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Eyes/Optics

March 2023 Eyes/Optics

Changes to the Retina as Indicator for Alzheimer’s Disease

Once again, the eye can reveal the body’s secrets. In a recent analysis, Retinal pathological features and proteome signatures of Alzheimer’s disease, published in Acta Neuropathologica, Cedars-Sinai investigators looked at post mortem retinal and brain tissue samples collected over 14 years from 86 human donors and compared samples from donors with normal cognitive function to those with mild cognitive impairment at the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as those with later-stage dementia. (Koronyo, Y., Rentsendorj, A., Mirzaei, N. et al. Retinal pathological features and proteome signatures of Alzheimer’s disease. Acta Neuropathol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-023-02548-2)
March 2023 Eyes/Optics

Catcher’s Mitt?

I grew up on baseball. When I was young I quickly realized that there was one position on the field that was noticeably different from the others. Most of the fielders faced a certain direction, had similar gloves, and the same basic uniforms. But the catcher had on pads, a facemask, faced the opposite direction, and had a mitt that was vastly different from the other players. I was told that this was for the player’s protection. You see, while all the other players only dealt with the intermittent grounder, fly ball, or throw, the catcher was bombarded by high energy pitches every play.
March 2023 Eyes/Optics

Contact Lenses for CLIDE

Contact lens induced dry eye (CLIDE, also referred to as contact lens associated dry eye, CLADE) is the condition in which the tear film behind the lens becomes thin, and the friction between the contact lens and the corneal/conjunctival surface increases. This friction between the contact lens and the ocular surface may cause foreign body, dryness, and discomfort sensations. Dry eye discomfort is one of the primary reasons people discontinue contact lens wear, and an estimated 30 to 50 percent of wearers suffer from CLIDE.
February 2023 Eyes/Optics

This or That? Eyes Give It Away

Walk or ride, sit or stand, shirt or sweater? Researchers estimate that we make about 35,000 choices a day. New research by mechanical engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that how humans dart their eyes may reveal valuable information about how they make decisions. (University of Colorado at Boulder. "Not-so private eyes: Eye movements hold clues to how we make decisions." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 December 2022.)
January 2023 Eyes/Optics

PRISM

Prism. What is prism? So mysterious! Everybody in the optical community seems to have their own particular spin on prism. Prism can be a physical thing. It can be an abstract effect. It can be the name of an apartment complex in San Francisco! The discussion for this article will be prism in relation to ophthalmic dispensing.
January 2023 Eyes/Optics

Role of Light Exposure in Myopia Management

From Review of Myopia Management

With the recent development in digital technologies and the younger generation being more inclined to use technology, the future seems promising for technologies such as at-home or wearable light therapies. But for now, advocating for children to spend more time in natural outdoor environments appears to be an effective and cost-effective way to keep myopia’s growing incidence in check.
November 2022 Eyes/Optics

Contact Lenses for Ocular and Emotional Solutions

Halloween came and went, and of course eye care professionals are on high alert, warning our friends and family to go through the appropriate channels to acquire costume contact lenses. We all know too well how quickly a medical emergency can arise from a contaminated or ill-fitting contact lens. While I admire the artistic detailing that goes into designing these colored lenses, to be honest, this year my thought process took a hard pivot. I started to think about corneal dystrophies and how cosmetic or prosthetic contact lenses are an emotional solution for patients.
November 2022 Eyes/Optics

Air Pollution and Eye Health

When it comes to air pollution and health, we most often think of its effects on our respiratory system, but consider that the eye is an organ with a surface constantly exposed to the environment. According to The Adverse Effects of Air Pollution, “Exposure to polluted outdoor air has been proven to be harmful to human eyes. On the other hand, indoor air pollution from environmental tobacco smoking, heating, cooking, or poor indoor ventilation is also related to several eye diseases...”  (Lin CC, Chiu CC, Lee PY, et al. The Adverse Effects of Air Pollution on the Eye: A Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(3):1186. Published 2022 Jan 21. doi:10.3390/ijerph19031186)
October 2022 Eyes/Optics

Cannabis and Glaucoma

The recent Presidential pardon of people convicted of marijuana possession under federal law and the call for an administrative review of whether marijuana should continue to be a Schedule 1 drug, the same classification as heroin and LSD, may prompt more questions to eye care professionals about its use for treating glaucoma. Recreational marijuana use is now legal in 19 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam. Cannabis use for medical purposes is legal in 37 states, four U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. The combination of better availability, increasing patient interest in alternative treatments, and the marketing campaigns of the expanding marijuana industry have more glaucoma patients asking whether it may be a therapeutic option.
October 2022 Eyes/Optics

Cry If You Want To

We humans have three types of tears: basal tears that lubricate and protect our eyes, reflex tears stimulated by irritants (dust, wind), and emotional tears when we cry in response to feelings of joy, empathy, sorrow, compassion, and even physical pain. But what’s the difference among the three types of tears, and what do they do?