Blog - Page 528 of 887

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

New Survey Shows Parents Know More About Lice Than They Do About Myopia

One in four children in the United States is myopic, but according to The Harris Poll survey results released today by CooperVision, only 33% of parents know what that term means, or how it can affect their children’s future eyesight. The survey was conducted among eye care professionals, including 155 optometrists and 158 ophthalmologists, and 1,005 parents with children between 8-15 years old regarding their knowledge of myopia.

“I am not surprised that 48% of parents noted they know less about their children’s eye health than they should,” says Dr. Rupa K. Wong, a board-certified pediatric ophthalmologist. “I have diagnosed an increasing number of children with myopia in the past 5-10 years, and my patients’ parents are often surprised with the diagnosis. With the help of yearly eye exams, the condition can be diagnosed and treated to avoid more severe eye problems later in life by slowing the progression.”

“We know there is a lot of confusion about the significance of myopia, how it progresses and how to treat it,” says Dr. Michele Andrews, Senior Director, North America Professional and Academic Affairs at CooperVision. “So it comes as no surprise that while 65% of parents claimed they were somewhat or very knowledgeable of myopia, only one in three were able to identify myopia as nearsightedness. There clearly needs to be more education about what childhood myopia is and why it is important to diagnose it early.”

More highlights from the survey include:

97% of eye care professionals agree parents should know more about the ways they can help protect their children’s vision
73% of parents strongly/somewhat agree that teachers are more likely to notice that children have vision problems; 68% of parents strongly/somewhat agree that school nurses often notice potential vision problems among children before parents
Parents say they are more knowledgeable about other childhood conditions including the flu (93%), ear infections (86%) and lice (80%) compared with their knowledge of myopia (65%)
22% of parents report the top reason prompting an ECP visit is an in-school eye screening, whereas 92% of ECPs state this is the top reason for parents seeing them for their child’s vision.

Click HERE for the full press release.

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019

Microsoft Launches Free App to Help Canadians Navigate the World Around Them

As the next step on the journey to creating a more accessible Canada for all, Microsoft Canada announced the availability of Soundscape, an app that empowers people who are blind or partially sighted to explore the world around them through a 3D audio experience.

Unlike traditional navigation apps that provide turn by turn directions, Soundscape uses 3D audio – meaning the sounds are perceived as coming from the direction of the point of interest – and location awareness to provide users with information to help build a mental map of their surroundings and empower them to make their own navigational choices.

By setting an audio beacon on a chosen destination or a familiar landmark, a user can use Soundscape to keep track of that location as they move outdoors on foot or in a vehicle. The app also calls out roads, intersections and landmarks as the user passes, aiding in discoverability.

Microsoft worked closely with the CNIB Foundation and Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada during beta testing.

Canada is the fourth market globally to launch Soundscape after the U.S., U.K. and Australia, and the first to launch in two languages – English and French.

Soundscape is free on iOS and iPhone in both English and French.

Source: CNIB

November 4, 2019November 3, 2019

Immagine 98 Eyewear Commits to Being Green

In their effort to protect the environment, the Italian Government has introduced new rules for optical frame manufacturers in Italy. The laws were passed in April 2019 and every manufacturer in Italy has to comply with them. This is having a major impact on the eyewear industry.

Immagine 98 Eyewear has had a long commitment to using only the best materials; and committing to ongoing research and development. The award-winning designers, workers, and manufacturers continually search for new ways to improve the products in order to ensure minimum impact on the environment.

Behind every frame is a commitment to:

• Award-winning designs that make you look and feel exceptional

• Quality materials that are environmentally friendly

• Commitment to best practices at the manufacturing level

• Products that will outlast other major brands and a backup of replacements parts that go beyond warranty expiration

Immagine 98 is totally committed to producing the finest quality products that also respect the environment and the planet.

Mood Eyewear is the Canadian distributor of Rye & Lye and X-Ide.

Click HERE for the press release.

October 30, 2019October 30, 2019

Eye Damage Linked to Over-the-Counter Anti-Cholesterol Vitamin Can Be Reversed

Retina specialists at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai (NYEE) have shown that severe vision loss from a self-prescribed high dose of over-the-counter niacin is linked to injury of a specific cell type in a patient’s eye. The experts report that discontinuing the vitamin led to reversal of the condition and have published their findings in the fall issue of Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases.

Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is used for lowering hyperlipidemia or cholesterol and comes in prescription and over-the-counter forms; it can produce a rare toxic reaction called niacin-induced cystoid maculopathy, a form of retinal swelling.

The team of investigators from NYEE reported on a 61-year-old patient who arrived at the hospital with worsening blurry vision in both eyes that began a month earlier. The initial exam showed that the patient was almost legally blind, with best-corrected visual acuity of 20/150 in the right eye and 20/100 in the left eye. Subsequently, he admitted to taking an extensive list of supplements, which included three to six grams of niacin daily for several months to reduce his risk of cardiovascular events and was unaware of the risk to his eyesight.

Ophthalmologists from NYEE explained the situation to the patient and advised him to stop taking the over-the-counter niacin immediately. At his one-week follow-up appointment, his vision had noticeably improved. Two months later, the dysfunction had completely resolved and his vision was back to 20/20.

October 30, 2019May 20, 2026

Feather-light Elegance from Silhouette

Silhouette expands the Accent Rings collection; rimless styles with a full-frame look. Introducing new models with subtle cut-outs that accentuate the already feather-light elegance. The cut-outs extend through six designs, elegantly breaking up either the temples or the accentuated rings.

The optician has the opportunity to assemble his own assortment and thus tailor it to his customer’s individually. Photo: 5550 FV 6560

Distributed by COS: canadianoptical.com