Contact:
Karen Whelan, Public Relations & Practice Marketing Specialist
508-787-1461
kwhelan@optos.com
Optos Supports Back to School Eye Exams
7/31/2007
MARLBOROUGH, MA, July 31, 2007 – In conjunction with Back to School time, Optos is encouraging parents to schedule a comprehensive eye exam that includes the optomap® Retinal Exam for their children. Given that 80 percent of all learning is performed with vision, it is vital that children of all ages have their eyes checked regularly to ensure that their eyes are healthy.
A recent story demonstrates why regular eye exams for children are important. An 8-year-old girl and her mother visited Dr. Scott Thiele, Ted Brink & Associates, in Jacksonville, FL. for the child’s first eye exam which included an optomap® Retinal Exam. She had a slight blur in vision, but no other symptoms. The optomap® Retinal Exam revealed a large retinal detachment. Based on the girl’s age and the size of the detachment, Dr. Thiele suspected cancer, and immediately referred her to the hospital. She was diagnosed with a large choroidal melanoma and unfortunately her eye had to be removed. The girl’s mother credits the optomap® Retinal Exam for discovering the tumor that could have been fatal if left undetected.
“The link between eyesight and learning is compelling. Eye exams for school-aged children are essential to help maintain their overall health,” stated Dr. Thiele. “In the case of this young girl, we unfortunately were not able to save the vision in her eye, but were able to save her life. The optomap® Retinal Exam enabled me to quickly and easily identify the problem to ensure the proper course of treatment.”
Optos’ commitment to educating parents on the importance of having their children’s eyes checked regularly stems from its origin – the optomap® Retinal Exam is the brainchild of Douglas Anderson, founder of Optos, whose son lost sight in one eye at the age of five due to an undetected retinal detachment. After this tragedy, Anderson set out to develop a system that not only could capture an unprecedented wide view of the retina (back of the eye) but that was also patient friendly, particularly for children who tend to be more difficult to examine.
Consider these facts:
• According to Prevent Blindness America, two out of three children in the United States do not receive eye care services before the age of six.
• Vision problems affect one in twenty pre-schoolers and one in four school-age children. If left untreated the problems can worsen and lead to other serious problems as well as affect learning ability, personality and adjustment in school.
• According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), 60 percent of children who are identified as ‘problem learners’ have undetected vision problems.
• The best way to protect a child’s eyes is through professional eye examinations, beginning shortly after birth, at six months of age, before entering school (age four or five) and periodically throughout the school years.
Note to Editors
Optos plc is a leading and rapidly growing medical technology company for the design, development, manufacturing and marketing of devices that image the retina, the light-sensitive area at the back of the eye. Optos' platform technology is the Panoramic200 Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope device - known as the P200. In a quarter of a second the P200 device produces a high resolution image of up to 200 degrees or approximately 82 percent of the retina in a single capture. The image - branded the optomap® Retinal Exam - provides eye care practitioners with clinically useful information that facilitates the early detection of disorders and diseases evidenced in the retina, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Retinal imaging can also indicate evidence of non-eye or systemic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and certain cancers.
Please note: Dr. Thiele, his 8-year old patient, and her mother and father are available for interviews. Contact Karen Whelan at (508) 787-1461 or kwhelan@optos.com to schedule.
Optos is incorporated in Scotland under the Companies Act 1985 with registered number SC139953. The Company maintains its Registered Office at Queensferry House, Carnegie Business Campus, Dunfermline, Scotland KY11 8GR United Kingdom.