SMOKING - 3-FOLD INCREASE RISK FOR CATARACT

Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery Volume 31, Issue 12 , December 2005, Pages 2395-2404
According to this article, which summarizes a literature review of smoking and the incidence of cataract:

"Evidence suggests that smoking has a 3-fold increase on the risk for incident nuclear cataract development. There was also evidence of reversibility of effect."

Optometrist Party Trick: Fact Or Just A Joke?

According to a recent article in Clinical and Experimental Optometry, laughing can reduce binocular rivalry and stimulate the brain to see images with both hemispheres of the brain. This is contrary to the normal binocular rivalry, in which the brain subconsciously switches attention between two competing images. In this study it was demonstrated by the subject looking at an optical illusion, like the Necker Cube, and being told a joke. While laughing the subject noted she was able to see both sides of the cube.
"Pettigrew (the study's author) says the effect of laughter on perception makes a good party trick."

COMPLIANCE WITH PROSTAGLANDIN ANALOGUES

American Journal of Ophthalmology Volume 141, Issue 1, Supplement 1 , January 2006, Pages 28-33 According to this study:

"patients in this study who were taking IOP-lowering prostaglandin/prostamide medications had a mean adherence rate of 76% on average, suggesting that opportunities remain for improvement of adherence to therapeutic regimens for glaucoma treatment with prostamides and prostaglandins."

BASCOM-PALMER GLAUCOMA STAGING SYSTEM

American Journal of Ophthalmology Volume 141, Issue 1 , January 2006, Pages 24-30

This article provides detailed information on the Bascom-Palmer Glaucoma Staging System if anyone is interested. If you scroll down in that article you will see some decent charts that summarize the system.

CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF AMBLYOPIA

American Journal of Ophthalmology Volume 141, Issue 1 , January 2006, Page 175

This review of the current literature on amblyopia summarized:

"Randomized, controlled trials have established atropine penalization as a viable alternative to occlusion therapy, have suggested that less treatment may be better tolerated and as effective as more traditionally used dosages, and have found no compelling evidence that treatment is beneficial clinically for older (over age 10) children with amblyopia."

ARTIFICIAL TEARS & VISUAL FIELD TESTING

This from Optometric Physician:

Effect of Artificial Tears on Visual Field Testing
This study examined the effect of artificial tear administration on perimetry. Patients performed visual field testing. They were then instructed to use artificial tears four times a day in both eyes for one week. After one week, patients had repeat visual field testing.

There was significant improvement in reliability parameters

CONCLUSION: Artificial tear administration in glaucomatous patients with dry eye seems to improve significantly reliability parameters and visual field indices.

SOURCE: Yenice O, Temel A, Orum O. The effect of artificial tear administration on visual field testing in patients with glaucoma and dry eye. Eye 2006; Jan 27 [Epub ahead of print].

FLAXSEED OIL AN ALTERNATIVE TO DOXYCYCLINE IN DRY EYE PATIENTS

According to this article in EyeWorld Magazine, 1000mg of flaxseed oil three times a day may be as effective as 100mg of doxycycline daily for dry eye, and is better tolerated by patients.

ALCOHOL IN PREGNANCY DECREASES CHILD'S VA

According to this article in February's Eyeworld Magazine:

"It's well known that prenatal alcohol consumption can cause a variety of developmental problems in children. New research shows that it may cause poorer visual "

RAPID REGRESSION OF PDR AFTER AVASTIN

According to this article in Ocular Surgery News:

"In patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab “induced a rapid regression of retinal and iris neovascularization".

LATANOPROST LESS EFFECTIVE AFTER ALT

Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2006 Jan 14;:1-4

According to Optometric Physician's review of this study:

"Latanoprost induced a 17.4 percent IOP decrease in the study group (ALT-treated eyes) and a 25.8 percent IOP reduction in the control eyes. Latanoprost is less effective in ALT-treated eyes than in eyes with POAG not treated with ALT."

1-800 Contacts Takes It Up A Notch

Commentary by Arthur B. Epstein, O.D. from Optometric Physician January 2006:

"Obviously unhappy with the patient-protective (and profit-restricting) consequences of the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act, 1-800 Contacts has started a campaign to restrict contact lenses eyecare providers can prescribe to only those that the company can supply. Authored by Rep. Susanne Crouch of Evansville Indiana, HB1308 would subject optometrists and ophthalmologists to fines of up to $5,000 and up to one year in jail if they prescribed a lens not on the "list.""

CORNEAL NERVE REGENERATION AFTER LASIK AND PRK

American Journal of Ophthalmology, Volume 140, Issue 6, December 2005, Page 1059

According to this study:

"Corneal nerve density does not recover to near preoperative densities until 5 years after LASIK, as compared with 2 years after PRK."