Relationship between Binocular Vision, Visual Acuity, and Fine Motor Skills.

....Both sensory and motor fusion and good VA in both eyes are of benefit in the performance of fine motor skills tasks, with the presence of some binocular vision being beneficial compared with no fusion on certain sensorimotor tasks. This evidence supports the need to maximize fusion and VA outcomes.....

Comments: Vision screenings do not test for sensory and motor fusion....only full eye exams can do this. Stop the madness...only full comprehensive eye exams are appropriate for our children. DM

Evidence-based medicine: the value of vision screening.

This paper answers a couple of questions about the value of vision screening. The questions were:

(1) Is vision valuable (an inherent good)?; 
(1) yes


(2) Is screening effective (finding amblyopia)?; 
(2) based on literature, not definitively so;

(3) What are the costs of screening?; 
(3) relatively inexpensive

(4) Is treatment effective?; and 
(4) yes, for compliant care

(5) Is amblyopia detection beneficial?
(5) economic productive values are likely very high, with returns of investment on the order of 10:1, while human value returns need further elucidation. 

Comments: Again and again we learn that based on the literature there is not enough supportive data for vision screening to be continued. It is a looser!! Stop this nonsense. Vision screening is a waste of time and money. Every child deserves a full comprehensive eye examination! DM

Assessment of a modification of Brückner's test as a screening modality for anisometropia and strabismus

Click on title for pdf of article. DMpdf

The perception of strabismus by children and adults

.....Adults and children rated a squinting right eye as worse compared to a left one. Children perceived esotropia as more disturbing than exotropia. Neither age, nor gender, nor the fact that the respondents have friends or family members with a squint, had an impact on this ranking. Almost all adults would correct all forms of strabismus, and think that surgery should be covered by compulsory health insurance....

Comments: Surgery? What about optometric vision therapy? Full text available. DM

Refractive Status and Prevalence of Refractive Errors in Suburban School-age Children

....The distribution of refractive status changes gradually from positively-skewed to negatively-skewed distributions as age increases, with 9-year-old being the critical age for the changes. Environmental factors and study intensity influence the occurrence and development of myopia.....

Change in vision disorders among Hong Kong preschoolers in ten years

....A significant increase in myopia has been noted in Hong Kong preschoolers. Visual screening programs may need to be tailored to correspond to the local population and be adjusted accordingly from time to time....

UIW receives $11.5 million gift for School of Optometry

.... The University of the Incarnate Word has received a major gift of $11.5 million from Sandra and Stanley Rosenberg. The generous gift is significant as it is one of the largest gifts in the country ever given by a Jewish family to a Catholic institution of higher learning. 
To mark this auspicious occasion, the university has named the Sandra and Stanley Rosenberg School of Optometry in their honor. The naming of this professional school will make it the only named school of optometry in the United States.....

Best Careers 2011: Optometrist

....Money: .... the top earners make more than $166,400. The annual median wage in 2009 was $96,140 . ...

Comment: Optometry is a great career. Check out the Illinois College of Optometry for more info. DM

Optometrists Song

Scientists May Have Discovered How To Help Stem Cells In The Brain Regenerate Myelin

From AOA FirstLook:

The Financial Times (12/6, Bolger) reports that, according to a paper in Nature Neuroscience, scientists in the UK have made a breakthrough which could eventually help patients with multiple sclerosis repair damaged nerve fibers. The UK's Daily Mail (12/6, Borland) explains that the "incurable disease...causes loss of mobility, sight problems, tiredness, and excruciating pain." It's "caused by damage to myelin, the substance that surrounds all nerves in the brain and spinal cord. This impairs the way messages are transmitted from the brain to the rest of the body."

At present, "treatments involve suppressing the immune system to stop it damaging the myelin and the myelin-forming cells," the UK's Guardian (12/6, Jha) reports. "But they don't regenerate damaged myelin." The authors of the current study, however, "found a way to activate the 'RXR pathway,' a crucial cell development route that turns brain and spinal cord stem cells into myelin-making cells, in rats and mice."

The "scientists believe this will help in identifying drugs to encourage myelin repair in MS patients," BBC News (12/6) reports. "However, much more work is needed -- both to test if the mechanism works in people with MS and to see what drugs might be needed to promote the effect." Still, "Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the MS Society, which part-funded the research, said: 'For people with MS this is one of the most exciting developments in recent years.'" Gillespie added, "It's hard to put into words how revolutionary this discovery could be and how critical it is to continue research into MS." The UK's Press Association (12/6) and the UK's Independent (12/6, Laurance) also cover the breakthrough.

Eye Movement Problems Common Cause of Reading Difficulties in Stroke Patients

...Visual problems can affect up to two thirds of stroke patients, but can sometimes go undetected if patients do not recognise them as an after-effect of the condition or if they are unable to communicate the problem to their medical team or families....damage to the nerve supply that controls eye movement is also a common problem after a stroke. Impaired eye movement can impact on the ability to follow a moving object or read words on a page....

Comments: So let me see if I understand this correctly....eye movement problems can cause reading dysfunction in adult stroke patients but according to many of my ophthalmogical colleagues (and some other researchers) this couldn't possibly happen in children with reading problems but not a stroke. DM

Smoking May Thin the Brain

....Many brain imaging studies have reported that tobacco smoking is associated with large-scale and wide-spread structural brain abnormalities.....

Children with Autism have Mitochondrial Dysfunction

...Children with autism are much more likely to have deficits in their ability to produce cellular energy than typically developing children. ... cumulative damage and oxidative stress in mitochondria, the energy producer of the cell, could influence the onset and severity of autism,....

Ametropia, Preschoolers’ Cognitive Abilities, and Effects of Spectacle Correction

...Preschoolers with uncorrected ametropia had significant reduction in visual-motor function. Wearing spectacles for 6 weeks improved Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration scores to emmetropic levels.... DM

Comments: Bottom line....have your children's eyes examined early by a developmental optometrist. We pay attention to not only your refractive error but also your visual development as well.

Double Vision Discussed on The Doctors TV Show

Do you have double vision? Check out what the Doctors say....an interview with Dr. Elise Brisco, an optometric colleague and Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development.

This would be funny...if it wasn't so sadly true.

An ophthalmologist explains the medical point of view about vision and learning by Dr. Dan Lack. See http://mainosmemos.blogspot.com/search?q=american+academy+of+pediatrics for more information.

Click here to see photos from the 2010 COVD Meeting

Research supported by COVD and the Schools and Colleges of Optometry

One of my colleagues on ODWire said that the schools and colleges of optometry, COVD and other organizations do not support research in optometric vision therapy....well, of course this poor fellow was mistaken. Duriig the recent College of Optometrists in Vision Development 2010 meeting the following papers, posters and presentations were made....note that not only did the NIH support one of these papers with a grant, but that many schools/colleges of optometry supported this research as well, as the AOA, private companies, private practitioners and more!

Research, case reports, papers and poster presentations at the annual 2010 COVD meeting were presented by optometrists from around the world. Many of these were supported by COVD, the Schools and Colleges of Optometry, AOA, NIH and other organizations. The research is there if you look.

Watch for the publication of Optometry & Vision Development vol 41 #4 for the complete abstracts at http://www.covd.org/Home/OVDJournal/tabid/104/Default.aspx

VISUAL EVOKED POTENTIAL EVIDENCE THAT MAGNO-PARVOCELLULAR INTEGRATION TRAINING CAUSES - NEURAL REORGANIZATION IN READING DISABLED CHILDREN John Shelley-Tremblay – Associate Professor of Psychology, The University of South Alabama

OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENTS OF READING SPEED AND EFFICIENCY IMPROVE IN CHILDREN FOLLOWING VISION THERAPY: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS Barry Tannen, OD, FCOVD – SUNY/State College of Optometry: Noah Tannen – Pre-Optometry Student, Lafayette College:Kenneth J Ciuffreda, OD, PhD, FCOVD-A –Distinguished Professor, SUNY/State College of Optometry

VERGENCE STRESS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTS READING RATE Maureen Powers PhD, FCOVD-A, FAAO; Gary Miner and Yoshie Morita, MA – Gemstone Foundation

INFANTSEE®: NEW INSIGHT INTO THE OVERALL VISION HEALTH OF INFANTS IN THE USA; CAUSES FOR CONCERN AND NEED FOR VISION DEVELOPMENT Mark Schwartz, MPH; Glen Steele, OD, FCOVD – Southern College of Optometry

WOLD COPY TEST PERFORMANCE USING THREE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION PROTOCOLS Hannu Laukkanen,OD; Suzanne Tsang, OD; John R Hayes, PhD – Pacific University College of Optometry

VISUAL SKILLS AND READING:SYMPTOMS AND FLUENCY Yoshie Morita, MA; Robert Hoffman, EdD; Maureen Powers, PhD, FCOVD-A, FAAO; – Gemstone Foundation

CASE REPORT: VISUAL BIOFEEDBACK IN THE TREATMENT OF CONGENITAL NYSTAGMUS Ira Strenger, OD; Barry Tannen, OD, FCOVD – Associate Clinical Professor, SUNY/State College of Optometry

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COVDQOL AND ATTENTION DISORDERS AS MEASURED BY THE TEST OF VARIABLE ATTENTION (TOVA): A PILOT STUDY Allison Lyerly; Stephanie McLin; Marc Taub OD, FCOVD – Southern College of Optometry

CRITICAL FLICKER FREQUENCY IS REDUCED IN PATIENTS WITH SELF REPORTED READING DISABILITY Barry Tannen, OD, FCOVD; Kenneth J Ciuffreda, OD, PhD, FCOVD-A – Distinguished Teaching Professor, SUNY/State College of Optometry

INTERACTION OF DYNAMIC ACCOMMODATION AND SUSTAINED VISUAL ATTENTION. Dmitri V. Poltavski, PhD; David H. Biberdorf, OD, FCOVD – Valley Vision Clinic; Dr. Thomas V. Petros, PhD – University of North Dakota

OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF DYNAMIC ACCOMMODATION IN A CHILD WITH ACCOMMODATIVE INSUFFICIENCY – A CASE STUDY Tomohito Okumura, MSOptom, MEd, FAAP, FCOVD-I – Osaka Medical College LD Center; Eiji Wakamiya MD, PhD – Osaka Medical College, Department of Pediatrics, Aino University, Faculty of Nursing and Rehabilitations; Hannu Laukkanen, OD, MEd, FAAO – Pacific University, College of Optometry; Hiroshi Tamai MD PhD – Osaka Medical College, LD Center & Department of Pediatrics

ADVANCED OPTOMETRIC TREATMENT MODALITIES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ACQUIRED CASE CYCLOROTARY NYSTAGMUS M.H. Esther Han, OD, FCOVD; Allen Cohen, OD, FAAO, FCOVD; Barry Tannen, OD, FAAO, FCOVD – SUNY College of Optometry

TREATMENT OF HIGH ANISEIKONIA IN ADOLESCENTS WITH HIGH VISUAL DEMAND: A CASE SERIES Kelly Meehan, OD; Erin Jenewein, OD – Nova Southeastern University

USING VAN-ORDEN STARS TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF VISION THERAPY IN ADULT STRABISMIC PATIENTS Mary Bartuccio, OD, FAAO, FCOVD – Assistant Professor, NOVA Southeastern University

FUNCTIONAL VISION EXAM RESULTS FROM A HIGH SCHOOL IN INNER-CITY MILWAUKEE Kellye Knueppel, OD, FCOVD; Maureen Powers, PhD, FCOVD-A, FAAO – Gemstone Foundation

CASE OF SUCCESS USING VISION THERAPY IN THE INDUSTRY CUEROS INDUSTRIALIZADOS DEL BAJIO, S.A. DE C.V. (CUINBA) Guadalupe Funes; Naya Ma. Díaz; Luis Enrique Mongeloz

THE EFFECT OF LOW PLUS LENSES ON AN ASPERGER’S PATIENT WITH MILD GAZE AVOIDANCE Janette D. Dumas, OD – Assistant Professor, Southern College of Optometry

EVALUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL EYE MOVEMENT TEST IN PATIENTS WITH RIGHT-TO-LEFT READING PATTERNS Tybee Eleff, OD; Daniella Rutner, OD; Rimma Kapatsinskaya – SUNY State University of New York

OPTOMETRIC VISION THERAPY’S ROLE IN REFLEX SYMPATHETIC DYSTROPHY SYNDROME (RSDS) Mehrnaz Azimi Green, OD, FCOVD

COMPARISON OF SYMPTOMS AND OBJECTIVE READING DATA AFTER TREATMENT BY TINTED LENSES Dustin Dixon, MS; Third Year Optometry Student, W.C. Maples, OD, FCOVD – Professor of Optometry, SCO; Richard Hoenes, MS –Statistician, Northeastern State University; Marc Taub, OD, FCOVD – Professor of Optometry, SCO

PRISM AND VISION REHABILITATION TO TREAT POST-OPERATIVE EPILEPTIC PATIENT Melissa A Zarn, OD; Hannu Laukkanen, OD –Pacific University College of Optometry

PROVIDING PEDIATRIC VISION CARE IN OUR COMMUNITY : A REPORT ON THE UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO, SCHOOL OF OPTOMETRY, EXTERNAL PEDIATRIC PROGRAM Lisa W. Christian, BSc, OD – Professor, University of Waterloo, College of Optometry

OPTOMETRIC VISION THERAPY AS A TREAMENT FOR ACQUIRED NONCOMITANT DEVIATIONS Ann M. Nolan, OD; Debbie Luk, OD; M.H. Esther Han, OD; Allen Cohen, OD; Steven Shaby, OD – SUNY State College of Optometry

Acupuncture Changes Brain's Perception And Processing Of Pain

.....Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers have captured pictures of the brain while patients experienced a pain stimulus with and without acupuncture to determine acupuncture's effect on how the brain processes pain. Results of the study, which the researchers say suggest the effectiveness of acupuncture,...

Optometrists and Neuro-scientists Express Support for Vision Therapy

This article in the St. Louis Beacon is entiled , "Ophthalmologists express skepticism about vision therapy" but could have just as easily been titled: "Optometrists and Neuro-scientists Express Support for Vision Therapy". I guess negative titles generate more interest.

Overall it is pretty even handed....and it noted that "to most ophthalmologists, the eye is a camera and the brain is a computer. To developmental optometrists and the neurobiologists described here, the eyes and the brain are a system." The eye, brain, and body all have to work together to get the job done. OMDs see the eye as a single structure....developmental optometrists knows that we use our vision as a united system that must function appropriately to be successful.....and we recognize that the brain can be altered to do this using optometric vision therapy (BTW the research in neuroplasticity supports this as well.)

It's interesting to note that no ophthalmologist has training in vision therapy and yet many feel qualified to comment on its effectiveness...sad really. It's like asking your MD to diagnose and fix your automobile. Your MD says one thing about what needs to be done....and your mechanic says something else...who are you going to believe?

If you type in "strabismus surgery outcomes" in the search box to the upper left....you will see that our ophthalmologist colleagues should not throw stones when they live in glass surgical suites! DM