Kenneth R. Seger

Effect of customized near addition lenses on transient myopia induced by near-work

Correspondence: Bai-Chuan Jiang College of Optometry, Nova Southeastern University 3200 S. University Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA Email bjiang@nova.edu Purpose: To verify whether optimal near add power can reduce near-work induced transient myopia (NITM). Methods: Eighteen subjects including nine progressive myopes (PMs) and nine stable myopes (SMs) were involved in this study. We measured the accommodative error and the near phoria at 40 cm under fully corrected conditions for each subject. These findings were then used to determine optimal near-add power for each subject based on formulae derived from a previous study. Under both with and without near-add conditions, NITM was obtained by comparing the refractions immediately before and after performing continuous computer work at 40 cm for an hour. The refraction was determined by a COAS aberrometer. Results: Using customized near-addition lenses (C-ADD) we found significantly decreased retinal defocus from 0.49 ± 0.12 (SD) D to 0.08 ± 0.11 D. The near phoria showed a significant exophoric shift from -1.84 ± 1.95 prism diopter (pd) to -5.37 ± 1.63 pd, but was still in the normal range. We also found that the differences in NITM between the two groups and between the two conditions (ie, with and without C-ADD) were both significant. Further comparisons indicated that the NITM in the SM group was significantly reduced after using C-ADD; in the PM group the reduction of NITM was not significant. Conclusions: The results suggest that C-ADD balances the load of accommodation and vergence, significantly decreasing retinal blur during the near-work, and may be able to reduce the NITM.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Electro-stimulation Therapies to Modulate Retinal Blood Flow and Visual Function in Retinitis Pigmentosa

We examined changes in visual function and ocular and retinal blood flow (RBF) among retinitis pigmentosa (RP) participants in a randomized controlled trial of electro‐stimulation therapies.

Neuro-ophthalmic manifestations of a complicated cholesteatoma

BACKGROUND A cholesteatoma, also known as an epithelioma, is a mass of soft tissue that results from the accumulation of keratin protein debris enclosed by a layer of stratified squamous epithelium. CASE REPORT A patient with cholesteatoma surrounding both internal carotid arteries presented with cerebral ischemic symptoms expressed as visual and ocular symptoms. Because of its location, mass effect, and potential stenosis of the internal carotids, this slow-growing tumor is potentially sight threatening. Asymmetric cupping of the optic nerves associated with symptoms such as dizziness, diplopia, or facial pain should be worked up carefully. CONCLUSION The primary care optometrist can play an important role in the diagnosis and continued management of a patient with a cholesteatoma, carefully monitoring early signs of progression or change. This case illustrates how an intracranial lesion, away from the eye, can impact a number of ocular and visual functions.

A vision science reality check.

Michael J. Giese, O.D., Ph.D. Oing profession with an expanding scope of practice. However, we question if the profession is embracing all of the disciplines needed to support this development. Part of this questioning, we feel, is related to how our profession sees its role in the vision science arena. We would like to propose changes to how the profession defines some important words or concepts that are necessary for incorporating the existing and expanding scientific knowledge base. First of all, the term vision science has no clear definition. The Dictionary of Visual Science does not even list vision science as a term to be defined, nor do many dictionaries. The only definitions of vision science that we could find were in the populist Internet-based dictionaries Wikipedia and the Free Dictionary by Farlex. Wikipedia defines vision science as ‘‘the science dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of visual perception and the visual system. It includes cognitive psychology, neuroscience, computer science, psychophysics and optometry.’’ The Free Dictionary (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/vision) defines vision science as ‘‘the scientific study of how the visual system contributes to an understanding of the environment by processing and interpreting the light stimulation to the eye. ’’ These are very constricting definitions for use by a primary care profession. What about microbiology, immunology, pathology, molecular biology, genetics, mechanisms of ocular disease, treatment of visual disease, etc.?– Don’t these disciplines contribute to the global field of vision science? Optometry has focused on the disciplines of optics, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, and