19th February 2013

An American research institute 2AI Labs believes to have discovered lenses that can be used for colour blinded people to see the full spectrum of colours. Colour blinded people are usually unable to perceive some of the red and green colours, for which the lenses are designed to help. So called red-green deficiency could help up to 10% of male population and a small percentage of females who suffer from some form of red-green colour blindness. The lenses were originally developed for medical purposes, to enable nurses and doctors seeing veins and bruises more clearly. However, the scientists realized that they can also be used for the public, and are already available on the US market. Wearing them could even enable their wearers to pass a test for colour blindness, known as Ishinara Colour Test, where patients need to identify numbers in the circle of dots. The only disadvantage is that they reduce the ability see yellow and blue colours.

Source: http://www.thetimes.co.uk

Image courtesy of Stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

12 February 2013

The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) is asking contact lens wearers to always purchase the lenses under the supervision of a registered professional and in person.

BCLA President, Dr Catharine Chisholm, commented: “Contact lens wearers who buy lenses from sources other than their eyecare practitioner have been shown to be less likely to follow good eyecare health practices, including being less likely to attend regular aftercare check-ups.“

A recent study suggests that the risk of contact lens-related microbial keratitis – a potentially sight-threatening cornea inflammation – was 4.8 times more likely in those who bought their lenses online compared to directly from the eye care professional.

“Thankfully it is extremely rare for someone to develop an eye infection as a result of contact lens wear – and even less common for this to result in a loss of vision or the eye itself,” added Dr Chisholm.

“However, infections of the cornea can be very serious and are most commonly associated with patients not following the precise instructions for lens care and wear given to them by their eyecare practitioner (ECP).”

source: www.bcla.org.uk

Image courtesy of Marin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

25 January 2013

A new study finds that certain changes in blood vessels in the retina can be an early warning that a person is at increased risk for glaucoma. Using diagnostic photos and other data from the Australian Blue Mountains Eye Study, the researchers at the University of Sydney showed that patients who had abnormally narrow retinal arteries when the study began were also those who were most likely to have glaucoma at its 10-year end point. The study was published online by Ophthalmology.

Source: www.bcla.org.uk

10 January 2013, source: British Contact Lens Association

A new study suggests caffeinated coffee drinkers should limit their intake to reduce their chances of developing vision loss or blindness. According to a paper in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, heavy caffeinated coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma. The study is the first to examine the link between caffeinated coffee and exfoliation glaucoma in a US-based population. A meta-analysis of two cohorts showed that, compared to abstainers, participants who drank three cups or more of caffeinated coffee daily were at an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma or glaucoma suspect.