Detecting the serious visual disorders of childhood

 Detecting the serious visual disorders of childhood

....Vision is important throughout childhood, leading early developmental
progress, supporting academic achievement and enhancing the general
quality of life. This article is directed towards the early identification of
the serious ocular problems which may arise in children. General
screening and assessment are discussed, including important pointers
in the history and examination. Selected topics include the baby who
cannot see, refractive errors and strabismus, nystagmus, cloudy or prominent
eyes, and trauma.....

Comments: Free PDF available. DM

The accommodative lag of the young hyperopic patient

...These data from a relatively small but broad sampling of age and clinical status suggest that clinically normal young infants and children with low amounts of hyperopia have similar lags of accommodation from the first few months after birth. Subjects with greater than 4 D of hyperopia, or amblyopia or strabismus, have more variable lags and therefore evidence of abnormal visual experience....

Analysis of the Accuracy of Noncycloplegic Retinoscopy, Retinomax Autorefractor and SureSight Vision Screener for Preschool Vision Screening 

 .....NCR, Retinomax and SureSight had similar and high accuracy in detecting vision disorders in preschoolers across all types of screeners and age of child, consistent with our previously reported results at specificity levels of 90% and 94%......

 

AOA Call for Posters

 American Optometric Association Call for Posters.

Abstracts based on unique clinical cases and all aspects of optometric research are currently being accepted. All case reports and research must be complete and unpublished at the time of submission. All abstracts must be submitted electronically via online submission by February 3, 2012.  Click Here. for more information.

Lazy Eye can Improve With Gaming

Lazy Eye can Improve With Gaming

....Optometry research has been looking at new ways to treat the highly common disorder of lazy eye. While eye patches were long believed to be the only, if imperfect, solution to this problem, new studies have reinforced the notion that having patients play video games could result even greater outcomes.

Amblyopia, also known as lazy eye, is a neurological disorder where the vision in one eye does not develop properly. It is a major cause of permanent visual impairment in childhood and affects nearly three percent of children, according to the National Eye Institute. It is also the most common cause of one-eye visual impairment among young and middle-aged adults. Read More.......

.....Recent research has shown that video games could also help adults affected by the condition. In a study from the School of Optometry and the Helen Willis Neuroscience Institute at the University of California, Berkley, researchers found that playing commercial video games had a noticeable impact on participants. Subjects in the lazy eye treatment pilot project experienced significant improvements in visual acuity and 3D depth perception after just 40 hours of gaming......

Comments: Amblyopia can be improved at any age. Do not let any doctor tell you different. Want more info? Go to http://www.covd.orghttp://www.covd.org. DM 

Eye and Vision Assessment of Children with Special Needs in an Interdisciplinary School Setting

Eye and Vision Assessment of Children with Special Needs in an Interdisciplinary School Setting 

by Marie I. Bodack, OD, FAAO, FCOVD

Vision Scientists Demonstrate Innovative Learning Method

Vision Scientists Demonstrate Innovative Learning Method

Optometry & Vision Development volume 42 #4 Now Online

 3D in the Classroom: See Well, Learn Well
by Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A, Editor

It all started around 300 BC when Euclid first
observed that each eye binocular sees an image from a slightly different perspective. Italian Maestro, Leonardo da Vinci in the 1500’s then realized that having two eyes gave us a sense of depth and an ability to perceive distance. Later in the 1800’s Sir David Brewster (of the Brewster Stereoscope fame), Sir Charles Wheatstone (of the Wheatstone Stereoscope fame) and American jurist, author and inventor, Oliver Wendell Holmes (who brought 3D to the masses with his inexpensive Stereopticon) made it possible for many to experience simulated 3D images. ......

Comments: Read more by clicking the title above. DM

Monocular and Binocular Accommodative Flipper Rock Optometric Vision Therapy

Monocular and Binocular Accommodative Flipper Rock optometric vision therapy can be conducted in and out of the optometrist's office as a therapeutic intervention for focusing disorders. The primary focusing dysfunction this procedure treats is accommodative infacility (a problem shifting your focus from near to far and back again). Two of my students developed this video with a bit of editing assistance on my part. This video may be used by all for non-commercial purposes only. Always consult your doctor before beginning any therapy or intervention program.

THX and Optometry College Set Up One-Person 3D Theater

My friend and colleague in all things 3D, Phil Lelyveld, notes that: THX has provided equipment and setup assistance to a special eye clinic just opened in Beaverton, Oregon by Pacific University’s College of Optometry.  It is the nation’s first 3D eye exam room to help people with depth perception problems, and hopes also to provide information to the 3D industry to improve the methods they use to display 3D to audiences. The clinic is already discovering what it is about viewing 3D that causes some people to have eye problems.....

 Comments: Click on the title above to read more. DM 

Physicians and Self-Prescribing: Just Say ‘No’

....There is great uncertainty and misunderstanding in the United States regarding whether or not physicians are allowed to self-prescribe. Under federal law, physicians are not specifically prohibited from self-prescribing or prescribing for friends and family. According the Opinion 8.19 of the AMA Code of Medical Ethics, “physicians generally should not treat themselves or members of their immediate families.” The AMA cites the following reasons:....

Comments: Click on title to read all about this potential dilemma. DM 

COVD 41st Annual Meeting Papers and Posters

The following presentations and posters were presented during the 2011 COVD 41st Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Oral Research Presentations 

The Fischer Fixtest for Fixation and Saccade Reaction Time Differentiates
Between Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Adult Patients 
Darrell G. Schlange, OD, Illinois College of Optometry, Illinois Eye Institute; Dominick Maino, OD, MEd, Illinois College of Optometry, Illinois Eye Institute, Chicago, IL; Brian Caden, OD, MA, Illinois College of Optometry, Illinois Eye Institute, Chicago IL


The Effect of Successful Treatment of Symptomatic Convergence Insuff iciency on Reading Performance in School-Aged Children
Mitchell Scheiman, Christopher Chase, G. Lynn Mitchell, Eric Borsting, Marjean Kulp, Susan Cotter, and CITT-RS Study Group




Correlation Of Reading Fluency With Visual Motion Sensitivity Tests, Reading Rate, And  Pseudoword Decoding
Barry Tannen, OD, FAAO, FCOVD, Associate Clinical Professor, SUNY/State College of
Optometry; Amy Bartal, OD, Resident in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation, EyeCare
Professionals, PC; John Shelley-Tremblay, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology,
University of South Alabama; Kenneth J Ciuffreda, OD, PhD, FCOVD-A, Distinguished
Professor-SUNY/State College of Optometry; Steve Larson, OD, PhD, Assistant Professor,
SUNY/State College of Optometry

Visual, Electroencephalographic And Behavioral Differences In Individuals Scoring Low And High On Attention Measures Used In The Diagnosis Of ADHD
Dmitri Poltavski, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology; David Biberdorf, OD, Valley Vision Clinic; Thomas Petros, PhD, University of North Dakota 


The Relative Contraindication For St rabismus Surgery In Patients With Vestibular Dysfunctions
Amy Chang, OD, Acquired Brain Injury, Primary Care Resident, SUNY College of Optometry; Shephali Patel, OD, MS, 2011-2012 Resident Primary Eye Care, Vision Therapy and Low Vision Rehabilitation, Northport VA Medical Center


Visual Enhancement Through the Use of Vision Therapy in a Stroke Victim 
Naomi Aguilera, OD, Resident in Pediatrics and Vision Therapy, Southern College of Optometry;
Maria J. Mandese, OD, FAAO


Reading, Symptoms And School-Related Behavior In Children With Symptomatic Convergence Insufficiency
Chris Chase, PhD, FAAO, Professor, Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry; Eric Borsting, SCCO; G. Lynn Mitchell, Ohio State University; Mitchell Scheiman, PCO; Lisa Higson, SCCO; Alex Tadros, Western University and the CITT-RS Study Group


Improvement In Amblyopia With Opt ometric Vision Therapy
Janna Iyer, OD, Vision Therapy and Low Vision Rehabilitation Resident, Southern College of Optometry


Simultaneous Measurement Of Accommodation And Eye Movements During Reading Using The Wam-5500 And Visagraph Ii
Biberdorf, David, OD, FCOVD, Optometrist, Valley Vision Clinic; Dmitri Poltavski, PhD, University of North Dakota




Comments: Click on the underlined above for many more oral and poster abstract presentations. DM

Visual Diagnosis and Care of the Patient with Special Needs

  This is absolutely shameless self promotion....but I think this book is going to be awesome! Please realize that I am biased since I am one of the editors/authors.

This is my second book on this topic. I have also done several chapters in other books, many professional articles and blogs/website publications.

Pre-order this book from Lippincott or Amazon

 Additional info can be found by clicking here.

Outcome of Surgery for Esotropia in Children with Down Syndrome

Twenty-one patients with a mean age at surgery of 55 months and a mean ET angle of  36^Δ received surgical intervention. Of those 3 patients needed a second surgery and a second operation was recommended for 2 additional subjects.a. The mean length of follow-up was 39 months. At the last follow-up examination, fourteen patients had a deviation of 0-10^Δ (thirteen esotropic and one exotropic). Five patients had a final deviation of 11-20^Δ (four esotropic and one exotropic). One patient had a residual esotropia of 21-30^Δ and one had greater than 30^Δ of residual esotropia.

Conclusion: The motor outcomes for esotropia surgery in children with Down syndrome were not as good as those in children with acquired esotropia but were comparable to those in children with infantile esotropia. More children had residual esotropia than consecutive exotropia, which may reflect a tendency toward conservative amounts of surgery or an underlying esotropic tendency in Down syndrome. Parents of children with Down syndrome may be counseled to expect good outcomes in the surgical management of esotropia.