Month: December 2014

ParAllele
BioScience, Inc. announced today its joint collaboration agreement with the
University of Iowa Cell Biology and Functional Genomics Laboratory, the UI
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the UI Center for Macular
Degeneration to accelerate the discovery of genes associated with age-related
macular degeneration (AMD). The research initiative will be led by Gregory
Hageman, Ph.D., professor at the UI Carver College of Medicine.

AMD is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the developed
world, affecting 15 to 20 percent of individuals over the age of 60, or an
estimated 50 million individuals.

“The molecular events leading to the development of AMD are poorly
understood and no pharmacological treatment has been shown to be effective in
preventing, arresting or reversing the loss of vision associated with early
AMD,” Hageman said.

Recent genome-wide linkage analyses have revealed loci on multiple
chromosomes with the potential to harbor major AMD-associated genes. “We
choose to collaborate with ParAllele because of their ability to
comprehensively analyze those regions for both common and rare mutations that
may be AMD-associated,” he added. “Our long range goal is to identify new
pathways and therapeutic targets that will hasten the development of
pharmaceutical agents capable of delaying the onset and/or progression of
AMD.”

Hageman’s studies are funded by the National Eye Institute at NIH and
additional corporate entities.

“The agreement is an exciting opportunity for us to combine ParAllele’s
strengths in pharmacogenomics and high throughput gene mutation discovery with
the acknowledged leadership of Dr. Hageman and his Institute in the field of
AMD-associated pathways,” said Nick Naclerio, CEO of ParAllele BioScience,
Inc.

About ParAllele BioScience

ParAllele BioScience, Inc. is accelerating healthcare breakthroughs by
providing comprehensive genetic discovery solutions to the life science
research, pharmaceutical and diagnostic sectors. The company’s products and
services utilize a multiplexed approach that leverages novel biochemical
processes rather than complex instrumentation to discover and analyze minute
variations in the human genome. The understanding of how subtle genetic
variations contribute to disease risk, prognosis and drug response will lead
to new and more effective drugs, predictive diagnosis, and the ability to
better tailor therapies to individual patients. Headquartered in South San
Francisco, California, ParAllele BioScience was founded by a team of leading
researchers from the Stanford Genome Technology Center and Uppsala University.
The company’s investors include Abingworth Management, Index Ventures, Mohr
Davidow Ventures, and Versant Ventures. For more information about ParAllele,
please visit the company’s website at: parallelebio.

NOTE: ParAllele is a trademark of ParAllele BioScience, Inc.

ParAllele BioScience, Inc.
parallelebio

Jeffrey B. Kindler received the 2010 Catalyst Award, the Glaucoma Research Foundation’s highest honor, acknowledging his exemplary leadership in sustaining innovative research and education.

Mr. Kindler is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Pfizer Inc., the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical company. Mr. Kindler leads a worldwide company dedicated to improving human health and preventing vision loss from blinding eye diseases.

The Award was presented during the Glaucoma Research Foundation Annual Benefit celebration on Wednesday evening at The Palace Hotel. Accepting the award on behalf of Kindler was Michael Berelowitz, MB ChB, FACP, FCP, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development & Medical Affairs, Specialty Care Business Unit for Pfizer Inc. A native of South Africa whose research interest is Diabetes, Dr. Berelowitz was a professor of endocrinology and metabolism before joining Pfizer in 1996.

Last year’s Catalyst Award recipient, H. Dunbar Hoskins, Jr., MD, former Executive Vice President of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and a founder of the Glaucoma Research Foundation, presented the 2010 Catalyst Award. In his comments, Dr. Hoskins praised Kindler’s leadership in vision research and ophthalmology. “Pfizer makes the leading glaucoma medication, Xalatan, and has been committed to supporting ophthalmic research and patient education for many years,” Hoskins said. “Pfizer has long been a generous supporter of Glaucoma Research Foundation’s research and educational programs.”

All previous recipients of the Catalyst Award were present at the evening’s ceremonies, including Steven Kirsch; Allergan Chairman, President and CEO David E. I. Pyott; GRF board member F.T. Barr; and Alcon Chairman, and Former President and CEO Cary Rayment, all of whom have demonstrated exemplary leadership in their commitment to innovative research.

About the Glaucoma Research Foundation

Located in San Francisco, the Glaucoma Research Foundation is the nation’s most experienced foundation dedicated solely to glaucoma research and education. In addition to funding innovative research like the Catalyst For a Cure research consortium and its Shaffer Grants for Innovative Glaucoma Research, Glaucoma Research Foundation provides free education material, including the definitive reference for newly diagnosed patients, Understanding and Living with Glaucoma (available in both English and Spanish editions); brochures serving those at highest risk, including African-Americans and Latinos; and a toll free phone, 800-826-6693, staffed during office hours with an information specialist to answer questions about glaucoma.

Note

Bio follows for Mr. Kindler.

Jeffrey B. Kindler. Mr. Kindler is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Pfizer, the world’s largest research-based biopharmaceutical company, which discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines for humans and animals. Kindler joined Pfizer in 2002 as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. He was named Vice Chairman in 2005 and appointed CEO in 2006. Mr. Kindler earned his BA from Tufts University and his JD from Harvard. He serves on the boards of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Tufts University, and Ronald McDonald House Charities, in addition to being a board member of the Manhattan Theatre Club, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Catalyst.

Source
Glaucoma Research Foundation

Video games that involve high levels of action, such as first-person-shooter games, increase a player’s real-world vision, according to research in Nature Neuroscience.

The ability to discern slight differences in shades of gray has long been thought to be an attribute of the human visual system that cannot be improved. But Daphne Bavelier, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, has discovered that very practiced action gamers become 58 percent better at perceiving fine differences in contrast.

“Normally, improving contrast sensitivity means getting glasses or eye surgery – somehow changing the optics of the eye,” says Bavelier. “But we’ve found that action video games train the brain to process the existing visual information more efficiently, and the improvements last for months after game play stopped.”

The finding builds on Bavelier’s past work that has shown that action video games decrease visual crowding and increases visual attention. Contrast sensitivity, she says, is the primary limiting factor in how well a person can see. Bavelier says that the findings show that action video game training may be a useful complement to eye-correction techniques, since game training may teach the visual cortex to make better use of the information it receives.

To learn whether high-action games could affect contrast sensitivity, Bavelier, in collaboration with graduate student Renjie Li and colleagues Walt Makous, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, and Uri Polat, professor at the Eye Institute at Tel Aviv University, tested the contrast sensitivity function of 22 students, then divided them into two groups: One group played the action video games “Unreal Tournament 2004” and “Call of Duty 2.” The second group played “The Sims 2,” which is a richly visual game, but does not include the level of visual-motor coordination of the other group’s games. The volunteers played 50 hours of their assigned games over the course of 9 weeks. At the end of the training, the students who played the action games showed an average 43% improvement in their ability to discern close shades of gray – close to the difference she had previously observed between game players and non-game players – whereas the Sims players showed none.

“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that contrast sensitivity can be improved by simple training,” says Bavelier. “When people play action games, they’re changing the brain’s pathway responsible for visual processing. These games push the human visual system to the limits and the brain adapts to it, and we’ve seen the positive effect remains even two years after the training was over.”

Bavelier says that the findings suggest that despite the many concerns about the effects of action video games and the time spent in front of a computer screen, that time may not necessarily be harmful, at least for vision.

Bavelier is now taking what she has learned with her video game research and collaborating with a consortium of researchers to look into treatments for amblyopia, a problem caused by poor transmission of the visual image to the brain.

Notes:

This research was funded by the National Eye Institute and the Office of Naval Research.

Source:
Jonathan Sherwood

University of Rochester

The National Library for Health Eyes & Vision Specialist Library presents a short article on Visual field loss after stroke Dr Fiona Rowe, Senior Lecturer, Directorate of Orthoptics and Vision Science at the University of Liverpool. The article was published on 3rd December to coincide with the first annual evidence update on Stroke Rehabilitation being hosted by the NLH Stroke Specialist Library.

Stroke is a vascular event in the brain that is commonly due to a blockage of blood supply (infarction due to thrombus or embolus) or bleed (haemorrhage). 110000 individuals are reported to have their first stroke per year in the UK population with 30000 having a recurrent stroke [1]. Many stroke survivors will have a functional disability following their stroke of which visual disability is just one aspect. One of the commonly recognised visual disabilities is the loss of visual field. Visual field loss is a loss of part of the field of vision. This may occur centrally or peripherally. However, following stroke, loss of visual field is more usually peripheral in nature. Visual field loss is reported as occurring in 20-67%2-8 although some visual field impairment is due to a previous stroke or pre-existent ocular pathology.

Visual Field Loss after Stroke

Eyes & Vision Specialist Library

Stroke Rehabilitation Annual Evidence Update

Stroke Specialist Library

Source

Jennifer Wood
Information Co-ordinator
Eyes & Vision Specialist Library
Research & Development

Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
162 City Road
LONDON EC1V 2PD
moorfields.nhs

For most Americans, the start of spring is welcomed by thoughts of warmer weather, beautiful flowers and picnics in the park. But, for the 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies, the early signs of spring more closely resemble sneezing, coughing and itchy, watery eyes.

Eye allergies, also called “allergic conjunctivitis,” are a reaction to indoor and outdoor allergens – pollen, mold, dust mites and pet dander – that get in the eyes and cause inflammation of the tissue that lines the inner eyelid.

While eye allergies can affect anyone, the spring can be particularly hard on contact lens wearers. Extended wear time and infrequent lens replacement are two of the main reasons contact lens wearers face more severe symptoms. Optometrist Barbara Horn, O.D., recommends contact lens wearers consider the following to make the spring season more comfortable:

– Reduce contact lens wearing time when possible.
– Talk to your optometrist about changing your cleaning method or using daily disposable contact lenses.
– Use eye drops as prescribed by a doctor of optometry.

When it comes to treating symptoms of allergies, the American Eye-Q®, a recent nationwide survey conducted by the American Optometric Association (AOA), found more than one-third (36 percent) of allergy suffers use antihistamines or other medications to treat their symptoms. While antihistamines can help with typical symptoms like runny noses and sneezing, the medication can make ocular symptoms worse by reducing tear quality and quantity.

“To effectively treat and relieve the symptoms caused by eye allergies, patients should see their optometrist,” said Dr. Horn. “In most cases, we can soothe allergy-related conjunctivitis with prescription or over-the-counter eye drops depending on the patient and his or her medical history.”

While eye allergies can be a nuisance and affect job performance, leisure and sporting activities, symptoms of allergies can be curtailed and prevented by following these recommendations from the AOA:

– Don’t touch or rub your eyes.
– Wash hands often with soap and water.
– Wash bed linens and pillowcases in hot water and detergent to reduce allergens.
– Avoid sharing, and in some cases, wearing eye makeup.
– Never share contact lenses or contact lens cases with someone else.

Beyond discussing allergy relief with your optometrist, the AOA also recommends adults age 60 and under have a comprehensive eye exam every two years. Adults over age 60 should have eye exams annually. Based on an individual’s eye health and the severity of their eye allergies, the eye doctor may recommend more frequent visits.

To find an optometrist in your area, or for additional information on how best to cope with seasonal allergies, please visit AOA.

Source
American Optometric Association

Studies have found that the majority of people who work at a computer experience some eye or vision problems, and that the level of discomfort appears to increase with the amount of computer use. But, increased use of smaller, portable work and recreational gadgets such as Personal Digital Assistants, laptops and cell phones used for text messaging and Web access may also be contributing factors to the visual fatigue and discomfort experienced by millions, according to a leading expert.

“The unique characteristics and high visual demands of computer work and play make many individuals susceptible to the development of eye and vision-related problems,” notes Dr. Jeffrey Anshel, a practicing optometrist and author of Visual Ergonomics in the Workplace. “With the proliferation of portable electronic devices such as laptops, palm pilots and video game players, it’s no surprise that eye care professionals are seeing more patients who complain of ocular discomfort.”

Indeed, a national survey of doctors of optometry found that more than 14 percent of their patients present with eye or vision-related symptoms resulting from computer work. Furthermore, in a survey of more than 2,000 current and former contact lens wearers, time spent in front of a computer (41 percent) was the activity most frequently mentioned as causing discomfort while they were wearing their lenses.

Staring at a computer monitor or the small screens on most devices can lead to a variety of ailments, including headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, dry and irritated eyes, neck and/or backache and sensitivity to light. “Eye stress and strain may be caused by a combination of individual visual problems, improper viewing habits and poor environmental conditions, such as glare, improper workstation set up, dirty screens, poor lighting and viewing angles,” explains Dr. Anshel, who has helped companies and government agencies, including Mitsubishi, American Airlines, 3M and the Department of Labor address the high stress area of vision demands in relation to working with computer monitors.

“Uncorrected or under-corrected vision problems can be major contributing factors to computer related eye stress, affecting visual performance and comfort,” cautions Dr. Anshel. “The good news is that many potential eye and/or vision problems can be reduced or eliminated by appropriate adjustment and placement of computer monitors, lighting control, good preventive vision care habits and regular professional eye care.”

Dr. Anshel offers the following advice to help prevent or reduce the development of vision-related problems. For additional tips, take the “Eye Q’s and Views” interactive quiz at
computerquiz.jnjvision.

— REDUCE GLARE – Extraneous light, or glare, is the greatest source of eyestrain for computer users. No matter where your computer is relative to a window, adjustable shades, curtains or blinds should be used to effectively control light levels throughout the day. Avoid facing an un-shaded window since the difference in brightness between the screen and the area behind it may be cause eye stress and discomfort. Consider using an anti-glare screen to reduce reflections.

— CHECK YOUR CONTACTS – When working at a computer, people spend a lot of time concentrating and blink less frequently – about three times less than normally, according to studies. “Computer work is particularly stressful for contact lens wearers,” says Dr. Anshel. “Long non-blinking phases may cause the surface of contact lenses to dry out, which can lead to discomfort and a loss of visual clarity.” He recommends talking to an eye care professional about ACUVUE� OASYS� with HYDRACLEAR� Plus. In a clinical study with 335 contact lens wearers, nine in 10 (89 percent) patients wearing ACUVUE� OASYS� said that their eyes felt comfortable, even when watching TV or using a computer for a long time.

— ADJUST YOUR MONITOR – Ideal monitor placement is dependent on several factors including an individual’s physical make-up and visual capabilities, work tasks and other workstation design elements. For maximum eye comfort, Dr. Anshel recommends placing the center of the screen five to nine inches below your horizontal line of sight. “You should be looking just over the top of the monitor in your straight-ahead gaze,” he says.

— TAKE A BREAK – “Our eyes were not made to see at a close distance for hours at a time without a break,” says Dr. Anshel. A preventive approach to reducing visual stress includes occasionally looking away from the screen of your computer, PDA or portable game player. Dr. Anshel recommends the 20/20/20 rule. “Take a 20-second break every 20 minutes. Focus your eyes on points at least 20 feet from your terminal. Keep your eyes moving while looking at objects at various distances,” he says.

— CONSULT YOUR EYE CARE PROFESSIONAL – The American Optometric Association highly suggests yearly eye exams to ensure ocular health. For individuals whose jobs may require extensive time in front of a monitor, Dr. Anshel suggests a comprehensive eye examination soon after beginning computer work and periodically thereafter. “If, at any time, you experience any vision problems or discomfort, talk to your eye care professional,” he adds.

About ACUVUE� OASYS� Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR� PLUS

ACUVUE� OASYS� is a breakthrough for contact lens wearers when their eyes feel tired and dry in challenging environments, such as long hours of computer use, frequent ground or air travel, or everyday exposure to heated or air conditioned surroundings. It is the first contact lens made from senofilcon A, a new silicone hydrogel material that is 50 percent smoother than currently available silicone hydrogel lenses. In addition to its smooth feel, the new lens also features an improved formulation of the unique HYDRACLEAR� technology that combines high performance base materials with a moisture-rich wetting agent. ACUVUE� OASYS� block greater than 96 percent of UVA rays and 99 percent of UVB rays, meeting the highest UV-blocking standards for contact lenses.� *

ACUVUE� OASYS� are indicated for daily wear vision correction and approved by the FDA for up to six consecutive nights/seven days of extended wear. As with all contact lenses, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may also experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be prescribed if patients have any eye infection, or experience eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. Consult the package insert for complete information. For further information, call 1-800-843-2020 or visit acuvue.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

The VISTAKON division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., specializes in disposable and frequent replacement contact lens brands, including ACUVUE� ADVANCE� Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR�, ACUVUE� ADVANCE� Brand Contact Lenses for ASTIGMATISM for people with astigmatism, ACUVUE� OASYS� Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR� PLUS, ACUVUE� Brand and ACUVUE� 2 Brand Contact Lenses; 1-DAY ACUVUE� Brand Contact Lenses; ACUVUE� Brand BIFOCAL Contact Lenses; ACUVUE� Brand TORIC and ACUVUE� 2 COLOURS� Brand Contact Lenses.

ACUVUE�, ACUVUE� ADVANCE�, HYDRACLEAR�, ACUVUE� OASYS�, ACUVUE� 2 COLOURS�, ULTRA COMFORT SERIES� and VISTAKON� are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

� Helps protect against transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye.

* WARNING: UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-Blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-Blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.

Some forms of colorblindness may actually afford enhanced perception of some colors, according to findings reported this week in Current Biology by John Mollon and colleagues at the University of Cambridge.

The most common form of colorblindness is an X-chromosome-linked variant form of color vision technically known as deuteranomaly. Colors are detected by humans through the combined action of three different types of so-called cone photoreceptors, each of which is optimally activated by different wavelengths of light. These sensitivities are altered in deuteranomalous colorblind individuals because they possess a variant form of one of the cone photoreceptors–the sensitivity of cones that should be “middle-wave” is shifted toward that of “long-wave” cones, resulting in decreased ability to differentiate between some colors that are easily distinguishable by those with normal color vision. In theory, however, it is possible that owing to the altered sensitivities of their cone photoreceptors, deuteranomalous individuals may be sensitive to color differences that are not apparent to those with normal color vision.

In the new work, researchers tested this idea by asking deuteranomalous and “color-normal” individuals to report whether they were able to distinguish between pairs of colors that were theoretically predicted to look different to deuteranomalous colorblind individuals but to appear the same to those with normal color vision. Indeed, the researchers found that some color pairs were only seen to be different by deuteranomalous individuals. The finding suggests that although these individuals may be blind to some colors accessible by color-normal individuals, they also have a sensitivity to a “color dimension” that is inaccessible to those with normal color vision. In their paper, the researchers remark that “[f]or a color-normal experimenter, it was striking to watch a deuteranamolous subject giving large difference ratings to apparently identical stimuli, and doing so without hesitation.”

The researchers point out that because deuteranamolous colorblindness is caused by an X-chromosome-linked genetic alteration, and because women randomly inactivate one of their two X chromosomes in each of their cells, women who are carriers of the deuteranamoly trait (and hence have one normal X chromosome) are predicted to express four types of cone photoreceptor–the three normal cone types, as well as the cone with a shifted wavelength sensitivity. Thought it is unclear whether this would appreciably affect color vision in a way that allows expanded color sensitivities without the colorblindness experienced by deuteranamolous individuals, a test similar to that utilized in the present study could potentially be used to test this possibility.

The researchers include J.M. Bosten, J.D. Robinson and J.D. Mollon of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, United Kingdom; G. Jordan of the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in Upon Tyne, United Kingdom. This work was supported by the Levehulme Trust F/00125K.

Bosten et al.: “Multidimensional scaling reveals a color dimension unique to ‘colordeficient’ observers.” Publishing in Current Biology, Vol. 15, R950-R952, December 6, 2005, current-biology

Heidi Hardman
hhardmancell
Cell Press
cellpress

Whether skiing, snowboarding, mountain climbing, shoveling snow, or just strolling outside this winter, it’s important to protect your eyes from the sun’s powerful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Exposure to UV rays during winter can temporarily harm the eyes as well as increase the risk of developing sunlight-related eye disorders, including cataracts a leading cause of reduced vision in the United States.

Ultraviolet radiation reaches the eye not only from the sky above but also by reflection from ground surfaces. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), while UV radiation is generally lower during winter months, snow reflection may double an individual’s overall exposure. The WHO advises that fresh snow may reflect as much as 80 percent of UV rays, compared to other surfaces such as, grass, soil and water, which reflect less than 10 percent of UV radiation; dry beach sand (about 15 percent), and sea foam (about 25 percent).

“The greatest measure of UV protection can be achieved with a combination of UV-absorbing sunglasses, UV-blocking contact lenses and a wide brimmed hat,” advises Brian Linde, OD, a Montana-based optometrist and past president of the Montana Optometric Association.

Sunglasses alone are not enough

“While sunglasses with UV blocking lenses can help shield eyes from UV rays in sunlight, they only block about 50 percent of UV radiation, because sunlight also enters the eye from above, below, and around the sunglasses,” explains Dr. Linde. “It is just as important to block these peripheral UV rays,” he adds. “UV-blocking contact lenses provide added protection by effectively blocking sunlight that may enter the cornea from the top, bottom, or sides of the glasses.”

Not all contact lenses offer UV protection, and, of those that do, not all provide similar absorption levels. Among contact lens brands, only ACUVUE® ADVANCE™, ACVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM, and ACUVUE® OASYS™ Contact Lens brands carry the Seal of Acceptance for Ultraviolet Absorbing Contact Lenses from the American Optometric Association’s Commission on Ophthalmic Standards. The lenses offer the highest level of UV-blocking�* available, blocking more than 90 percent of UVA rays and 99 percent of UVB rays that reach the lens. On average, contact lenses without UV blocking block approximately 10% of UV-A radiation and 30% of UV-B radiation.

“Although UV-blocking contact lenses provide important added protection for patients, they should not be viewed as a stand-alone solution,” says Dr. Linde. “Contact lenses should always be worn in conjunction with high-quality UV-blocking sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat for maximum UV protection for the eyes.”

For winter sports participants, Dr. Linde also recommends ski goggles because they can help prevent debris and snow from blowing into the eyes. He also cautions people who spend a lot of time in snowy conditions to be aware of “snow blindness,” or photokeratitis, a condition caused by excessive exposure of unprotected eyes to ultraviolet light reflected by the snow. This condition, which can damage the cornea, causes eye pain, extreme sensitivity to light and the sensation of having sand in your eye. Symptoms may not appear until 6-12 hours after exposure. Though the cornea will usually heal with time and treatment, Eye Care Professionals advise taking proper precautions.

ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM and ACUVUE® OASYS™ Brand Contact Lenses with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS are indicated for daily wear vision correction. ACUVUE OASYS may also be worn for up to 6 consecutive nights/7 days of extended wear as recommended by an eye care professional. Contact lenses should not be worn for longer periods than recommended by an eye care professional. As with all contact lenses, eye problems, including corneal ulcers, can develop. Some wearers may also experience mild irritation, itching or discomfort. Lenses should not be worn if the wearer has an eye infection or experiences eye discomfort, excessive tearing, vision changes, redness or other eye problems. If these conditions occur, the wearer should contact their eye care professional. Consult the patient information guide available from your doctor for complete information. For further information, talk to your eye care professional or call 1-800-843-2020 or visit acuvue.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.

The VISTAKON division of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. specializes in disposable contact lenses which it markets under such brand names as ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ with HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™ for ASTIGMATISM, ACUVUE® OASYS™ with HYDRACLEAR™ PLUS, ACUVUE® and ACUVUE® 2; 1-DAY ACUVUE® ;ACUVUE® BIFOCAL ; ACUVUE® TORIC, and ACUVUE® 2 COLOURS™.

ACUVUE®, ACUVUE® ADVANCE™, HYDRACLEAR™, ACUVUE® OASYS™, ACUVUE® 2 COLOURS™, and VISTAKON® are trademarks of Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Helps protect against transmission of harmful UV radiation to the cornea and into the eye.

WARNING:

UV-absorbing contact lenses are NOT substitutes for protective UV-absorbing eyewear such as UV-absorbing goggles or sunglasses because they do not completely cover the eye and surrounding area. You should continue to use UV-absorbing eyewear as directed. NOTE: Long term exposure to UV radiation is one of the risk factors associated with cataracts. Exposure is based on a number of factors such as environmental conditions (altitude, geography, cloud cover) and personal factors (extent and nature of outdoor activities). UV-Blocking contact lenses help provide protection against harmful UV radiation. However, clinical studies have not been done to demonstrate that wearing UV-Blocking contact lenses reduces the risk of developing cataracts or other eye disorders. Consult your eye care practitioner for more information.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.
jnj/home.htm

College of Optometry alum and activist, Jerry Vincent, shares international experiences –

Bringing his experiences with international relief agencies back home to the University of Houston, Jerry E. Vincent, O.D.,
M.P.H., will give two lectures at noon and 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 11.

Vincent, a 1984 UH College of Optometry alum, has lived and worked abroad for many years and will give presentations on his
international eye care studies and efforts from the past decade. The presentation at noon will be on “Public Health
Approaches to Providing Eye Care in the Context of the Vision 2020 Initiative.” The 5:30 p.m. presentation will focus on “Eye
Care in Refugees, Displaced and War Affected Populations – Lessons Learned and Unmet Needs.” Both lectures will be given in
room 2300 of the J. Davis Armistead Building.

Vincent worked abroad for several years in Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean and Asia, providing optometric services,
developing blindness prevention programs, conducting training programs and embarking on numerous research projects. He also
has consulted with various international relief agencies in assessing and evaluating current eye programs. According to the
Avoidable Blindness Task Force put together by the Rotary International and One World Sight Project, while international
relief agencies provide health and other services to refugees and the displaced, they rarely include eye care.

During the course of the last decade, Vincent has been working in Thailand and neighboring countries to provide primary eye
care to refugees and displaced persons. Through these efforts, he founded the Burma Border Eye Program that extends access to
eye care for thousands of refugees and displaced people along the Thai-Burma border. Through the program, about 20,000 pairs
of eyeglasses have been prescribed, trachoma infections and vitamin A deficiencies have been significantly suppressed, more
than 1,000 cataract surgeries have been carried out by volunteer surgical teams and many eye health educational messages have
been relayed to refugee camp residents in hopes of increasing awareness, resulting in a decline in the number of eye health
problems. Vincent also serves on the board of editors of the Thai Journal of Public Health Ophthalmology.

WHO: Jerry E. Vincent, optometrist for underserved international populations

WHAT:
Lectures on International Eye Care
“Public Health Approaches to Providing Eye Care in the Context of the Vision 2020 Initiative”
“Eye Care in Refugees, Displaced and War Affected Populations – Lessons Learned and Unmet Needs”

WHEN: Noon and 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 11

WHERE: University of Houston College of Optometry
J. Davis Armistead Building, Room 2300
Entrance 2, off Calhoun Boulevard

For more information about UH, visit the university’s Newsroom at uh.edu/newsroomTo receive UH science news via e-mail, visit www.uh.edu/admin/media/sciencelist.html

Contact: Lisa Merkl
lkmerkluh.edu
713-743-8192
University of Houston

The need for emotional support for people losing their sight is great but the question of how best to provide it is under researched, underfunded, and remains seriously neglected, says a new study published today.

The study (1), commissioned by sight loss charity Thomas Pocklington Trust (2) and carried out by researchers at the University of Reading, describes the emotional trauma of being diagnosed with sight loss as potentially devastating. Yet, while there is clear evidence of a need for emotional support, there is very little information on how best to provide it. Today, the charity calls for research to evaluate the effectiveness of current services, including counselling and rehabilitation, as well as other available kinds of support.

“Not enough attention has been given to the emotional impact of sight loss,” says Dr. Angela McCullagh, Research and Development Director, Thomas Pocklington Trust, “but research shows that panic and distress can lead to depression. There’s a clear need for emotional support and an urgent need for work to establish the best ways to provide it.”

Using a systematic review of literature the research team accumulated and updated evidence from previous studies. This was combined with a survey of counselling services for people with sight loss in the UK, as well as interviews with people with sight loss. The team found that adjusting to sight loss was like the stages of bereavement. Participants reported initial feelings of panic and distress, followed by devastation and depression, before finally coming to terms with sight loss. This is because sight loss dramatically changes a person’s way of life, cutting short activities that bolster feelings of self-worth and quality of life. Not being able to drive was a major blow, adding to a general loss of independence that was a big factor in the onset of depression.

The survey found that sight loss particularly increased the risk of depression among older people. In particular, adults of working age and above were more likely to suffer mental health problems and a reduction in their quality of life and social functioning.

However, the study found little published evaluation of how best to deal with this emotional trauma. What did exist were mostly published pilot studies by academic researchers and client satisfaction studies by voluntary organisations. From these and further interviews it was clear that:

– Although the practical and mobility support provided by current services was important, rehabilitation played only a minor role in improving emotional well-being and reducing the risk of depression.

– The very real issue of loneliness among people with sight loss was under researched. Participants reported that having to give up their job, or having acquaintances who couldn’t cope with their sight loss often led to the loss of their friends. Emotional help came from family and friends, along with voluntary groups who organised welcome social contact. Counselling and group-based courses were helpful since they provided both information and peer support.

“There is currently no real understanding of the most effective way to deal with the emotional impact of sight loss,” says McCullagh. “Properly funded research and a real commitment is essential if local services across the UK are ever to provide the emotional support that could ward off depression in those with sight loss.”

Later this month, RNIB will launch a new campaign to highlight the emotional impact of sight loss and the pressing need for emotional support. Says Angela McCullagh, “Thomas Pocklington Trust welcomes the RNIB campaign and hopes it will trigger action on this important but neglected issue – the obvious need to provide emotional support for those with sight loss.”

Notes

1. The study “Emotional Support to People with Sight Loss” was commissioned and funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust. It was conducted by the University of Reading. Based at the Institute of Health Sciences, the principal investigators were Professors Margot A Gosney and Christina R Victor, and the postdoctoral research fellow was Dr Samuel R Nyman. From 11th September the study Findings can be seen at pocklington-trust

2. Thomas Pocklington Trust is a charity which aims to improve the quality of life of people with sight loss. It is a leading provider of housing, care and support services for people with sight loss in the UK, and is a major research and development body.

Source
Thomas Pocklington Trust