With more than 26 million Americans currently suffering from Alzheimer’s (that number is expected to quadruple by 2050), early detection is critical in limiting the effects of this disease and optimizing available treatments. New research is showing that variations in eye structure may be able to detect the disease before symptoms arise.

As we’ve shared previously, the accumulation of amyloid beta protein deposits in the eye can help detect the presence of Alzheimer’s. New research being conducted by the investigators at Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute is showing that certain variations in eye structure may aid in early detection. Since optometrists are already a critical part of health teams in the detection of many other systemic diseases, the early detection of Alzheimer’s through eye exams would be a major breakthrough.

Researchers at Cedars-Siani studied postmortem human retinas and animal models and found that changes in the retinal pigment epithelial layer and the thickness of the choroidal layer detected by advanced imaging devices were strongly indicative of Alzheimer’s disease. Considering their findings, they have reason to believe further study may prove to be beneficial, not only in the early detection of Alzheimer’s, but possibly in the development of treatments and drug …

According to Retina Today, results from the National Assessment of Adult Literacy determined that more than 75 million Americans possess rudimentary or lower skills in health literacy. This indicates that improved doctor-patient relationships are important for better outcomes in all health conditions –especially with retinal disease diagnoses.

When you work to educate your patients objectively about their condition, you’re encouraging them to work collaboratively to improve their eye health and maximize treatment options for retinal disease. This is achieved by discussing all available treatments, possible side effects, as well as the therapeutic response expected and the establishment of a timeline for the response to be attained. It’s also worth acknowledging that there may not be one single course of action that will deliver the expected outcome. In taking the time to speak to patients candidly, you’re building the trust that’s essential for a solid doctor-patient relationship. Furthermore, you are also removing unrealistic outcomes. This allows the patient’s expectations to become more aligned with what you deem appropriate.

As an eye care professional, most of the published literature available on retinal disease and its possible treatments is based on case studies and interviews about what led up to the condition. …

As innovators in digital scanning laser technology, our patented ultra-widefield retinal imaging devices, which allow for wider views of the retina, are providing eye care professionals worldwide with the ability to potentially detect eye diseases earlier than before. optomap^® exams provide support in the diagnosis, documentation, and monitoring of many eye diseases sooner and easier than traditional eye exams and technologies.

Our 200Tx device has been designed to capture 82% — or 200° — of the retina in a single capture. The optomap provides eye care professionals with advanced screening exams in less time and less invasively. In addition, the 200Tx provides multiple modality imaging including: fluorescein angiography, autofluorescence, red-free or color using blue, green and red lasers.

Designed with advanced features, the 200Tx offers many advantages that were previously impossible without ultra-widefield technology. The 200Tx is feature-rich and can provides the following benefits for your practice:

— Eye steering and annotation tools for medically necessary procedures that are reimbursable. — Ultra-widefield digital capture of the retina without pupil dilation. — Visualization of ultra-widefield autofluorescence retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). — Red, green and blue digital scanning lasers to pinpoint areas of interest. — ResMax™ for enhanced resolution of the central pole. — Immediate image availability and storage capability for …

While your patients are likely aware of the dangerous effects UVA and UVB rays can have on their skin, they often aren’t aware of how dangerous the sun is for the delicate tissues in their eyes. For many practitioners, this is the ideal season to educate patients of the potential damages the sun can cause and to encourage them to wear protective sunglasses year round.

As Prevent Blindness shares, damage to vision from UV rays can be avoided with proper eye wear. It’s essential to teach your patients that UV damage is cumulative and that preventing exposure is vital, especially if it’s not something they considered in the past. If there are no visible signs of damage thus far, using protection now may help prevent problems in the future.

To emphasize the seriousness of UV damage to eye health, it can be very helpful to share with your patients some of the conditions they might experience without proper protection. Since both types of UV light can affect different portions of the eye and its sensitive tissues, a wide array of problems can arise, including:

— Photokeratitis – more easily understood as corneal sunburn. A painful condition caused by high exposure to …

A recent study published in the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s journal, Ophthalmology, indicates that color vision deficiency (CVD), or color blindness, is most prevalent in preschool-aged Caucasian boys. Out of 4,005 children tested in California, one in 20 Caucasian preschool males were found to have some form of CVD –the most of all ethnicities included in the study.

Researchers with the Multi-Ethnic Pediatric Eye Disease Study Group tested the children, ranging in age from 2 ½ to 4 years old, using Color Vision Testing Made Easy color plates. In addition to discovering Caucasian boys have a higher rate of color blindness; researchers found African-American males had the lowest occurrence at 1.4 percent. Color blindness in preschool-aged girls ranged from 0 to 0.5 percent across all ethnic groups represented.

Although color blindness is not a true form of blindness, it does affect outcomes for school-age children because they can’t process colors the same way others are able to. In addition to making color-based tests and activities nearly impossible for color blind children, the issue can also lead to behavior problems and poor results on other forms of testing. The ability to diagnose CVD early in a child’s life is critical to their …

Have you recently added optomap technology to your practice? Perhaps you have new patients that are not familiar with ultra-widefield retinal imaging, and they’re eager to learn more about how the technology can benefit them. Regardless of the situation, when you present optomap to your patients for the first time, they may have several questions. To help you answer those questions, as well as explain the benefits of optomap, below are some of the most common questions and answers practitioners receive about optomap you can use as talking points.

Do I really need a retinal exam? The retina’s sensitive tissues often show early stages of diseases, such as diabetes, stroke and some cancers before you experience other symptoms. An optomap should be considered part of a comprehensive eye exam.  It also allows us to view more of your retina than we could with other technology. What is an optomap? Are there any side effects of this exam? An optomap uses scanning laser technology to create a panoramic, digital, high-resolution, and 200 degree view of the retina. The lasers are low intensity and non-invasive – in over 40 million images, no side effects have been found. How does optomap benefit me as a patient? There are many patient benefits associated with …

As proponents of good eye health, Optos would like to remind all practitioners that May is Healthy Vision Month. This is an excellent time to speak to your patients about healthy eye care habits that will provide them with the best chance at maintaining their eyesight, as well as preventing unnecessary vision loss.

As an eye care professional, you likely remind your patients of proper practices for optimal eye health on a routine basis. Healthy Vision Month is a great opportunity to remind them to be more proactive. Some tips and reminders you may wish to discuss with your patients include:

— Following your advice and scheduling regular comprehensive eye exams for early detection of deteriorating vision or eye disease. — Living a lifestyle that includes proper nutrition to support vision, exercise to maintain a healthy body weight and no smoking. — The importance of wearing protective glasses or face shields while participating in sports or other activities that can potentially harm their eyes. — Remind them to always wear sun protection to block both UVA and UVB rays, which are harmful to the eyes.

Also, consider hanging eye health posters in your practice to engage your patients. You might even set up your own …

Maggie is a patient who experienced a sudden browning out of her peripheral vision just over a year ago. Exams revealed that retinal bleeding was the cause of this browning and that it had developed for unknown reasons. Since retinal disease is the leading cause of blindness, bleeding of the retina can pose a serious problem for patients. Maggie was treated with laser therapy to stop the bleeding before permanent damage was done to her eyesight.

Due to the sensitive nature of the retina and the unknown cause for the sudden bleeding, Maggie’s retinal specialist, Dr. Amjad Hammad has been carefully monitoring the treated area, as well as watching for signs of further problems using optomap® technology.

Unlike conventional technology that provides a limited view of the retina, optomap® uses a scanning laser to create a high-resolution image which catches roughly 82 percent of the retinal area — more than four times the area visible in the past. This advanced technology allows for more accurate diagnoses and greater potential to mitigate damage to the retina from disease or damage.

In one of Maggie’s follow-up visits, Dr. Hammad was able to identify another area with potential problems because of the optomap® technology, …

We’ve all heard of patients who’ve had less than stellar experiences with a health care provider, feeling more like a number and less like a person their practitioner wants to invest time in. However, there are lots of ways you can easily turn things around and improve your patients’ experience at your practice.

One tip Eric M. White, OD, recently shared in Optometric Minute is to always be positive and to thank your patients after each visit. As he explains, when the practitioner projects positivity and is in a good mood, it will have a ripple effect on others, trickling the good mood down to your staff members and then to your patients when they step in the door.  After all, a positive attitude can make a huge difference because positivity is “infectious” and can help patients feel as though they’re valued in your practice.

At the end of the day, Dr. White also emails a personal thank you note to patients he saw throughout the day. This not only keeps the lines of communication open, but it also gives him the chance to verify a patient’s contact information, as well as obtain feedback from patients about their …

Talking to your patients about the dangers of blue-violet light is becoming more important as their exposure increases due to the continued use of digital gadgets and other devices. With that in mind, Think About Your Eyes UK recently started the “seeing blue” campaign to raise patient awareness of the damage exposure to blue-violet light can cause to their eyesight in this age of extensive screen usage and LED lighting.

Since deteriorating vision can happen over time and is often painless, your patients may not understand the damage their exposure to blue-violet light can cause. Macular degeneration is on the rise and it is largely being attributed to increased time being spent in front of computers and other screens for work and play.

One of the reasons blue-violet light is being attributed to the rise in macular degeneration is because melanin production decreases as we age. For your patients, this means their natural eye protection from these light sources is diminished, but their exposure is still increasing. Some of your patients may not be aware that there are specialty glasses that can reduce the damage to their vision from prolonged screen usage or fluorescent lighting.

Other talking points that will …