Off to the AOA Optometry's Meeting

I am leaving soon for the AOA Optometry's Meeting in Orlando, Fl...but no time in the sun for me...it's meetings, continuing education, meetings, poster sessions, Illinois College of Optometry Alumni Reception...and did I mention meetings?

Ahh....but I also have an opportunity to see colleagues I haven't see for a while. Hope to see many of my readers at this fantastic meeting! DM

Babies Born At 37 To 39 Weeks Have Higher Risk Of Autism And Special Educational Needs

...After analyzing the birth history of over 400,000 schoolchildren, Scottish researchers found that the risk of autism and/or special educational needs (SEN) were 1.16 times greater for babies born at 37 to 39 weeks of gestation, compared to those born at the full 40 weeks. This finding has important implications for the timing of elective Cesarean deliveries. ...

Training Eye Movement May Reduce Driver Distraction

...More than 16 people are killed and more than 1,300 people are injured each day in crashes involving a distracted driver, a phenomenon that could be reduced with the right application of motion information and appropriate eye movements.

Two studies conducted at Vanderbilt University and published in the Journal of Vision found that these factors can be beneficial to teaching people how to track objects without getting distracted or confused. ...

Comments: The full text of the article can be found by clicking here or by going to http://www.journalofvision.org/content/10/4/18.full.pdf+html . This sounds like an area that could use a bit of optometric vision therapy to help out...DM

Researchers Closer To Untying Autism's Genetic Knot

...Deciphering the functions of multiple rare genes may be at the core of understanding the genetic factors that cause autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), ...
ASDs are a group of conditions marked by impairments in social interaction and communication, and by the presence of restricted and repetitive behaviors. Individuals with ASD vary greatly in cognitive development, which can range from above average to intellectual disability. ...

Silicone-Eyelid Closure to Improve Vision in Deeply Amblyopic Eyes

....Deep amblyopia is a recognized cause of monocular visual deficit in children with a high rate of poor compliance with conventional occlusion therapy. This study evaluates a new occlusion technique that can be used for children with failed amblyopia treatment.... the good eye was closed by passing one limb of a double armed 5-0 polypropylene suture from one eyelid margin through a silicone sleeve and through the corresponding eyelid margin. The other polypropylene limb was passed behind the silicone sleeve and then through the opposite eyelid margin to form a barrier between the sleeve and the cornea. ....Preoperative visual acuity ranged between counting fingers at 1 meter and counting fingers at 4 meters. Following eyelid closure, visual acuity was improved to between 20/40 and 20/200 for 12 patients, whereas three patients did not improve. Complications were seen in 8 patients.....Silicone-eyelid closure can be used safely and effectively for management of deep amblyopia. This technique affords a good option to restore vision in a deeply amblyopic eye .....[J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2010;47:157-162

Comments: So here is another article about suturing a child's eye shut to treat amblyopia...can you imagine what the child with finger counting as a visual acuity must have felt like...BLIND!! This is child abuse. This should not be tolerated! What is wrong with the IRBs who approve these studies? 8 out of 15 children had complications...which is more than half of the study population? One child improved all the way to 20/200?! What were these OMDs thinking? What were the parents thinking who allowed this? A bucket filled with shame to all involved in this "research study". DM

More OTC Drug Recalls

....J&J; Unit Recalls More OTC Drugs.
The New York Times (6/16, B3, Singer) reports, "The Johnson & Johnson unit whose recall of liquid children's Tylenol and other pediatric medicines is under Congressional investigation said on Tuesday evening that it was recalling additional over-the-counter drugs." Specifically, McNeil Consumer Healthcare "said that it was recalling four lots of certain Benadryl allergy tablets and one lot of Extra Strength Tylenol gel pills." According to a company statement, "'the products were inadvertently omitted' from an earlier recall -- one preceding the children's drug recall -- involving medicines made at a company plant in Puerto Rico."

Although the drugmaker maintains that the chances of experiencing serious side effects are nil, it began recalling products from the Las Piedras plant in November after consumers were reportedly overcome by a mildew-like odor, according to the Wall Street Journal (6/16, Rockoff, Solsman). The smell purportedly prompted stomach pain, diarrhea, and nausea. The unit has since identified the manufacturing issue. The odor, Bloomberg News (6/16, Tirrell) reports, "has been linked to trace amounts of a chemical called 2,4,6-tribromoanisole, or TBA, found on storage pallets."

Including this latest announcement, McNeil has issued four recalls over the past twelve months, activity that has recently caught the eye of Capitol Hill, Reuters (6/16, Pierson) reported. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) said, "This latest recall is further evidence that there are wide-ranging problems at Johnson & Johnson." He added, "I am troubled by what we have learned so far in our investigation, and this latest development adds to my concern." The AP (6/16) also covers the story. ...

How to increase academic performance in children with oppositional defiant disorder? An implicit theory effect

...The aim of the present study was to determine whether the implicit theory effect extends to children with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), with academic difficulties. Twenty-five male children, aged 8-11 years with ODD were randomly assigned to one of two experimental conditions (Incremental Theory highlighting the possibility of self-improvement vs. control). An increase of cognitive performance (IQ) was found for children with ODD in the incremental condition, but not in the control condition. This cognitive improvement could be viewed as a protective factor for children and adolescents with ODD on academic setting....

Eyes wide open 3D Tipping Points Loom

Six factors will contribute to the development of 3D entertainment, and some forms of 3D entertainment will develop quickly. But to which extent 3D will be adopted by other formats, notably television, is still uncertain.

Stereoscopic 3D Training Course

...With 3D movies making a strong comeback, and the recent runaway box office success of movies such as Avatar, there is growing enthusiasm from many professionals in Media, Cinematography, Animation and Graphics Design to learn how to “create” in stereo 3D.......Real Vision Stereo training workshops are spread over 2 days and start with the basics of stereoscopic 3D, and go into much detail with hands-on practicals that allow for setting up a 3D Camera Rig, video demonstrations, interspersed with lectures and sessions on Questions and Answers. Question & Answer sessions at many times fail to elicit audience participation - These session are done differently....

Preventing Alzheimer's Disease: 7 Risks to Consider

... Nutrition and dietary supplements. The scientific evidence is strongest for omega-3 fatty acids from fish or fish oil supplements with several studies showing an association between higher levels of omega-3's and a lower risk of cognitive decline. ...

Apple Juice Improved Behavioral But Not Cognitive Symptoms in Moderate-to-Late Stage Alzheimer’s Disease in an Open-Label Pilot Study Alzheimer’s

Apple Juice Improved Behavioral But Not Cognitive Symptoms in Moderate-to-Late Stage Alzheimer’s Disease in an Open-Label Pilot Study Alzheimer’s Disease

Preclinical studies demonstrate that apple juice exerts multiple beneficial effects including reduction of central nervous system oxidative damage, suppression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) hallmarks, improved cognitive performance, and organized
synaptic signaling. Herein, we initiated an open-label clinical trial in which 21 institutionalized individuals with moderate-tosevere AD consumed 2 4-oz glasses of apple juice daily for 1 month. Participants demonstrated no change in the Dementia Rating Scale, and institutional caregivers reported no change in Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS)-Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in this brief study. However, caregivers reported an approximate 27% (P < .01) improvement in behavioral and psychotic symptoms associated with dementia as quantified by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, with the largest changes in anxiety, agitation,and delusion. This pilot study suggests that apple juice may be a useful supplement, perhaps to augment pharmacological approaches, for attenuating the decline in mood that accompanies progression of AD, which may also reduce caregiver burden.

Comments: Full text of article available by clicking title above. DM

AOATV Features information about AOA's Optometry's Meeting

AOATV Features the TOP TEN things to know about AOA's Optometry's Meeting. AOATV will be at Optometry's Meeting in both 521. They will have a HD green screen studio on-site for "personal practice videos" for your website and Facebook! Click on the title above for the latest AOATV broadcast! DM

The Social Media Meetup at the AOA

The Social Media meetup is informal, at 7pm on Thursday. More info here:
http://www.facebook.com/PeripheralVision?v=app_2344061033&ref;=ts#!/event.php?eid=120904514596561&index;=1

Listen to Peripheral Vision's episode #4 on the podcast:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/peripheral-vision-podcast/id373957776

Go to Peripheral Vision's Facebook Page for great info on Social Media at http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=312159788307&share;_id=111803735522572&comments;=1#!/PeripheralVision?ref=ts

OD2OD

Comments: Dr. Mike Cohen and I have been friends for years. He is a builder of bridges between various optometric communities....and like MainosMemos a great believer in getting the word out about what's new in the area of eye and vision care. He authors the OD2OD Newsletter (The latest one can be found here http://www.od2od.com/Later_June_2010_Newsletter.php)and always gives great information about the latest in eyecare, the best recipes, and the latest good books and articles. You can email Mike at [email protected] and ask him to start your subscription to OD2OD today! He was kind enough to feature me as the OD2OD June's Issue Doctor of Note...here's what he said: DM


DOCTOR OF NOTE: Dr. Dominick Maino is a Professor of Pediatrics/Binocular Vision at the Illinois Eye Institute/Illinois College of Optometry and is in private practice in Harwood Heights, IL. He received his MEd at the University of Illinois Chicago and Bachelor's degree from Beloit College.

Dr. Maino is the past Director of the Institute for Advanced Competency Post-Graduate Continuing Education Program, an Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics/Binocular Vision at the Centro Boston de Optometria in Madrid Spain, and the Director of the Developmental Disabilities Service at the Neumann Association. He is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Optometry and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, and holds membership in the American & Illinois Optometric Associations, and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association.

Dr. Maino has received recognition for his work from the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association, College of Optometrists in Vision Development, Optometric Editors Association, and the Easter Seal Society of Metropolitan Chicago. He is an internationally recognized expert on oculo-visual problems of children and adults with disabilities. His research interests include special populations, pediatrics, and binocular vision dysfunction.

Dr. Maino's avocations include website design, blogging, music (tenor/trumpet) and photography. His blog can be accessed at http://www.MainosMemos.blogspot.com .

He is currently a spokesman for the American Optometric Association on the 3D Vision Syndrome. This is where individuals suffer symptoms associated with the new technology of 3D movies, TV and video games.

I’m delighted and honored to call Dom a personal friend.

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Comments: Take a look at this free, open access journal. DM

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
ISSN: 1663-4365 (electronic)

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1239
Archive includes vol. 1 and 2

Note: There is no embargo delay for this journal; all articles are Open Access.

Autism and Genetics

...Study Identifies More Genes Tied to Autism

...New findings from a genetic study of nearly 1,000 children with autism identified more gene variations unique to people with autism that play a role in the disorder, which could help researchers better understand why autism develops. The study is the largest ever done on the genetics of autism. Not only did children with autism have rare genetic variations, they didn't share those variations with their parents, meaning that the variations were not inherited, U.S News contributor Nancy Shute reports..... * Genes—Not Vaccines—Linked to Autism...

Quitting Smoking Before Pregnancy Could Save Babies' Lives

...Researchers ... found that 5 percent to 7 percent of deaths among the premature infants -- and 23 percent to 34 percent of deaths caused by SIDS -- could have been prevented if the mother had not smoked....

Surgery for Esotropia Under Topical Anesthesia

...Patients in the topical group required 3.2 mm less surgery on average than those in the sub-Tenon’s group (5.9 and 9.1 mm, respectively; 0.4 and 0.6 mm of recession/degree, respectively) (P 0.01). Motor success (84% and 75%,respectively, P 0.38) and stereoacuity (339.6 and 323.9 arc seconds, respectively,(P=0.87) at 6 months were similar in the 2 groups....Topical anesthesia requires a smaller amount of surgery and number of operated muscles to correct esotropia compared with classic surgery guidelines adapted to the surgeon’s personal technique.....

Comments: So if I am reading this correctly, you are conducting strabismus surgery without under topical anesthesia with a 16% and 25% fail rate for motor success and a gross stereo of 300+ secs of arc? Strabismus surgery outcomes are not 100% or depending upon the research even close to 100%. Parents should know this. BTW I do refer out for surgery, but usually only after in office optometric vision therapy...surgery outcomes tend to be better when you do this. Click on title for full article. DM

Is Drinking Wine a Key to Antiaging?

The latest antiaging weapon is not an injection or a wonder cream, and it doesn't involve any nipping or tucking either.

It's a glass of red wine a day for women and two for men, according to Richard A. Baxter, MD, a plastic surgeon in Seattle and the author of Age Gets Better with Wine. Baxter gave a talk on wine and beauty at the annual meeting of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in Washington, D.C.

WebMD sat down with him to discuss exactly how age gets better with wine.

Here's what he had to say:.....

Comment: As an Italian, I love to drink wine and with the inexpensive yet very good wines now available its easy to do...now I also get to tell my wife it will make me look younger! (BTW the easy way to look younger is tell everyone you are 102 yrs old...works for me every time!!) SD