A US study shows that young Caucasian boys are at the highest risk of being colour blind.

 

Researchers from the Multi-Ethnic Pediatric Eye Disease Study Group tested 4,005 California children between three and six years of age. For girls, the rate of prevalence ranged from 0% to 0.5%, which is too low to compare rates among ethnic groups.

 

However, among the boys, the study findings highlighted certain trends. The researchers found the following prevalence by ethnicity for boys:

 

• 5.6% of Caucasians;
• 3.1% of Asians;
• 2.6% of Hispanics;
• 1.4% of African-Americans.

 

According to the researchers, this shows the importance of screening children early on for this vision deficiency. It is all the more important because it can have a negative impact on a child’s school performance and ability to learn. An early diagnosis will help them benefit from appropriate learning strategies and tools.

 

The study findings were published in the journal Ophthalmology.

Sources:

http://www.aaojournal.org/article/S0161-6420(14)00049-9/abstract

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140403084243.htm

 

 

Why do our eyes widen in fear and narrow in disgust? Researchers tried to answer this question.

 

The team of researchers, led by Adam Anderson, a professor at Cornell University, published their findings in the journal Psychological Science. According to them, these opposite facial expressions are based on emotional responses that use the way our eyes gather and focus light to detect unidentified threats.

 

When our eyes open wider, this increases sensitivity and expands our field of vision to identify surrounding danger. Alternatively, when our eyes narrow, this blocks light and sharpens focus to determine the source of our disgust.

 

This explanation supposes that human facial expressions come from adaptive reactions to stimuli in our environment, not a desire to communicate. These expressions later became social communication signals. For example, we narrow our eyes when we think about an idea or widen them to show our enthusiastic acceptance of it.

Source:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/274346.php

 

The Galleria and The Underground will both be relocated to the Level 3 exhibition hall of the New York Jacob Javits Center for Vision Expo East 2015.

 

In an interview at the end of Vision Expo East 2014, Tom Loughran, industry

vice-president at Reed Exhibitions, took a moment to explain this decision. “As a result of this change, all the frames presented at Vision Expo East will be located in the same exhibition hall,” he said. “This decision was made namely after we received numerous comments from visitors complaining about the lengthy walk between The Galleria and the eyewear and accessories pavilion.”

 

Nonetheless, The Galleria is somewhat of a world apart at Vision Expo East, with its designer frames and designers who are equally as spectacular as their creations. Won’t they be disappointed with this move?

 

“The feedback that we have received so far from exhibitors is rather positive,” said Tom Loughran. “They understand that it’s logical to make changes that enhance the buyer’s experience at the show. Combining the two spaces will provide buyers with a much better experience, and the exhibitors will benefit in the end.”

 

Rates of blindness have fallen by 50% in high-income countries since 1980, and the primary cause has changed from cataract to AMD, according to a study published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

 

In addition, the prevalence of uncorrected refractive errors has decreased by 38% and remains the leading cause of moderate and severe vision impairment. The study reports that the prevalence of this type of impairment and blindness in older people was markedly lower in high-income regions than in global populations.

 

Eastern and Central Europe are the only regions in which cataracts remain the most common cause of blindness. Elsewhere, AMD has been the most frequent cause of blindness since 2010. The third most common cause of blindness, even in highly developed countries, was refractive error, followed by glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

 

The investigators also note that the epidemic of diabetes will soon take its toll on vision, with as many as 100 million people being expected to develop diabetic retinopathy.

Source:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/822562

 

Attendance at the 2014 Vision Expo East was up 6% over 2013, with the New York event breaking its previous attendance record set in 2012. The definitive figures will be available later in April.

 

“The 2014 event proved once again that eyecare professionals appreciate the very diverse and integrated opportunities available only at Vision Expo,” said Tom Loughran, group vice-president for Reed Exhibitions. “They see the benefit of arriving early to take advantage of the professional development content, and then applying the knowledge they’ve gained to the demonstrations and experiences of the show.”

 

This year, wearable technology occupied a major place in the show, particularly in the Eye² Zone, which was filled with “smart” glasses ready to compete with Google Glass and other innovations.

 

The International Vision Expo & Conference East will be back at the Javits Center in New York City from March 19 to 22, 2015, when visitors and exhibitors will be able to take advantage of a brand new subway station and technological improvements.

Source:

International Vision Expo