In the News...

Illinois OD helps those with 3-D vision problems

Dr. Dom Maino in Parade Magazine

Researchers: Pediatrics/ Ophthalmology statement on vision therapy outdated, flawed

 

Complexities of Autism Extend to Its Treatment

....Parents of children with autism often find themselves struggling to make sense of their child's behavior....What's worse, there's no single best way to treat the frightening and frustrating neurodevelopmental disorder. Children might have a mix of social impairments, communication problems and repetitive behavior patterns. Each child will require a certain blend of therapies, treatments and interventions, all specifically tailored to the child's particular behavioral problems.....

Normal 3D Vision Development

Order Sons of Italy in America $235,000 to Fondazione Il Cireneo Onlus per L'Autismo to rebuild a center for children with autism devastated by an earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy.

 

Leaders of the Order Sons of Italy in America® (OSIA) and its philanthropic arm, the Sons of Italy Foundation® (SIF), presented $235,000 to Fondazione Il Cireneo Onlus per L'Autismo to rebuild a center for children with autism devastated by the April 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy......"When the earthquake hit, we knew immediately what we had to do. Within hours, we organized a fund-raising campaign and our members and supporters stepped up to the task," said SIF President Sarno. "Upon hearing about the destruction of the Fondazione Il Cireneo center in L'Aquila, we saw the opportunity to make a significant impact on a very special group of children and their families."...... Fondazione Il Cireneo Onlus per L'Autismo is a non-profit organization that has established and operates four centers for children and young adults with autism in the Abruzzo region. The foundation was formed by a group of parents who thought centers, rather than institutions, could better help their children with autism.* When the 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck on April 6, the Fondazione's facility in L'Aquila was destroyed, along with much of the ancient Italian town......

Comments: I  belong to OSIA and am very proud of our efforts to assist those who take care of individuals with autism (another group I do a fair amount of work with). If you are an Italian-American and want to know more about your heritage I would suggest that you join OSIA today! (http://www.osia.org/) DM

Effects of visual processing and congenital nystagmus on visually guided ocular motor behaviour.

...Increased reaction time to fixation values in individuals with cerebral visual impairment (relate to visual processing deficits. The data suggest that visually guided ocular motor responses mature during the first 3 years of life....

New JournaLS: PubMed

The Journal of the Indian Prosthodontic Society
ISSN: 0972-4052 (print) 1998-4057 (electronic)
URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1435/
Archive includes vol. 10 (2010).  Current content is forthcoming, with a
12-month embargo delay.

Indian Journal of Hematology & Blood Transfusion
ISSN: 0971-4502 (print) 0974-0449 (electronic)
URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1357/
Archive includes vol. 10 (2010).  Current content is forthcoming, with a
12-month embargo delay.

Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density

.....Therapeutic interventions that incorporate training in mindfulness meditation have become increasingly popular, but to date little is known about neural mechanisms associated with these interventions. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), one of the most widely used mindfulness training programs, has been reported to produce positive effects on psychological well-being and to ameliorate symptoms of a number of disorders. .... The results suggest that participation in MBSR is associated with changes in gray matter concentration in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, self-referential processing, and perspective taking.....

Drop Steady

Awesome musical group Drop Steady at Sic Corners....if you live in Chicago c'mon down! Great musical group.

Genetics and Molecular Biology: New Journal

Genetics and Molecular Biology

ISSN: 1415-4757 (print)

URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1440/

Archive includes volume 32 to the current issue.

Note: There is no embargo delay for this journal.

New PubMed Journals

Journal of Signal Transduction
ISSN: 2090-1739 (print) 2090-1747 (electronic)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1534/
Archive includes: v. 2010(2010) - v. 2011(2011)
Note: There is no embargo delay for this title.

Pulmonary Medicine
ISSN: 2090-1836 (print) 2090-1844 (electronic)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1535/
Archive includes: v. 2011(2011)
Note: There is no embargo delay for this title.

ISRN Obstetrics and Gynecology
ISSN: 2090-4436 (print) 2090-4444 (electronic)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1536/
Archive includes: v. 2011(2011)
Note: There is no embargo delay for this title.

Early autism spectrum disorder diagnoses on the rise, especially among boys

.....The final analysis involved 3,013 infants who had been enrolled in early-intervention programs. This was an incidence of 77.5 per 10,000 study population births. The incidence rate of autism spectrum disorder increased from 56 per 10,000 births in 2001 to 93 per 10,000 in 2005....

In-Utero Exposure to Smoking, Alcohol, Coffee, and Tea and Risk of Strabismus

In a prospective, population-based cohort study, the authors investigated the effect of in-utero exposure to maternal smoking and consumption of alcohol, coffee, and tea on the risk of strabismus...... The authors identified 1,321 cases of strabismus in a cohort of 96,842 Danish children born between 1996 and 2003. .... In conclusion, smoking during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of strabismus in the offspring. Conversely, light alcohol consumption is associated with decreased risk....

Comment: click on title for full article (free). DM

Research Overturns Theory On How Children Learn Their First Words

.....The current, long-standing theory suggests that children learn their first words through a series of associations; they associate words they hear with multiple possible referents in their immediate environment. Over time, children can track both the words and elements of the environments they correspond to, eventually narrowing down what common element the word must be referring to. ..... Experiments supporting the associative word learning theory generally involve series of pictures of objects, shown in pairs or small groups against a neutral background. The real world, in contrast, has an infinite number of possible referents that can change in type or appearance from instance to instance and may not even be present each time the word is spoken.....

In Memory of Dr. Boyd Banwell: March 7, 1924 - May 28, 2011

Dr. Boyd B. Banwell


Born March 7, 1924 in Petoskey, MI to Russell and Ethel (Barney), passed  May 28, 2011 at the age of 87. Boyd was a veteran of WWII and the Korean Conflict serving in the US Army. He was a graduate from Wayne State University with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and later attended Northern Illinois College of Optometry where he received his Optometric Degree. He set up his practice in the Williamston Medical Building for 30 years. During this time he served as a lobbyist for the Michigan Optometric Association and also served as its President. He received the Michigan Optometrist of the Year Award. Boyd served on the Williamston School Board, E.D.C. and City Council. He was the former President of the Williamston Kiwanis Club. Dr. Banwell later sold his practice to become President of his Alma Mater Northern Illinois College of Optometry. He also served as a lobbyist for the Illinois Optometric Association.

Boyd is survived by his children, Deborah Banwell, Pamela (Joe) Rankin, Todd (Kathleen) Banwell, and Craig (Christina) Banwell and their mother Millie Billington; grandchildren, Jessica and Ryan Banwell, Nichole Barry and Tracy McClain; step-grandchildren Emily and Ben Rankin. He was preceded in death by his grandson, Justin Pierce Chapman.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, June 2, 2 pm at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 205 E. Middle St., Williamston with Eddie Reynolds officiating. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the
chapel. On line condolences may be made to

http://www.gorslineruncimanwilliamton.com./

College of Optometrists in Vision Development 41st Annual Meeting: Las Vegas

COVD 41st Annual Meeting  October 25-29, 2011


Tropicana   Las Vegas, Nevada

Preliminary Program

Abstract Submissions  Abstract submission deadline is June 10, 2011.

Exhibitors

Join us in Las Vegas for some networking and socializing.

Hotel Reservations    Online hotel reservations are available now.

ATTENTION: Students & Residents

A discounted rate is available for students & residents . Discounted rooms require double occupancy. Since student rooms are limited, please try to share a room with another student. To receive the student rate, you must contact COVD.

Student & Resident Travel Grants

This year up to 35 $200 grants are available for residents and students.

General Education Highlights

Session topic to be announced
Allen Cohen, OD, FCOVD

Myopia: Current Theories of Treatment and Treatment; and Intermittent Exotropia Based Upon Sensory Motor Findings
Jeffrey Cooper, MS, OD

Optometric Management of Patients who have Autism
Rachel (Stacey) Coulter, OD, FCOVD

Saccade Vergence Eye Movements: Development, Aging, and Dysfunction
Zoi Kapoula, PhD

Clinical Pearls in Development
W.C. Maples, OD, FCOVD

Learning Disabilities
Deborah Waber, PhD

Clinical Discussion Forum
Kellye Knueppel, OD, FCOVD
Brenda Montecalvo, OD, FCOVD

Applied Concepts - October 25 & 26, 2011

Acquired Brain Injury
Dr. Allen Cohen; Dr. Ken Ciuffreda, Dr. Neera Kapoor

Visual Information Acquisition
Dr. Carl Hillier

Therapy Techniques
Dr. W.C. Maples; Dr. Wanda Vaughn

Strabismus & Amblyopia
Dr. Robert Sanet

Learning Related Vision Problems
Dr. Nancy Torgerson

Annual Meeting Highlights

NEW - Social Media Workshop - October 26, 2011
Dr. Nate Bonilla Warford & Ruth Villeneuve

Joint COVD/OEP Symposium
19 Hours of Clinical Education Available

Vision Therapist Education Session
Dr. Sue Lowe & Lauri Atencio

Changed Computer Habits Of Children Lead To Poorer Reading Skills

...... it is not the computers in themselves or the activities they are used for that impair reading skills, but rather the way in which the computers have stolen time from leisure reading.

The new computer habits do not promote the development of reading ability in the same way as leisure reading of books does. Reading of printed media has fallen also among adults. In many homes it is becoming evermore unusual that somebody actually sits down and reads something....

Fragile X Research

.....The paper, "Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) - an update on developing treatment modalities," was published online in the journal ACS Chemical Neuroscience and includes a discussion of the mGluR theory of fragile X syndrome. This theory is based on research suggesting that inhibition of group I mGluR signaling reduces protein synthesis and, in turn, may correct the cognitive and behavioral phenotypes associated with fragile X syndrome. Multiple genetic and pharmacologic studies support mGluR5 inhibition as a promising therapeutic opportunity, providing compelling evidence that altering mGluR5-dependent protein synthesis may directly affect the synaptic alterations underlying the fragile X phenotypes. Additionally, the importance of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the main inhibitory transmitter in the central nervous system, has recently emerged and been show to oppose the action of mGluR5, providing a novel mechanism for therapeutic inhibition. Studies examining induced seizure activity in mice suggest that the opposing actions of mGluRs and GABA-B receptors provide a therapeutic path for fragile X syndrome. This novel insight reinforces the potential for GABA-B agonists like Seaside Therapeutics' drug candidate STX209 to counter the effects of mGluR5 in fragile X syndrome and possibly correct specific deficiencies in GABA neurotransmission. This finding could have broad applications in research to treat intellectual disability.....

FAQs on 3D Vision Syndrome

Get the anwers to these questions....

At what age can my child view 3D safely?


How long should children watch 3D television, movies or games?


As a parent should I have concerns about my child viewing 3D television, movies or games and seizures?


Can I use my 3D passive polarized glasses as sunglasses?


If my child has vision problems that interfere with viewing 3D content can this be treated?


Where do I find doctors to help?

....by clicking on the title above. DM

iPad integrated eye examination.

....Thomson Software Solutions has also launched the Vision Toolbox assessment tools for the iPad, including near vision test types, binocular vision tests and Amsler charts.....

U.S. Rates of Autism, ADHD Continue to Rise

.....One in six U.S. children now has a developmental disability such as autism, learning disorders or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to new research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention....

What Makes An Image Memorable?

For all my photographer colleagues out there!

...A new study from MIT neuroscientists shows that the most memorable photos are those that contain people, followed by static indoor scenes and human-scale objects. Landscapes? They may be beautiful, but they are, in most cases, utterly forgettable....

Prenatal vitamins reduce the risk of autism by half, even more for some higher-risk cases

....Women who reported not taking prenatal vitamins immediately before and during a pregnancy were twice as likley to have a child with autism, UC Davis researchers reported Wednesday. If the women also had a mutation in a high-risk gene, they were seven times as likely to have a child with the developmental disorder, the researchers reported in the online edition of the journal Epidemiology....

Autism Changes Molecular Structure Of The Brain

.....When the scientists compared the frontal and temporal lobes in the healthy brains, they saw that more than 500 genes were expressed at different levels in the two regions. In the autistic brains, these differences were virtually non-existent. ...

Why visual attention and awareness are different

....Now that the study of consciousness is warmly embraced by cognitive scientists, much confusion seems to arise between the concepts of visual attention and visual awareness. ....visual attention and awareness that clearly distinguish between the two, yet explain why attention and awareness are so intricately related...., there seems more overlap between mechanisms of memory and awareness than between those of attention and awareness....

Fluoxetine for motor recovery after acute ischaemic stroke (FLAME): a randomised placebo-controlled trial

....In patients with ischaemic stroke and moderate to severe motor deficit, the early prescription of fluoxetine with physiotherapy enhanced motor recovery after 3 months. Modulation of spontaneous brain plasticity by drugs is a promising pathway for treatment of patients with ischaemic stroke and moderate to severe motor deficit.....

Levi Elected Editor-in-Chief of ARVO Journal of Vision

....Members of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) have elected Denis Levi, OD, PhD, the editor-in-chief of its Journal of Vision (JOV). He will begin his five-year term as editor-in-chief beginning January 2013. Levi will succeed Andrew B. Watson, PhD, FARVO.
Levi is currently professor of optometry and vision science and dean of the School of Optometry at University of California, Berkeley. His research on amblyopia and spatial vision has been continuously funded by NEI for the last 34 years, and he has published over 250 scientific papers and two books.....

Comments: An optometrists as editor-in-chief of Journal of Vision? There may be hope for our OMD colleagues after all. Congratulations to Dr. Dennis Levi, an optometrist and Dean of an Optometry School!! Now if we could just get those other ophthalmology organizations to stop banning optometrists from their meetings! That would also be progress. DM

Illinois College of Optometry Graduate and Faculty Choir: The Complete Video

Illinois College of Optometry Graduate and Faculty Choir sang ICO's alma mater in front of more than 1500 graduates, faculty, administration, Board of Trustee members, Alumni Council members, friends and family on Saturday May 21st, 2011 in the beautiful and historic Rockefeller Chapel University of Chicago.

Thirteen voices (fourteen if you include the director) sang 4 part harmony under the direction of ICO faculty member, Dr. Dominick M. Maino ( a renown and very talented  tenor [at least in his own mind!] and ultimate blogger, editor, writer, optometrist, faculty member...well, you get the idea. [BTW this is where my wife would tell me not to break my arm patting myself on the back!) (;-}> Enjoy! DM

CDC study reports certain developmental disabilities on the rise

....between 2006 and 2008, nearly one in six children had a reported developmental disability such as autism or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
CDC researchers looked at data from approximately 119,000 children enrolled in the 1997-2008 National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) to examine the prevalence of developmental disabilities.
The researchers said the median prevalence of any developmental disability in that time period was about 14%, with most of the increases in ADHD and autism diagnoses. The overall prevalence increased from 12.84% to 15.04%....

American Baby Products Contain Chemicals Banned In 172 Countries

....It is understandable that baby products, such as bedding, should have flame retardants to protect infants from fire, but shouldn't those chemicals be safe for children - otherwise, the whole thing is self-defeating? A new study has found potentially toxic substances in polyurethane foam found in nursing pillows, high chairs, strollers, and other baby products.....

Is the new 3D technology bad for your eyes?

The thrill of seeing a movie in 3D is easy now days, with a slew of box office hits letting you don the special glasses to experience the special effects.
And it doesn't stop there. TV and gaming systems are now available to consumers to enjoy in the comfort of their own home.
We've come a long way since the red and blue glass of the 1950s. But given that as much as 30 percent of the population feels sick after watching a 3D movie, should we be concerned that it might have a long term affect on our eyes?
VSP Vision Care Optometrist, Dr. Tina Cooley-Staley, of Val Vista Vision Center answers all of our 3D-related questions........

Illinois College of Optometry Graduate & Faculty Choir 2011

I am working on putting a video together of the Illinois College of Optometry 2011 Graduate & Faculty Choir singing the ICO Alma Mater, but ran into a few snags. I had the honor of directing these very talented 13 people. I'm biased, but they sounded great in 4 part harmony at the Rockefeller Chapel University of Chicago during ICO's Commencement. Wait until the player loads below and then click on the arrow. DM

New Journal: Hawaii Medical Journal

Journal Title: Hawaii Medical Journal

    ISSN: 0017-8594 (print)

    URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/journals/1473/

    Archive includes: v. 70 (2011).  Current and earlier content is forthcoming and will have no delay.

Prevalence of and Early-Life Influences on Childhood Strabismus

....Several early-life social and biological factors are associated with strabismus, with differences in
patterns between isolated and neurodevelopmental forms. Further collaborative research could explore this hypothesis to identify modifiable risk factors....

Comments: Free PDF available. Click the title above. DM