Yang Low Ophthalmic Optician

Retinal Exam and Photography

aaron — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 19:43:26 +0000

Retinal Photography takes a high resolution digital photograph of the retina. The retina is the light sensitive inner lining of the eye.

Retinal imaging takes a digital picture of the back of your eye. It shows the retina (where light and images hit), the optic disc (a spot on the retina that holds the optic nerve, which sends information to the brain), and blood vessels. This helps your optometrist or ophthalmologist find certain diseases and check the health of your eyes.Doctors have long used a tool called an ophthalmoscope to look at the back of your eye. Retinal imaging allows doctors to get a much wider digital view of the retina. It doesn’t replace a regular eye exam or regular dilation but adds another layer of precision to it.

Who Gets This Test?

Your doctor may recommend it if you have any the following diseases or conditions:

Diabetes: This disease can damage the blood vessels in your retina. Over time, it causes you to lose your sight if it is not controlled.

Macular degeneration: The central part of your retina (the macula) starts to get worse with age. You may have blurry vision and find it harder to focus. If that happens, you may be considered legally blind even though you may still have peripheral vision. There are two kinds of macular degeneration: wet and dry.

Dry macular degeneration is by far the most common form of this disease (up to 90% of the cases). It happens when blood vessels under the retina become thin and brittleAbnormal blood vessels growing under the retina cause wet macular degeneration. Vision loss is usually fast.Retinal imaging is very important in finding this type of macular degeneration.Glaucoma: This disease damages your optic nerve (located in the retina) and may cause vision loss. It typically happens when fluid builds up in the front of your eye. It can cause blindness but it normally progresses slowly and can be treated with special eye drops to lower the pressure caused by the fluid.

If the fluorescein dye was used, do not put soft contact lenses in your eyes for about 4 hours so they don’t get stained by the dye.The images from the test should be ready immediately and normally your doctor will talk to you about them before you leave.

What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks?

Retinal imaging allows eye doctors to see signs of eye diseases that they couldn’t see before. The test itself is painless and the results are easy for doctors to interpret. Your doctor can store the images on a computer and compare them with other scans.

Retinal imaging has its limitations. It can’t detect a disease where the retina is bleeding. It also may not see problems on the outer edges of your retina.

Retinal imaging may be covered by your medical insurance (not your vision insurance) or Medicare. It depends on the terms of your policy as well as the reason you are having the test done.

Contact Lenses: Times have changed

aaron — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 19:40:30 +0000

Contact lenses are not what they used to be. Technological advances have greatly improved contact lenses and lens care products.

There has been only one new daily wear lens to come out in the past 6 months: the MyDay Energys (CooperVision) contact lens, which combines a CooperVision-exclusive aspheric design and material technology to help tiredness and dryness associated with digital eye strain, while the DigitalBoost single vision aspheric design delivers a +0.3 D boost of power to ease strain on eye muscles, so wearers can shift their focus from on screen to off screen with less effort.

CooperVision’s Aquaform Technology hydrates MyDay Energys lenses to twice their weight in water for natural wettability and comfort to help eyes feel less dry, even during times of reduced blinking, according to the company.

MyDay Energys is available in sphere powers of +8.00 D to -12.00 D (0.50 D steps after +5.00 D and -6.00 D), with no plano option and includes built-in UV blocking to help minimize the transmission of harmful UV rays.

The Eyeris Daily lens (Eyeris) isn’t brand new, per se, but it’s worth a reminder that it’s available and a way for patients to buy locally from you online (and can’t be replicated by online retailers). The lens is available in a wide range of spherical parameters, and word has it toric and multifocal options are coming soon.

Toric Lenses

The Total30 for Astigmatism (Alcon) contact lens was launched in March at the 2023 SECO International meeting in Atlanta. The reusable contact lens is made with Water Gradient material, is designed for wearers with astigmatism, and features biomimetic Celligent Technology, which helps resist bacteria and lipid deposits for a clean lens all month long. Additionally, the Precision Balance 8|4 lens design offers on-eye stability for clear and stable vision.

According to Alcon, Total30 for Astigmatism settles in an average of 60 seconds, within 3˚ of ideal orientation, and has 95% first-lens fit success.

IN THE PIPELINE

Drug Delivery Lenses

LL-BMT1 (MediPrint Ophthalmics)is a drug-eluting contact lens being assessed for the treatment of mild to moderate glaucoma and ocular hypertension. LL-BMT1 is a weekly medicated contact lens releasing bimatoprost being evaluated in the Sustained Innovative Glaucoma and ocular Hypertension Treatment (SIGHT)-2 dose-finding phase 2b study, which is designed to assess dose optimization and is preceded by the SIGHT-1 study that validated the MediPrint process and contact lenses for treating human participants.

TherOptix has two nonrefractive, drug-eluting bandage contact lenses in development: its lead asset, the TetraLens for postoperative pain after corneal cross-linking, cataract surgery, photorefractive keratectomy/laser subepithelial keratomileusis, or similar procedure; and the DexaLens for proliferative vitreoretinopathy. Both lenses are comprised of methafilcon-A and include a drug polymer ring in the periphery ,which is encapsulated within the hydrogel lens for sustained release.

At the Ophthalmology Innovation Summit at SECO, TherOptix’s CEO Monty Montoya noted that the company intends to launch series A financing to fund an Investigational New Drug (IND) submission for TetraLens this year.

MoxiLens (Glint Pharmaceuticals) is another drug-eluting contact lens making its way through the development pipeline. Specifically, the company is commercializing a patented nano barrier technology to treat certain eye diseases. This technology incorporates a drug delivery mechanism into a commercially available, single-use disposable contact lens.

According to the company, the drug-eluting Glint contact lenses maintains transparency, wettability, UV-blocking, and oxygen and ion permeability. Multiple drugs can be programmed to be released from a single disposable contact lens. Glint Pharmaceuticals has an approved IND application for the treatment of corneal infections by antibiotic (moxifloxacin) and the treatment of glaucoma by combination therapy of timolol and dorzolamide. The company has initial clinical data for both lenses with ongoing additional clinical studies.

Myopia Control

Johnson & Johnson Vision in December announced the availability of Acuvue Abiliti 1-Day Soft Therapeutic Lenses for Myopia Management in Singapore. The lenses are a breakthrough innovation specifically designed to slow myopia progression and, therefore, are not traditional concentric ring dual focus lenses. The daily wear, single-use, disposable lenses are intended to be used by children who, at the start of treatment, are 7 to 12 years of age, with myopia between -0.75 D and -4.50 D and 1.00 D or less astigmatism, with nondiseased eyes and who are symptomatic (ie, require distance vision correction).

BUSINESS MATTERS

CooperVision in November announced that it added SynergEyes to its CooperVision Specialty EyeCare business unit, a move that “creates a complete portfolio for the treatment of keratoconus and irregular corneas in North America and beyond.” Although terms of the transaction were not disclosed, it was noted in a press release that SynergEyes customers should continue to work with their current representatives.

SOLUTIONS AND DROPS

Bausch + Lomb in December received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for its Biotrue Hydration Boost Contact Lens Rehydrating drops. The preservative-free, multi-dose drops can be used with either soft or rigid gas permeable contact lenses and match the pH of healthy tears for comfort, according to the company. Biotrue Hydration Boost Contact Lens Rehydrating drops will be available in the first half of 2023.

In November, Bausch + Lomb announced that its Biotrue Hydration Plus multipurpose solution had received Business Intelligence Group’s (BIG) 2022 Awards for Business Product of the Year.

WHAT’S TRENDING

Sustainability is growing in importance for many companies, so let’s take a brief look at what some of the contact lens manufacturers are doing to minimize the toll their operations have on the environment.

Alcon is committed to becoming carbon neutral across its global operations by 2030 and says it will continue building on its use of renewable energy sources. Several of its manufacturing sites are zero waste to landfill certified, and Alcon plans to achieve 100% nonhazardous waste landfill diversion at each of its manufacturing sites and distribution centers by 2030.

For the second year in a row, Bausch + Lomb’s One by One and Biotrue Eye Care Recycling programs have been named a gold winner in the Most Environmentally Friendly Service of the Year category by the 2022 Best in Biz Awards. “Bausch + Lomb’s recycling programs make it possible to properly recycle used lens, eye care, and lens care items, which can be used to help create a variety of post-consumer products,” according to a company news release.

CooperVision in January announced the expansion of its net plastic neutrality initiative to include its Biofinity family and MiSight 1 day contact lenses in the United States, making its most popular contact lens brands net plastic neutral. Additionally, on average, CooperVision says that more than 95% of the materials in its production processes are recycled and more than 99% of the plastic components generated in its manufacturing process are recycled.

Here’s a fun fact: all of Eyeris’ upper and lower lens molds are collected after use to create the company’s eye-shaped trial cases.

And finally, all of Johnson & Johnson Vision’s Acuvue contact lenses are made with 100% renewable electricity, and 100% of the paper packaging (box and leaflet) for its Acuvue lenses comes from responsibly managed forests.

THE INNOVATIVE OD MIND IS TURNED ON

In the past several years, the eye care profession has experienced amazing innovation on all fronts, with first-in-class dry eye therapies, and several pharmaceutical companies at a time each aiming to be the first with a treatment for presbyopia and geographic atrophy. We’ve also seen a nonsurgical option approved for the treatment of ptosis. And yet, the hunger to be better—to do better—has yet to wane.

We can’t wait to see what’s next to come in the contact lens space.

The Importance of Occupational Eye Safety

aaron — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 19:38:29 +0000

Eye injuries in the workplace are very common. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that every day about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment. However, safety experts and eye doctors believe the right eye protection can lessen the severity or even prevent 90% of these eye injuries.

Occupational history includes a complete description of both the visual task and the health hazards within the workplace environment.

Chemicals or foreign objects in the eye and scratches on the cornea are common eye injuries that occur at work. Other common eye injuries come from fluids splashed in the eye, burns from steam and ultraviolet or infrared radiation exposure.

In addition, health care workers, laboratory and janitorial staff, and other workers may be at risk of acquiring infectious diseases from eye exposure. Some infectious diseases can be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye. This can occur through direct contact with splashes of blood, respiratory droplets generated during coughing, or from touching the eyes with contaminated fingers or other objects.

Workers experience eye injuries on the job for two major reasons:

They were not wearing proper eye protection.
They were wearing the wrong kind of protection for the job.

A Bureau of Labor Statistics survey of workers who suffered eye injuries revealed that nearly three out of five were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident. These workers most often reported that they believed protection was not required for the situation.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires workers to use eye and face protection whenever there is a reasonable probability of injury that could be prevented by such equipment. Personal protective eyewear, such as goggles, face shields, safety glasses or full face respirators must be used when an eye hazard exists. The necessary eye protection depends upon the type of hazard, the circumstances of exposure, other protective equipment used and individual vision needs.

What are the potential eye hazards at work?

Workplace eye protection is needed when the following potential eye hazards are present:

Projectiles (dust, concrete, metal, wood and other particles).
Chemicals (splashes and fumes).
Radiation (especially visible light, ultraviolet radiation, heat or infrared radiation, and lasers).
Bloodborne pathogens (hepatitis or HIV) from blood and body fluids.

Some working conditions include multiple eye hazards. The proper eye protection takes all hazards into account.

Computer Vision Syndrome, also referred to as Digital Eye Strain, describes a group of eye and vision-related problems that result from prolonged computer, tablet, e-reader and cell phone use. The average American worker spends seven hours a day on the computer either in the office or working from home.

March is Save Your Vision Month and the American Optometric Association is working to educate both employers and employees about how to avoid digital eye strain in the workplace. To help alleviate digital eye strain, follow the 20-20-20 rule; take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes.

View helpful infographics about the 20-20-20 rule and digital eye strain.

Occupations with a high risk for eye injuries include:

Construction.
Manufacturing.
Mining.
Carpentry.
Auto repair.

Electrical work.
Plumbing.
Welding.
Maintenance.

The type of safety eye protection you should wear depends on the hazards in your workplace:

If you are working in an area that has particles, flying objects or dust, you must at least wear safety glasses with side protection (side shields).
If you are working with chemicals, you must wear goggles.
If you are working near hazardous radiation (welding, lasers or fiber optics) you must use special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields or helmets designed for that task.

Know the requirements for your work environment. Side shields placed on your conventional (dress) glasses do not provide enough protection to meet the OSHA requirement for many work environments.

In addition, employers need to take steps to make the work environment as safe as possible. This includes:

Conducting an eye hazard assessment of the workplace
Removing or reducing eye hazards where possible
Providing appropriate safety eyewear and requiring employees to wear it

Your doctor of optometry can assist your employer and you in evaluating potential eye hazards in your workplace and determining what type of eye protection may be needed.

How can I protect my eyes from injury?

There are four things you can do to protect your eyes from injury:

Know the eye safety dangers at your work.
Eliminate hazards before starting work by using machine guards, work screens or other engineering controls.
Use proper eye protection.
Keep your safety eyewear in good condition and have it replaced if it becomes damaged.

Selection of protective eyewear appropriate for a given task should be made based on a hazard assessment of each activity. Types of eye protection include:

Nonprescription and prescription safety glasses. Although safety glasses may look like normal dress eyewear, they are designed to provide significantly more eye protection. The lenses and frames are much stronger than regular eyeglasses. Safety glasses must meet standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Look for the Z87 mark on the lens or frame.Safety glasses provide eye protection for general working conditions where there may be dust, chips or flying particles. Side shields and wraparound-style safety glasses can provide additional side protection.
Safety lenses are available in plastic, polycarbonate and Trivex^™ materials. While all four types must meet or exceed the minimum requirements for protecting your eyes, polycarbonate lenses provide the highest level of protection from impact.
Goggles. Goggles provide protection from impact, dust and chemical splash. Like safety glasses, safety goggles are highly impact-resistant. In addition, they provide a secure shield around the entire eye and protect against hazards coming from any direction. Goggles can be worn over prescription glasses and contact lenses.
Face shields and helmets. Full face shields protect workers exposed to chemicals, heat or blood-borne pathogens. Helmets are used for welding or working with molten materials. Face shields and helmets should not be the only protective eyewear. They need to be used in conjunction with safety glasses or goggles, so the eyes are protected when the shield is lifted.
Special protection. Helmets or goggles with special filters to protect the eyes from optical radiation exposure should be used for welding or working with lasers.

Safety glasses must fit properly to provide adequate protection. Also, eye protection devices must be properly maintained. Scratched and dirty devices reduce vision, cause glare and may contribute to accidents.

Combined with machine guards, screened or divided work stations, and other engineering controls, using the correct protective eyewear can help keep you safe from any type of eye hazard.