...Re-surgery in children with developmental disorders and/or psychomotor delay has a larger effect per mm of surgery than in normal children. RcRs-surgery has a similar effect in delayed and normal children. ...
Comments:Just like in normal children....multiple strabismic surgeries are expected....except you need to do more in children with delays. DM
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Awareness of Exodeviation in Children with Intermittent Exotropia
...In our study, most patients with IXT were aware of their eye condition, but patient experience varied. In individual interviews, children described awareness of their eye condition mainly due to comments from others. Awareness of ability to correct the exodeviation by blinking was common and may be related to mechanisms used to control IXT....
Blindness in Childhood in Developing Countries: Time for a Reassessment?
Summary Points
Childhood blindness is a priority area for VISION 2020, a global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness, because blind and visually impaired children have a lifetime of blindness ahead of them.
Globally, vitamin A deficiency- and measles-related blindness in children has declined substantially although it persists in some focal settings.
With reductions in nutritional and infectious causes of blindness, intra-uterine and genetic causes of blindness (e.g., cataract and congenital anomalies) have assumed increased importance and need tertiary care-level interventions and long-term follow-up to achieve good visual rehabilitation.
Further research is needed to identify the underlying causes of congenital and developmental cataract and to determine the best strategies for recognition, referral, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Changing patterns of global childhood blindness suggest a reassessment of research, training, and programmatic needs.
Comments: They forgot to mention that the #1 cause of treatable visual impairment in the world is uncorrected refractive error: myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia. When are we going to simply give people a pair of spectacles? That would be money very well spent! DM
Childhood blindness is a priority area for VISION 2020, a global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness, because blind and visually impaired children have a lifetime of blindness ahead of them.
Globally, vitamin A deficiency- and measles-related blindness in children has declined substantially although it persists in some focal settings.
With reductions in nutritional and infectious causes of blindness, intra-uterine and genetic causes of blindness (e.g., cataract and congenital anomalies) have assumed increased importance and need tertiary care-level interventions and long-term follow-up to achieve good visual rehabilitation.
Further research is needed to identify the underlying causes of congenital and developmental cataract and to determine the best strategies for recognition, referral, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Changing patterns of global childhood blindness suggest a reassessment of research, training, and programmatic needs.
Comments: They forgot to mention that the #1 cause of treatable visual impairment in the world is uncorrected refractive error: myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism and presbyopia. When are we going to simply give people a pair of spectacles? That would be money very well spent! DM
Nutrition Research and Practice
The following new journal from the Korean Society of Community Nutrition and the Korean Nutrition Society has been added to PubMed Central:
Nutrition Research and Practice
ISSN: 1976-1457 (print) 2005-6168 (electronic)
URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1007/
Archive includes vol. 2(4) [2008] to 3(2) [2009]
Note: There is no embargo delay for this journal; all articles are Open Access.
Nutrition Research and Practice
ISSN: 1976-1457 (print) 2005-6168 (electronic)
URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1007/
Archive includes vol. 2(4) [2008] to 3(2) [2009]
Note: There is no embargo delay for this journal; all articles are Open Access.
Active Video Games Can Break a Sweat
...People who play active video games such as Wii Sports or Wii Fit may actually be breaking a sweat: researchers here say some provide the equivalent of a moderate-intensity workout. ...
The Top 10 Medical Advances of the Decade
1. Human Genome Discoveries Reach the Bedside
2. Doctors and Patients Harness Information Technology
3. Anti-Smoking laws and Campaigns Reduce Public Smoking
4. Heart Disease Deaths Drop by 40 Percent
5. Stem Cell Research: Laboratory Breakthroughs and Some Clinical Advances
6.Targeted Therapies for Cancer Expand With New Drugs
7. Combination Drug Therapy Extends HIV Survival
8. Minimally Invasive and Robotic Techniques Revolutionize Surgery
9. Study Finds Heart, Cancer Risk with Hormone Replacement Therapy
10. Scientists Peer Into Mind With Functional MRI
2. Doctors and Patients Harness Information Technology
3. Anti-Smoking laws and Campaigns Reduce Public Smoking
4. Heart Disease Deaths Drop by 40 Percent
5. Stem Cell Research: Laboratory Breakthroughs and Some Clinical Advances
6.Targeted Therapies for Cancer Expand With New Drugs
7. Combination Drug Therapy Extends HIV Survival
8. Minimally Invasive and Robotic Techniques Revolutionize Surgery
9. Study Finds Heart, Cancer Risk with Hormone Replacement Therapy
10. Scientists Peer Into Mind With Functional MRI
Several clinical factors may predict length of hospital stay for extremely preterm infants.
From AOA FirstLook:
Medscape (12/17, Barclay) reported, "Clinical factors may predict length of hospital stay for extremely preterm infants," Stanford researchers found after looking at data on "2,254 infants younger than 27 weeks...who were born at a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network site." According to the paper in Pediatrics, the team eventually found that a "very streamlined, five-factor model was as good as the much more complicated statistical model that [was] used to predict if a baby would be discharged early or late." In short, the "five key factors or groups of factors predicting later-than-usual hospital discharge were birth weight less than 750 g, the need for surgery during hospitalization, sepsis or gastrointestinal tract infections, chronic lung problems, and severe problems with retinal development."
Medscape (12/17, Barclay) reported, "Clinical factors may predict length of hospital stay for extremely preterm infants," Stanford researchers found after looking at data on "2,254 infants younger than 27 weeks...who were born at a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network site." According to the paper in Pediatrics, the team eventually found that a "very streamlined, five-factor model was as good as the much more complicated statistical model that [was] used to predict if a baby would be discharged early or late." In short, the "five key factors or groups of factors predicting later-than-usual hospital discharge were birth weight less than 750 g, the need for surgery during hospitalization, sepsis or gastrointestinal tract infections, chronic lung problems, and severe problems with retinal development."
Onset and Progression of With-the-Rule Astigmatism in Children with Infantile Nystagmus Syndrome
...Both our cross-sectional and longitudinal data showed that WTR astigmatism was common among children with INS and increased in magnitude with age during the first 8 years of life. Changes observed in meridional refractive error with age were consistent with meridional emmetropization in children with INS and WTR astigmatism....
Music and the Arts Fight Depression, Promote Health
If you paint, dance or play a musical instrument -- or just enjoy going to the theatre or to concerts -- it's likely that you feel healthier and are less depressed than people who don't, a survey of nearly 50,000 individuals from all socio-economic backgrounds from a county in mid-Norway shows.....
AOA Secures New Federal Recognition and Funding for InfantSEE® Program
From AOANews Blog:
Resources Aimed at Expanding Scope and Impact of Key Public Health Program for Kids
President Barack Obama yesterday signed into law a measure that provides nearly $600,000 in new federal resources to help expand the scope and impact of InfantSEE® - the signature public health program of the American Optometric Association (AOA) and administered by Optometry’s Charity™ - The AOA Foundation.
On December 16, President Obama signed into law the FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2009, which was approved by the U.S. House and Senate and cleared the way for the White House earlier this month. The bill, which provides funding for the operations of many areas of the federal government, includes $590,000 in new direct appropriations for InfantSEE® and is designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness.
The first direct appropriation, sponsored by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) totaled $500,000 and is aimed at supporting expansion and outreach of the program.
“Many parents of newborns do not know that the most dramatic development of a child’s visual system occurs within the first year of life,” said Sen. Byrd. “And it is through early detection and treatment of potential problems that parents can help ensure poor vision and eye health does not severely affect their child’s ability to learn and place them at a disadvantage in education and in life.”
The second direct appropriation totaling $90,000 was sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and will support program expansion through outreach in Iowa.
“InfantSEE® is doing much more than identifying and treating risk factors that may cause eye and vision problems later in the life,” said Sen. Harkin. “They are taking prevention to a new level to ensure healthier, thriving children and lower health care costs down the road.”
The InfantSEE® program previously received a direct appropriation sponsored by Sen. Byrd in the fall of 2008 and implemented in 2009. Data collected from the 2009 project display an overall prevalence rate of one in six infants exhibiting a cause for concern (in need of follow-up care or referral to an eye doctor). The data also identified two groups at greatest risk for abnormal vision status: premature and minority infants.
“The fact is that this is so much more than just another big win in Washington, D.C. for our patients and profession,” said Randolph E. Brooks, AOA President. “The expanded funding for InfantSEE® that the AOA has secured provides a new level of recognition from the President and Congress for the leadership role of optometry in delivering needed eye health and care to a critical population.”
InfantSEE® assessments are complementary to the routine well-care exams a baby receives from a pediatrician or family physician. Optometrists have the training to identify areas of risk that are critical to vision development and the skills to identify conditions that might not be detected in a routine pediatric wellness exam. In some cases, conditions may need to be monitored, immediately treated or referred to a pediatric eye specialist.
To learn more about InfantSEE® visit www.InfantSEE.org.
Resources Aimed at Expanding Scope and Impact of Key Public Health Program for Kids
President Barack Obama yesterday signed into law a measure that provides nearly $600,000 in new federal resources to help expand the scope and impact of InfantSEE® - the signature public health program of the American Optometric Association (AOA) and administered by Optometry’s Charity™ - The AOA Foundation.
On December 16, President Obama signed into law the FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2009, which was approved by the U.S. House and Senate and cleared the way for the White House earlier this month. The bill, which provides funding for the operations of many areas of the federal government, includes $590,000 in new direct appropriations for InfantSEE® and is designed to ensure that eye and vision care becomes an integral part of infant wellness.
The first direct appropriation, sponsored by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) totaled $500,000 and is aimed at supporting expansion and outreach of the program.
“Many parents of newborns do not know that the most dramatic development of a child’s visual system occurs within the first year of life,” said Sen. Byrd. “And it is through early detection and treatment of potential problems that parents can help ensure poor vision and eye health does not severely affect their child’s ability to learn and place them at a disadvantage in education and in life.”
The second direct appropriation totaling $90,000 was sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and will support program expansion through outreach in Iowa.
“InfantSEE® is doing much more than identifying and treating risk factors that may cause eye and vision problems later in the life,” said Sen. Harkin. “They are taking prevention to a new level to ensure healthier, thriving children and lower health care costs down the road.”
The InfantSEE® program previously received a direct appropriation sponsored by Sen. Byrd in the fall of 2008 and implemented in 2009. Data collected from the 2009 project display an overall prevalence rate of one in six infants exhibiting a cause for concern (in need of follow-up care or referral to an eye doctor). The data also identified two groups at greatest risk for abnormal vision status: premature and minority infants.
“The fact is that this is so much more than just another big win in Washington, D.C. for our patients and profession,” said Randolph E. Brooks, AOA President. “The expanded funding for InfantSEE® that the AOA has secured provides a new level of recognition from the President and Congress for the leadership role of optometry in delivering needed eye health and care to a critical population.”
InfantSEE® assessments are complementary to the routine well-care exams a baby receives from a pediatrician or family physician. Optometrists have the training to identify areas of risk that are critical to vision development and the skills to identify conditions that might not be detected in a routine pediatric wellness exam. In some cases, conditions may need to be monitored, immediately treated or referred to a pediatric eye specialist.
To learn more about InfantSEE® visit www.InfantSEE.org.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Optometry and Vision Development Volume 40, No. 4, 2009
Optometry and Vision Development Volume 40, No. 4, 2009
Editorials
One Time Around the Sun
by Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A, Editor
Mentoring: Giving Back to the Profession
by Marc B. Taub, OD, FAAO, FCOVD
Letter to the Editor
Articles
Instability of Fixation in Dyslexia: Development - Deficits - Training
by Burkhart Fischer, Dipl Phys; Klaus Hartnegg, Dipl Phys
Subitizing: Vision Therapy for Math Deficits
by Sidney Groffman OD, MA, FCOVD
Predicting Accommodative Insufficiency and Academic Problems using the Conlon Visual Discomfort Survey
by Chris Chase, PhD; Chinatsu Tosha, PhD; Eric Borsting, OD, MS, FAAO,FCOVD; William H. Ridder III, OD, PhD, FAAO
Papers and Posters
Literature Review
Current Eye & Vision Science Literature
Review by David A. Goss, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A
Book Review
Clinical Management of Binocular Vision
Review by Christine L. Allison, OD
EnVISIONing a Bright Future
Review by Dr. Gary Williams
COVD 39th Annual Meeting
President’s Speech - COVD Continues Making a Difference
By Brad Habermehl, OD, FCOVD
Annual Membership Report
By Carol L. Scott, OD, FCOVD
Annual Meeting Photos
NewsMakers
Editorials
One Time Around the Sun
by Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A, Editor
Mentoring: Giving Back to the Profession
by Marc B. Taub, OD, FAAO, FCOVD
Letter to the Editor
Articles
Instability of Fixation in Dyslexia: Development - Deficits - Training
by Burkhart Fischer, Dipl Phys; Klaus Hartnegg, Dipl Phys
Subitizing: Vision Therapy for Math Deficits
by Sidney Groffman OD, MA, FCOVD
Predicting Accommodative Insufficiency and Academic Problems using the Conlon Visual Discomfort Survey
by Chris Chase, PhD; Chinatsu Tosha, PhD; Eric Borsting, OD, MS, FAAO,FCOVD; William H. Ridder III, OD, PhD, FAAO
Papers and Posters
Literature Review
Current Eye & Vision Science Literature
Review by David A. Goss, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A
Book Review
Clinical Management of Binocular Vision
Review by Christine L. Allison, OD
EnVISIONing a Bright Future
Review by Dr. Gary Williams
COVD 39th Annual Meeting
President’s Speech - COVD Continues Making a Difference
By Brad Habermehl, OD, FCOVD
Annual Membership Report
By Carol L. Scott, OD, FCOVD
Annual Meeting Photos
NewsMakers
Optometric Vision Therapy Helps Children With Math Problems
Optometric Vision Therapy Helps Children With Math Problems
AURORA, Ohio, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --"The incidence of individuals with a mathematics learning disability is between 6-7% of the population." Since there are more than 300 million individuals in the United States, up to 21 million men, women, and children may be affected by this disorder. Sidney Groffman OD, MA, FCOVD, Professor Emeritus at SUNY College of Optometry, author of the article published in the December 2009 issue of Optometry & Vision Development, also says, "This is unfortunate because math skills are of prime importance in everyday life enabling us to understand number concepts and do calculations. Math ability is essential for many occupations and professions."
Dr. Dominck Maino, editor of Optometry & Vision Development says that in this article, "Dr. Groffman goes on to review a particular ability called subitizing. This is a basic skill which has been known to be a precursor of math skills." Dr. Groffman has helped to develop a subitizing vision therapy computer program that has been designed and based upon theories and experimental data appropriate for improving math skills. It consists of a diagnostic test and four therapy programs. This paper reviews subitizing and how members of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development can use this computer program to help their patients.
In this same issue of Optometry & Vision Development, Drs. Burkhart Fischer and Klaus Hartnegg of the Centre of Neuroscience, Optomotor Laboratory, of the University of Freiburg, present their research on instability of fixation and children with dyslexia. They note that "Dyslexic subjects have higher incidence of fixation instabilities as compared with their corresponding age group. The percentage of affected subjects was 25% for the binocular instability independent of age. Daily practice improves binocular fixation by 55%, with simple stability improving by 19%. To the extent that the binocular vision instability causes dynamic problems of stereo-vision (3D vision), the trained subjects have less and shorter periods of double images arriving at cortical levels of visual processing. This in turn makes it easier for them to identify letters and short sequences of letters with the result of fewer problems in reading."
And finally, researchers at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry, the Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA, and the Southern California College of Optometry, Drs. Chris Chase, Chinatsu Tosha, Eric Borsting, and William Ridder have noted that the Conlon survey is a useful tool to identify students with near work vision problems that negatively affect academic/school performance or are associated with eye focusing problems.
About Optometry & Vision Development
Optometry & Vision Development (OVD) is a peer-reviewed open access journal indexed in the online Directory of Open Access Journals. The full text of these articles is available free from www.covd.org. OVD is an official publication of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Any questions may be addressed to the editor, Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A at [email protected] or 312-949-7282.
About COVD
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) is an international, non-profit optometric membership organization that provides education, evaluation, and board certification programs in behavioral and developmental vision care, optometric vision therapy, and visual rehabilitation. The organization is comprised of doctors of optometry, vision therapists and other vision specialists. For more information on learning-related vision problems, optometric vision therapy, and COVD, please visit www.covd.org or call 888.268.3770.
CONTACT: Pamela R. Happ, CAE
COVD Executive Director
Phone: 888.268.3770
Email: [email protected]
AURORA, Ohio, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --"The incidence of individuals with a mathematics learning disability is between 6-7% of the population." Since there are more than 300 million individuals in the United States, up to 21 million men, women, and children may be affected by this disorder. Sidney Groffman OD, MA, FCOVD, Professor Emeritus at SUNY College of Optometry, author of the article published in the December 2009 issue of Optometry & Vision Development, also says, "This is unfortunate because math skills are of prime importance in everyday life enabling us to understand number concepts and do calculations. Math ability is essential for many occupations and professions."
Dr. Dominck Maino, editor of Optometry & Vision Development says that in this article, "Dr. Groffman goes on to review a particular ability called subitizing. This is a basic skill which has been known to be a precursor of math skills." Dr. Groffman has helped to develop a subitizing vision therapy computer program that has been designed and based upon theories and experimental data appropriate for improving math skills. It consists of a diagnostic test and four therapy programs. This paper reviews subitizing and how members of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development can use this computer program to help their patients.
In this same issue of Optometry & Vision Development, Drs. Burkhart Fischer and Klaus Hartnegg of the Centre of Neuroscience, Optomotor Laboratory, of the University of Freiburg, present their research on instability of fixation and children with dyslexia. They note that "Dyslexic subjects have higher incidence of fixation instabilities as compared with their corresponding age group. The percentage of affected subjects was 25% for the binocular instability independent of age. Daily practice improves binocular fixation by 55%, with simple stability improving by 19%. To the extent that the binocular vision instability causes dynamic problems of stereo-vision (3D vision), the trained subjects have less and shorter periods of double images arriving at cortical levels of visual processing. This in turn makes it easier for them to identify letters and short sequences of letters with the result of fewer problems in reading."
And finally, researchers at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Optometry, the Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA, and the Southern California College of Optometry, Drs. Chris Chase, Chinatsu Tosha, Eric Borsting, and William Ridder have noted that the Conlon survey is a useful tool to identify students with near work vision problems that negatively affect academic/school performance or are associated with eye focusing problems.
About Optometry & Vision Development
Optometry & Vision Development (OVD) is a peer-reviewed open access journal indexed in the online Directory of Open Access Journals. The full text of these articles is available free from www.covd.org. OVD is an official publication of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. Any questions may be addressed to the editor, Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A at [email protected] or 312-949-7282.
About COVD
The College of Optometrists in Vision Development (COVD) is an international, non-profit optometric membership organization that provides education, evaluation, and board certification programs in behavioral and developmental vision care, optometric vision therapy, and visual rehabilitation. The organization is comprised of doctors of optometry, vision therapists and other vision specialists. For more information on learning-related vision problems, optometric vision therapy, and COVD, please visit www.covd.org or call 888.268.3770.
CONTACT: Pamela R. Happ, CAE
COVD Executive Director
Phone: 888.268.3770
Email: [email protected]
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Never, Never, Never, Never Do this!!!
Dr. Mike Cohen sent this to me in his newsletter....NEVER do this. DM
Center for Patient Insights
From Dr. Mike Cohen's Newsletter:
THE CPI: The Center for Patient Insights is now available to U.S. eye care professionals, developed specifically for eye care professionals and its purpose is to deliver up-to-date news on industry trends, and insights on patient attitudes and beliefs.
To this end, the Center has created a Web site
that will provide research and insights that are downloadable and printable for future use and reference, as well as video materials that eye care professionals can listen to or watch at their convenience. This site, which is just one component of the Center initiative, also includes a search function that allows users to easily locate specific information using keywords and categories.
The insights on consumer behavior that the
Center offers are not tied to specific brands and are derived from proprietary data or from research conducted by outside sources such as Gallup and Health Product Research. Some of the available topics include: patient health and vision conditions; patient preferences and behaviors; patient satisfaction and retention; time management; and market growth. www.centerforpatientinsights.com
THE CPI: The Center for Patient Insights is now available to U.S. eye care professionals, developed specifically for eye care professionals and its purpose is to deliver up-to-date news on industry trends, and insights on patient attitudes and beliefs.
To this end, the Center has created a Web site
that will provide research and insights that are downloadable and printable for future use and reference, as well as video materials that eye care professionals can listen to or watch at their convenience. This site, which is just one component of the Center initiative, also includes a search function that allows users to easily locate specific information using keywords and categories.
The insights on consumer behavior that the
Center offers are not tied to specific brands and are derived from proprietary data or from research conducted by outside sources such as Gallup and Health Product Research. Some of the available topics include: patient health and vision conditions; patient preferences and behaviors; patient satisfaction and retention; time management; and market growth. www.centerforpatientinsights.com
NORA and ICBO
From SOVOTO:
To all:
The Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) and the International Congress of Behavioral Optometry (ICBO) have a very exciting opportunity to offer to full time students and residents interested in vision training and rehabilitative vision care. Most traditional curriculums offer very limited exposure to working with brain injured and stroke patients, however, there are many private practice doctors applying diverse and interesting approaches to rehabilitation. This opportunity will allow you to expand your knowledge in the area of neuro optometric rehabilitation and get a taste of the multidisciplinary approach necessary when working in the rehabilitation setting.
The Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) is hosting its annual meeting in conjunction with the International Congress of Optometry on April 8-11 in Pomona, CA. The continuing education offered at this meeting will expose you to material and a way of thinking that you most likely have not yet encountered. The two days prior to the annual meeting, April 6-7, will be NORA’s Clinical Skills program. The Clinical Skills program is an opportunity to explore Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation through a comprehensive, multidisciplinary lecture sequence. Recipients of the grant will have the opportunity to attend Clinical Skills level 1. By attending this two day course you will learn a great deal about the nuts and bolts of Traumatic Brain Injury rehabilitation. Integrated into the course are tools that can be applied in providing rehabilitative care.
NORA and ICBO have come together to offer grants to students and residents to help with the costs of attending the meeting. If you are a full time student or resident willing to volunteer time at the meeting, as well as write a report on the conference to be distributed at your college, NORA and ICBO will provide full conference registration (including lunch both days), up to $200 travel grant, and dorm style hotel rooming at no cost to you. To be considered for one of these grants you must complete the attached application and email it to, [email protected]. We have 10 of these opportunities to offer so get your applications in soon. The deadline for submission of an application is February 15, 2010, but the sooner the better!
Grant recipients will be assigned duties throughout the meeting. These duties will include things like stamping CE forms after lectures, assisting during the clinical skills lectures and assisting at the registration desk.
The dorm style hotel arrangements for students and residents will provide you with an opportunity to meet the other students in attendance and work together to make your experience at NORA/ ICBO the best it can be. Grant recipients will be matched up and assigned to rooms through this program.
We also offer a Dinner-with-a-doc night. If you are interested in participating in this you will be matched with a doctor who has expressed interest in hosting a student for dinner with a group of other docs. This is an opportunity for you as a student to get a sense of the “family” at the meetings.
If you are interested in attending the meeting please forward me a completed application by February 15, 2010. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me for additional information.
Additional information on these meetings can be found at www.nora.cc and www.2010icbo.org. You will also have a chance to see Western University College of Optometry, a cosponsor of this conference. Looking forward to seeing you in Sunny California!
Sincerely,
Sarah Lane, O.D.
[email protected]
215 284 4895
P.S. Please feel free to share this information with anyone you feel may be interested. Remember...this opportunity is not restricted to Optometry students and residents so share the information with other professions as well!!!
To all:
The Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) and the International Congress of Behavioral Optometry (ICBO) have a very exciting opportunity to offer to full time students and residents interested in vision training and rehabilitative vision care. Most traditional curriculums offer very limited exposure to working with brain injured and stroke patients, however, there are many private practice doctors applying diverse and interesting approaches to rehabilitation. This opportunity will allow you to expand your knowledge in the area of neuro optometric rehabilitation and get a taste of the multidisciplinary approach necessary when working in the rehabilitation setting.
The Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA) is hosting its annual meeting in conjunction with the International Congress of Optometry on April 8-11 in Pomona, CA. The continuing education offered at this meeting will expose you to material and a way of thinking that you most likely have not yet encountered. The two days prior to the annual meeting, April 6-7, will be NORA’s Clinical Skills program. The Clinical Skills program is an opportunity to explore Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation through a comprehensive, multidisciplinary lecture sequence. Recipients of the grant will have the opportunity to attend Clinical Skills level 1. By attending this two day course you will learn a great deal about the nuts and bolts of Traumatic Brain Injury rehabilitation. Integrated into the course are tools that can be applied in providing rehabilitative care.
NORA and ICBO have come together to offer grants to students and residents to help with the costs of attending the meeting. If you are a full time student or resident willing to volunteer time at the meeting, as well as write a report on the conference to be distributed at your college, NORA and ICBO will provide full conference registration (including lunch both days), up to $200 travel grant, and dorm style hotel rooming at no cost to you. To be considered for one of these grants you must complete the attached application and email it to, [email protected]. We have 10 of these opportunities to offer so get your applications in soon. The deadline for submission of an application is February 15, 2010, but the sooner the better!
Grant recipients will be assigned duties throughout the meeting. These duties will include things like stamping CE forms after lectures, assisting during the clinical skills lectures and assisting at the registration desk.
The dorm style hotel arrangements for students and residents will provide you with an opportunity to meet the other students in attendance and work together to make your experience at NORA/ ICBO the best it can be. Grant recipients will be matched up and assigned to rooms through this program.
We also offer a Dinner-with-a-doc night. If you are interested in participating in this you will be matched with a doctor who has expressed interest in hosting a student for dinner with a group of other docs. This is an opportunity for you as a student to get a sense of the “family” at the meetings.
If you are interested in attending the meeting please forward me a completed application by February 15, 2010. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me for additional information.
Additional information on these meetings can be found at www.nora.cc and www.2010icbo.org. You will also have a chance to see Western University College of Optometry, a cosponsor of this conference. Looking forward to seeing you in Sunny California!
Sincerely,
Sarah Lane, O.D.
[email protected]
215 284 4895
P.S. Please feel free to share this information with anyone you feel may be interested. Remember...this opportunity is not restricted to Optometry students and residents so share the information with other professions as well!!!
Optometric Care of the Patient with Acquired Brain Injury
From the AOA:
....Injury to the eye or the sensory, motor or associated areas of the visual system of the Brain Injury patient may result in the development of the following:
* Strabismus
* Reduced visual acuity at far
* Reduced visual acuity at near
* Visual field loss
* Ocular motility disorders
* Binocular vision dysfunctions
* Accommodative disorders
* Difficulties in visual perception
* Deficits in visual motor integration...
Comments: For additional info, click the title. DM
....Injury to the eye or the sensory, motor or associated areas of the visual system of the Brain Injury patient may result in the development of the following:
* Strabismus
* Reduced visual acuity at far
* Reduced visual acuity at near
* Visual field loss
* Ocular motility disorders
* Binocular vision dysfunctions
* Accommodative disorders
* Difficulties in visual perception
* Deficits in visual motor integration...
Comments: For additional info, click the title. DM
Vision, Learning and Dyslexia
From the AOA:
VISION AND LEARNING
Many children and adults continue to struggle with learning in the classroom and the workplace. Advances in information technology, its expanding necessity, and its accessibility are placing greater demands on people for efficient learning and information processing.
Learning is accomplished through complex and interrelated processes, one of which is vision. Determining the relationships between vision and learning involves more than evaluating eye health and visual acuity (clarity of sight). Problems in identifying and treating people with learning-related vision problems arise when such a limited definition of vision is employed.
This position statement addresses these issues, which are important to individuals who have learning-related vision problems, their families, their teachers, the educational system, and society...
Comments: Click on title to read all. DM
VISION AND LEARNING
Many children and adults continue to struggle with learning in the classroom and the workplace. Advances in information technology, its expanding necessity, and its accessibility are placing greater demands on people for efficient learning and information processing.
Learning is accomplished through complex and interrelated processes, one of which is vision. Determining the relationships between vision and learning involves more than evaluating eye health and visual acuity (clarity of sight). Problems in identifying and treating people with learning-related vision problems arise when such a limited definition of vision is employed.
This position statement addresses these issues, which are important to individuals who have learning-related vision problems, their families, their teachers, the educational system, and society...
Comments: Click on title to read all. DM
The Need for Comprehensive Vision Examination of Preschool and School-age Children
From AOA:
Vision disorders are a common pediatric health problem in the United States. It is estimated that nearly 25% of school-age children have vision problems. Despite the economic, social and health care advances which have occurred in our society, many preschool and school-age children are not receiving adequate professional eye and vision care. Only about one third of all children have had an eye examination or vision screening prior to entering school. Also, a recent study found that 11.5% of teenagers have undetected or untreated vision problems. The early detection and treatment of eye and vision problems for children needs to be a major public health goal. This is made increasingly important by the enhanced understanding of critical periods in human visual development. The earlier a vision problem is diagnosed and treated, the less the potential negative impact it may have on the child's development.
Comments: Click on title to read more. DM
Vision disorders are a common pediatric health problem in the United States. It is estimated that nearly 25% of school-age children have vision problems. Despite the economic, social and health care advances which have occurred in our society, many preschool and school-age children are not receiving adequate professional eye and vision care. Only about one third of all children have had an eye examination or vision screening prior to entering school. Also, a recent study found that 11.5% of teenagers have undetected or untreated vision problems. The early detection and treatment of eye and vision problems for children needs to be a major public health goal. This is made increasingly important by the enhanced understanding of critical periods in human visual development. The earlier a vision problem is diagnosed and treated, the less the potential negative impact it may have on the child's development.
Comments: Click on title to read more. DM
Vision: A Collaboration of Eyes and Brain
From AOA:
The fact that vision seems so effortless belies the complexity of the visual process. The term vision refers to the complex of eye and brain.1 It is this complex which guides a broad spectrum of human abilities.
We walk down a street, step up and down curbs, maneuver around objects and other pedestrians and adjust our pace, while visually monitoring our position. Moments later we get into our car, drive at highway speed through traffic and judge where we are relative to other vehicles while anticipating the flow of traffic. We arrive at baseball practice where we pick up a bat, walk to the plate, miss a curve ball, foul-off a fast ball and then hit a single, making numerous conscious and subconscious judgements with varying degrees of success. After practice, we stop by the mall, scan the crowd for our friend, and go to the bookstore to find the book we might want to purchase. Over a no-foam latte, we read the opening chapter, seeing if it captures our attention.
Our vision plays an essential role in each of these activities through the collaboration of eyes and brain.
Comments: Click on title to read more. DM
The fact that vision seems so effortless belies the complexity of the visual process. The term vision refers to the complex of eye and brain.1 It is this complex which guides a broad spectrum of human abilities.
We walk down a street, step up and down curbs, maneuver around objects and other pedestrians and adjust our pace, while visually monitoring our position. Moments later we get into our car, drive at highway speed through traffic and judge where we are relative to other vehicles while anticipating the flow of traffic. We arrive at baseball practice where we pick up a bat, walk to the plate, miss a curve ball, foul-off a fast ball and then hit a single, making numerous conscious and subconscious judgements with varying degrees of success. After practice, we stop by the mall, scan the crowd for our friend, and go to the bookstore to find the book we might want to purchase. Over a no-foam latte, we read the opening chapter, seeing if it captures our attention.
Our vision plays an essential role in each of these activities through the collaboration of eyes and brain.
Comments: Click on title to read more. DM
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Get Ready for the Revolution in Pediatric Optometry
This is an awesome article by my friend and colleague Dr. Len Press. Read it! DM
Monocular and binocular distance cues: insights from visual form agnosia I (of III)
Abstract The human nervous system constructs a Euclidean
representation of near (personal) space by combining
multiple sources of information (cues). We investigated
the cues used for the representation of personal
space in a patient with visual form agnosia (DF). Our results
indicated that DF relies predominantly on binocular
vergence information when determining the distance of a
target despite the presence of other (retinal) cues. Notably,
DF was able to construct an Euclidean representation
of personal space from vergence alone. This finding
supports previous assertions that vergence provides the
nervous system with veridical information for the construction
of personal space. The results from the current
study, together with those of others, suggest that: (i) the
ventral stream is responsible for extracting depth and
distance information from “monocular” retinal cues (i.e.
from shading, texture, perspective) and (ii) the dorsal
stream has access to binocular information (from horizontal
image disparities and vergence). These results
also indicate that DF was not able to use size information
to gauge target distance, suggesting that intact temporal
cortex is necessary for “learned size” to influence
distance processing. Our findings further suggest that in
neurologically intact humans, object information extracted
in the ventral pathway is combined with the products
of dorsal stream processing for guiding prehension. Finally,
we studied the “size-distance paradox” in visual
form agnosia in order to explore the cognitive use of size
information. The results of this experiment were consistent
with a previous suggestion that the paradox is a cognitive
phenomenon.
representation of near (personal) space by combining
multiple sources of information (cues). We investigated
the cues used for the representation of personal
space in a patient with visual form agnosia (DF). Our results
indicated that DF relies predominantly on binocular
vergence information when determining the distance of a
target despite the presence of other (retinal) cues. Notably,
DF was able to construct an Euclidean representation
of personal space from vergence alone. This finding
supports previous assertions that vergence provides the
nervous system with veridical information for the construction
of personal space. The results from the current
study, together with those of others, suggest that: (i) the
ventral stream is responsible for extracting depth and
distance information from “monocular” retinal cues (i.e.
from shading, texture, perspective) and (ii) the dorsal
stream has access to binocular information (from horizontal
image disparities and vergence). These results
also indicate that DF was not able to use size information
to gauge target distance, suggesting that intact temporal
cortex is necessary for “learned size” to influence
distance processing. Our findings further suggest that in
neurologically intact humans, object information extracted
in the ventral pathway is combined with the products
of dorsal stream processing for guiding prehension. Finally,
we studied the “size-distance paradox” in visual
form agnosia in order to explore the cognitive use of size
information. The results of this experiment were consistent
with a previous suggestion that the paradox is a cognitive
phenomenon.
COPE Standards for Commercial Support
In its November 2009 meeting, the ARBO Board of Directors approved the final timeline for the release and implementation of the new COPE Standards for Commercial Support. The Standards were released on December 15, 2009. January through June 2010 will be a six-month training period, followed by a six-month implementation phase. Oversight and enforcement during 2010 will consist of notification of non-compliance and assistance with compliance issues. Full compliance to the standards for all COPE accredited CE will be required as of January 1, 2011.
Old Math Reveals New Thinking In Children's Cognitive Development
Five-year-olds can reason about the world from multiple perspectives simultaneously, according to a new theory by researchers in Japan and Australia. ....
Ginkgo Biloba Extract Is Effective For Cognitive Decline
"Ginkgo biloba not only improves declining memory but offers specific benefits for other cognitive functions as well" that's how Dr. Reiner Kaschel, Clinical Neuropsychologist at the University of Osnabrueck, Germany, summarizes the results of a comprehensive new scientific publication.....
What Is A Coma (comatose)? What Is A Persistent Vegetative State?
A coma, or comatose is a deep state of unconsciousness - longer-term comatose patients may be reclassified as being in a permanent vegetative state. The patient cannot be awakened and does not respond to pain, light or sound in a normal way - the person in coma cannot react with the surrounding environment. A person in a coma does not take voluntary actions and does not have sleep-wake cycles....
No Best Approach To Education For All Children With Autism
There is no one best approach that can be used in educating all children and young people with autism, according to a new report by researchers from the University of Birmingham's Autism Centre for Education and Research and St. Patrick's College Dublin, published by the Republic of Ireland's National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
Study Reveals Differences In How The Autistic Brain Distinguishes Oneself From Others
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have discovered that the brains of individuals with autism are less active when engaged in self-reflective thought. The study published in the journal Brain provides new evidence for the neural correlates of self-awareness and a new window into understanding social difficulties in autism spectrum conditions
Special SECO Alert!
An announcement from my friend and colleague Dr. Walt Mayo:
I've personally worked with SECO since 1994. There simply is no other meeting in Optometry that compares. As in prior years, SECO 2010 represents the best of three worlds: Education, Exhibits, and Events. The upcoming SECO Congress to be held in Atlanta February 10-14, 2010 is a terrific opportunity to get the finest education. The Congress itself features hundreds of hours of CE, plus for SECO 2010 you can add six hours the day before through a partnership with the Optometric Nutrition Society, and an addition eleven hours of free Virtual CE for all full Congress registrants. Don't miss Early Bird registration! See SECO2010. com for all the information you need to make the most of your SECO experience. Here are few important things to know as we head into the Christmas rush:
SECO Early-Bird Registration Rate Ends December 17th
SECO Symposium Series - Free Meal WIth Each Symposium!
SECO Offers 11 Hours of Free Virtual CE with SECO Registration
Optometric Nutrition Society To Hold Spring Educational Conference Prior to SECO
Almost 350 Hours of Continuing Education
275 Leading Industry Companies
SECO Early-Bird Registration Rate Ends December 17th
You've got today and tomorrow to save at least $40 by registering for SECO 2010 at the Early Bird rate.
SECO Symposium Series - Free Meal WIth Each Symposium!
In keeping with the SECO tradition of providing Optometrists with the most innovative and new educational opportunities, SECO 2010 unveils a unique Symposium Series. SECO 2010 and its Diamond and Platinum level Partners are inviting attendees to enjoy a FREE meal while listening to reputable industry leaders at FREE Symposium Series presentations highlighting information on the latest developments in optometric products and services designed to give an edge in today's economy. The symposiums are not for COPE credit.
Thursday, February 11th
Clinical Partnerships: Understanding the Opportunities for Your Patients and Practice
Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO; William Trattler, MD
Presented by Abbott Medical Optics
Course 300 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
A Perfect Fit for Optometry
Marc Bloomenstein, OD
Presented by Allergan
Value for Your Patients, Profit for Your Practice
Mike Rothschild, OD; Dwight Akerman, OD, FAAO; Amir Khoshnevis, OD
Presented by CIBA VISION
Course 301 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
Friday, February 12th
Insights to Grow in Today’s Environment
Panel
Presented by Bausch & Lomb
Combining Modality and Material for Short and Long-Term Ocular Health
Lyndon Jones, PhD, FAAO
Presented by Vistakon
Course 302 7:15 AM - 8:15 AM
Saturday, February 13th
Best Practices in Prescribing Vision Correction in 2010 - Part I
Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO
Presented by Essilor
Best Practices in Prescribing Vision Correction in 2010 - Part II
Christine Sindt, OD, FAAO
Presented by Alcon
Course 303 7:15 AM - 8:15 AM
Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn the latest in the industry, have breakfast or lunch with colleagues and friends, and chances to win complimentary SECO 2011 OD registrations or $1,000 vouchers to be used in Optometry's Marketplace(tm) at SECO 2010.
SECO Offers 11 Hours of Free Virtual CE with SECO Registration
Register now, or at any time prior to SECO 2010 and receive free access to SECO's brand new collection of Virtual CE courses. Available right now, you can take up to eleven hours of excellent COPE-approved online CE just for SECO 2010 attendees. This makes your SECO 2010 registration an even better value. Presenters for these courses include Jeffrey Anshel, OD, Paul Harris, OD, Kelly Malloy, OD, Anastas Pass, OD, and Tammy Than, OD.
Optometric Nutrition Society To Hold Spring Educational Conference Prior to SECO
The New Spring Educational Conference for the Optometric Nutrition Society will be held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on February 10, 2010. This is one day prior to the annual meeting of SECO. Presenters include Ellen Troyer, A. Paul Chous, OD, Ben Lane, OD, Stuart Richer, OD, and Jeffrey Anshel, OD. Six hours of CE including lunch are available at a very good rate.
Almost 350 Hours of Continuing Education
SECO 2010 will offer almost 350 hours of continuing education for optometrists, opticians, paraoptometrics, ophthalmic technicians, and administrative staff. Education includes special sessions, hourly lectures, hands-on workshops, certification reviews and joint education for the entire office. Many of these courses will focus on generational patient care topics themed, “Embracing the Generations.”
275 Leading Industry Companies
SECO 2010 features Optometry's Marketplace at SECO™, one of the largest exhibit halls in optometry. With 70,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, Optometry’s Marketplace™ features 275 industry leading companies showcasing new trends, the most recent product introductions, as well as breakthrough technologies and services. Whether its frames, ophthalmic equipment, pharmaceuticals or office technology, the exhibitors within Optometry’s Marketplace™ have what every eye care professional is looking for.
= =
Optcom.com is optometry's oldest and largest online community, serving optometrists since 1994. Over the years, thousands of doctors from nearly 40 countries around the world have participated in this dynamic, innovative group of optometric colleagues.
I've personally worked with SECO since 1994. There simply is no other meeting in Optometry that compares. As in prior years, SECO 2010 represents the best of three worlds: Education, Exhibits, and Events. The upcoming SECO Congress to be held in Atlanta February 10-14, 2010 is a terrific opportunity to get the finest education. The Congress itself features hundreds of hours of CE, plus for SECO 2010 you can add six hours the day before through a partnership with the Optometric Nutrition Society, and an addition eleven hours of free Virtual CE for all full Congress registrants. Don't miss Early Bird registration! See SECO2010. com for all the information you need to make the most of your SECO experience. Here are few important things to know as we head into the Christmas rush:
SECO Early-Bird Registration Rate Ends December 17th
SECO Symposium Series - Free Meal WIth Each Symposium!
SECO Offers 11 Hours of Free Virtual CE with SECO Registration
Optometric Nutrition Society To Hold Spring Educational Conference Prior to SECO
Almost 350 Hours of Continuing Education
275 Leading Industry Companies
SECO Early-Bird Registration Rate Ends December 17th
You've got today and tomorrow to save at least $40 by registering for SECO 2010 at the Early Bird rate.
SECO Symposium Series - Free Meal WIth Each Symposium!
In keeping with the SECO tradition of providing Optometrists with the most innovative and new educational opportunities, SECO 2010 unveils a unique Symposium Series. SECO 2010 and its Diamond and Platinum level Partners are inviting attendees to enjoy a FREE meal while listening to reputable industry leaders at FREE Symposium Series presentations highlighting information on the latest developments in optometric products and services designed to give an edge in today's economy. The symposiums are not for COPE credit.
Thursday, February 11th
Clinical Partnerships: Understanding the Opportunities for Your Patients and Practice
Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO; William Trattler, MD
Presented by Abbott Medical Optics
Course 300 8:15 AM - 9:15 AM
A Perfect Fit for Optometry
Marc Bloomenstein, OD
Presented by Allergan
Value for Your Patients, Profit for Your Practice
Mike Rothschild, OD; Dwight Akerman, OD, FAAO; Amir Khoshnevis, OD
Presented by CIBA VISION
Course 301 11:45 AM - 1:00 PM
Friday, February 12th
Insights to Grow in Today’s Environment
Panel
Presented by Bausch & Lomb
Combining Modality and Material for Short and Long-Term Ocular Health
Lyndon Jones, PhD, FAAO
Presented by Vistakon
Course 302 7:15 AM - 8:15 AM
Saturday, February 13th
Best Practices in Prescribing Vision Correction in 2010 - Part I
Paul Karpecki, OD, FAAO
Presented by Essilor
Best Practices in Prescribing Vision Correction in 2010 - Part II
Christine Sindt, OD, FAAO
Presented by Alcon
Course 303 7:15 AM - 8:15 AM
Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn the latest in the industry, have breakfast or lunch with colleagues and friends, and chances to win complimentary SECO 2011 OD registrations or $1,000 vouchers to be used in Optometry's Marketplace(tm) at SECO 2010.
SECO Offers 11 Hours of Free Virtual CE with SECO Registration
Register now, or at any time prior to SECO 2010 and receive free access to SECO's brand new collection of Virtual CE courses. Available right now, you can take up to eleven hours of excellent COPE-approved online CE just for SECO 2010 attendees. This makes your SECO 2010 registration an even better value. Presenters for these courses include Jeffrey Anshel, OD, Paul Harris, OD, Kelly Malloy, OD, Anastas Pass, OD, and Tammy Than, OD.
Optometric Nutrition Society To Hold Spring Educational Conference Prior to SECO
The New Spring Educational Conference for the Optometric Nutrition Society will be held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on February 10, 2010. This is one day prior to the annual meeting of SECO. Presenters include Ellen Troyer, A. Paul Chous, OD, Ben Lane, OD, Stuart Richer, OD, and Jeffrey Anshel, OD. Six hours of CE including lunch are available at a very good rate.
Almost 350 Hours of Continuing Education
SECO 2010 will offer almost 350 hours of continuing education for optometrists, opticians, paraoptometrics, ophthalmic technicians, and administrative staff. Education includes special sessions, hourly lectures, hands-on workshops, certification reviews and joint education for the entire office. Many of these courses will focus on generational patient care topics themed, “Embracing the Generations.”
275 Leading Industry Companies
SECO 2010 features Optometry's Marketplace at SECO™, one of the largest exhibit halls in optometry. With 70,000 square feet of exhibit hall space, Optometry’s Marketplace™ features 275 industry leading companies showcasing new trends, the most recent product introductions, as well as breakthrough technologies and services. Whether its frames, ophthalmic equipment, pharmaceuticals or office technology, the exhibitors within Optometry’s Marketplace™ have what every eye care professional is looking for.
= =
Optcom.com is optometry's oldest and largest online community, serving optometrists since 1994. Over the years, thousands of doctors from nearly 40 countries around the world have participated in this dynamic, innovative group of optometric colleagues.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
ICO Alumni Look at This and be Very Proud!
ICO Faculty & Program Achievements and Activities
December 16, 2009
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to Maino DM, Viola, SG, Donati R. The Etiology of Autism. Optom Vis Dev 2009:(40)3:150-156.
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to Viola SG, Maino DM. Brain anatomy, electrophysiology and visual function/perception in children within the autism spectrum disorder. Optom Vis Dev 2009;40(3):157-163.
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to Maino D. Partly cloudy with a chance of meatballs. Optom Vis Dev 2009;40(3):134-135.
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to: Pang Y, Trachimowicz R, Castells DD, Goodfellow GW, Maino DM. Optic Nerve Heads in Pediatric African Americans Using Retinal Tomography. Optom Vis Sci 2009;86:1-●●●
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Maino and Dr. Donati were cited in press releases concerning the Special Autism Issue Published by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (Optometry & Vision Development, Volume 40, Number 3, 2009)
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Hodur attended an Essilor-sponsored Key Optometric Leaders meeting in Cancun, Mexico, December 2-5, 2009. Dr. Hodur’s group had preliminary discussions about the use of ophthalmic lenses in diseased eye conditions.
Faculty Activity. Drs. Allison, Block, Maino, L. Messner and Pang attended part or all of the 3-day National VHA/DoD Conference: Sensory Impairment Issues in Traumatic Brain Injury here in Chicago on December 8-10, 2009 sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. Dr. Joan Stelmack, also an ICO faculty, was one of the presenters. Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the US Department of Veteran Affairs was the keynote speaker.
Faculty Achievement. The editors at Optometric Management have selected Dr. Maino’s article, Identify Binocular Vision Disorders, to be the cover story for the December 2009 issue.
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Frantz organized the 12-hour continuing education program for the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists conference held in Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN in October 2009.
Faculty Activity. Drs. Pang, Scharre and L. Messner submitted a pre-proposal, Assessment of Eye Movements in Service Members as Risk for Mild TBI, to the Defense Medical Research and Development Program (DMRDP) Applied Research and Advanced Technology Development Award program.
Faculty Achievement. The Prevent Blindness America Annual meeting was Friday, December 4, 2009. At the banquet to present annual awards, Dr. Block was awarded the F. Park Lewis, MD Lifetime Achievement Award, Prevent Blindness America, 2009. This prestigious award recognized Dr. Block for work that she has been doing with Prevent Blindness America for many years. Dr. Block notes that the attached link shares some perspectives on this important work. http://www.specialolympics.org/video_tim_shriver_developmental_disabilities.aspx
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Frantz and Dr. Cotter published a chapter in the prestigious Duane's Ophthalmology this year. Cotter SA, Frantz KA. Therapeutic uses of prism for binocular vision disorders. In: Tasman W, Jaeger EA, eds. Duane’s Clinical Ophthalmology. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2009.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Harthan is once again the chair of the AOA Faculty Liaison to Residency Programs and Optometry Students Committee. She and the committee have put together a list of awards for this year and are in process of involving as many students and residents involved as possible.
Program and Faculty Activity. COVD past President Dr. Fortenbacher hosted the Annual COVD Tour de Optometry event here at ICO. Dr. Fortenbacher met with interested faculty and later separately with students about COVD. His topic was Football to Neuroscience: VT Hits the Jackpot! Both faculty and students are strongly represented in the organization.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Mary Flynn-Roberts has announced the capacity and equipment to run Multifocal ERGs (mfERG) in the Visual Electrophysiology Service. The mfERG is used to evaluate the photopic cone function in an area of 20-30 degrees on either side of fixation. This test is useful for the monitoring for plaquenil toxicity and is also useful for investigating unexplained vision loss, unusual macular lesions and solar retinopathy.
Faculty Activity. Preliminary assessment suggests that up to 13 abstracts were submitted to ARVO 2010 from ICO faculty and students. ARVO is one of the most prestigious vision research meetings in the world.
Faculty Achievement. Drs. Wendy Stone, Janis Winters, and Kelly Frantz participated in the Correction of Hyperopia in Children Study (CHICS) study and the recent AAO poster presentation. The PCON report was presented at the AAO press conference in which the CHICS results were discussed (http://www.pconsupersite.com/default.asp?ID=20347 ). CHICS is a multi-centered pilot study on correction of hyperopia in children. The pilot study, showed that children with hyperopia who wore vision correction showed improvement in attention and accommodative response, but had no significant effect on measures of visual function or reading. Marjean T. Kulp, OD, MS, FAAO is principal investigator.
Faculty Achievement. At the meeting of the ASCO SIG for International Optometric Educators, November 13, 2009, at the AAO Annual Meeting, Dr. Pang was elected as chair of the ASCO SIG IOE. Dr. Block also attended. Dr. Pang was also elected to chair a Planning Committee that includes Dr. Block.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Pang has administrated training for the College’s new Tracey Technologies iTrace Aberrometer for research projects and/or patient care. The sessions were on December 8-9, 2009 in room 3527. The aberrometer is a sophisticated device allowing the assessment of refractive error, accommodation and aberrations of the eye.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Klemencic attended the Optometric Glaucoma Society meeting in Orlando, FL in November 2009.
Faculty Activity. Drs. Jan Jurkus and Lewis Williams presented a workshop at the 2009 AOCLE Workshop, which was hosted by the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) on Incorporating Interactive Case Reports in Teaching.
Faculty Achievement and Activity. Dr. Jurkus is also mentioned as a contributor to a textbook. At the end of the morning session of the AOCLE, attendees were treated to a book signing. Clinical Manual of Contact Lenses (3rd edition) editors Ed Bennett and Vinita Henry patiently signed copies for attendees, along with contributors Jan Jurkus, John Mark Jackson, Terry Scheid, Gina Sobora and Ron Watanabe. Dr. Jurkus is pictured with her collaborators on page 4 of the AOCLE Newsletter, November 2009. Dr. Jurkus also updated the group on her recent teaching trip to New Zealand (p. 7).
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Pang attended the International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation from Nov 16-18, 2009 in Madrid. She did an oral presentation of "Research Collaborations of US Optometry Schools/Colleges Internationally".
Faculty Activity. Dr. Daum has been appointed to the ASCO Committee on the Optometry Admission Test. The committee will review issues related to the OAT at the ADA headquarters in February 2010.
December 16, 2009
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to Maino DM, Viola, SG, Donati R. The Etiology of Autism. Optom Vis Dev 2009:(40)3:150-156.
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to Viola SG, Maino DM. Brain anatomy, electrophysiology and visual function/perception in children within the autism spectrum disorder. Optom Vis Dev 2009;40(3):157-163.
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to Maino D. Partly cloudy with a chance of meatballs. Optom Vis Dev 2009;40(3):134-135.
Faculty Achievement. Congratulations to: Pang Y, Trachimowicz R, Castells DD, Goodfellow GW, Maino DM. Optic Nerve Heads in Pediatric African Americans Using Retinal Tomography. Optom Vis Sci 2009;86:1-●●●
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Maino and Dr. Donati were cited in press releases concerning the Special Autism Issue Published by the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (Optometry & Vision Development, Volume 40, Number 3, 2009)
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Hodur attended an Essilor-sponsored Key Optometric Leaders meeting in Cancun, Mexico, December 2-5, 2009. Dr. Hodur’s group had preliminary discussions about the use of ophthalmic lenses in diseased eye conditions.
Faculty Activity. Drs. Allison, Block, Maino, L. Messner and Pang attended part or all of the 3-day National VHA/DoD Conference: Sensory Impairment Issues in Traumatic Brain Injury here in Chicago on December 8-10, 2009 sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense. Dr. Joan Stelmack, also an ICO faculty, was one of the presenters. Tammy Duckworth, Assistant Secretary of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs for the US Department of Veteran Affairs was the keynote speaker.
Faculty Achievement. The editors at Optometric Management have selected Dr. Maino’s article, Identify Binocular Vision Disorders, to be the cover story for the December 2009 issue.
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Frantz organized the 12-hour continuing education program for the Fellowship of Christian Optometrists conference held in Brown County State Park, Nashville, IN in October 2009.
Faculty Activity. Drs. Pang, Scharre and L. Messner submitted a pre-proposal, Assessment of Eye Movements in Service Members as Risk for Mild TBI, to the Defense Medical Research and Development Program (DMRDP) Applied Research and Advanced Technology Development Award program.
Faculty Achievement. The Prevent Blindness America Annual meeting was Friday, December 4, 2009. At the banquet to present annual awards, Dr. Block was awarded the F. Park Lewis, MD Lifetime Achievement Award, Prevent Blindness America, 2009. This prestigious award recognized Dr. Block for work that she has been doing with Prevent Blindness America for many years. Dr. Block notes that the attached link shares some perspectives on this important work. http://www.specialolympics.org/video_tim_shriver_developmental_disabilities.aspx
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Frantz and Dr. Cotter published a chapter in the prestigious Duane's Ophthalmology this year. Cotter SA, Frantz KA. Therapeutic uses of prism for binocular vision disorders. In: Tasman W, Jaeger EA, eds. Duane’s Clinical Ophthalmology. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2009.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Harthan is once again the chair of the AOA Faculty Liaison to Residency Programs and Optometry Students Committee. She and the committee have put together a list of awards for this year and are in process of involving as many students and residents involved as possible.
Program and Faculty Activity. COVD past President Dr. Fortenbacher hosted the Annual COVD Tour de Optometry event here at ICO. Dr. Fortenbacher met with interested faculty and later separately with students about COVD. His topic was Football to Neuroscience: VT Hits the Jackpot! Both faculty and students are strongly represented in the organization.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Mary Flynn-Roberts has announced the capacity and equipment to run Multifocal ERGs (mfERG) in the Visual Electrophysiology Service. The mfERG is used to evaluate the photopic cone function in an area of 20-30 degrees on either side of fixation. This test is useful for the monitoring for plaquenil toxicity and is also useful for investigating unexplained vision loss, unusual macular lesions and solar retinopathy.
Faculty Activity. Preliminary assessment suggests that up to 13 abstracts were submitted to ARVO 2010 from ICO faculty and students. ARVO is one of the most prestigious vision research meetings in the world.
Faculty Achievement. Drs. Wendy Stone, Janis Winters, and Kelly Frantz participated in the Correction of Hyperopia in Children Study (CHICS) study and the recent AAO poster presentation. The PCON report was presented at the AAO press conference in which the CHICS results were discussed (http://www.pconsupersite.com/default.asp?ID=20347 ). CHICS is a multi-centered pilot study on correction of hyperopia in children. The pilot study, showed that children with hyperopia who wore vision correction showed improvement in attention and accommodative response, but had no significant effect on measures of visual function or reading. Marjean T. Kulp, OD, MS, FAAO is principal investigator.
Faculty Achievement. At the meeting of the ASCO SIG for International Optometric Educators, November 13, 2009, at the AAO Annual Meeting, Dr. Pang was elected as chair of the ASCO SIG IOE. Dr. Block also attended. Dr. Pang was also elected to chair a Planning Committee that includes Dr. Block.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Pang has administrated training for the College’s new Tracey Technologies iTrace Aberrometer for research projects and/or patient care. The sessions were on December 8-9, 2009 in room 3527. The aberrometer is a sophisticated device allowing the assessment of refractive error, accommodation and aberrations of the eye.
Faculty Activity. Dr. Klemencic attended the Optometric Glaucoma Society meeting in Orlando, FL in November 2009.
Faculty Activity. Drs. Jan Jurkus and Lewis Williams presented a workshop at the 2009 AOCLE Workshop, which was hosted by the University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) on Incorporating Interactive Case Reports in Teaching.
Faculty Achievement and Activity. Dr. Jurkus is also mentioned as a contributor to a textbook. At the end of the morning session of the AOCLE, attendees were treated to a book signing. Clinical Manual of Contact Lenses (3rd edition) editors Ed Bennett and Vinita Henry patiently signed copies for attendees, along with contributors Jan Jurkus, John Mark Jackson, Terry Scheid, Gina Sobora and Ron Watanabe. Dr. Jurkus is pictured with her collaborators on page 4 of the AOCLE Newsletter, November 2009. Dr. Jurkus also updated the group on her recent teaching trip to New Zealand (p. 7).
Faculty Achievement. Dr. Pang attended the International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation from Nov 16-18, 2009 in Madrid. She did an oral presentation of "Research Collaborations of US Optometry Schools/Colleges Internationally".
Faculty Activity. Dr. Daum has been appointed to the ASCO Committee on the Optometry Admission Test. The committee will review issues related to the OAT at the ADA headquarters in February 2010.
Dr. Mitch Scheiman the next ICO Dr. & Mrs. Dominick M. Maino Visiting Professor
Dr. Mitchell Scheiman's visit as the next Dr. and Mrs. Dominick M. Maino Visiting Professor starts June 22nd at ICO. His main responsibilities will be to interact with faculty, students, and administration. To lecture to faculty and students and to provide feedback on various research projects.
Besides activities with students and faculty, Dr. Scheiman will be providing a series of CE lectures on Sunday June 27th
• 9:00 -10:40 AM, 25180-FV - Should You Change the Way you Treat Amblyopia? Format: Live Category: Functional Vision/Pediatrics Total CE Hours: 2
Description: The results of recent studies of amblyopia treatment have important implications for clinical practice. Suggestions for changes in clinical practice are highlighted. Updated recommendations and options for the treatment of anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia are provided.
• 11:10-12:00PM, 25161-FV - Evidence Based Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency Format: Live Category: Functional Vision/Pediatrics Total CE Hours: 1
Description: In this course, data from recently completed clinical studies of convergence insufficiency are reviewed. Implications and suggestions for changes in clinical practice are highlighted and updated treatment approaches for convergence insufficiency are described.
• 1:00-2:40PM, 25162-FV - Pediatric Optometry: New Developments in Diagnosis and Treatment Format: Live Category: Functional Vision/Pediatrics Total CE Hours: 2
Description: Results from current or recently completed clinical studies in areas related to the pediatric population are reviewed. Areas of emphasis are myopia, the use of colored lenses and filters, new diagnostic tests and new technology appropriate for children.
Please contact ICO CE Director for additional information
Contact:
Diane Gillette
Coordinator of Continuing Education
Illinois College of Optometry
312-949-7426
[email protected]
Previous visiting professors included, Kenneth Ciuffreda, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A and Leonard Press,OD, FAAO, FCOVD. The Dr. and Mrs. Dominick M. Maino Visiting Professor program is made possible by an endowed fund. Please contact ICO if you are interested in supporting this activity at the Illinois College of Optometry.
Besides activities with students and faculty, Dr. Scheiman will be providing a series of CE lectures on Sunday June 27th
• 9:00 -10:40 AM, 25180-FV - Should You Change the Way you Treat Amblyopia? Format: Live Category: Functional Vision/Pediatrics Total CE Hours: 2
Description: The results of recent studies of amblyopia treatment have important implications for clinical practice. Suggestions for changes in clinical practice are highlighted. Updated recommendations and options for the treatment of anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia are provided.
• 11:10-12:00PM, 25161-FV - Evidence Based Treatment of Convergence Insufficiency Format: Live Category: Functional Vision/Pediatrics Total CE Hours: 1
Description: In this course, data from recently completed clinical studies of convergence insufficiency are reviewed. Implications and suggestions for changes in clinical practice are highlighted and updated treatment approaches for convergence insufficiency are described.
• 1:00-2:40PM, 25162-FV - Pediatric Optometry: New Developments in Diagnosis and Treatment Format: Live Category: Functional Vision/Pediatrics Total CE Hours: 2
Description: Results from current or recently completed clinical studies in areas related to the pediatric population are reviewed. Areas of emphasis are myopia, the use of colored lenses and filters, new diagnostic tests and new technology appropriate for children.
Please contact ICO CE Director for additional information
Contact:
Diane Gillette
Coordinator of Continuing Education
Illinois College of Optometry
312-949-7426
[email protected]
Previous visiting professors included, Kenneth Ciuffreda, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A and Leonard Press,OD, FAAO, FCOVD. The Dr. and Mrs. Dominick M. Maino Visiting Professor program is made possible by an endowed fund. Please contact ICO if you are interested in supporting this activity at the Illinois College of Optometry.
Scientific Peer Review
If you've ever sent in a paper to a scientific journal....you will love this YouTube video. (One of my colleagues sent this to me)DM
Optometrists more likely to stay married
...Optometry is among the professions most likely to lead to a happy and lasting marriage according to research to be published in the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology.
Optometrists only have a 2-7 per cent chance of divorcing along with dentists, clergymen podiatrists and agricultural workers The Guardian newspaper reported. Conversely, dancers and choreographers have a 43.05 per cent chance of their marriages ending in divorce. Bartenders and massage therapists are also most at risk of experiencing family break-up.
The research, led by Dr Michael Aamodt of Radford University in Virginia, rated 449 occupations according to the likelihood of a successful marriage. Commenting on the research, Dai Williams, a charted occupational psychologist, told The Guardian: 'Opticians, who have a low divorce rate, meet lots of people but don't have time to chat them up.' ...
Optometrists only have a 2-7 per cent chance of divorcing along with dentists, clergymen podiatrists and agricultural workers The Guardian newspaper reported. Conversely, dancers and choreographers have a 43.05 per cent chance of their marriages ending in divorce. Bartenders and massage therapists are also most at risk of experiencing family break-up.
The research, led by Dr Michael Aamodt of Radford University in Virginia, rated 449 occupations according to the likelihood of a successful marriage. Commenting on the research, Dai Williams, a charted occupational psychologist, told The Guardian: 'Opticians, who have a low divorce rate, meet lots of people but don't have time to chat them up.' ...
Half of Kids with Mental Illness Go Untreated
...Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2004 indicated that 13% of 8- to 15-year-olds had a recognized mental disorder, but only 51% of them had sought professional help...
Update on pediatric cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation
...The just completed Infant Aphakia Treatment Study aims to answer questions regarding visual outcomes with primary IOL implantation versus contact lens use in children less than 7 months old with a unilateral congenital cataract. But correct IOL selection is controversial as recent studies highlight difficulties with biometry measurement and IOL calculations in the entire pediatric population. We also discuss the risk of late suture breakage and dislocation with sutured IOLs and the risks of aphakic glaucoma....
Randomized Evaluation of Spectacles Plus Alternate-Day Occlusion to Treat Amblyopia
...The magnitude of change in the BCVA 1 year after spectacles plus prescribed alternate-day patching was not significantly different than that after spectacles plus prescribed daily patching to treat amblyopia in children 4 to 5 years old. The effect of patching was not separate from that of optical correction with a period of refractive adaptation. Thus, the improvement in visual acuity is a combined effect of spectacle wear and occlusion therapy....
Rates of myopia increasing
The Los Angeles Times (12/15, Roan) reports that, according to a study published in the Dec. issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology, "17% more Americans aged 12 to 54 are afflicted with mild to severe distance vision problems than 30 years ago." In their study, "researchers at the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, found that rates of myopia...in people ages 12 to 54 increased from 25% in 1971-72 to 41.6% in 1999-2004. The study included people with a range of myopia, from mild to severe."
Study lead author, Susan Vitale, PhD, MHS, explained that "the likely cause is less outdoor time and more activities requiring close-up viewing, such as text-messaging, playing hand-held video games, and Web surfing," Bloomberg News (12/15, Gibson) reports. Importantly, myopia "ends up costing a lot," Vitale said, pointing out that "it costs $3.8 billion a year to treat poor distance vision, a tab that rises by $1 billion for every 12 percent increase in the rate of nearsightedness."
MedPage Today (12/14, Fiore) reported, "The researchers noted that improved methodologies have pegged the actual prevalence of adult myopia at 33% in 2008. They said they used older formulas, which overestimated nearsightedness, on both old and new data to show the rate of growth." Noting specific trends, the authors found that "among blacks, estimates of myopia prevalence grew faster over the period than it did among whites, more than doubling -- from 13% to 33.5%." Meanwhile, "among whites, estimated prevalence increased from 26.3% to 43%," while overall "prevalence was...higher in 1999-2004 for all levels of myopia severity."
Comments: OK let's see if we can figure this one out. Functional optometry has been saying for years that myopia progression has something to do with near point activities ... and only now the researchers are getting it? Better late than never. Do you think they will credit optometry with this find? DM
Monday, December 14, 2009
Doctor's Orders: Practicing Evidence-Based Medicine Is a Challenge
...With the amount of research being published in medical journals and presented at meetings, it should not be surprising when a new finding slips by a busy physician.
Nor should it be surprising, then, that some decisions about patient care might be made without benefit of the most recent evidence....
Comments: Type in "parachute" in the search box above. DM
Nor should it be surprising, then, that some decisions about patient care might be made without benefit of the most recent evidence....
Comments: Type in "parachute" in the search box above. DM
Modified Bell Retinoscopy: Measuring Accommodative Lag in Children
...MBR estimates of accommodative lag correlate with traditional dynamic retinoscopy measures over a wide range of lags and show comparable repeatability. MBR may be a useful addition to the repertoire of clinical tools available for assessing accommodation in young children....
Variable Synergistic Divergence
...A patient with congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles may show alternatively either synergistic divergence or adduction, which has not been documented before....
Visual function after bilateral implantation of apodized diffractive aspheric multifocal intraocular lenses with a +3.0 D addition
..Bilateral apodized diffractive aspheric multifocal IOLs with a +3.0 D add provided a broad range of optimum near vision, good intermediate visual acuity, and low rates of visual disturbances. Patients were highly satisfied with their vision, and 88% were spectacle independent...
Comments:The OMD should be careful of what is promised. Much depends upon pupil size and how laid back the patient is...yet alone how much they do near activities and what type of activities they do. Having said that...I am pretty satisfied with my multifocal IOL and it's an older model! DM
Comments:The OMD should be careful of what is promised. Much depends upon pupil size and how laid back the patient is...yet alone how much they do near activities and what type of activities they do. Having said that...I am pretty satisfied with my multifocal IOL and it's an older model! DM
Unite For Sight: International Eye Care Volunteer Opportunity
Unite For Sight has been featured weekly on CNN International and in The New York Times
Unite For Sight is the world's leader in socially responsible, effective volunteering abroad. Unite For Sight's Global Impact Corps is an immersive global health experience for students and for professionals. All volunteers participating in Unite For Sight's international programs are Global Impact Fellows.
What do optometrists do? Optometrists apply their skills and training to provide eye care to patients alongside the local optometrists and ophthalmic nurses. They also provide one-on-one mentoring and skills transfer to the local optometrists and ophthalmic nurses at Unite For Sight's partner eye clinics.
What do students and others do? They participate daily with local ophthalmic nurses, local optometrists, and local ophthalmologists to eliminate patient barriers to care and to facilitate comprehensive year-round eye care for patients living in extreme poverty. They assist with patient education, visual acuity screening, patient intake, distributing the glasses and medication prescribed by the local eye doctors, data compilation and analysis, patient surgery coordination, and other necessary support tasks. Through hands-on, structured training, volunteers gain a comprehensive understanding about best practices in community eye health, global health, and international development. Global Impact Fellows gain skills and are nurtured to become new leaders in global health, and they receive a Certificate in Global Health & Program Delivery. Additionally, Global Impact Fellows may participate in the Global Impact Lab, an optional program for volunteers interested in pursuing global health and international eye care research.
Locations of Year-Round Eye Care Delivery:
(volunteer for 7 days, 20 days, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, or more)
Accra and Kumasi Regions, Ghana
Ashanti and Northern Regions, Ghana
Varying Rural Villages, Ghana
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Bihar, India
Chennai, India
New Delhi, India
Orissa, India
Academic Credit Option: Many students choose to pursue the Unite For Sight program for academic credit and/or medical electives at their home institution. We also encourage students to pursue research studies that contribute to knowledge about global eye care needs and solutions. We work closely with students on both of these options.
Complete Details: http://www.uniteforsight.org/volunteer-abroad
Unite For Sight is the world's leader in socially responsible, effective volunteering abroad. Unite For Sight's Global Impact Corps is an immersive global health experience for students and for professionals. All volunteers participating in Unite For Sight's international programs are Global Impact Fellows.
What do optometrists do? Optometrists apply their skills and training to provide eye care to patients alongside the local optometrists and ophthalmic nurses. They also provide one-on-one mentoring and skills transfer to the local optometrists and ophthalmic nurses at Unite For Sight's partner eye clinics.
What do students and others do? They participate daily with local ophthalmic nurses, local optometrists, and local ophthalmologists to eliminate patient barriers to care and to facilitate comprehensive year-round eye care for patients living in extreme poverty. They assist with patient education, visual acuity screening, patient intake, distributing the glasses and medication prescribed by the local eye doctors, data compilation and analysis, patient surgery coordination, and other necessary support tasks. Through hands-on, structured training, volunteers gain a comprehensive understanding about best practices in community eye health, global health, and international development. Global Impact Fellows gain skills and are nurtured to become new leaders in global health, and they receive a Certificate in Global Health & Program Delivery. Additionally, Global Impact Fellows may participate in the Global Impact Lab, an optional program for volunteers interested in pursuing global health and international eye care research.
Locations of Year-Round Eye Care Delivery:
(volunteer for 7 days, 20 days, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 10 weeks, or more)
Accra and Kumasi Regions, Ghana
Ashanti and Northern Regions, Ghana
Varying Rural Villages, Ghana
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Bihar, India
Chennai, India
New Delhi, India
Orissa, India
Academic Credit Option: Many students choose to pursue the Unite For Sight program for academic credit and/or medical electives at their home institution. We also encourage students to pursue research studies that contribute to knowledge about global eye care needs and solutions. We work closely with students on both of these options.
Complete Details: http://www.uniteforsight.org/volunteer-abroad
New Screening Tool Helps Identify Children at Risk for Developmental Issues
When a baby is born, new parents often wonder, "Will he be the next President of the United States?" or "Could she be the one to find a cure for cancer?" But the underlying question for many specialists is, "Is this child 'at risk' for developmental issues?"
Comments: Click the title for more inf. DM
Comments: Click the title for more inf. DM
A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols
A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols was put on by the choir of First St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chicago. The concert featured Durante's Magniicat in B flat Major and several other hymns and readings. The choir was under the direction of Maurice Boyer and featured several solists, including my friend, musical colleague and former music director, Luciano Laurentiu (baritone). It was a most wonderful evening of music that reminded us all of the Peace of Christmas. I should have some video posted later. Keep watching this blog for more info or go to http://www.fspauls.org/ DM
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