Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is the rather strange phenomenon of complex visual hallucinations in people with vision loss with no neurological or psychiatric problem. These experiences can be alarming for patients and their families - ‘Mum is seeing monkeys in trees’ will get our attention.
Read moreMacular Degeneration Trigger Enzyme Discovered
The discovery of a crucial trigger for dry macular degeneration (AMD) – an enzyme called cGAS – could lead to the development of a drug to prevent disease progression.
This discovery, at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, was a surprise. Drs. Jayakrishna Ambati and Nagaraj Kerur had determined that cGAS plays an important role in the body's immune response to infections detecting foreign DNA, but its role in dry AMD was unexpected.
Read moreAdvanced Glaucoma Training
Currently Claire is one of four optometrists completing Advanced Glaucoma Training with the University of Auckland. The course is designed to give experience in glaucoma management and collaborative care with ophthalmologists (eye specialists).
Read moreSlowing Myopia - OrthoK Case Notes
Fitting children with hard contact lenses which they will wear while sleeping at night may seem like a big undertaking, but the outcomes
continue to impress us. From the first morning these children see massive improvements in their vision - one of the most rewarding
aspects to this work.
When we met Jack* he was 6 years old, an outdoors boy who loved to read, struggling to see the whiteboard at school. Jack’s Mum is
highly short-sighted (-9.00D myopic), and his dad is moderately short-sighted (-2.50D myopic). Jack’s first prescription in December
2015 was -1.00D.
Jack also had poor visual efficiency, a risk factor for becoming more myopic. The first step was a behavioural optometry assessment
and vision therapy to improve his binocular vision. This was successful, but his distance vision remained blurred.
At the end of 2016 Jack got his first pair of glasses. To start he only wore his glasses a couple of times a week at school. Over a 6
month period, Jack’s vision got worse, by -0.50D. If he continued at this rate, by 18 years old his prescription could track towards -
11.00D increasing the risk of serious future eye problems (retinal detachment, glaucoma and maculopathy).
This year we have fitted Jack with custom made Ortho K contact lenses to wear while sleeping. This gives him clear vision the next day
once he takes out his contacts. Importantly, wearing these contact lenses can significantly slow down his myopia progression.
When we checked Jack after his first night wearing his contacts, he commented “I can see great” and his vision was 6/6 (equivalent to
20/20). He managed to take out his lenses solo on the second morning. There are more firsts; he was able to see his parents in the
back row of assembly when he won an award at school. His family report “we are so impressed with these lenses, Jack is really excited
to be able to see clearly and positive about the process.”
Jack will have follow-up checks every 6 months to monitor his vision. So far, after 2 months of treatment his vision has not changed at
all.
*name changed for privacy
MiSight® Daily Contact Lenses for Myopia Control
We now have MiSight® Daily Contact Lenses as another option for myopia control. This year at the British Contact Lens Association
(BCLA) meeting some promising results were announced from a three-year study for MiSight®. The results indicate MiSight® dual-
focus contact lenses which have alternating visual correction and treatment zones - are effective in slowing myopia progression in
children by 59%. CooperVision, MiSight® manufacturer, reported data from its Clinical Contact Lens Study showing these lenses
slowed myopia and eye elongation.
The prevalence of myopia is projected to increase from approximately two billion people worldwide in 2010 to an alarming five billion
people in 2050, bringing with it both short and long-term health challenges. “Myopia’s growth has been dizzying and now affects the
vast majority of young adults in some countries, especially in East Asia,” said Arthur Back, from CooperVision. “Not only does it create
blurred vision, but also increases the likelihood of serious and blinding eye conditions later in life.
“Early intervention by parents, in partnership with optometrists, is essential for the short and long-term health and well being of their
children.”
The prospective, multi centre, double masked, randomised study enrolled 144 myopic children aged 8-12 years from Singapore,
Canada, England and Portugal. MiSight® was well accepted by the children who continued their daily activities such as school work,
reading, playing outside and computer use while wearing the lenses.
Parents of participants gave a very positive response, noting that before the study, many were concerned about their children wearing
contacts. After their children had worn MiSight® 1 day contact lenses for three years, almost 9 out of 10 parents rated their children
‘extremely happy’ with the overall experience. Children could mostly manage their lens wear independently.
Recycling Contact Lens Packaging
Disposable contact lenses are brilliant in terms of breathability and hygiene. But like so many other items in our daily lives they come in plastic packaging. Many people have asked about options for recycling contact lens packaging - good news, now you can do so and it is very easy.
If you have Ascend, Biofinity, MiSight or Proclear contact lenses, the blisters are classified #5/PP Plastic. This is a designation shared by a wide range of medical and food packaging. The cartons and cardboard packing are classified as recyclable paper and can also go in your regular household collections. The small piece of foil topping is the only part of packaging which should be discarded. One more step to help protect our environment.