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Eye Care Across Countries and Cultures
Every year, the world becomes smaller and smaller as global communication increases and technologies advance. So, it follows that much of the media—from journals to Hollywood blockbusters—dwells on the themes of racial diversity, multiculturism and globalization. Today, these tenets are integral to every professional field and discipline ... and optometry is no exception.
With this in mind, Review of Optometry brings you the special report “Eye Care Across Countries and Cultures,” which includes four articles that discuss various issues of race, culture and language.
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Board Certification: The Hour Draws Near
One of the most impactful—and for many, controversial—decisions for optometry is now right around the corner, as the AOA’s House of Delegates will vote on whether the profession will pursue board certification during the AOA’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. on Friday, June 26th.
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Supply and Demand for Culturally Competent Eye Care
As emerging and underserved ethnic groups such as African-Americans and Asian-Americans continue to grow, we can solidify our position as America’s primary eye doctors by ensuring that our practices provide culturally competent care. Doctors in diverse communities that implement culturally competent practice management strategies will grow their businesses, expand their clinical skills and provide better patient care.
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What’s Race Got to Do With It?
Around the world, people are generally identified with ethnic and/or racial characteristics at birth. Aside from environmental factors, biologic and cultural associations play a key role in many disease processes among various ethnic backgrounds. This article provides further insight into the prevalence of various ocular conditions, disparities in disease presentation, and differences in treatment and management among members of different ethnic subgroups.
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Open Your Doors to Hispanic Patients
Whether you live in deep southern Texas like me, the West Coast, the Eastern Seaboard or any other geographic location in between, chances are you’ll hear people speaking Spanish. It is surprising is how little health care providers have done to embrace the opportunity this population presents to our practices. With a little effort, some patience and a lot of respect, you can create an office that meets the needs of this patient population, and you can also build your practice.
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A Snapshot of Optometry Around the World
A worldwide panorama of optometry unveils an evolving montage of legislation, education, practice management, service delivery and public health initiatives that defines the profession, given the unique circumstances of every country. While some professional developments parallel those within the United States, others diverge, because of context, policy processes and stakeholders involved in eye and vision care. The dynamics are growing even more complex as globalization affects the accessibility, mobility, regulation and education of optometrists within a merging marketplace.
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OSSO Wants You!
Wanted: Optometric practitioners with a unique interest in dry eye and disorders of the ocular surface to join a new, inclusive group. If that sounds like your calling, the newly-formed Ocular Surface Society of Optometry (OSSO) wants to hear from you.
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Lid Margin Disease and Dry Eye: The Intrinsic Link
Dry eye disease, while common, still presents one of the most challenging and complex diagnostic dilemmas in all of eye care. Its core mechanisms have been identified as tear film instability and hyperosmolarity, but many additional elements also contribute; of these, the most significant are tear hyposecretion, ocular surface inflammation and lid margin disease. Lid margin disease, such as posterior blepharitis or meibomian gland dysfunction, is currently recognized as the single most common cause of evaporative dry eye.
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Use Specular Microscopy to Diagnose Corneal Disease
Specular microscopy is a noninvasive photographic technique that allows you to visualize and analyze the corneal endothelium. Using computer-assisted morphometry, modern specular microscopes analyze the size, shape and
population of the endothelial cells. The instrument projects light onto the cornea and captures the image that is reflected from the optical interface between the corneal endothelium and the aqueous humor. The reflected image is analyzed by the instrument and displayed as a specular photomicrograph. In clinical practice, specular microscopy is the most accurate way to examine the corneal endothelium.
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Ischemia of the Eye and Brain |
The greater your understanding of both basic brain anatomy and vascular supply, the better you can care for your patients with occlusive/ischemic-related eye pathologies.
By Michael N. Block, O.D. |
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