The AOA will See You Now: Opternative and The Rise of Online Vision Tests

October 14, 2015 by ·

In this article by Wired Magazine titled “ The Eye Doctor on Your Laptop Will See You Now”, the writer gives us, the audience, a glimpse into an online eye test by Opternative, a new online platform that gives users the opportunity to take free eye exams from the comfort of their homes. To employ Opternative for an eye test, he writes that all you need is “an internet connection, a smartphone a computer, and 25 minutes”. The eye exam is free for subscribers and provides glasses, contacts or both for a nifty price of $40 and $60 respectively.

The presence of Opternative marks a surging climb in online eye tests, and the platform’s 19,000 customer mark is a testimony to it’s success. The writer explains that Opternative’s relatively easy to use platform is one of the hallmarks of its success. Consumers are thrilled by the opportunity to go through a vision test at home, and it’s also free. This is how it works- Opternative texts users a link, and then acts as a coach, mentoring users through the online process. The platform asks users questions like “ which of these lines is sharper, the right one or left one?” This questioning process goes on for 25- 30 minutes, and the user must answer the question to best of their abilities. Once the user is done, the test results are reviewed by a doctor who looks for red flags and then sends a prescription. The user receives a signed copy with all the doctor’s information.  All this sounds relatively easy, and possibly a better option for the consumer, but recent reports from the American Optometric Association might prove otherwise.

opternative

According to the AOA, Opternatives claims might be misleading and these claims, which the association describes as ambiguous, “could mislead patients into choosing convenience at the expense of proper eye and vision care.” Dr. Christopher Wolfe, a member of the AOA, and a reviewed a clinical study that Opternative uses to back its claim, comparing its vision test to an in-person refractive exam. The 30-person trial compared patients plano to -4.00 using spherical equivalent data for both exam modalities, determining a correlation. On Wolfe’s end, he discovered various discrepancies in the findings by Opternative, he concluded on the study and the platform noting that, “There are the eye health concerns that are obviously misleading, but the fact that the study they cite is so small and their claims that it points to accuracy and correlation to traditional refraction techniques is misleading at best, since it only accounts for spherical equivalent data.” The AOA will be taking several measures to advocate for the safeguarding of consumers against misleading claims made by various online vision tests. Already the federal government has taken action against one company, Carrot Neurotechnology, who’s online vision test proved to be deceitful towards consumers.

Information for this article is courtesy of Wired Magazine and the American Optometric Association. To follow on this issue, follow the American Optometric Association.

 

Filed Under: Accessories, Contact Lenses, Eye sight, Ralph Cotran · Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Looking at Space Through Optometry

August 7, 2015 by ·

The are many factors that come into play when successfully completing a mission as a U.S. Air Force Airman. Knowledge, agility, strength, and perception are just a few.

At the Aviano Air Base in Italy, the 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron optometry clinic aims to ensure the eye health of every patient, eliminating any blurred lines. Their mission is to get all of those in their cair seeing 20/20 vision, according to U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joel Ives, 31st Aerospace Medicine Squadron NCO in charge of optometry.

Active-duty members take priority at the clinic, while it still provides service to all at the base, they understand the integral role they play in supporting the mission by ensuring Airmen are able to physically complete their duties both locally and in deployed locations.

“If our members are unable to see clearly or sharply, accuracy in their tasks is not going to be the same and that may affect our mission,” said Ives.

The optometry team is made of only three technicians, conducting about 300 eye exams each month, checking for any changes in patient’s’ eyesight. Procedures are also performed monthly to detect and identify any diseases so they can be caught at the earliest stage possible.

On top of performing one dozen eye exams annually, the clinic also provides single, bifocal, trifocal, spectacle and contact lens prescriptions to active-duty professionals. “Our clinic also provides different types of inserts for the gas mask and ballistic eyewear required by some deployed locations,” said Ives.

The optometry are committed to ensuring optimal eye health for all members of the Aviano Air Base and confident they have the means to care for anyone who comes in. But their services offered mean nothing if they are not utilized.

However, members of Team Aviano also practice daily precautions to help keep their eye health optimal. Such precautions include not sleeping with contacts in, removing contacts if eyes begin to feel irritated, and giving your eyes a break by looking away from computer screens for at least every hour in addition to lowering the brightness level on electronic devices.

To read the original article, click here.

Filed Under: Accessories, Contact Lenses, Eye sight, optometry, Ralph Cotran · Tagged With:

Mud Runs Can Lead to a Loss of Eyesight

July 6, 2015 by ·
Ralph Cotran

Mud Runs Can Lead to a Loss of Eyesight

The fitness world is constantly going through trends and fads. These used to simply revolve around the latest diet or exercise routine but now, these trends are entering a different sort of territory. Recently, the exercise community has been obsessing over challenges that are meant to prove your strength of will, strength of character, and strength of body. These events are usually obstacle courses in which hundreds of people hurl themselves forward and push their bodies and minds to the limit, all while wading and running through mud that can be high as waist-level.

These events have clearly been exploding in popularity recently; I mean, how many friends of yours have taken part in a Spartan Race? However they also come with a downside that is rarely, if ever, discussed. There have been an increasing number of reports coming in about people getting sick and infected with bacteria and germs from these runs and I’m not just talking about things that are comparable to the common cold. The most recent story is of a woman who fighting for her life and eyesight against a serious case of necrotizing fasciitis that she picked up while doing a mud run earlier this month.

Not only is this woman in danger of losing her eyesight and/or life, but she’s also now stuck with over $100,000 in medical bills due to a lack of medical insurance. While her story is clearly an extreme example and shouldn’t be applied to all mud runs, the fact remains that these can cause far more serious injuries than sprains or broken bones. Last week, dozens of mud runners in France were hit by a brutal version of gastroenteritis that was caused by bacteria in the mud. In 2012, 22 runners in a Nevada mud race contracted diarrhea from animal feces in the water. While not all mud runs will make you sick, people should be aware that there are risks involved beyond physical pain.

For more information on this matter : https://www.yahoo.com/health/mud-run-leaves-woman-blind-in-the-eye-and-with-a-122422587708.html

Filed Under: Contact Lenses, optometry, Ralph Cotran, US Optical · Tagged With: , , ,

Newest Technology in Optometry

June 4, 2015 by ·

Ralph CotranTechnology has truly come a long way in all aspects of our lives, especially in the field of medicine. Researches are rolling out a new app kit called “Peek” which allows to physicians to test a patients’ eyesight in remote areas around the world. Optometrists can use a smartphone device to conduct the tests, which have been proven to be just as accurate as the traditional letter chart we are all so familiar with. 

The technology to make this device possible was put together by scientist at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and researchers from the University of St Andrews. The app works in connection to a special device called the “Peek Retina” which allows for a thorough testing of the retina. Researched from JAMA Ophthalmology tested over 233 Kenyans in their homes, then distributed the patients to eye care centers around the world to be re-evaluated. Both tests showed similar results, meaning that scores derived from the Peek were just as reliable as the traditional visual acuity chart. 

So, what does this mean for the optometry community?

The new device can be used to detect early signs of poor vision, and as most of the world’s blind population resides in poor rural areas, this is a great opportunity to help millions around the world. Technology is becoming more and more accessible, and with the help of smart devices such as iPhones and tablets, bringing medical devices closer to those who are less fortunate has become much easier. 

Lead researcher and author of the study, Dr Andrew Bastawrous, was quoted that the ultimate goal of this apparatus is to use Peek Retina on people who need timely and appropriate treatment in order to diagnose their condition and hopefully see clearly again. The Peek Acuity test works by having the physician display a letter and positioning it in four different alignment, and then asking the patient to point the direction of the letter. Once the patient has answered, the doctor can easily move on to the next slide.

The only study conducted focused on Kenyan residents between over the age 55, however, this narrow test groups leaves some questions unanswered. Specialists believe that in order for Peek Acuity to take off, broader studies need to be conducted, inclusive of larger populations of different ages and backgrounds. 

Filed Under: Contact Lenses, Eye sight, optometry, Ralph Cotran Blog, US Optical · Tagged With: , , , , ,

A New Product of Contact Lenses

May 6, 2015 by ·
Ralph Cotran

Contact Lenses

Scientists at Brien Holden Vision Institute (BHVI) are responsible for the creation of a another kind of contact lens that just recently received approval to be sold to retailers around the United States. On April 23rd, the newly updated lenses with an extended depth of focus (EDOF), were just approved by the Federal Drug Administration and the US Health Control. The product is expected to hit the US market very soon. 

Brien Holden, professor and CEO of BHVI, believes that “this is an imperative venture forward in quality vision for presbyopes.” The contact lenses were designed by BHVI analyst, Dr Ravi Bakaraju, and are expected to help people who wear contact lenses to see better and much more clearly closeup and faraway, while diminishing the normal visuals of ghosting and haloes. 

Dr Bakaraju was quoted that “many claims are made that multifocal lenses provide simultaneous vision at various visual distances but often this comes at the cost of reduced contrast, increased ghosting and compromised overall vision satisfaction.” A complete database also shows that our contact lenses will give an extraordinarily advantage the US advertise, and others. The contact lenses are derived from another product put forth by BHVI, Brien Holden Vision Pty Ltd, which will also be accessible toward the end of this year.

Holden explains that contact lenses represents a huge development towards the improvement of science, innovation and innovative work. Brien Holden Vision Institute will give a generous part of its benefits to store our work during a time when improvements in science need as much help as possible. BHVI is dedicated to correcting the disabilities of people who suffer with eye sight, and with more than 625 million people who are vision impaired this need becomes even more of a priority. Many of these patient do not have access to healthcare, nor do they have the resources to pay for tests and glasses, which is why these efforts are impertinent. 

Filed Under: Accessories, Contact Lenses, Eye sight, optometry, Ralph Cotran, US Optical · Tagged With: , , ,