Saturday, January 21, 2012
Former Safford optometrist featured for sports vision training
Former Safford optometrist featured for sports vision training
Dr. Tanya (Lewis) Polec has taken the concept of “keeping your eye on the ball” to a whole new level....As an optometrist board certified in the College of Visual Development, Polec recently caught the eyes of the Arizona Daily Star and Nike for her work with sports vision training.....
the field and ultimately improve the Wildcats’ overall
record so the team can make the Woman’s College World Series......
Friday, January 20, 2012
Teaching the brain to “see” via the tongue
Teaching the brain to “see” via the tongue
.....In a classroom or hushed movie theater, a friend may once have passed you secret messages by tracing out letters on your arm. Well, the BrainPort vision device works much the same way, says Bob Beckman, president and chief executive of the biotech company Wicab, in a recent article in the Washington Post—except instead of a friend’s finger tracing a shape, the BrainPort uses electrical pulses to stimulate the tongue. And rather than transmitting a clandestine message, it helps the blind to “see.” ....
VISUAL DISABILITIES: AN ANALYSIS UNDER THE VARIOUS DISABILITY LAWS
by
David A. Damari, O.D., FCOVD, FAAO
Read this to find out what your patients should be able to expect in terms of support.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
20 Creative Geniuses Who Were Also Mentally Ill
20 Creative Geniuses Who Were Also Mentally Ill
....Both serious academics
and pop psychologists appear preoccupied over finding definitive links
between mental illness and influential, brilliant creative output, with
floods of studies attempting to make sense of it all. Whether or not
such a connection genuinely exists, of course, will probably remain in
the theoretical realm for the foreseeable future. One can certainly
alter the course of human achievement without any sign of mental illness
or distress. And, despite unfortunate, prevailing stigmas often
painting those with psychiatric concerns as incompetent or incapable of
accomplishing much of anything to their fullest potential, it is
entirely possible to exist as both a genius and a troubled individual.
Without the following thinkers, mankind would end up denied some
incredible insight into the elations and despairs inherent to existence.
To condemn them for the pain so many were both with — or conditioned
into by external circumstances — is, in some ways, to condemn the
species itself....
Comments: Of all the areas that are taboo within our culture, mental illness is still at the top of the list. We do not talk about it, write about or even research very much about it. We do know that those with psychiatric disorders have been with us for a very long time. Is there a link between genius and mental illness....we do not know...We do know that there may be some oculo-visual issues however....Click on the link above to read about those who were both mentally ill and genius. DM
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Some Experts Worried Over Revised Autism Guidelines
Some Experts Worried Over Revised Autism Guidelines
....In May 2013, the American Psychiatric Association will release a new, revised set of guidelines for diagnosing someone with autism spectrum disorder.....
Get ready for Optometry’s Meeting® in our kind of town: Chicago!
Get ready for Optometry’s Meeting® in our kind of town: Chicago!
....The famous Chicago skyline will be the backdrop for Optometry’s Meeting® in June 2012. Always a prime destination for world travelers, Chicago is called America’s hippest and hottest city for its exciting mix of art, fashion, food and fun.
While at McCormick Place Convention Center, optometric professionals can expect to see the latest technologies… new pharmaceutical research, paperless practice innovations, trends in contact lenses and frames, office equipment solutions and more. The AOA will also provide updates on government initiatives that can affect the way you practice.....Comments: Read more about it by clicking the title above. There will be a special 3D Optometry's Meeting Theater that will host a wide variety of events related to all things 3D. I'm going to be there....you should too! DM
Monday, January 16, 2012
New Journal on PubMed:Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders EXTRA
ISSN: 1664-5464 (electronic)
Archive includes v.1 (2011) to current
Note: There is no embargo delay for this journal.
Visualization Skills and Their Incorporation in Biology Curriculum
Visualization Skills and Their Incorporation in Biology Curriculum
Comments: This paper looks at those who have difficulties in various visualization skills and how it may affect performance. As 3D is used in the classroom, optometric vision therapy should be a viable treatment option for those with deficits in these areas. It is interesting that these authors suggest the teaching of visualization skills be a part of the curriculum. See abstract below. DM
Many graduates of various levels and disciplines appear unable to practically apply their knowledge in problem solving situations. However, few education systems are adopting modern education practices such as visualization skills that intrinsically motivate and engage learners and are at the same time flexible enough to consider students' aspirations and interests. Such systems make learning more relevant, meaningful and enjoyable to the learners and improve exit performances....... Quantitative data analysis ..... showed that the most deficient skills in the learners included pattern folding (projecting 2D material into 3D objects), orientation of form (identifying 3D objects that are oriented differently) and rotation (identifying 3D objects from top and front views). .... An educational computer game is proposed with the aim of ameliorating these problems. It is recommended that visualization skills should be incorporated into the Biology curriculum for all undergraduate students within the first year of the course.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Autism: A Year In Review
Autism: A Year In Review
......In the United States, we've seen a fifteen-fold increase in autism diagnoses over the past two decades. In fact, it's currently estimated that almost 1% of US children have an autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), while the rates in US adults are largely unknown. Autism is described in the DSM-IV, listed as a disorder usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adolescence. Autism is further categorized as a pervasive developmental disorder, falling within the autistism spectrum, along with Asperger's and PDD-NOS......
Comments: Read more about it by clicking the title above. DM
The primary visual cortex, and feedback to it, are not necessary for conscious vision
The primary visual cortex, and feedback to it, are not necessary for conscious vision
A compelling single case report of visual awareness (visual qualia) without primary visual cortex would be sufficient to refute the hypothesis that the primary visual cortex and the back-projections to it are necessary for conscious visual experience. I..... Three patients with hemianopicfield defects (Patient G.N. and Patient F.B. with MRI confirmed primary visual cortex lesions, Patient C.G. with an inferred lesion) underwent detailed psychophysical testing in their blind fields. Visual stimuli were presented at different velocities and contrasts in two- and four-direction discrimination experiments and the direction of motion and awareness reported using a forced-choice paradigm. ......Although the blind field experience of all three subjects was degraded, it was clearly visual in nature. We conclude that the primary visual cortex or back-projections to it are not necessary for visual awareness.....
Comments: Get full free pdf by clicking on the title above. DM
A compelling single case report of visual awareness (visual qualia) without primary visual cortex would be sufficient to refute the hypothesis that the primary visual cortex and the back-projections to it are necessary for conscious visual experience. I..... Three patients with hemianopicfield defects (Patient G.N. and Patient F.B. with MRI confirmed primary visual cortex lesions, Patient C.G. with an inferred lesion) underwent detailed psychophysical testing in their blind fields. Visual stimuli were presented at different velocities and contrasts in two- and four-direction discrimination experiments and the direction of motion and awareness reported using a forced-choice paradigm. ......Although the blind field experience of all three subjects was degraded, it was clearly visual in nature. We conclude that the primary visual cortex or back-projections to it are not necessary for visual awareness.....
Comments: Get full free pdf by clicking on the title above. DM
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