Vision Therapy Videos by Kids!

Children's Vision: Dr. Chad Carlsson

 Dr. Chad Carlsson, a former student of mine at the Illinois College of Optometry.....makes me very proud!! He actually listened to me when I talked about children's vision problems...and now brings his outstanding care to his patients! Teaching has many rewards! The best is when one of  your students is successful. I like  to  think I share in just a small part of that success. Great job Chad! Watch this AZFamily.com news cast about children's vision. DM

3D Vision and Technology in the World of Entertainment & Education: 3D Vision Syndrome

The Vision Institute of Canada has asked 2 ICO faculty and at least one alum (Drs. Dominick Maino, Michael Chaglasian and Paul Karpeki) to participate at this year's meeting in Toronto, CA (ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW November 4th, 5th, 6th, 2011). Dr. Chaglasian is ICO's expert on all things related to glaucoma. ICO alum and Dr. Karpeki, speaks on a variety of primary care/ocular disease topics....so guess who's presenting the "3D Vision and Technology in the World of Entertainment:3D Vision Syndrome" lecture? Please mark you calendars and join us! See additional info below:

Readers Comments

Amy Watkins just left a comment on MainosMemos.

She said "Dr. Maino- thank you for commenting on the positive effects being reported on the mGluR5 inhibitors for Fragile X Syndrome. Our son is 13 years old and was diagnosed with FX at 16 months. We began fundraising for FRAXA Research, when our son was 4 years old. Our goal is to find a cure while he is still in school and can help make a difference in his learning. Thank you for promoting the importance of this promising work!"

Amy....I deeply appreciate you taking the time to read this blog. Those with Fra X (in all its forms) and their families, as well as the researchers and clinicians who work with those who have Fra X are very important to me. I learn something new almost every day...not just about Fra X, but also why it is important for families, researches and clinicians to work together.

As a part of a consortium composed of researchers, clinicians and Fra X family members in Chicago who meet every couple of months to share what we have done, are doing and will be doing in the area of Fragile X, I am always amazed by the dedication of all involved.

Here are a few articles that my colleagues and I have published on Fragile X.

Effect of CX516, an AMPA-Modulating Compound, on Cognition and Behavior in Fragile X Syndrome: AControlled Trial

Optometric Findings in the Fragile X Syndrome

Ocular anomalies in fragile X syndrome


Cognitive and Visual Processing Skills and Their Relationship to Mutation Size in Full and Premutation Female Fragile X Carriers

Never hesitate to call upon me to help in any way as we continue to learn more and more about Fra X and how to improve the lives of familes affected by this disorder.

Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A
Professor, Pediatrics/Binocular Vision
Illinois College of Optometry/Illinois Eye Institute
Chicago, Il

Artists of Casa Italia Art Exhibition this Friday the 12th 7PM (click here for more info)

Can Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders "Hear" a Speaking Face?

Irwin JR, Tornatore LA, Brancazio L, Whalen DH. Can Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders "Hear" a Speaking Face? Child Dev. 2011 Jul 25. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01619.x. [Epub ahead of print]


This study used eye-tracking methodology to assess audiovisual speech perception in 26 children ranging in age from 5 to 15years, half with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and half with typical development. .... Even when fixated on the face of the speaker, children with ASD were less visually influenced than typical development controls. This indicates fundamental differences in the processing of audiovisual speech in children with ASD, which may contribute to their language and communication impairments....

Cognitive impairment and EEG background activity in adults with Down's syndrome

.....Increased current source density in Down syndrome , correlating with cognitive performance, for both slow and fast rhythms suggests involving of cortical and subcortical mechanisms. exact/standard Low Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography  might be useful for objective measure of cognitive decline in Down syndrome ......

A 10-year review of sports-related spinal injuries

.....Sport is an important cause of spinal injury among young people in Ireland. This study contributes to our understanding of these injuries aetiology, pattern and mechanism of injury and allows constructive recommendations for injury prevention and management. ....

20/20 is not Enough! (For ME!!)

New Journals

Journal of Mid-Life Health ISSN 0976-7800 (print); 0976-7819 (electronic)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1548/

Archive includes volume 1 (2010) to current Note: There is no embargo delay for this journal

Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice  ISSN 0976-3147 (print); 0976-3155 (electronic)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1549/

Archive includes volume 1 (2010) to current   Note: There is no embargo delay for this journal

New Survey Data Reveals Parents' Concerns About Eye and Vision Health as More Classrooms Go High-Tech

3D Imaging and Digital Devices Require Optimal Visual Capabilities and Eye Health


....Classrooms around the country are becoming increasingly high-tech, and teachers are incorporating 3D imaging, digital devices and the latest computer applications into their daily curriculum. While these devices can greatly enhance learning, they also increase the importance of proper eye and vision care.


According to the American Optometric Association's (AOA) 2011 American Eye-Q ® survey, parents have some concern about the effects of the evolving technology. Fifty-three percent of respondents with children 18 or younger believe 3D viewing is harmful to a child's vision or eyes and 29 percent of parents feel very concerned that their child may damage their eyes due to prolonged use of computers or hand-held electronic devices......

Campus researchers find cause of discomfort in some 3-D displays

....“Although discomfort experienced in viewing stereo displays arises due to a myriad of causes, this valuable study shows that one of the factors is the dissonance between the converging movements of both eyes to fuse a single binocular vision and the accommodation, or focusing, of the crystalline lens inside each eye,” ....

FRAGILE X RESEARCH SYPOSIUM Australia

If you happen to be in Australia in October...and have an interest in Fragile X Syndrome, this is DEFINITELY the place to be. Colleague and friend, Dr Jonathan Cohen, Medical Director, Fragile X Alliance Clinic (http://www.fragilex.com.au/) just email me this info. Take a close look. Plan your trip today. Lean a lot! Double click on the infor below to get magnified view. DM

New CMU Brain Imaging Research Reveals Why Autistic Individuals Confuse Pronouns

...Autism is a mysterious developmental disease because it often leaves complex abilities intact while impairing seemingly elementary ones. For example, it is well documented that autistic children often have difficulty correctly using pronouns, sometimes referring to themselves as "you" instead of "I."

A new brain imaging study published in the journal "Brain" ...provides an explanation as to why autistic individuals' use of the wrong pronoun is more than simply a word choice problem. [They]...) found that errors in choosing a self-referring pronoun reflect a disordered neural representation of the self, a function processed by at least two brain areas — one frontal and one posterior....

Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You?

....The past decade has seen many studies into the health effects of chocolate. “We have good science on chocolate, especially about dark chocolate on blood pressure,” says Dr. Luc Djoussé of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. His research team found an overall drop in blood pressure among people who eat more chocolate. “The results suggest that chocolate may, in fact, lower blood pressure,” Djoussé says. “This effect was even stronger among people with high blood pressure to begin with.”....

Comment: YES!!! DM

Neurologic Manifestations of Chronic Methamphetamine Abuse

....Methamphetamine abuse has reached epidemic proportions .... manifest as a variety of neurologic disorders. ....drug-induced psychosis; motor disorders, .... choreoathetoid movements, and punding; and changes in the physical appearance .... dental caries.....

The history, mystery of 3-D go way back

...So you think 3-D is the latest craze? You may be surprised to learn that the world was in the grip of 3-D mania more than 150 years ago. ...

Changes in vergence dynamics due to repetition.

Vergence insufficiency is frequent in many populations .... Orthoptic exercises are typically used to improve vergence and the clinical practice suggests that simple repetition of vergence movements improves it. ...Due to simple repetitions a real improvement in ...vergence ...occurred.