Optometry & Vision Development (OVD) vol 41 #4 Now Available

Optometry & Vision Development (OVD) is the official journal of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

The latest issue of OVD is available online now.

Editorials
Reflections: A Look at 2010

by Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A, Editor

The Bucket List

by Marc B. Taub OD, MS, FAAO, FCOVD

Letter to the Editor

Acknowledgements

 

Articles
Vision Therapy for Sensory Fusion Disruption Syndrome: Two Case Reports

by John Tassinari, OD, FCOVD, FAAO

The Pediatrics, Optometric Vision Therapy & Rehabilitation Programs at the Southern College of Optometry

by Marc B. Taub, OD, MS, FAAO, FCOVD; Glen Steele, OD, FAAO, FCOVD

The Need for Better School Vision Screening: The Use of VERA Vision Screening in a Community Setting

by Michael Gallaway, OD, FAAO, FCOVD

 

Literature Review
Current Eye & Vision Science Literature

Review by David A. Goss, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A

 

Book Review
Endless Journey - A Head-trauma Victim's Remarkable Rehabilitation

Review by Janice M. McMahon, OD

 

Practice Management
"Building Your Ideal VT Practice" Part 1 Freedom and the Staff Run Office

by Thomas Lecoq, Amee Lecoq

 

COVD 40th Annual Meeting
Papers and Posters

The President's Speech - Taking One New Step Has the Potential to Reach Thousands

by Bradley E. Habermehl, OD, FCOVD

2010 Annual Membership Report

by Bradley E. Habermehl, OD, FCOVD

2010 COVD 40th Annual Meeting Photos

NewsMakers

Optometric Vision Therapy and Traumatic Brain Injury

Last year, Carlie Teague hit her head so hard so got a concussion. The symptoms were life altering. "I had a lot of headaches and nausea and light headedness and double vision."./....After seeing numerous doctors, most of which told her to wait a year and see what happens, she ended up at Meier Eye and Vision in Reno. "When you get a head injury your eyes don't point at the same place in space. So one eye is looking at one point and the other eye is looking at another point and you have difficulty using them both together," says Dr. Richard Meier.......And now, Carlie says she's nearly 100%. She's looking forward to a future as a physical therapist thanks to vision therapy. 

Comments: Optometric vision therapy can improve the lives of those who have had a traumatic or acquired brain injury. Click on the title above to see the TV news segment on this topic. DM

Viewing breaks from 3-D TV necessary

....The Korean Communications Commission conducted a clinical study on 115 people between the ages of 18 and 55, examining their conditions after they watched 3-D TV for various periods. ...Based on the study, the KCC advises people to take a 5- to 15-minute break after watching 3-D TV for an hour, saying that a majority of people experienced vision discomfort just 15 minutes after beginning to watch it....

Comments: A friend of mine who is involved in the industry just sent this to me. I have not seen this study. If anyone has please let me know how to get a copy. I'm curious what binocular vision tests they performed. For additional info click on the title above and go to http://www.televisionbroadcast.com/article/111212 . I will be discussing this topic at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January. DM

Sleep Makes Your Memories Stronger... Helps Your Creativity

This study found that sleep helps to bring together memories and then fixes them in the brain so they can be retrieved at a later date. Sleep also appears to reorganizes memories, sorting out emotional details then reconfiguring those memories to help produce new and more creative ideas. DM

Children With Autism May Lack Certain Visual Skills.

From AOA First Look

Children with autism are neither systematic nor optimal foragers: This study notes that "the ability to search for objects in a large-scale environment is less efficient and less systematic in children with autism compared to typical children." .... "the children with autism took longer to recognize patterns...that would help them choose where to search" for certain items, such as produce items in a supermarket, for example. ...

Brain Imaging Predicts Reading Gains in Dyslexia

The study evaluated 25 children diagnosed with dyslexia and 20 controls. It showed that functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) could predict gains in reading in those with dyslexia after a 2.5 year of follow-up. This article (pdf) is online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Click on the title above to view a copy of the pdf. DM

Patients & Providers Share The Pain

Treating patients with chronic pain can be painful for the healthcare provider as well. DM

Child Development and Refractive Errors in Preschool Children

Published electronically ahead of print date.This is a free article. Click on the title above and then scroll down and click on pdf to read full article DM.

 Ibironke, Josephine O.; Friedman, David S.; Repka, Michael X.; Katz, Joanne; Giordano, Lydia; Hawse, Patricia; Tielsch, James M. Child Development and Refractive Errors in Preschool Children Optometry & Vision Science., POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 9 December 2010 doi: 10.1097/OPX.0b013e318204509b

Parental concerns about general developmental problems were associated with ... astigmatism  and anisometropia ...in children aged 6 to 71 months. Parental concerns were also more likely in children older than 36 months ....... children whose parents have expressed concerns regarding development should be referred for an eye examination ....to rule out significant refractive errors....

Parenting on the Peninsula article: "Is Your Child Ready to Experience the Magic of 3D at Home this Holiday Season?

This is an article written by my colleague, Dr. Carol Hong for Parenting on the Peninsula magazine. To read it in full click on the title above and go to page 11. DM

MAIA™ ‐ Macular Integrity Assessment

...MAIA is a non‐mydriatic, near infrared, line scanning laser ophthalmoscope which incorporates a
high frequency eye tracker and an automated macular perimeter to determine threshold sensitivity
and fixation characteristics. The MAIA software, with its normative database and statistical analysis
module, is designed to identify the normal, age‐related, decrease in sensitivity and differentiate it
from the pathological changes associated with macular degenerations and other retinal diseases.....

 

Comments: Although this device is primarily designed to assess macular function and pathology, at least one of my colleagues thought this would be appropriate to determine fixational qualities in our patients with various oculomotor anomalies or eccentric fixation. Has anyone used this device for functional vision problems? Click the title above for a pdf for additional infor or go to http://www.ellex.com/ . (I have no financial interest in this device....only a scientific interest!) DM

 

What We’re Not Looking After: Our Eyes

A good story in the New York Times notes that....Sadly, the nationwide survey (conducted Sept. 8 through 12 by Harris Interactive) showed that only a small minority of those most at risk get the yearly eye exams that could detect a vision problem and prevent, delay or even reverse its progression. Fully 86 percent of those who already have an eye disease do not get routine exams, the telephone survey of 1,004 adults revealed. ....

Comments: Children should have their first vision evaluation at age 6 months (Check out the InfantSee program)....then again at age 2 and every year while in school. Adults should be seen at least every 2 years (although once a year makes more sense to me....you see the dentist every six months....and if you loose a tooth you can replace it....you cannot replace your eyes!). At age 40, you definitely should be seen once a year...once again! Schedule your next eye appointment today! DM

Visually guided navigation: Head-mounted eye-tracking of natural locomotion in children and adults

This study showed that foveation of obstacles is not required for rapid and adaptive navigation. The children and adults who participated in this study spontaneously walked, jumped, and ran through the room..... stepping up, down, and over obstacles placed in their way. The researchers discuss several possibilities as to why obstacle navigation shifts from foveal to peripheral control. DM

Sleep complaints affecting school performance at different educational levels

...The clear association between reports of sleep disturbance and poor school performance has been documented for sleepy adolescents. This study extends that research to students outside the adolescent age grouping in an associated school setting (98 middle school students, 67 high school students, and 64 college students). Reported restless legs and periodic limb movements are significantly associated with lower GPA’s in junior high students. Consistent with previous studies, daytime sleepiness was the sleep variable most likely to negatively affects high school students. Sleep onset and maintenance insomnia were the reported sleep variables significantly correlated with poorer school performance in college students. This study indicates that different sleep disorder variables negatively affect performance at different age and educational levels....

Comments: Full PDF is available by clicking on the title above. DM

New Journal ini PubMed

FYI...The following new journal from Frontiers Research Foundation has been added to PubMed Central.
Frontiers in Neurology  ISSN: 1664-2295 (electronic)

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1401/

Archive includes v. 1 (2010) to the present. There is no embargo delay for this journal. DM

Optometric Vision Therapy for those with Brain Injury

The Brain Injury Association of American has published an article by Dr. Dana Haba on the role of optometric vision therapy for those with brain injury. Click on the title above and then note the link to the Fall issue of The Challenge (towards the bottom of the page). Open up the magazine and go to page 16 for the full story. DM