Itchy, watery, red and swollen eyes accompanied with sneezing, coughing, and running noses can only mean one thing… spring allergy season is here. This year’s spring allergy season got off to an early start, and as WebMD shared earlier in the season, some doctors are seeing signs that allergy season “may be more miserable than usual this year.”

What’s the reason for this prediction? A false spring is partially to blame because it caused pollen levels to climb, dip, and then rise again. Stanley M. Fineman, MD, former president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology who now practices in Atlanta, shares that the pollen pattern causes people who suffer with allergies to feel a “priming effect.” This is when patients are initially exposed to the allergens and then re-exposed after the dip and subsequential increase in pollen levels, causing patients to feel the effects even more because their bodies prepare to respond.

Allergies can make your patients feel horrible, especially when they feel the need to constantly rub their eyes or wipe tears away. However, there are a few ways you can help them combat the symptoms so they can enjoy the …

In addition to developing instruments and devices that equip optometrists and ophthalmologists with better diagnostic capabilities, we also strive to help educate practitioners by offering clinical trainings designed to provide information on the various conditions an optomap exam can detect.

Jerome Sherman, OD, FAAO and Distinguished Teaching Professor at The State University of New York, recently discussed widefield autofluorescence imaging (af) in a webinar for Optos.  He describes af as a novel, noninvasive imaging procedure that has opened “a new world of diagnosis.” Throughout the webinar, Dr. Sherman discusses some of the basics of af, as well as what types of conditions can be revealed through af that can’t be detected with standard fundus photography and standard ophthalmoscopy. The webinar also includes photographic examples and some scenarios, such as the following:

Hyperautofluorescence and Hypoautofluorescence

Disc Drusen revealed with af

Retinal Toxicity invisible to ophthalmoscopy

Early Retinitis Pigmentosa with Bull’s Eye Maculopathy  (invisible to Ophthalmoscopy & Fundus Photography)

Please visit our website to view the entire webinar with Dr. Sherman. There, you …

As we shared a few months ago, investing in advanced technology is a must for every medical practice. Adding equipment with up-to-date technology allows your practice to operate at maximum efficiency and create a more positive patient experience.

Optometric Management recently published a list of five “must-have” technologies which the magazine suggests that every eyecare practitioner consider for their practice. These technologies are described as technologies that will make your life easier while minimizing “administrative burden” and instilling “patient loyalty and referrals.” Below is a quick look at each.

Digital Appointment Scheduling – The author of the article, Ben L. Larson, O.D., shared that his practice uses digital scheduling software that is linked directly to the practice’s website. Patients are able to schedule an appointment without calling and can do so at any hour, which has led to an increase in word-of-mouth referrals. Additionally, the practice’s staff is able to focus more on patient care and less on administrative duties.

Patient Intake Forms on Your Website – Adding patient intake forms to your website offers extra convenience to your patients and the staff of your practice, by eliminating the need to provide the patients with several handouts …

At Optos, we are always trying to find ways to help professionals and patients communicate better and get the best results from tests. With these goals in mind, Optos has developed a helpful new iPad app to accompany the already versatile OptosChart digital visual acuity system.

Our app, Chart Remote, is designed to control the OptosChart visual acuity testing systems, as well as perform near vision testing via an iPad. The OptosChart is compatible with several of the commonly used USB Wi-Fi adaptors, including Linksys, Belkin, Netgear, and DLink. The app’s software will automatically detect the Wi-Fi signal from the USB Wi-Fi adaptor allowing you to connect your iPad via an ad hoc network, or through the wireless LAN network in your clinic.

In addition to serving as a remote, the Chart Remote app offers a synchronized on-tablet chart display. This means you will no longer need to memorize another optotype or read the chart along with your patients to confirm the responses of your patients. The Chart Remote app also streamlines patient registration and data input, as well as allows you to archive, email, or print visual acuity reports.

The OptosChart digital visual acuity testing system  …

While representatives from Optos are constantly in the field talking to eyecare professionals about our products and technology, we really enjoy the chance to talk to groups of professionals at conferences and trade shows. Optos regularly attends these events, creating an educational opportunity for practitioners to learn more about our retinal imaging devices, as well as how more and more studies are proving the benefits of ultra-widefield imaging.

Optos recently had a presence at Optrafair, one of the largest shows in the industry in the UK, and we stayed busy sharing information with attendees about our Daytona device and autofluorescence imaging.

Optrafair attendees listen to a talk about Daytona and autofluorescence imaging.

Our representatives also attended a meeting of the Pacific Retina Club, at which Optos’ technology was featured in 11 presentations, including the keynote address from Dean Elliot from Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary on Retinoplexy. We also had representatives present at the Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society Midyear Meeting, where we were able to share about Daytona and our 200Tx with many attendees. Additionally, Optos’ technology had some exposure when it was also featured recently in two papers published in Retina: The Journal …

Has a patient ever given you a funny look when you’ve asked questions about his or her medical history? It’s probably because the patient was expecting you to stick to eye and vision questions, rather than overall health questions. Many times, patients don’t realize that systemic issues can be detected through an eye exam, or that such issues could be the reason behind changes in vision.

With World Hypertension Day coming up on May 17, it’s a good time to talk to your patients about how hypertension can affect their vision and health, especially if they have been diagnosed with hypertension in the past or if they have a family history of the condition. A few points to share with your patients include the following:

Vessels in the eye can change or become damaged as a result of elevated blood pressure. The perfusion of the retina can also be damaged and eye tissue may not receive enough oxygen. Nerve cells can die, which creates an increased risk for thromboses, leading to blurred vision or blindness. Many people aren’t even aware that they have hypertension or don’t experience symptoms, which is why it’s often referred to as the “silent …

Helping practitioners keep their patients’ eyes healthy is what we’re all about here at Optos, so, although Healthy Vision Month is only officially observed in May, every month is healthy vision month for us! However, we’d like to encourage all practitioners to get involved with Healthy Vision Month this year, especially because this year marks the 10th anniversary of this opportunity to encourage everyone to take action to protect sight, prevent vision loss, and maintain vision for years to come.

As the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shares, lots of people are living with undetected vision issues, diseases of the eye, and other problems that can be detected through an eye exam. Healthy Vision Month was created to help promote viewing vision as a health priority. A few ways the Healthy Vision Month website suggests you can accomplish this includes:

Adding eye-health facts and statistics to your practice’s website, newsletter, or social networking sites, and provide a link to the Healthy Vision Month website Placing eye-health posters throughout your practice Setting aside your own Healthy Vision Day or Week and issue a statement about it, encouraging everyone to schedule an eye exam each year and to encourage habits …

The Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society (OPS) holds an image competition annually at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). The competition is open to all members and always features a number of interesting images that represent the best in retinal imaging across a number of different categories.

The judge’s panel for the competition is made up of OPS members and ophthalmologists who select the images that best represent the categories of the competition, which range from conditions like retinal angiography to images demonstrating surgical techniques, and even creative submissions under “Eyes as Art.” The winning images are then put on display at the OPS Scientific Exhibit on the AAO Exhibit Floor during the show.

However, prior to the Exhibit’s opening, a third set of judges reviews the images one last time and selects what OPS describes as “the most outstanding image from the show.” That image is honored with the Csaba L. Martonyi Award, which is named for Csaba L. Martonyi, CRA, FOPS, a longtime member of the OPS who encouraged professional imagers to put their “effort and skill into producing images that serve a medical purpose and demonstrate technical and artistic perfection.”

In the 2012 competition, Optos was …

A study conducted at the New England College of Optometry yielded some exciting results for practitioners using Optos’ retinal imaging devices as a part of comprehensive eye exams.

The study was designed to compare retinal imaging techniques and specifically evaluated how an optomap-assisted fundus exam is able to detect retinal lesions in comparison with traditional ophthalmoscopy. Researchers studied 339 eyes to see whether or not Optos’ ultra-widefield retinal imaging technology could allow practitioners to perform a more comprehensive exam, as the accuracy of traditional dilated retinal exams currently performed vary from 32% to 82%.

With the results recently published in Eye and Brain, the study is believed to be the first that demonstrates the ability of digital technology imaging to enhance a traditional dilated fundus exam. The study revealed that the optomap-assisted technique revealed about 30% more retinal lesions than traditional ophthalmoscopy. Researchers also concluded that optomap image assisted fundus exams enhanced the detection of retinal lesions when compared with traditional fundus exams alone.

In a press release, Roy Davis, CEO of Optos, shared that the study serves as a great example of the benefits of ultra-widefield imaging:

“We believe optomap image-assisted ophthalmoscopy represents an …

We’ve all most likely had a dentist ask us at one time or another if we’ve been flossing enough. While the importance of flossing can be easily overlooked or underestimated, it’s an essential part of the equation for good dental health.

Similarly, a comprehensive eye exam is an important part of the equation for maintaining eye health. But there are several steps patients must take on their own – similar to flossing – in order to keep their eyes in optimal health after they’ve left the doctor’s office. Below are a few simple tips you can encourage your patients to practice on their own to maintain healthy eyes and vision.

Eat for Better Vision – Remind patients of the fruits and vegetables that are rich in the vitamins and minerals that they can add to their diet to support eye health. Lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids are helpful for patients with cataracts, AMD, and dry eye syndrome, respectively.

Watch Your Weight – Patients that maintain a healthy weight are less likely to develop conditions like type-2 diabetes, which is a leading cause of blindness in adults as it increases the risk of glaucoma and cataracts. So …