|
| Lens Care In the Aftermath of the Storm
|
| As of June 30, 2006, there were 164 confirmed cases of Fusarium keratitis in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some 94% of those infected patients wore soft contact lenses, and patients with confirmed Fusarium keratitis were about 20 times more likely to report using ReNu with MoistureLoc, the CDC found. The outbreak led Bausch & Lomb to voluntarily discontinue the contact lens solution.
A few months later, Advanced Medical Optics voluntarily recalled its Complete MoisturePlus solution due to a threat of Acanthamoeba keratitis. At that time, the CDC estimated that patients with Acanthamoeba were seven times more likely to be using Complete MoisturePlus than another solution.
No doubt, this left many of us in total disbelief, given that the perfect storm is a supposedly a rare occurrence. This situation, however, also helped re-emphasize the importance of proper contact lens care.
|
| |
|
| Traumatic Brain Injury: What is the Optometrist's Role?
|
TBI remains the leading cause of injury-related death and disability among children and young adults. If left undiagnosed and untreated, TBI-related conditions can have devastating effects on the patient’s quality of life and rehabilitative progress.
O.D.s can play an important role in the care of patients with TBI, such as diagnosing and treating related visual conditions, working as part of an interdisciplinary team in a hospital or clinic, conducting research or simply making the appropriate referral for patients with related signs and symptoms.
Furthermore, optometrists already know how to assess and treat TBI-related visual and ocular disorders, such as oculomotor dysfunctions. O.D.s can make significant differences in patients’ rehabilitative progress and quality of life.
|
| |
|
| Take the Bite Out of Crab Lice Treatment
|
| Control of a Pthirus pubis (crab louse) infestation of the eyelid involves mechanical removal of both the organisms and their egg cases or nits. The nits are often so firmly fastened to the lashes that they must be cut or epilated, which is irritating to both the patient and clinician. When a case presented in my office, I tried a slightly different approach that made treatment less painful for all involved.
|
| |
|
| Three Cases of Cataract Complication
|
| Modern cataract surgery has evolved into a remarkably brief operation with very few complications. When complications do occur, however, they may be classified into three categories by time of occurrence: intraoperative, early postoperative (first few days), or late postoperative (several weeks or months later). They may be further classified by location: anterior segment (cornea, intraocular lens and lens capsule) or posterior segment (vitreous and retina).
Complications may occur at any time during or after the procedure. When monitoring for late complications, comanaging optometrists generally see the patient at one day, one week, one month, and three months after surgery.
These cases illustrate three late posterior segment complications that you may encounter when comanaging patients during the post-operative period.
|
| |
|
| Reclaim Your Role in Optical Dispensing
|
| The key to success in optometric practice today is balancing medical eye care and optical dispensing. Optometrists are in a unique position to provide both vital vision care services seamlessly, which, in turn, can result in extremely high levels of patient satisfaction and loyalty.
In this article, the second installment of our series, “Back to the Basics,” we will discuss how to make optical dispensing a huge stimulus for your practice growth.
|
| |
|
| SECO 2008 Wins the Gold
|
| After more than a year of hard work, careful planning of every detail, and the excitement leading up to “opening day,” it’s almost hard to believe that the SECO International 2008 Congress is already over.
But, what a Congress it was! From the Olympic-inspired theme that encouraged each one of us to “raise the bar in our practice,” to the more than 400 hours of CE offered by nearly 100 distinguished lecturers from across the country, this year’s SECO International in Atlanta was an event that no one will ever forget!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
