National Opticians Month

 

January is National Opticians Month. It was developed to help educate consumers about the importance of an optician on their eyecare team, and the role they play.

Opticians receive specialized training to help ophthalmologists and optometrists before, during, and after your exam. An optician is an eye care specialist, who helps patients choose the right eyeglasses, contact lenses, or other corrective devices after an optometrist or ophthalmologist has evaluated their eyes, and writes a prescription.

An Optician often spends more time with customers than anyone else during the vision care experience. Opticians work in the offices of optometrists or offices of physicians but do not make diagnoses. Other opticians worked in stores that sell eyeglasses, contact lenses, visual aids, and other optical goods. These stores may be:

• Stand-alone businesses
• Parts of larger retail establishments, such as department stores.
• Hospitals or clinics
• Lab Manufacturing

Other duties of an optician include:

• Ensuring prescriptions are a match to eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, and contact lenses.
• Using special equipment to measure patients' pupillary distance, vertex distance, eye size, and temple length.
• Maintaining records of patient purchases and payments.
• Submitting vision insurance information for patients and recommending to them, what insurance will cover for eyewear.
• Advising patients on eyewear features such as lens coatings and frame styles to fit their individual needs, preferences, and personal style.
• Selling added eyewear accessories.

Come and see your favorite optician to guide you in the use of your new insurance benefits for 2024.

Sources:

www.clevelandclinic.org

www.allaboutvision.com

www.bls.gov

www.opticianEDU.org

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Types of Eye Tests

 

Eye tests are one of the main parts of an examination. There are several tests included in a comprehensive eye exam. Each one evaluates different aspects of vision and eye health. 

• Visual acuity test is a test that checks your vision. Your “visual acuity” is the medical term for how well you can see. 
• Visual refraction- an eye exam that measures a person's prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. Normal vision occurs when light is focused directly on the retina rather than in front or behind it. 
• Visual field test this test measures how much you can see out of the corners of your eyes. It can determine if you have blind spots in your visual field. If you have blind spots (called scotoma) in your vision, then this test will track where they are. 
• Slit-Lamp test- A slit lamp is a special microscope with a bright light attached to it. Your eye care specialist will use it to look at the different parts of your eyes. They’ll adjust the light to see into and through the layers of your eyes. They’ll check the overall health of your eyes and diagnose any issues or symptoms you’re having. 
• Tonometry- is a diagnostic test that measures your intraocular pressure (IOP), or the pressure inside your eye. Tonometry can help your healthcare provider figure out if you’re at risk for glaucoma.  
• Corneal Topography- is an eye test that charts the landscape of your cornea. It’s quick and painless, and nothing touches your eye. The test produces a series of color-coded maps that your provider uses to diagnose and manage various eye conditions. Corneal topography is essential to pre-operative planning for LASIK and other surgeries. 
• Ophthalmoscopy-is a test that allows your eye doctor, to look at the back of your eye called the fundus. 

 More testing may be needed based on the results of the earlier tests to confirm or rule out possible problems, to clarify uncertain findings, or to provide a more in-depth assessment. 

 

After the examination, the doctor will assess and evaluate the testing results to find a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. He or she will discuss with you the nature of any visual or eye health problems found and explain available treatment options. In some cases, referral for consultation with, or treatment by, another doctor of optometry or other health care provider may be indicated. If you have questions about any diagnosed eye or vision conditions, or treatment recommendations, don't hesitate to ask your doctor for more information or explanation. All of these findings exam after exam will also help to track changes in the physical health of the eyes as well as vision changes and in some cases overall health.

 

 

Sources:

www.humana.com  

www.carecredit.com  

ww.webmd.com  

www.aoa.org

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What are my options for treatment after being diagnosed with Glaucoma

 

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old. There is no cure, but early detection and treatment can slow the damage and prolong vision. It is estimated that 60 million people worldwide have glaucoma but only about half know they have it. It is described as a group of eye conditions that can cause vision, loss and blindness.

With all types of glaucoma, the nerve connecting the eye to the brain, the optic nerve, is damaged, usually due to high eye pressure.

Individuals, diagnosed with glaucoma may be presented with three treatment options:

• Medicine-prescription eyedrops are the most common treatment for glaucoma. The drop works by lowering pressure in the eye preventing damage to the optic nerve.
• Laser treatment- patients who receive laser therapy have conditions that are a little more advanced. Laser treatment is utilized to drain fluid out of the eye.
• Surgery-surgeries for glaucoma is a last resort after medicine and laser treatments have proven to be ineffective. Some people may even need to have the surgery repeated.

It is important to discuss all of these options with your doctor and to follow the treatment plan established to prolong sight.

Sources:

www.aao.org

www.register-herald.com

www.glaucoma.org

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#DrClaudiaWendel

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2023 A review in eye care

 

As many of you know 2023 was a year of big change for me. Eyegotcha became part of Vision Source Bridgeville in February.

In general, there were several big events in 2023 in regard to eye care. The FDA approved 11 new drugs:

• Pegcetacoplan is a medication approved for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration.
• Izcrvay also for GA
•  Aflibercept used to treat preterm infants, diagnosed with ROP
• Regeneron also received approval for Aflibercept eight MG injection for the treatment of wet Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), Diabetic Macular Edema (DME), Diabetic Retinopathy.
• Faricimab- SVOR for treatment of retinal vein occlusion
• Mydcombi the first ophthalmology spray for inducing mydriasis for diagnostic procedures and in conditions where short-term pupil dilation is desired. It marks the first approved fixed-dose combination of tropicamide and phenylephrine in the U.S.
• MIEBO for treatment of dry eye disease
•  Vevye also received approval for the treatment of dry eye disease
• Xdemvy the first and only treatment for Demodex Blepharitis
• Ryzumi was approved for the reversal of pharmacology-induced mydriasis
• Pilocarpine hydrochloride for treatment of presbyopia in adults

Most of these treatments are not available for general use. It sometimes takes days to months to go from FDA approval until the drug launches. Supply chain issues, manufacturing, and more trials will determine when these treatments hit the market.

The FDA monitors the whole process, including marketing the new products.

Other big news in 2023:

• The ongoing eyedrop recall of over-the-counter store branded eyedrops
•  Advancements in LASIK surgery technology
• The world saw the first whole, eye transplant in a human being.
• The fashion of eyewear has advanced with the use of new materials and designs
•  Artificial intelligence (AI) and eye care is gaining momentum. AI algorithms can help predict risks for conditions and diseases
• Smart glasses and virtual headsets. Advances in wearable technology is leading the way to provide visually impaired patients with more freedom.
• Retinal gene therapy is a non-invasive treatment for eye diseases, where a virus containing a healthy copy of the gene that causes the disease is then injected into the eye.

Expectations for 2024 are that eye care sector will continue to evolve and grow. With more new technologies will be created, new drugs will go on to clinical trials and lead to approvals, and one of the biggest issues that will continue to be addressed in vision care is the access to visual health for all.

Sources:

www.optometrytimes.com

www.artofoptics.com

www.usatoday.com

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#DrClaudiaWendel

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Did you know? Pittsburgh Christmas Trivia

1. Bing Crosby, singer of White Christmas, had a 25% ownership of the Pittsburgh Pirates until he passed away in 1977.

2. Farkleberry tarts were sold by KDKA radio morning DJ Jack Bogut as a fundraiser for Children’s Hospital in the early 1970s during the Christmas season.

3. Since 1953, the lighting of the Horne's tree has signified the beginning of the holiday season in Pittsburgh. The 100-foot-tall Christmas tree goes up on the corner of the old Joseph Horne's Department store building at Penn Avenue and Stanwix Street.

4. Pittsburgh has only had a white Christmas 14% of the time since 1870 when records on weather have been kept. For Christmas to be considered "white," an inch of snow must fall on Dec. 25.

5. Gimbals Department store’s talking tree, Trinna really had a live person inside speaking to children as they walked by.

6. Jay Livingston, one of the writers of the song Silver Bells was from the Pittsburgh area. 

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2023 Eye Drop Recall is Expanding

 

Earlier this year, in April, I posted about a nationwide recall of eye drops, by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has now expanded its list of eye drops recalled this year. These recalled products could be tainted with bacteria.

The FDA says the eye drops are marketed under retailers and brands at Walmart, CVS, Rite-Aid, Target, Up & Up, Leader Rugby, and Velocity Pharma. The FDA is warning consumers to at once stop using 27 over-the-counter eye drop products.

Since April's post:

In May the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) noted that 81 patients in 18 states contracted a rare strain of drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

In August the FDA issued a warning to the public to immediately quit using Dr. Bernie's MSM drops due to bacterial and fungal contamination. The drops also contain methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), an ingredient not approved for use in the eyes.

In October and November, more eye drops were added to the FDA list of recalled eyedrops

The complete FDA list of recalled products can be found here. 

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Sources:

www.cbsnews.com

www.prevention.com

www.USAToday.com

First Whole, Eye Transplant in a Human

 

The patient who received the transplant was Aaron James from Arkansas, a power company linesman. He suffered a work-related, high-voltage, electrical accident in June of 2021, that damaged the left side of his face, nose, mouth, and eye.

The transplant surgery was done six months ago, on May 27, 2023. The transplant surgery took 21 hours at New York University, Langone Health.

The whole eye transplant may only provide cosmetic benefits, this is a remarkable achievement. The surgery opens the possibility of restoring the appearance, and even sight after a disfiguring accident like the one that happened to Mr. James. Medicine is on the verge of being able to achieve eye transplants and vision restoration also transplanted were the eye socket and the eyelid. This transplant is the first attempt at injecting adult stem cells into a human optic nerve to try to regenerate it.

James’ transplanted eye does not have any sight now. However, his transplanted eye has shown remarkable signs of health. Normal ocular pressure, direct blood flow and oxygen to the retina, and may be capable of transmitting signals to the brain. It is still unknown whether James will eventually regain sight.

Sources:

www.reuters.com

www.langone.org

www.scientificamerican.com

www.NBCNewYork.com

#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare