crystalens last November. Its tiny hinges make it different from any other implant or contact lens.

Read the whole article at NBC 17: Lens Implant Could Replace Glasses

Oxygen therapy may improve vision worsened by diabetes

2004-05-20T11:55:00.000-06:00

Oxygen delivered through the nose may improve poor vision caused by diabetic macular edema, fluid buildup in the part of the eye responsible for central vision, according to a pilot study by scientists at Johns Hopkins and the National Eye Institute.

In a study of five diabetic patients with persistent macular edema, breathing supplemental oxygen for three months reduced fluid buildup and swelling in the macula and, in some cases, improved visual acuity. Researchers think the therapy could be used in conjunction with laser treatments that also improve oxygenation in the retina to provide long-term stability in these patients.

"The results were really dramatic," says Peter A. Campochiaro, M.D., senior author of the study and a professor of ophthalmology and neuroscience at Hopkins' Wilmer Eye Institute.

For the study, published in a recent issue of the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, the researchers studied nine eyes of three men and two women, ages 52 to 69, who had type 2 diabetes for an average of nine years. All patients had received at least one laser eye treatment. Despite an average of 2.7 treatments per eye, all eyes except one had persistent edema.

Read the whole article at Science Blog: Oxygen therapy may improve vision worsened by diabetes

Restoring of sight

2004-05-20T11:52:00.000-06:00

Ron McQuillen said he didn't feel anything when Dr. John L. Marquardt of Ohio Eye Associates Eye Surgery and Laser Center, 466 S. Trimble Road, removed a cataract from his right eye.

"I knew they were right there working," he said, adding he heard a lot of sounds.

Besides, the probes of the small surgical instruments involved in the operation, most of the sounds he heard was music playing softly in the background.

McQuillen, who was number 15 on the list of 16 surgeries that day, felt even better after the excision.

He talked openly about the surgery while he received his post-operative instructions from the nurse and waited for his wife, Nancy, to get their car.

"I feel great," the 66-year-old said in the post-operative area Thursday afternoon.

A white patch with tape, on top of it, covered his eye.

The patch is a precaution so patients don't rub their eyes, Tom F. Marquardt, the Ohio Eye Associates adminstrator and John Marquardt's son, said. The covering is not essential for any other reason.

Read the whole article at Mansfield News Journal: Restoring of sight

Advocating for the blind is man’s focus

2004-05-20T11:50:00.000-06:00

Bruce Parkinson has been blind in his right eye since birth. Sight in his left eye has diminished to the extent he has trouble making out facial expressions, and can’t take his fishing boat out by himself anymore.

But he has clear vision when it comes to helping set the direction for the Wisconsin Council of the Blind.

As the recently elected president of the agency, Parkinson is the leading advocate for goals and programs on behalf of visually impaired individuals.

“I want to make sure our assistive devices store continues as a key council service,” Parkinson said.

He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and spent 28 years as a language arts instructor at Washington High School in Two Rivers before deteriorating vision in his left eye forced him to take a disability retirement.

Low-vision aids include magnifiers, reading glasses and telescopes, including the “Beechers” binoculars Parkinson wears to watch TV from about 12 feet away. Before the development of the device, he would sit about a foot in front of the TV.

Read the whole article at Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: Advocating for the blind is man’s focus

Coping with impaired vision

2004-05-18T11:47:00.000-06:00

The way Jerry L. Lazarus sees it, too many vision-impaired seniors think losing their sight means living in total darkness.

"So many seniors who are losing their sight don't really know what to do," said Lazarus, special projects director for the Baltimore-based National Federation of the Blind. "Their families don't know what to do. There are seniors out there who need information and help."

The federation, which was founded in 1940 and moved to the city in 1978, will sponsor the 2004 Possibilities Fair Thursday at its new Jernigan Institute at 1800 Johnson St. in South Federal Hill. The event, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature presentations by the organization and other sponsors on how these individuals can become more active.

"These are people who can no longer read a conventional newspaper," Lazarus said. They also may be suffering from such eye diseases as blindness, glaucoma, cataracts and macular degeneration, which affects the center of the eye. "Their vision is such that they are now looking for an alternative method of doing things."

Read the whole article at Baltimore Sun: Coping with impaired vision

Innovation That Leaves No One Behind

2004-05-18T11:39:00.000-06:00

As technology advances, companies can allow the disabled to benefit with creative solutions that attract the able-bodied, too

Although technological advances benefit everyone, they can dramatically improve the lives of people with disabilities. Yet industry and the disabled are often at loggerheads. The latter want government to legislate that communication products be fully accessible -- a move that businesses complain might cut into profits or shrink innovation.

That's why there's so much interest in the Internet Policy Working Group (IPWG), a Federal Communications Commission task force, which held a summit in early May, 2004, in an effort to define and shape government's role in making sure the disabled benefit from technological innovation.

"VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED" POTENTIAL. Part of the IPWG's summit debate was devoted to disabled access to increasingly popular technologies such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), which routes phone calls over the Net. The FCC is increasingly concerned about accessibility as more communications services move to Internet-based platforms.

Read the whole article at Business Week: Innovation That Leaves No One Behind

Folks hope to have it made in the shades

2004-05-18T11:36:00.000-06:00

Sunglasses are two very different things: They are an FDA-regulated medical device; they're a fashion statement.

By donning a pair of, say, Ray Ban Wayfarers, you lower your risk of cataracts or macular degeneration -- and at the same time look like Tom Cruise in "Risky Business" (1984).

Being cool and being safe frequently are competing concepts. (Ever see a middle-aged accountant on his Harley wearing a helmet?) But with sunglasses they come together.

For most people, being cool is the primary consideration. Three of four consumers consider sunglasses a fashion accessory, according to a survey by the Vision Council of America, an eyeglass trade group.

Read the whole article at Indy Star: Folks hope to have it made in the shades

Blindness doesn't slow Carthage second-grader

2004-05-17T15:54:00.000-06:00

Kelcey Schlichting is just like every other second grader at Steadley Elementary.

She gets the same assignments as her classmates, participates in P.E. classes with everyone else, checks books out at the school's library, and must miss recess if she doesn't get her homework done.

In class she must raise her hand when she wants to talk, and sometimes gets in trouble when she talks out of turn.

She is involved in school plays, and is sent to the nurse when she is hurt.

Just like every other second grader.

Except, well...she's not just like every other second grader.

She is probably among the top ten students in the nation when it comes to reading, spelling and writing - in braile.

Read the whole article at The Carthage Press: Blindness doesn't slow Carthage second-grader

Haverstraw teen regains sight

2004-05-17T15:52:00.000-06:00

The bandages came off Juan Llanos' left eye yesterday morning and for the first time in nearly two years, the 16-year-old could see normally.

"I give thanks to God," the soft-spoken Haverstraw resident said several hours later as he struggled to adjust to near-normal vision.

The young Dominican immigrant underwent his second cornea transplant in six months Thursday. Doctors at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla replaced his diseased cornea with a new cornea from a donor.

Read the whole article at The Journal News: Haverstraw teen regains sight

UMD student overcomes blindness to graduate

2004-05-17T15:51:00.000-06:00

Twelve years ago, Barbara Wilson was working as an educational counselor in Canada.

Then, in just two months, a rare disease stole her sight.

"I went into myself and said, 'Now what? I can't work anymore. I don't know what I'm going to do,' " Wilson said.

Ultimately, she returned to school. Wilson graduates from the University of Minnesota Duluth today with a psychology major and an American Indian Studies minor.

She'll return to UMD in the fall to begin work on a masters of social work.

Read the whole article at Duluth News Tribune: UMD student overcomes blindness to graduate

College grad at 44, she says blindness 'opened my eyes'

2004-05-16T15:49:00.000-06:00

The first Barbara Wilson had seen a lot but had never glimpsed the person she was inside. The first Barbara Wilson could size up the world but had yet to find her place in it. The first Barbara Wilson, as she herself puts it, turned into the second Barbara Wilson at age 34. That is the age at which she went blind.

Today, the second Barbara Wilson will don cap and gown and accept a diploma from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Now 44 and headed to graduate school, Wilson said, "I know it might sound strange, but I'm happy I'm blind."

An Ojibwe Indian, Wilson grew up in a house with no running water on the Big Grassy River reservation in Canada, about 40 miles north of Baudette, Minn. She said that, as children, her parents were sent to white-run boarding schools and lost touch with their native culture. They drank a lot, she said, when she and her four siblings were young.

Read the whole article at Star Tribune: College grad at 44, she says blindness 'opened my eyes'

From Algae, Weeds And People: New Genetic Clues To Complex Obesity Syndrome

2004-05-16T15:46:00.000-06:00

By comparing the genomes of an alga, a weed and humans, a team of researchers has identified a new gene behind Bardet-Beidl syndrome (BBS), a complex condition marked by learning disabilities, vision loss and obesity.

"Finding this gene underscores the power of comparing organisms' complete genetic information," says Nicholas Katsanis, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins. "We can use this technique to look for new genes and proteins involved in specific cellular structures and their roles in health and disease."

That's because even very distantly related organisms -- the alga and humans, for example -- may share genes and proteins for common cellular structures that have been conserved by nature.

Read the whole article at Science Daily: From Algae, Weeds And People: New Genetic Clues To Complex Obesity Syndrome

New Procedure Promises Super Sight

2004-05-16T15:44:00.000-06:00

Crystalens Approved For Cataract Patients
Anyone who has to wear glasses for reading will tell you: they're a bother. You can never find them when you need them.

A new kind of implantable lens could be the solution for some people.

"I could read with the glasses, but everything was just a little bit blurry. At night when you're driving and the lights are coming at you, it was really hard," said patient Richard Chais.

Richard Chais, 58, has been wearing glasses ever since law school, but he recently found out that cataracts were causing vision problems that glasses couldn't correct. He was getting ready for cataract surgery when his doctor told him about something brand new:

"This goes beyond what we thought was possible," said ophthalmologist Dr. Neil Martin

Martin asked Chais to consider a new kind of implantable lens that could replace his glasses forever! The FDA just approved the Crystalens last November. Its tiny hinges make it different from any other implant or contact lens:

"What happens is the focus muscles in the eye, when they compress, they push the fluid in the back of the eye forward and that moves the lens forward. So the lens actually moves back and forth inside the eye and changes the effective power of the lens," said Martin.

Read the whole article at NBC4: New Procedure Promises Super Sight

Biologists Uncover Genetic Links to Broad Range of Human Disorders Resulting from Cilia Dysfunctions

2004-05-15T15:39:00.000-06:00

Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered a number of key genes that humans, mice, fruit flies and roundworms all need to produce hair-like cellular protrusions known as cilia -- a structure that when absent or defective in certain cells has been linked to human infertility, blindness, kidney disease and lung dysfunction.

Read the whole article at Medical News Today: Biologists Uncover Genetic Links to Broad Range of Human Disorders Resulting from Cilia Dysfunctions

Surgery may help severely nearsighted

2004-05-15T15:36:00.000-06:00

Severely nearsighted people may soon have a new option for vision correction.

The Verisyse lens, a surgically implanted device similar to a contact lens, cleared a hurdle earlier this year when a panel recommended that it be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"We expect approval sometime in July or August of this year," said Rick McCarley, president and CEO of Ophtec USA Inc., which makes the lens.

The device, distributed by Advanced Medical Optics Inc., would expand the options for surgeons who treat patients with nearsightedness, also known as myopia.

Read the whole article at The Courier-Journal: Surgery may help severely nearsighted

Firm sees success with reading card

2004-05-15T15:33:00.000-06:00

Pocket Peepers sells 100,000 credit card-size lenses in about a year

When Jim Siudara decided to quit his day job to become an inventor, he had no idea the inspiration for his first big product was right at the end of his nose.

Siudara is the creator of Pocket Peepers, an optical reading lens the size of a credit card that can take the place of glasses for short reading tasks. His company has sold close to a hundred thousand since March 2003.

“I think this is going to the moon,” Siudara said.

Millions of people, including a large percentage of baby boomers, suffer from presbyopia, the inability to see objects up close that usually develops after the age of 40. Many buy readers, inexpensive glasses with preset optical lenses that are much cheaper than prescription glasses.

Siudara, 55, said he came up with the idea for Pocket Peepers because he was always forgetting or misplacing his reading glasses. He felt like an old codger when he had reading glasses at the end of his nose, yet he always seemed to be without them when he needed to read a restaurant menu or a product label.

Read the whole article at The Detroit News: Firm sees success with reading card

Missing signal causes misrouting in certain degenerative eye diseases

2004-05-14T15:13:00.000-06:00

While scientists race to identify disease-causing genes, they know that the long-anticipated gene therapies will not be possible unless they learn more about how genes function at the cellular level.

In the April issue of Genomics, University of Michigan Kellogg Eye Center scientists provide significant details on the functioning of one gene -- and the related proteins – responsible for rare forms of macular degeneration.

In 2001, Radha Ayyagari, Ph.D., and colleagues identified the gene ELOVL4 (elongation of very-long chain fatty acids 4), associated with a severe retinal condition: autosomal dominant atrophic macular degeneration (adMD) or Stargardt-like macular degeneration. The disease affects the central part of the retina and results in loss of central vision needed for such activities as reading and driving. In the Genomics paper, Ayyagari focuses on the movement of the protein that carries out the gene's instructions.

Read the whole article at EurekAlert: Missing signal causes misrouting in certain degenerative eye diseases

Blindness puts vision into focus

2004-05-14T15:11:00.000-06:00

He's been blind 39 of his 41 years. The pale eyes see nothing.
So why does the man's vision seem so clear?

Why do I start nodding here at the back of the room as Craig MacFarlane speaks this fine morning, square-shouldered, hands at his sides, compact body swaddled in a dark double-breasted suit? Why do the words coming out of him in their happy cadence sound so utterly fresh, even though I've heard words just like them from others on other days?

"I've never been the sort of person to spend a lot of time looking over my shoulder at what happened yesterday," MacFarlane is saying.

Read the whole article at Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: Blindness puts vision into focus

Eating the right veggies, fruits can keep your eyes in top form

2004-05-14T15:02:00.000-06:00

NUTRITION:If you work at a computer, you can safeguard your eyes by eating fruits and vegetables high in betacarotene.

Carrots are not the only orange veggies that help us see better.

Butternut squash, orange peppers, yams, sweet potatoes, citrus fruits, mangoes, cantaloupes and apricots contain nutrients that can improve vision.

Optometrists say diets high in betacarotene and vitamins C and E can help reduce eye pressure, an affliction of the computer generation.

Read the whole article at Duluth News Tribune: Eating the right veggies, fruits can keep your eyes in top form

Bowler hopes to make it to tourney

2004-05-13T14:44:00.000-06:00

Kim Able loves to cook and bowl. She loves swimming and other activities sponsored by the Roanoke County Department of Parks and Recreation.

But what really turns her on is the QVC cable shopping network.

"You ought to watch that," she told me as we sat and talked in the lobby of her apartment building in Southwest Roanoke County. "They describe everything in great detail."

Detailed descriptions mean a lot to her, because Able, 36, is blind. She was born with congenital cataracts that six surgeries couldn't cure.

Read the whole article at Roanoke.com: Bowler hopes to make it to tourney

Optos North America Launches Eyecare Web Site

2004-05-13T14:41:00.000-06:00

Optos Web site includes new area for public to easily access eye-related information and educational materials

Ophthalmic device company Optos North America today announced the launch of its newly re-designed and expanded Web site. The Optos Web site address will remain the same which is www.optos.com. Optos manufactures the Optomap® Retinal Exam, which allows optometrists and ophthalmologists to capture an unprecedented image of up to 200 degrees of the back of the eyes (the retina), with low powered lasers without dilation.

The Optos Web site will include a new area intended for a patient/consumer audience that provides eye-related information including: the importance of getting an annual eye exam; eye anatomy; children's eye health; conditions of the retina; background on the Optomap Retinal Exam; patient testimonials; an area where consumers can search for an eyecare professional in their area using the Optomap; and more. The Optos Web site also includes an area intended for eye care providers that provides information including: details on the Optomap Retinal Exam; a disease library of images taken with the Optomap; professional testimonials; educational initiatives/events; and more. Other areas of the site include an area that provides background information on Optos, an area for members of the media to access relevant company information, press releases and other materials, and a secure area for Optos Partners using the Optomap.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: Optos North America Launches Eyecare Web Site

Growing Epidemic of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Alarms Retina Specialists

2004-05-13T14:39:00.000-06:00

New approaches to care for the leading cause of blindness in the elderly required as population ages

Nearly all retina specialists are greatly alarmed by the increasing number of cases of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe vision loss and blindness in people over the age of 50, and believe the disease will have a serious impact on the public, according to survey results released today. Despite these concerns, eye experts also conveyed new hope that current research could lead to valuable new treatments. The survey was conducted by Eyetech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Pfizer Inc., in consultation with Lighthouse International, a leading resource on vision impairment and rehabilitation.

Respondents rank wet AMD, a condition that destroys central vision and the ability to see detail, among the top eye disease concerns, and believe it seriously impacts patient's quality of life, including the ability to drive, live independently and perform in daily activities. Emotional distress and clinical depression were consequences of great concern, as was the disease's potential to increase direct and indirect costs within the healthcare system and society.

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: Growing Epidemic of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration Alarms Retina Specialists

Sun Poses Extreme Danger to Children's Eyes

2004-05-12T14:29:00.000-06:00

With summer vacation approaching, children's safety is at the front of parents' minds. Today's parents secure their children in car seats, strap helmets on their heads, and slather on sunblock 365 days a year.

It's surprising then, that even on the brightest days, children play outdoors without sunglasses. Or, parents will purchase the cheapest pair they can find, thinking that all children's sunglasses are the same.

But cheap sunglasses made with tinted, unfiltered lenses can actually cause greater harm than going without. They cause the unprotected pupil to dilate, allowing in even more harmful rays. Wider pupils and less-pigmented ocular tissues make children's eyes more permeable to light and susceptible to damage.

Read the whole article at Marketwire: Sun Poses Extreme Danger to Children's Eyes

Don't Confuse Insurance Coverage for Medical Eye Problems with Coverage for Routine Eye Exams

2004-05-12T14:23:00.000-06:00

As part of its observance of Healthy Vision Month in May, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Eye M.D. Association, wants patients to know most health insurance plans cover treatment for medical eye problems at any time, even though the plans may only allow routine vision screening for eyeglass prescriptions once every one or
two years.

"Patients need to recognize the difference between a major eye health problem that results in pain or vision loss and routine vision care for obtaining or upgrading glasses or contact lenses," said Academy President Allan D. Jensen, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical School in Baltimore. "If you have a major eye health problem, you don't necessarily need to wait to see your Eye M.D. for diagnosis and treatment. Early detection is the key to saving your vision, and your insurance plan should cover it."

Read the whole article at PR Newswire: Don't Confuse Insurance Coverage for Medical Eye Problems with Coverage for Routine Eye Exams

Extended exposure to sunlight may be related to the development of certain age-related eye diseases

2004-05-12T14:19:00.000-06:00

Extended exposure to summer sunlight in early adulthood may increase the risk for developing age-related maculopathy, an eye disorder that can cause blindness, according to an article in the May issue of The Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

According to background information, age-related maculopathy (ARM) is the leading cause of vision loss in older Americans, and few therapies exist to treat patients with this disease. ARM is characterized by the growth of abnormal blood vessels on the retina (the light-sensitive layer of cells at the back of the eye), the development of drusen (opaque deposits on the retina), and increased retinal pigment.

Sandra C. Tomany, M.S., of the University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, and colleagues examined the association between sunlight exposure and sunlight sensitivity and the ten-year incidence of ARM among people aged 43 to 86 years who were first examined between 1988 and 1990 as part of the Beaver Dam Eye Study. Of the total participants, 3,684 were followed up for five years, and 2,764 were followed up for ten years.

Read the whole article at EurekAlert: Extended exposure to sunlight may be related to the development of certain age-related eye diseases

Presence of certain eye disorders linked with poorer survival rates

2004-05-11T14:15:00.000-06:00

Individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract may have a decreased life span compared with those without these eye disorders, suggesting that these conditions may also reflect other underlying processes, according to an article in the May issue of The Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

According to information in the article, various eye disorders have been reported to be significant predictors of a shorter life span, and cataract in particular may be a sign of physiological processes that are associated with aging and death. The reason that eye disorders are associated with decreased survival is unclear, the article states.

Read the whole article at EurekAlert: Presence of certain eye disorders linked with poorer survival rates

Optos Takes East Coast Tour to Raise Awareness on Need for Annual Eye Exams

2004-05-11T14:11:00.000-06:00

Optos' Optovan, a mobile unit equipped with its revolutionary Optomap Retinal Exam, Heads to Georgia

Ophthalmic device company Optos(R) North America today announced the launch of the east coast tour of its Optovan, a mobile unit equipped with its Panoramic200 laser ophthalmoscope which performs the revolutionary Optomap(R) Retinal Exam. The goal of the tour is to raise awareness of the need for annual eye exams in order to protect vision and overall health, as well as to educate the public and eyecare professionals about the benefits of its Optomap Retinal Exam. Optos will use its Optovan at community events, doctor's offices, eye screenings, and more. Optos' Optomap Retinal Exam allows optometrists and ophthalmologists to capture an unprecedented image of up to 200 degrees of the back of the eyes (the retina), with low powered lasers without dilation.

"It is crucial for the entire family to have annual eye exams to check for eye damage or signs of disease, many of which, if detected early, can be treated successfully without vision loss," said Ian Stevens, general manager, Optos North America. "The Optovan is decorated brightly and hopefully eye catching enough that it will attract attention and excitement along the route to Georgia that will help communicate our important message about the need for regular eyecare."

Read the whole article at PR Newswire: East Coast Tour to Raise Awareness on Need for Annual Eye Exams

VisiJet Acquires Worldwide Distribution Rights of Gebauer Products and Receives $9.5 Million Financing Commitment

2004-05-11T14:10:00.000-06:00

VisiJet, Inc. (OTCBB:VJET), developers of innovative technologies for the ophthalmic surgical market, announced it has acquired the exclusive worldwide distribution, sales and marketing rights for the LASIK and Epi-Lasik products from Gebauer Medizintechnik GmbH of Neuhausen, Germany. Starboard Capital Markets LLC, a registered broker dealer based in Philadelphia, assisted the company in the financing of the acquisition. In addition, SBI Brightline II, LLC an affiliate of SBI USA, LLC, and Trilogy Investment have increased their original financing commitment of $4.5 million by $5 million to provide $9.5 million in capital for product development and working capital. The funding is subject to certain contingencies, including the effectiveness of a Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

"The acquisition of the distribution rights for the products -- the LasiTome and the Epi-Tome -- complements our ophthalmic surgical products under development and provides immediate revenue opportunities for the Company," said Randy Bailey, CEO and President of VisiJet. "Gebauer, a known international innovator, has improved upon existing technologies and developed these ground-breaking microkeratomes with unique cutting and separating methods that should eliminate many postoperative problems. With the Epi-Tome, LasiTome, and HydroKeratome approved and launched, VisiJet will be the only company able to offer the surgeon the option of preparing the cornea for both surface ablation or stroma ablation."

Read the whole article at BusinessWire: VisiJet Acquires Worldwide Distribution Rights of Gebauer Products and Receives $9.5 Million Financing Commitment

BOON TO BOOMERS: New eye surgery turns back aging

2004-05-10T14:05:00.000-06:00

Less-invasive, repeatable procedure fixes 40-somethings' need for reading glasses

Candace Hanna knew she had the "baby boomer disease."

It struck about 10 years ago when she couldn't make out the numbers in the telephone book. She also began holding menus at arms' length and stashed 10 pairs of reading glasses throughout her house so a pair was always within reach.

Fed up, Hanna turned to what is sure to become the next hot hit in cosmetic eye surgery since LASIK, or laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, burst onto the scene 10 years ago.

Read the whole article at Detroit Free Press: BOON TO BOOMERS: New eye surgery turns back aging

DISABILITY DOESN'T DETER JOHNSON FROM LIVING LIFE

2004-05-10T14:03:00.000-06:00

Within moments of the delivery, Gloria Jordan knew something was wrong with her newborn's eyes.

But the doctor who delivered her daughter, Michelle Johnson, said he couldn't answer her questions. Days later, her baby was diagnosed with glaucoma resulting in permanent blindness.

This was one of those moments in life that redefines the entire journey, according to the family.

Read the whole article at Pine Bluff Commercial: DISABILITY DOESN'T DETER JOHNSON FROM LIVING LIFE

Visionary insight into why winter is best time for laser eye surgery

2004-05-10T14:00:00.000-06:00

LASER eye surgery may be more effective when performed in the winter, according to new research published by American scientists.

A study conducted by a team of experts in North Carolina has concluded that eye operations carried out when the air is cooler and less humid resulted in fewer patients needing to return for minor adjustments to their sight after the surgery.

The research, which focused on the ‘Lasik’ method of eye surgery - the most popular option in the UK - is the first to discover a link between the weather and the effectiveness of the operation.

Read the whole article at The Scotsman: Visionary insight into why winter is best time for laser eye surgery

Millions of Americans at risk for vision loss or blindness, numbers will surge

2004-05-09T16:14:00.000-06:00

More than 28 million Americans over age 40 have eye ailments that put them at risk for vision loss and blindness, researchers say, warning that the numbers will surge as the population ages.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide and the No. 1 cause of poor vision in the United States, affecting an estimated 20.5 million American adults. That number is expected to climb to 30.1 million in the next 20 years, researchers say.

Other major causes of blindness and vision loss are macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. All are strongly linked with aging.

The figures published Monday in April's Archives of Ophthalmology present the most accurate estimates to date on the prevalence of major causes of blindness and visual impairment in the United States, according to Dr. Frederick Ferris III of the National Eye Institute, which helped fund the research.

Read the whole article at Medical News Today: Millions of Americans at risk for vision loss or blindness, numbers will surge

Near-vision aid definitely in sight

2004-05-09T16:12:00.000-06:00

Recently approved, minimally invasive and painless FDA procedure to fix presbyopia is available locally.

The Greeks called it "aging eye." To numerous Baby Boomers, presbyopia means yet another concession to middle age: reading glasses.
But there's hope, thanks to a recent approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a new corrective vision procedure called near-vision conductive keratoplasty, or CK for short.

CK is the first and only FDA-approved vision technology that improves near vision in millions of baby boomers with presbyopia, a condition that is common in people by the age of 40 and experienced by everyone 50 and older.

Read the whole article at Times Leader: Near-vision aid definitely in sight

Escalon(R) Medical Corp. Introduced Two New Products at the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery Symposium and Congress

2004-05-09T16:10:00.000-06:00

Escalon Medical Corp. (Nasdaq: ESMC - News) today announced that its Sonomed division introduced two new products at the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Symposium and Congress, which was being earlier this week in San Diego, California. The first product, a new ultrasound bio-microscope called the UBM/35S, enables an ophthalmologist or ophthalmic surgeon to obtain an accurate image of the front of the eye, including a cross-section of the cornea. In addition, Escalon received 510 (k) marketing clearance from the FDA for its new B-Scan, the E-Z Scan(TM), an enhanced combination A-scan / B- scan, and is launching this product in the U.S.

"We are very excited about the potential for these two products," commented Richard J. DePiano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The UBM/35S is one of the few ophthalmic devices that enables you to see into the front chamber of the eye. While this will be particularly useful with glaucoma patients as well as in refractive surgery, we also see significant potential for its use in the insertion of implantable contact lenses. In this particular application, it is critical that the lenses are positioned properly to avoid damage to the eye, including cataracts."

Read the whole article at Yahoo News: Escalon(R) Medical Corp. Introduced Two New Products at the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery Symposium and Congress

On the Move: Optelec’s Blindness Division

2004-05-08T16:03:00.000-06:00

Optelec USA, Inc., the North American subsidiary of The Tieman Group (The Netherlands) announced today the appointment of Mr. Mike Pedersen as Director of Corporate Development for Optelec’s growing blindness division. This announcement, following close on the heels of hiring Mr. Larry L. Lewis, Jr. as Vice President of the new division, makes a solid statement regarding Optelec’s commitment to establishing itself as the leading solution provider for persons who are blind

Pedersen is no stranger to the blindness industry or to mainstream technologies. Blind from birth, Mike learned braille at an early age and relied on assistive technology in a mainstream public school, eventually graduating from Western Michigan University with a degree in computer science. After spending some time within the blindness industry as a technical support specialist, Mike was quickly snatched up by Henter-Joyce for the head position of the JAWS script writing team. For the past four years he has been an active member of the development team for mainstream software with the Oracle Corporation. As Director of Corporate Development for Optelec, Pedersen will provide technical grounding for the Tieman Group’s product development, marketing and sales efforts.

Read the whole article at eMediaWire: Laser eye surgery makes advances

ISTA Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Approval for Vitrase(R) for Use as a Spreading Agent

2004-05-08T15:57:00.000-06:00

ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISTA) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved ISTA's New Drug Application (NDA) for Vitrase(R) (hyaluronidase for injection; lyophilized, ovine) for use as a spreading agent to facilitate the dispersion and absorption of other drugs. This approval removes hyaluronidase from the FDA's drug shortage list where it has been listed since 2001. ISTA's Vitrase(R) is a proprietary formulation of highly purified, preservative-free ovine hyaluronidase, which has been studied extensively in several ophthalmic conditions.

H. Dunbar Hoskins, Jr., MD, executive vice president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), commented, "The Academy of Ophthalmology is pleased that ISTA Pharmaceuticals has made this drug available after a long absence from the market. Many ophthalmologists will find Vitrase(R) to be highly useful in their surgical procedures." Prior to 2001, a bovine-derived, thimerosal-preserved form of hyaluronidase was reportedly used as a spreading agent in conjunction with other drugs in over 750,000 ophthalmic surgeries.

Read the whole article at PR Newswire: ISTA Pharmaceuticals Receives FDA Approval for Vitrase(R) for Use as a Spreading Agent

New procedure offers temporary fix for common form of farsightedness

2004-05-08T15:50:00.000-06:00

It starts subtly, often in romantic settings: a candlelit restaurant, the dark glow of a bedroom. At first, it seems a simple orthopedic problem: Your arms are suddenly too short.

At the fancy restaurant, the words on the menu blur. The price is impossible to read. Is that a "3" or an "8?" Ah, but what does it matter, the price? Or whether what you ordered was actually the chateaubriand or the gâteau Brianne? This is life! Meant to live large!

The next morning, you pull out that pesky pill bottle, the over-the-counter headache stuff with that impossibly small print on the back. Realizing the dangers of overdosing, you amble to the drugstore, looking for "reading glasses." You look around warily. Aren't these the things derisively referred to as "granny glasses?" Still, you try on a pair of +1 magnifiers. Wow! You can see the fine print again!

Read the whole article at The Seattle Times: New procedure offers temporary fix for common form of farsightedness

UNC study may help predict premature infants at risk of total blindness

2004-05-07T15:44:00.001-06:00

In a new study of preterm infants at risk for a blinding eye disease called retinopathy of prematurity, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers have found features within the retina that may predict eyes more likely to become blind from total retinal detachment.

"This study was important because it identified when we should operate and intervene to prevent retinal detachment and total blindness without placing the infant at risk of surgical trauma and its consequences," said Dr. Mary Elizabeth Hartnett, associate professor of ophthalmology in UNC's School of Medicine.

The new findings appeared in the April issue of the journal Retina. Hartnett is the study's lead author.

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is an eye disease causing 550 cases of blindness annually in the United States and many more worldwide. "Prevention of progression to retinal detachment is preferable to surgery to reattach a totally detached retina because even with successful surgery to reattach a totally detached retina, vision can be extremely poor," Hartnett said.

Read the whole article at EurekAlert: UNC study may help predict premature infants at risk of total blindness

Laser eye surgery makes advances

2004-05-07T15:44:00.000-06:00

Innovations increase options and reduce complications

Riding an all-terrain vehicle was loads of fun for Jamie Harris, 28, but the view was lousy. If his prescription goggles fogged up, he couldn’t see. If he took them off, the whole countryside near his Romulus home got blurry.

Several doctors told him that he wasn’t a candidate for LASIK — laser-aided refractive surgery on the cornea. Microscopic abrasions on his eyes caused by welding sparks from his manufacturing job prohibited surgery.

But cutting-edge technology approved by the Federal Drug Administration in recent years made it possible for Harris to undergo laser surgery at Beitman Laser Eye Institute in West Bloomfield Township recently. Within 10 minutes, his vision was clear.

“I can see my girlfriend up close. She’s beautiful,” he says.

Since 1995, more than 3 million Americans have undergone LASIK to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism, according to vision equipment analysts. In the Detroit market alone, an estimated 20,250 LASIK procedures were performed in 2002.

Read the whole article at The Detroit News: Laser eye surgery makes advances

May Marks National Healthy Vision Month, Sponsored by National Eye Institute

2004-05-07T15:41:00.000-06:00

May is Healthy Vision Month, a national eye health campaign devoted to promoting the vision objectives outlined in the National Eye Institute's (NEI) Healthy People 2010 campaign. Healthy Vision Month is sponsored by the NEI and the National Eye Health Education Program. The NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The focus of Healthy Vision Month 2004 is based on Healthy People 2010 Vision Objective 28-5: Reduce visual impairment due to diabetic retinopathy. Millions of people with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness. Early detection, timely treatment, and follow-up care can reduce the risk of vision loss by 95 percent. The NEI will use Healthy Vision Month to spotlight the value of educating people with diabetes about the importance of taking care of their vision.

Read the whole article at Business Wire: May Marks National Healthy Vision Month, Sponsored by National Eye Institute