REPOST: Novartis-Google team on lens for diabetes, vision issues

 Among the new technologies in eye care that is in development is the "smart contact lens". Read this article from USAtoday.com for more details.

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Google is teaming up with pharmaceutical giant Novartis to develop a "smart" contact lens intended to replace reading glasses for people who can't read without them and glucose monitors for those with diabetes.

For people with vision problems, the device would work like the autofocus of a camera, allowing them to focus on close-up things like the words in a book. It will be designed to work as a contact lens that is changed out regularly, or as an intra-ocular lens, permanently inserted into the eye during cataract surgery.

For diabetics, the lenses would replace regular finger sticks designed to read out a person's blood glucose level. Instead, the lens will "read" glucose levels in tears, sending information wirelessly to a handheld device that will warn patients when they need to eat or lower their glucose levels.

"These are issues that have been unmet medical needs for quite some time," said Novartis CEO Joseph Jimenez.

Novartis' eye-care division Alcon, based in Texas, inked the deal today to do the development work, along with Google X, an innovation lab at the information company's Mountain View, Calif., headquarters, which had previously announced plans to make "smart" contacts.

Jimenez, said he hopes the contact will be the first of many technologies the two companies develop together.

"It was very clear that there could be a very nice synergistic value between bringing high tech together with biology to solve some of the biggest health care issues that we're facing," Jimenez said.

The work is still preliminary, he said, with testing in people expected to begin next year. It will be a few years before the lens can be considered for regulatory approval and reach customers.

He said a price had not been decided for the lenses, and would not disclose how much the two companies will be investing in the project other than to say that it will be "commensurate with the business opportunity."

More than 1.7 billion people worldwide have presbyopia, the medical term for eyes that lose their ability to focus up-close with age, and more than 380 million have diabetes, he said.

Diabetes experts said they see two potential problems with glucose-monitoring lenses.

First, it's not clear whether glucose in tears, which the device would measure, changes in sync with the glucose in blood.

"There are no available data to show any reliability of this sensor," said Robert Ratner, chief scientific and medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association. "Is this going to be a situation where you have to change the contact once a day, once a week or once an hour? All of these are unknowns."

Second, diabetics are most at risk for crashing blood sugar levels at night while they're sleeping. But that's also when most people take out their contacts.

"Any type of contact device is going to need to be something that can be worn overnight if it's going to be able to realize the benefits people need, which is to get warning alarms when their glucoses are going out of range overnight," said Howard Wolpert, director of the Joslin Institute for Technology Translation at the Harvard-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.

For aging eyes, there are also many other alternatives to the contacts, from glasses to low-tech contacts to LASIK surgery, said Kerry Assil, an ophthalmic surgeon in Los Angeles.

But still, he said, if the "smart" contacts can be made to work, it would be a boon to patients. "Any new thing that can provide people with a slightly enhanced visual clarity, reduced side effects and so forth, tremendously elevates their sense of well being and their sense of confidence."

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel is an Edison-based opthalmologist and founder of the Patel Eye Associates. Follow this Twitter account to learn more about the latest trends in eye care.

REPOST: The Best Sunglasses for Healthy Eyes

Choosing sunglasses that will help you take care of your eyes is especially important this summer. Know more about the right frames for your eyes in this Health.com article.

Three pairs we love 

Image Source: health.com

From Health magazine Whether you go for the Risky Business or Olson sisters’ look, make sure your shades have 100% UV protection to filter both UVA and UVB rays. Oversize and wraparound frames offer more coverage to protect the soft tissue around your eyes. And polarized lenses make it easier to see in very bright conditions.

Auto-adjustment

Phillipe by Serengeti ($169.99–$219.99) features polarized and photochromatic lenses that adjust to changing levels of brightness.

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Bargain UV-blocker

Elizabeth by Ann Taylor Loft ($24.50) gives you 100% UV-blocking at a steal.

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All-in-one protection

Colby by Kate Spade ($160) offers 100% UV-blocking and ample eye coverage to protect skin.

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Edison-based ophthalmologist Dr. Hitesh Patel helps people with various eye problems. Visit this Facebook page to learn more about his field of expertise.

REPOST: Emo PSA: Your stupid haircut could be ruining your eye

Move the bangs away if you want to protect your eyes from damage.  This article from Time provides more details: 

The trademark emo haircut — long bangs swept dramatically over one eye — is a symbol of your deep inner pain, like when you forgot those My Chemical Romance lyrics and all your emo friends laughed at you, or that time your MySpace page wouldn’t load. But beware! According to one expert quoted in one newspaper, there’s a danger of physical pain as well: those haircuts may be bad for your sad, beautiful eyes.

Image Source: Newsfeed.time.com

Andrew Hogan, a national executive member of Australia’s Optometrists’ Association, told the Daily Telegraph that the floppy, Justin Bieber–esque ’do could lead to amblyopia — lazy eye. “If a young emo chap has a fringe covering one eye all the time, that eye won’t see a lot of detail … And if it happens from a young age, that eye can become amblyotic,” he said. According to Hogan, the asymmetrical fringe acts as an eye patch: “If you walk around with an eye patch on all day, then that eye will end up seeing more poorly than the other eye.”

“Veteran hairdresser” Roseanne Anderson also suggests that the fringe poses risks to young people’s posture, because of the incessant head tilting and hair flicking that inevitably ensues:

“I have to wonder how they don’t get a stiff neck … I have seen lots of fashions come and go — but really when I think about it, this is probably the only hairstyle in my 40 years of hairdressing that could be a health hazard.”

Good thing other eye professionals say the whole thing is complete and utter nonsense. “This is a crazy idea, the concept of this blocking vision and causing problems with sight,” Auckland-based ophthalmologist Justin Mora told TV New Zealand. “It’s just silly.” But maybe get a haircut, just in case.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison is an eye specialist.  Visit this Facebook page for more about eye health.

REPOST: Get wise about your eyes

Too much use of cosmetics, stress, staying up late at night are some of the  factors that can lead to vision problems. This Health.com article shares some ways on how to keep the  eyes healthy.

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We never appreciate how much our eyes do for us—from helping to navigate the world to letting us ogle George Clooney—until something goes wrong. In fact, they're more sensitive than you think: Your eyes are affected by everything from makeup to air-conditioning to all those birthdays. Here's how to take care of them so you can keep seeing the sights.

'My eyes are always itchy this time of year' 

Seasonal allergies can make your eyes itch like crazy, thanks to the histamine they (and other body parts) produce in response to pollen and other irritants.

How to see clearly: Staying indoors with the windows shut is ideal, but we know you can't be a total recluse. So use over-the-counter allergy eyedrops such as Naphcon-A, or ask your doc to prescribe a more potent one such as Pataday, says Anne Sumers, MD, a clinical correspondent for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. And shower before bed so pollen's not lingering on your face and in your hair all night long.

'Why are my lids pink and puffy?' 

If one or both of your eyelids are inflamed, itchy, and red, you may have blepharitis, which occurs when bacteria or excessive oil from your eyes coats the lid near the eyelash line. It can also be caused by allergies. "Blepharitis, which is not contagious and usually doesn't require antibiotics, often gets mistaken for pink eye, which is usually caused by a virus and is highly infectious," Dr. Sumers says. Check in with an eye doctor to figure out which one you've got. A pink eyelid can also mean you have a sty, a bacterial infection on your lid that takes the form of a painful, pus-filled pimple.

How to see clearly: Prevent and treat both styes and blepharitis by keeping the eye clean. Soak a washcloth with warm water, wring it out, and place it over your closed eye for a minute or two. Do this two or three times a day. "Clean all your eye makeup off every night," Dr. Sumers adds, "and never wear eyeliner inside your lash line." And no matter how tempted you are, don't pop a sty, or you could spread the infection.

'My eyes are burning!' 

If you feel a gritty, scratchy, or even stabbing pain in your eyes, you may be one of the 10 million Americans suffering from dry eye syndrome. Blame modern life: Air-conditioning and central heating can leave eyes parched, says Stephanie Marioneaux, MD, an ophthalmologist in Chesapeake, Virginia. Plus, studies have shown that when we stare at a screen, we don't blink as often, so our eyes lose their natural lubrication. If you wear contact lenses, you're more prone; same goes if you smoke or take medications such as antihistamines or decongestants.

How to see clearly: Try artificial tears. "Gels that are labeled 'for severe dry eye,' such as Systane, are thicker and last longer, but they can feel gummy and blur vision," Dr. Sumers says. "Drops that are labeled 'mild to moderate,' such as Refresh, are thinner and feel better, but won't last as long."

If drops don't do the trick, your doctor can prescribe a topical medication or fit you with punctal plugs (they're inserted into your eye to keep tears from draining too quickly). Use a vaporizer or humidifier to keep indoor air moist, too. Surprisingly, eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids—such as salmon, sardines, and tuna—may reduce your risk of dry eye, and taking flaxseed oil and omega-3 supplements may relieve symptoms, studies suggest. And every 10 minutes or so, look away from your computer or tablet screen and bat your lids like Scarlett O'Hara.

'Menus are suddenly hard to read'

No matter how great your vision's been, it's nearly inevitable that you'll have more trouble seeing things close up as you reach your 40s. The lens in your eye gets harder and less flexible over time, gradually losing the ability to focus, Dr. Marioneaux explains. The retina also becomes less light-sensitive, so it's harder to see in dim light.

How to see clearly: Squinting as you read? Pick up a pair of +1 glasses at the drugstore. (Wearing glasses won't make your sight worse—that's just a myth, Dr. Sumers says.)

If you already have glasses or contacts for distance and don't want to switch between two pairs, go for old-fashioned bifocals (or newer bifocal contact lenses), trifocals (which have a third zone in the middle for computer-distance vision), or progressive lenses (which blend the edges so you can see everything from a movie screen to a medicine label without as much distortion). Another option is monovision, in which your dominant eye is corrected (with contacts or surgery) for distance, and your other eye is corrected for close-up vision.

Let your gadgets work for you, too: Increase the font size on your e-reader, for instance, or try apps such as MagLight, which turns your smartphone into a light-up magnifying glass.

'I keep seeing spots'

Little dots and squiggly lines, called "floaters," come into your field of vision when the vitreous humor—a gel-like part of the eye—begins to shrink, causing cells and fibers to clump and cast shadows onto your retina. In most cases, they're harmless, but if a whole bunch appear suddenly, or if they're accompanied by persistent flashing lights or peripheral-vision loss, see your eye doctor ASAP—both could be signs of a retinal tear or detachment.

How to see clearly: If you've got a retinal detachment, or the floaters are so bad they're impairing your vision, you'll need surgery. Otherwise, most folks just learn to live with them, and even ignore them


Read more articles on vision care on this Dr. Hitesh Patel website and get some updates from this Twitter page.

Straightening perspectives: Seeing through strabismus

You might have wondered at some point why there are some people whose eyes seem to be abnormally positioned. Some of them might have eyes that don’t look straight ahead, while others have eyes that dart into different directions when they’re supposed to be focusing on a single object.

Chances are that those people might be suffering from strabismus.

Image credit: cecraleigh.com

Strabismus is a condition where the eyes are not straight and do not seem to focus on the same object. The abnormality may come in different forms. Sometimes, eyes can turn in (converging toward the nasal bridge) or out (diverging toward the ears). The condition is caused by the failure of the eye muscles to move accordingly or the inability of the eyes to focus properly. To date, about 4 out of 100 American children are affected by this condition.

Image credit: buzzle.com

Ophthalmologists, such as Dr. Hitesh Patel of Edison, NJ and Dr. Brian Campolattaro of Clifton, NJ, usually diagnose strabismus during infancy or early childhood. If a kid is found with the condition, the doctor may discuss with the parents regarding the available treatment modalities that are applicable to the child. In some cases, children may just be prescribed with corrective glasses. In more advanced cases, however, surgery is necessitated to correct the misalignment. Kids who have developed ‘amblyopia’ may need to wear a patch over their good eye to build up the weaker one.

It is important to note, however, that promptness of treatment is of key importance in successful case management. Doing so will ensure that kids will grow up with optimal vision—free from the needless psychological repercussions resulting from the social stigma that come with the condition.

Image credit: efamilydoctor.info

Dr. Hitesh Patel is a renowned ophthalmologist based in Edison, New Jersey. To learn more about eye conditions like strabismus, visit PatelEyeAssociates.com.

Save eye from diabetes

How does diabetes make a person blind? Read about it from this Yahoo! News article.

'Silent killer' diabetes can also make you blind, warned India-born and US-based retina specialist Dr Kamal Kishore at Jhoscon-10, the three-day meet of ophthalmologists that concluded in Ranchi on Sunday.

India, called diabetes capital of the world, needs to sit up and see the writing on the wall.

Kishore, who has treated celebrities like Dalai Lama, said the human eye would be the biggest casualty to diabetics in the next two decades.

"Around eight to 10 per cent of people in their mid-40s worldwide suffer from diabetes. They show signs of retinal damage. The US and other parts of the West have woken up to the dangers of diabetes. India must get prepared," said the eye expert, in the city on the invitation of Jharkhand Ophthalmological Society and Kashyap Memorial Eye Hospital.

Kishore added that with age, muscular degeneration that results in loss of central vision, increases.

"It becomes the common cause of visual impairment. Blood in eyes and contraction complicate problems," Kishore, who spent years researching on the subject, said.

The good news is that there is cure.

"The key lies in early detection. Research has proved two medications, Avastin and Lucentis, help one overcome muscular degeneration. But treatment has to begin within a week of detection."

Kishore, who said the challenge now was to reduce treatment cost, also spoke about laser use. Compared to the US, India was quickly progressing in terms of eye care due to low-cost treatment and skilled doctors, he added.

Dr J.S. Titiyal, ophthalmologist from AIIMS, New Delhi, arguably India's most premier health hub, said changes in India were visible. "Traditionally, doctors preferred cataract to get ripe. Today, it can be treated any time," he said.

Around 5-6 million Indians were treated in India every year, half the total number of surgeries done in the world.

Dr Bharti Kashyap, Ranchi-based renowned ophthalmologist and a host, said she was happy over the way the meet shaped up. "Live surgeries, seminar papers and interface ensured we in Ranchi knew the latest global trends," she said.

Source: http://in.news.yahoo.com/save-eye-diabetes-000000086.html