Comanagement News

A 24-year-old African-American female presented to our office complaining of blurred vision in both eyes. She had been seen earlier that day by a fellow optometrist who made a same-day referral to our practice for management.

A 56-year-old certified ophthalmic technician presented for a comprehensive eye examination. He was complaining of persistent vitreous floaters in both eyes (left worse than right) for at least 10 years. Due to their large size, the floaters interfered with his visual acuity and caused obstruction of his central vision in the left eye; they were especially apparent when he read or used the computer. The patient said he could briefly improve his vision by making rapid head and eye movements in an attempt to cause the floaters to move away from his visual axis. He denied seeing flashes, a curtain over his vision or recent trauma.

This is a simple question, but one that can take some time to explore. There are two types of vitrectomies: anterior and pars planar. An anterior vitrectomy is typically performed during or after a cataract surgery in which the posterior capsule has torn and lens fragments have fallen into the anterior vitreous. If the posterior capsule is torn, then the anterior vitreous could prolapse through into the posterior chamber and maybe the anterior chamber.

The researchers noted that between 1999 and 2009, an increase of $2,111 per patient for inpatient expenditure ($15,312 in 1999 to $17,423 in 2009) was seen. However, by 2013, a decrease of $4,035 per patient for inpatient expenditures ($17,423 in 2009 to $13,388 in 2013) was seen.

Researchers in two studies published in the Journal of Neurological Sciences found the King-Devick test can be accurately and reliably used as a concussion screening tool for both football and rugby players.

During the last weekend in June, I attended the 2015 New York Blue Light Symposium. As I walked across Times Square toward the hotel entrance, winding my way between the crowds of tourists taking pictures of the urban firestorm of LED billboards on their brightly backlit smartphones, I was struck by the perverse perfection of the choice of venue for an academic discussion on the emerging science of blue light.

A 64-year-old white female was referred to our clinic by her optometrist for evaluation of an edematous left optic nerve head. The patient reported blurred vision and a grey appearance to the inferior visual field of her left eye that first appeared roughly 3 weeks prior, but had not increased in severity.

An 80-year-old white female was referred for a cataract evaluation. She described increased difficulty driving at night due to halos and starbursts from oncoming headlights and streetlights. Her right eye was more symptomatic.

SEATTLE – Optic nerve head drusen presents differently in children and adults, and correct diagnosis is imperative to avoid needless and costly interventions, Jennifer Jones, OD, said here at Optometry's Meeting.

SEATTLE – Up to 70% of patients with retinitis pigmentosa can have cystoid macular edema, so thorough subjective and objective testing is advised, a presenter said here at Optometry’s Meeting.