The Optical Vision Site

Eye Jewelry Project By Eric Klarenbeek

Shirley had done an earlier post on this eye jewelry bit and then I found the video- I really don’t get it- do you? Why would a person want to look like they are crying all the time and think about having a conversation with an Italian, hands are waving, eye jewelry bobbling all over the place, would you really be thinking about what they are saying or just focusing on the little bit of jewelry dangle?

You can read more about Eric Klarenbeek and his project here

Paragon CRT Patient Video

This video is from Paragon who makes the CRT lens. CRT stands for corneal refractive therapy which is also known as orthokeratology. It is a nonsurgical procedure using special lenses worn only at night to correct a person’s vision without having surgery.

Eco Friendly Contact Lenses-Sets Eyecare Offices Apart From Competition

BioLens- Eco Friendly Contact Lens

The consumer continues to look for Eco Friendly options, and  Marietta Vision has responded with the BioLens a ‘more natural alternative’ to other contact lens materials. The Bio Lens is made with a bio-compatible contact lens material with even the packaging made with recycled paper.

The biggest advantage to the eyecare practitioner: Not sold in chains stores, not sold in drug stores, not sold in gas stations, not sold on the Internet.

The Bio Lens from Marietta Vision combined with Vegan Contact Lens Solutions from Clear Conscience can set the EyeCare Professional apart from their competition

The Evolution Of Contact Lenses

A new contact-lens prototype senses changes in pressure, which may one day provide continuous monitoring for patients with glaucoma. Each lens (pictured) consists of a transparent polymer with tiny, opaque electrical circuits (gold). The circuits exhibit changes in voltage as the lens is bent or pressed. Credit: Tingrui Pan, UC Davis

When you think about it, it’s really quite amazing how far the contact lens has come. Before contact lenses were invented, those who couldn’t see well had one option and one option only: glasses. Then, the contact lens was invented. At first, the contact lens was a cumbersome piece of eyewear. It was fragile and not a great fit for those who wanted to play sports, go running, go out dancing – the opportunities for contact lens wearers were anything but endless.

The origin of the contact lens can be traced back to the 16th century (Leonardo D’Vinci) , but credit is usually given to a man named F.E. Muller. Muller came up with contact lenses in 1887, but it was a long while before the lenses were actually created the way that we think of them today. In fact, in their original incarnation, contact lenses were almost as bulky as actual glasses. However, contact lens technology has evolved greatly since their inception.

What was initially a hard, glass lens has become a soft, thin plastic composite. These days, there are contact lenses for just about everyone! Sports lenses are one of the newer inventions, and they’ve made a real difference for many athletes around the world. Sport specific contact lenses were developed recently, and were driven by the desire of both professional and casual athletes who were looking for a lens that not only corrected their vision but boosted their ability to see clearly.

American drag racer Gary Scelzi, who suffers from astigmatism, was one of the first to test-drive a sports-specific contact lens. Gary Sclezi was prescribed contact lenses that corrected his vision not just to the “perfect” 20/20, but to 20/15. The lenses that Sclezi wore were specifically created to give him a fine-depth perception that was enhanced, which undoubtedly helped him in his racing. Sclezi himself noted that he saw a dramatic improvement in his ability to read the starting lights that are imperative to drag racing.

Professional baseball players also make use of sports-specific contact lenses. Baseball players tend to utilize amber-tinted lenses for

Bionic Contact Lens

games played in varying lighting conditions, so that they can see no matter where the sun is in the sky. The amber tint in these lenses blocks blue light from the eyes. This enables the player to better see fast-moving objects against a fixed background, which is exactly what a third baseman needs to see! Some believe that these sports- specific contact lenses can also mentally improve an athlete’s physical skills.

Particularly in sports that rely heavily on precise hand-eye coordination, such as baseball, if the player thinks he can see the ball more clearly, he might actually perform better.

Sports-specific lenses aren’t the only kind of advanced contact lenses available. On the contrary, there are lenses for all types of vision correction. Got astigmatism? There are contacts for you! Have dry eyes? Don’t worry, there’s a wide array of lenses available to ensure maximum hydration and comfort.

Some of the most popular inventions in the history of contact lenses have been recent ones, such as colored contact lenses and disposable contact lenses.

Colored contact lenses have been embraced by celebrities, who change their eye color as often as their change their hair these days. Actress Lindsay Lohan has been seen sporting just about every eye color on the planet, and colored contacts are integral in modern day films. Think, for example, about the vampires in the Twilight series. Their roles require them to have golden eyes, and at times, red ones. Colored contacts make this sort of physical characteristic, which is absolutely imperative to their character, as easy as pie. All the actors need to do is pop the contacts in and voila; they’re a new person! Regular folks have also utilized colored contacts both in their every day lives and in their Halloween costumes. Because modern-day contacts are so easy to put in and take out, eye colors can change daily!

Disposable contact lenses are perhaps the greatest modern invention for those with vision correction needs. Today, disposable contact lenses are an easy and affordable option. Disposable contacts are convenient, and require much less hassle. Current contact lenses contain hydrogel, a form of plastic that contains water, but researchers have recently revealed a new type of lens that incorporates silicone into the hydrogel. Silicone has a high degree of permeability, which means that more oxygen can get through the lens to your eye. This means that the new lenses can contain less water than their older counterparts, which in turn makes them less susceptible to dryness thanks to extended wear. These lenses are often referred to as “continuous wear” and can be worn for up to thirty days straight!

What are they thinking of next? Here is what is coming up in contact lens trends!

• Contact Lenses For Diabetic Patients
• Contact Lenses That Change Color With Emotions
• Bionic Contact Lenses
• Contact Lenses To Monitor Glaucoma
• Vitamin E Contact Lens
• Solar Powered Contact Lens
• Transitions Contact Lenses
• Designer Contact Lenses

Submitted by guest blogger Robert Kelli of http://www.buymorecontacts.com

Why Do Some Optical Patients Need Made to Order Contact Lenses?

The custom technology of “made to order contact lenses” allows doctors the ability to fit a wider range of patients. Doctors can choose a wide range of materials and water content in any base curve, diameter, axis or power.

These are some conditions and causes that require custom contact lenses in designs and parameters not available “off the shelf”:

• Some patients are not able to achieve all-day wear with rigid gas permeable lenses due to the discomfort experienced by them
• Irregular astigmatism created by keratoconus (a deterioration of the structure of the cornea with gradual bulging from the normal round shape to a cone shape), trauma, or post/penetrating keratoplasy
• Atypical ametropia following corneal refractive surgery
• Irregular corneal surface where centration is difficult

One of our sponsors, X-Cel Contacts is a specialty contact lens manufacturer and their Flexlens® product line addresses all these conditions with the following different products:

• Flexlens Tricurve Keratoconus
• Flexlens Toric
• Flexlens Multifocal

X-Cel recently announced the addition of a monthly modality in their Flexlens product line, custom soft lenses that are made to order within 1 – 2 working days.

Contact Lens Dangers- Duty To Warn

Photo:Marietta Vision

Last year we did a post on Anime Contact Lenses now the hottest trend in contact lens. All of a sudden Lady Gaga wearing Anime Contact Lenses in the Bad Romance video  has sparked a dearth of press about the dangers of large contact lenses. The reality many contact lenses are dangerous to eye health including theatrical and illegal contact lenses. We have done several posts on illegal contact lenses and the dangers associated and another article that 70% of Contact Lens Cases are contaminated.

None of the eye docs I spoke with regarding illegal sales, theatrical contact lenses warned their patients. The information was not posted on their websites nor did they have written information in their offices. My question to the eye care professional, isn’t it your duty to warn? By warning isn’t this an opportunity to re-capture the contact lens business? CNN, USA Today and other media are writing about the dangers and so should you.

According to the AAO, over-the-counter sales of nonprescription cosmetic lenses has been banned by law in the United States since 2005, but they are available online. All contact lenses are classified as medical devices and can only be distributed through licensed eye care professionals.

Lady Gaga Anime Eyes in Bad Romance Video

In its statement, the AAO said it “would like to alert consumers to the hazards of buying any decorative lenses, including circle lenses, without a prescription. Any type of contact lens is a medical device that requires a prescription, proper fitting by an eye care professional and a commitment to proper care by the consumer.”

The eye doctors’ group also noted that “inflammation and pain can occur from improperly fitted, over-the-counter lenses and lead to more serious problems including corneal abrasions and blinding infections.”

The AAO urged that all contact lenses be fitted by a trained professional, and that anyone who develops “pain, burning, redness, tearing or sensitivity to light while wearing any type of contact lenses,” should consult an ophthalmologist (USA Today)

Here is what I think- Theatrical Contact Lens sales are growing, why let your patients buy off the internet, gas stations and swap meets and potentially harming their eyes. Taking the bull by the horn, set up a ‘Store Within A Store Retail‘ with a Theatrical Contact Lens display and include in the display a ‘Duty To Warn’ and information about illegal contact lenses and Lady Gaga’s Anime Contact lens. The information should be in other written material in your office and website.

As an FYI, Marietta Vision has a fabulous selection for the eyecare professional for custom contact lens, theatrical contact lens, sport tinted contact lens, prosthetic and therapeutic contact lens, anime contact lens and eco- friendly contact lenses and supplies.

For references- Check out the Dangerous Contact Lenses

In House Contact Lens Tinting Offers Profitable Contact Lens Dispensing

Soft Chrome Contact Lens Tinting

This makes a lot of sense to me- have your own in-house contact lens tinting machine. With the consumer shopping more and more on the Internet for contact lenses, the growth in colored contact lenses as a fashion accessory and the amount of kid buying illegal contact lenses from gas stations and the hype about theatrical contact lens- why not offer your own custom contact lens Tinting?

Soft Chrome Tinting, an in-house contact lens tinting machine is made for the independent optical practitioner to be able to offer and market custom contact lenses. I would check it out or give them a call- sounds interesting and could be a profit center.

If you are worried about safety- it was developed by C. Stephen Johnson O.D.

Christian Dior Contact Lenses- What Next?

Designer Eyewear By Christian Dior

First I found out that Carrera has contact lenses and now the latest discovery John Galliano designed and launched glittery contacts lenses with the CD insignia. Last week, I did this post on the new WereWolf Craze going on with kids- this reminds me of the wolf contact lenses. Hey you could be a designer wolf!

Well if this takes off, I am sure we will be seeing more designer contact lenses appearing on the marketplace: LV, CC, DG, DKNY, CK- contact lenses to match your purse or shoes- what a thought!

The contact lenses were launched in Europe and don’t know if they are still available.