Vision Revision for ADHD Diagnosis

...The American Academy of Pediatrics vision experts say 60-percent of kids labeled as problem learners, actually suffer from undetected vision problems. But some have doubts. The American Academy of Pediatrics says vision therapy may give parents and teachers a false sense of security that a child's problems are being addressed....

Comments: It sad that the AAP...who have no members trained in optometric vision therapy would say this....stop the inter-professional bickering...and let's do what is best for our children. Although learning problems are probably not caused by vision problems....vision problems can be a major contributing  factor. Optometric vision therapy  fix these. DM

Syntonic Optometry

Syntonic optometry uses colored light shone into a patient’s eyes to treat visual and other dysfunctions.... for more information read Wallace LB. The theorysyntonic phototherapy: a review. Optom Vis Dev 2009;40(2):73-81.

European Academy of Optometry & Optics

Academy Information Call for Abstracts European Academy of Optometry & Optics
European Academy of Optometry & Optics
	The European Academy of Optometry & Optics (EAOO) was launched May 2009. Similar to the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), it is a membership organization whose members come from the fields of optics, optometry, vision science, research, education and the corporate world. The activities of EAOO cover education, research and clinical practice just like the AAO. However, the European Academy is also focused on the EU's ambitions of uniformity of practice, harmonization of education and free mobility of practitioners across Europe. The two organizations are working together and the EAOO supplements the activities of the American Academy and the AAO European Chapter. The third annual EAOO conference, Prague 2011, is to be held in Prague, Czech Republic from May 6-8, 2011. The deadline to submit abstracts, workshop proposals and case studies is Friday, January 14, 2011. For more information about EAOO and Prague 2011, go to their website. *Note - The European Academy of Optometry and Optics is not related or linked in any formal manner with the American Academy of Optometry.

Using computerized games to teach face recognition skills to children with autism spectrum disorder: the Let’s Face It! program

.... These results indicate that a relatively short-term intervention program can produce measurable improvements in the face recognition skills of children with autism. As a treatment for face processing deficits, the Let’s Face It! program has advantages of being cost-free, adaptable to the specific learning needs of the individual child and suitable for home and school applications...

Etiology and treatment of pediatric sixth nerve palsy

....Neoplasms were the most frequent cause of sixth nerve palsy in our patient population. Recovery was spontaneous in one third of the patients. Most required treatment with botulinum toxin, which was successful in most cases. Surgery was successful after a single procedure....

Medical journal: Study linking autism, vaccines is 'elaborate fraud'

....A now-retracted British study that linked autism to childhood vaccines is an "elaborate fraud," according to a medical journal -- a charge the physician behind the study vigorously denies.....Britain stripped Wakefield of his medical license in May....

Comments: It is sad that individuals still believe what Wakefield started...many children and young adults now have diseases that we eradicated decades ago. DM

Secondhand television exposure linked to eating disorders

...For parents wanting to reduce the negative influence of TV on their children, the first step is normally to switch off the television set. But a new study suggests that might not be enough. It turns out indirect media exposure, i.e., having friends who watch a lot of TV, might be even more damaging to a teenager's body image...

Commets; You have got to be kidding! I would take this study with a large grain of salt. DM

Brain Scans Show Children With ADHD Have Faulty Off-Switch for Mind-Wandering

.... Brain scans of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have shown for the first time why people affected by the condition sometimes have such difficulty in concentrating. The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, may explain why parents often say that their child can maintain concentration when they are doing something that interests them, but struggles with boring tasks....

On autism's cause, researchers just 'scratching the surface'

....Researchers believe both genetics and environmental factors play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorders. According to the National Institutes of Health, researchers have "identified a number of genes associated with the disorder. Studies of people with ASD have found irregularities in several regions of the brain. Other studies suggest that people with ASD have abnormal levels of serotonin or other neurotransmitters in the brain."....

Test for AD Not Ready for Prime Time

...A vaccine against cocaine appears to protect mice from being stimulated by the drug, researchers reported in Molecular Therapy. If validated in humans, the approach may be a promising way to break the habit, not only for cocaine but also nicotine, heroine, and methamphetamine, the group suggested...

'Happy that I'm still alive'

USA Today Story: Wounded veteran Patrick Horan works with Dr. Bryce B. Appelbaum as Horan's wife, Patty, looks on Tuesday during vision therapy in Bethesda, Md. 

Comments: Dr. Bryce Applebaum is a former student of mine in the Pediatrics/Binocular Vision Service of the Illinois Eye Institute/Illinois College of Optometry and his dad (Dr. Stan Applebaum)  is not only a colleague, but a good friend as well. It is amazing how much we can improve the life of those with TBI with optometric vision therapy. Drs. Applebaum.... you make me proud! DM

The American Optometric Association

The American Optometric Association is the premier authority in the optometric profession. With more than 35,000 members in 6,500 U.S. communities, the AOA leads the way in its mission of improving the quality and availability of eye and vision care everywhere.

Founded in 1898, the AOA is a federation of state, student and armed forces optometric associations. Through these affiliations, the AOA serves members consisting of optometrists, students of optometry, paraoptometric assistants and technicians.

Together, the AOA and its affiliates work to provide the public with quality vision and eye care. Through offices in St. Louis, Missouri, and metropolitan Washington, D.C.


The American Optometric Association is the acknowledged leader and recognized authority for eye and vision care in the world.  "Advocate for the profession and serve optometrists in meeting the eye care needs of the public." 

The objectives of AOA are centered on improving the quality and availability of eye and vision care. The AOA fulfills its missions in accordance with the following goals:

Health care and public policy related to eye care will uniformly recognize optometrists as primary health care providers and ensure the public has access to the full scope of optometric care.

Optometrists and other professionals will look to the American Optometric Association for professional standards, research and education leadership which serve to enhance and ensure competent, quality patient care.

The public, optometrists and other professionals will turn to the American Optometric Association for reliable and current information related to optometry, eye care and health care policy.

Comments: If you are a consumer of eye and vision health care, the AOA should be considered a trusted resource. If you are an optometrst, you should be a member of the AOA...the AOA ensures your ability to provide the very best primary eye care for your patients. Without the AOA you could not provide this care and your patients would not benefit from all you do to ensure their eye health and vision welfare. DM

AOA Spokesperson, Dr. Dominick Maino discusses 3 D Vision Syndrome

Writing By Hand Strengthens The Learning Process; When Typing On A Keyboard, This Process May Be Impaired

....The process of reading and writing involves a number of senses, she explains.... When writing by hand, our brain receives feedback from our motor actions, together with the sensation of touching a pencil and paper. These kinds of feedback is significantly different from those we receive when touching and typing on a keyboard....brain

Statement By The American Academy Of Ophthalmology Regarding Children's Vision And Eye Health And 3-D Digital Products

....If a healthy child consistently develops headaches or tired eyes or cannot clearly see the images when using 3-D digital products, this may indicate a vision or eye disorder. If such problems occur, the Academy recommends....

Comments: Unfortunately what the Academy of Ophthalmology recommends usually does little to improve the binocular vision problems typical of those who have 3 D Vision Syndrome. Most ophthalmologists who have been interviewed in the media have suggested that if anyone has problems with 3D movies, 3D television, or 3D video-games that they should  should stop trying to use the latest technologies for their enjoyment. These Doctors of NO do not use optometric vision therapy to help those with problems enjoying the 3D experience. To find those who can help go to http://www.covd.org today! DM

MMR Autism Scare, the accused were investigating themselves

...The MMR autism scare went on for so long because of a series of denials and a failure to properly look into Dr. Andrew Wakefield's misconduct allegations regarding his 1998 Lancet paper, writes Dr. Fiona Godlee, Editor in Chief, BMJ (Brtitish Medical Journal). This third and final part of a special BMJ series "Secrets of the MMR Scare" urges the British government to "establish mandatory oversight of clinical research integrity within the NHS, as happens for publicly funded research in the USA."...

State-Of-The-Art Driving Simulator Makes ADHD Teens Better Drivers

...".... Teen drivers are the worst on the road. And some recent research has shown that compared to that worst group of drivers, teen drivers with ADHD were significantly more at risk for everything."...

ournal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology ISSN: 1308-5727 (Print) 1308-5735 (Electronic) URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1419/ Archive includes 1 (2008) to the current issue

New journal available:

Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology

ISSN: 1308-5727 (Print) 1308-5735 (Electronic)

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1419/

Archive includes 1 (2008) to the current issue

Migraines and Headaches Present No Risk to Cognitive Function

.....Significant and repetitive headaches are associated with a greater prevalence of small lesions in the brain, which are detectable by MRI imaging. However, they do not increase the risk of cognitive decline....

New Group on AOAConnect: 3D and Vision

The American Optometric Association announced a new group on its AOAConnect website. This group, 3D and Vision, centers around a topic that is near and dear to my heart.

It offers a forum for discussing artifically created 3D content and its affect on the human organism and allows for photos and attachments to be uploaded.  The group is open to everyone on AOAConnect. You do need to be an AOA member to participate. Click on the title above to go straight to the forum. DM

American Academy of Optometry: Call for Courses and Grand Rounds

From the AAO:

Don't delay!


The submission window for the Lectures & Workshops call for courses and grand rounds cases closes 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, February 2. Don't miss this chance to help our attendees set their compasses for lifelong learning with Academy education!


Guidelines for submission can be found here. The Submission Window is found here.

Orbital fractures: a review

...This review of orbital fractures has three goals: 1) to understand the clinically relevant orbital anatomy with regard to periorbital trauma and orbital fractures, 2) to explain how to assess and examine a patient after periorbital trauma, and 3) to understand the medical and surgical management of orbital fractures. The article aims to summarize the evaluation and management of commonly encountered orbital fractures from the ophthalmologic perspective and to provide an overview for all practicing ophthalmologists and ophthalmologists in training....

Comments: The full article is availabe for download. DM

Make me laugh!

....Laughter therapy is considered to be useful, cost-effective and easily-accessible intervention that has positive effects on depression, insomnia, and sleep quality in the elderly....

Open Access Journals in optometry and Ophthalmology

 Click title above for access. DM

•  
• British Journal of Ophthalmology (1917 thru 2006; articles unlocked by authors)
• Bulletin de la Societe Belge d’Ophthalmologia
• Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology
• Cataract & Refractive Surgery Today (2001 to present)
• Contact Lens Spectrum (1996 to present)
• EyeWorld (2000 to present)
• Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science (free after 12 months)
• Journal of Academic Ophthalmology
• Journal of Ocular Biology, Diseases, and Informatics
• Journal of Ophthalmic Photography
• Korean Journal of Ophthalmology
• Molecular Vision: Biology and Genetics in Vision Research
• Open Ophthalmology Journal
• Ophthalmology Management (1998 to present)
• Optometric Education
• Optometric Management (1996 to present)
• Optometry and Vision Science (prior to last 12 months; Editor’s Choice articles)
• Primary Care Optometry News
• Refractive Eyecare for Ophthalmologists
• Review of Optometry (2005 to present)
• Revista Mexicana de Oftalmologia
• Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society

Access the following titles from the Directory of Open Access Journals:

• Archivos de la Sociedad Espanola de Oftalmologia
• Arquivos Brasileiros de Oftalmologia
• BMC Ophthalmology
• Clinical Ophthalmology
• Community Eye Health Journal
• Digital Journal of Ophthalmology
• Indian Journal of Ophthalmology
• Internet Journal of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
• Journal of Ophthalmic & Vision Research
• Journal of Ophthalmology
• Journal of Optometry
• Journal of Vision
• Middle East African Journal of Opthalmology
• Oman Journal of Ophthalmology
• Open Ophthalmology Journal
• Ophthalmology and Eye Diseases
• Optometric Education
• Optometry & Vision Development
• Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia
• Revista Cubana de Oftalmologia

AOA Optometric Clinical Practice Guidelines

Online access to the American Optometric Association ...

Optometric Clinical Practice Guidelines

Eye Resources on the Internet

Get Your Eyes Examined

Get Your Eyes Examined II

More Get Your Eyes Examined videos

California Optometric Association Introduces CE@HomeOnline

Sacramento, CA — The California Optometric Association (COA) is constantly looking for innovative ways to help optometrists in California help their patients.

For this reason, COA has launched CE@HomeOnline — an online version of the popular CE@Home articles in its award-winning member magazine, California Optometry. CE@HomeOnline will feature six high-quality educational articles throughout the year, each offering 1 continuing education unit (CEU). Formatted just like CE@Home articles in the magazine, the Online articles are accessed through www.coavision.org.

The tentative 2011 schedule for CE@HomeOnline is:
• February 1, 2011 -- Low Vision Examination of the Diabetic Patient
• April 1, 2011 - Traumatic Brain Injury
• June 1, 2011 - Dry Eye
• August 1, 2011 - Kids’ Vision
• October 3, 2011 - Vision Therapy
• December 1, 2011 - Glaucoma

Fees for CE@HomeOnline for 2011 are per article $15 for COA members and $35 for non-members. Subscriptions for the full year (all six articles) are $60 for COA members and $180 for non-members. The deadline for a 2011 subscription is April 1, 2011.

For more information on CE@HomeOnline and to subscribe, visit www.coavision.org/cehome.

About the California Optometric Association
The California Optometric Association (COA) was established in 1899, and is California’s oldest organized community for optometrists. Representing more than 2,700 optometrists, COA is dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of health care for the public through the advancement of optometry. To find a California optometrist near you, visit www.eyehelp.org.

3D can make you sick, yet companies push on

....From Hollywood studios to Japanese TV makers, powerful business interests are betting 3D will be the future of entertainment, despite a major drawback: It makes millions of people uncomfortable or sick....

Stress, Anxiety Both Boon and Bane to Brain

...It has long been known that imminent danger can enhance the ability to detect faint stimuli in the environment, such as the crackle of a leaf signaling the approach of a predator. But it is equally clear that the stress and anxiety aroused by a threat can profoundly disrupt the ability to think clearly and perform more complex "executive" tasks....

Nintendo 3DS Could Diagnose Visual Problems

... Dr.....Bonilla-Warford says that there is no evidence yet that using a 3DS is actively harmful, as extensive studies have not been done. But it is true, he says, that at about six years of age is when children develop the visual system that will look like the one they have as adults. "We do know that anybody --whether child or not - with pre existing problems with the way eyes move and focus, they will have harder time viewing any 3D. So it may take subtle eye problems and exacerbate to where get nausea, headache and discomfort," he said....

Study Predicts Risk of Memory Loss in Healthy, Older Adults

...The combined results of a genetic blood test and a five-minute functional MRI successfully classified more than three-quarters of healthy older adults, many of whom were destined to develop cognitive decline within 18 months of testing....

NBC National News: 3D is all the rage, but causes headaches for many

I was recently interviewed by Erika Porter, an NBC national news reporter out of New York. The story and video was just aired and the good news was that from my 20-30 minute interview...they used about 45-90 seconds from that interview that actually made me sound like I knew what I was talking about!

Of course they left out a few important things... like the consumer can go to the American Optometric Association and the College of Optometrists in Vision Development to find docs who can diagnose and treat individuals with headaches, double vision, blurred vision, dizziness, eyestrain and vision induced motion sickness after watching 3D movies,  3D television, and playing 3D video-games. This technologically induced visual impairment is a new health problem associated with viewing 3D content and is now being referred to as 3 D Vision Syndrome.

Besides not mentioning how to contact the AOA and COVD, they also left out the fact that developmental optometrists use optometric vision therapy that can "fix" many of the eye problems associated with 3 D Vision Syndrome.

Finally, as a faculty member and Professor of Pediatrics/Binocular Vision at the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) and the Illinois Eye Institute (IEI), it would have been awesome if they had mentioned ICO and the IEI as well....after all that is where I do some of my best work!

On the other hand....I really should not complain... the report was well done and helped to get the message out about why up to 25% of individuals may have problems viewing 3D content (this percentage was from a survey the AOA conducted). We also know that 2-6% of the population have strabismus (an eye turn) and/or amblyopia (lazy eye-reduced vision in one eye) which would make enjoying anything in 3D next to impossible. Optometric vision therapy can help improve these eye problems as well. DM

Ocular Nutrition Society Conference

Click on the title above to learn more. DM

Click to Register Now!

Eyesight Online Resource Guide

...Eye problems affect one in 20 preschoolers and one in four school-age kids, and can result in permanent damage if untreated, ..... The following Web sites will help you assess early on if your child has a vision problem....

The comparative measurements of eyestrain caused by 2D and 3D displays (3 D Vision Syndrome)

...The experimental results showed that the amount of eyestrain when watching a 3D display, especially at short viewing distances, was higher [than 2D displays]. High correlation between the quantitative results and subjective assessments collected using a questionnaire survey showed that blinking frequency is a reliable measure.....

3-D TV users initially had headaches and eyestrain (3 D Vision Syndrome)

...People who watched ESPN’s 3-D telecasts of the World Cup initially complained of headaches and eyestrain, .... ESPN said that the headache and eyestrain increased during the first half of games, then dropped off following each 15-minute halftime break. While they decreased after the first day during five-day tests, they didn’t drop off among those who watched 270 minutes of soccer in one-day tests....

Why 3D glasses make you sick: New study shows being too close to new TVs can cause nausea (3 D Vision Syndrome)

...3D TV can disorientate the brain, causing eye strain, headaches, nausea and sickness, scientists have warned.... And the closer you are to the screen, the worse you feel, making TVs more problematic than cinema screens.....Studies show that in up to 20 per cent of viewers it could even induce physical sickness....

Optometry and Vision Development Volume 41, No. 4, 2010: Now in your mailbox!

Optometry and Vision Development  Volume 41, No. 4, 2010 should now be making an appearance in your mailbox if you are a member of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development. You can also read the journal by clicking on the title above. DM

Editorials

Reflections: A Look at 2010  by Dominick M. Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A, Editor

The Bucket List by Marc B. Taub OD, MS, FAAO, FCOVD

Letter to the Editor

Acknowledgements

Articles

Vision Therapy for Sensory Fusion Disruption Syndrome: Two Case Reports by John Tassinari, OD, FCOVD, FAAO

The Pediatrics, Optometric Vision Therapy & Rehabilitation Programs at the Southern College of Optometry by Marc B. Taub, OD, MS, FAAO, FCOVD; Glen Steele, OD, FAAO, FCOVD

The Need for Better School Vision Screening: The Use of VERA Vision Screening in a Community Setting
by Michael Gallaway, OD, FAAO, FCOVD

Literature Review

Current Eye & Vision Science Literature  Review by David A. Goss, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A

Book Review  Endless Journey - A Head-trauma Victim’s Remarkable Rehabilitation  Review by Janice M. McMahon, OD

Practice Management

“Building Your Ideal VT Practice” Part 1 Freedom and the Staff Run Office  by Thomas Lecoq, Amee Lecoq

COVD 40th Annual Meeting  Papers and Posters

The President’s Speech - Taking One New Step Has the Potential to Reach Thousands  by Bradley E. Habermehl, OD, FCOVD

2010 Annual Membership Report  by Bradley E. Habermehl, OD, FCOVD

2010 COVD 40th Annual Meeting Photos

NewsMakers



The therapeutic impact of perceptual learning on juvenile amblyopia with or without previous patching treatment

... Perceptual learning has a ... significant therapeutic impact on both patching treatment and no patching treatment juvenile eyes, which is most likely to have clinical values for eyes with mild amblyopia. ...

Comments: I find it interesting that they call this perceptual leaning....it is actually a form of optometric vision therapy...where we start with larger targets and then work our way to where the child can see smaller ones. DM

Blood Test Rules Out Down Syndrome

...A blood test, combined with second-generation genetic analysis, can rule out Down syndrome in women with high-risk pregnancies, .... So-called "massively parallel sequencing" of DNA from the mother's blood could markedly reduce the need for invasive testing with amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling,...

Neuronal Survival After Brain Injury

...A new study identifies a molecule that is a critical regulator of neuron survival after ischemic brain injury....

Household Smokers Increase Kids' Flu Risk

...The three-year data analysis of more than 1,300 laboratory-confirmed cases of child influenza, collected by 10 sites in the CDC's Emerging Infections Program, found that if more than half of household members were smokers it doubled the chances a child would have a serious case of flu,...

Frogs for Kids Come With Salmonella

....African dwarf frogs -- marketed as pets for kids and people with major illnesses -- appear to be the vector for a major Salmonella typhimurium outbreak that sickened 113 people in 31 states over the course of a year....

Comments: Use caution when giving any live pet to a child. Especially a child with a major illness. DM