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A recent study claiming that almost all Americans have access to both ophthalmologists and optometrists within an hour's drive has been criticized for its flawed research design. The study only included providers enrolled in Medicare, excluding one-third of practicing optometrists, and failed to consider other factors that affect access to care. The study also misrepresented the number of optometrists in practice, leading to an inaccurate conclusion. The researchers' assertion that ophthalmologists may yield improved outcomes compared to optometrists is not supported by evidence. A more comprehensive study is needed to accurately assess geographic eyecare access in the US. [Extracted from the article]

The article highlights a recent survey revealing that younger ophthalmologists in the U.S. now prefer laser trabeculoplasty over topical drops for the initial management of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). It also discusses the factors influencing this preference, such as the ophthalmologists' recent residency completion, higher volume of MIGS procedures, and a larger glaucoma patient base, as well as the common indications for using sustained-release implants like Durysta.

The article focuses on the challenge to the notion that expanding optometrists' scope to include laser procedures improves access to care. Topics discussed include geographic access limitations, patient-level factors, multidimensional aspects of accessibility, and the need for comprehensive studies to understand the association between optometrist-performed laser procedures and patient access.

The article offers a report on 2018 annual income survey of Ophthalmologists. Topics discussed include rising trend of average income that is nine percent from 2015 to 2016, four percent increase from 2016 to 2017, and three percent increase from 2017 to 2018; entry-level respondents with zero to 10 years of experience made up 31 percent of the respondents and earned an average of dollar 131,236; and full time workers made an average of dollar 175,152 in 2018.

The article informs about the challenges arising from the supply and demand dynamics in the eyecare industry, particularly for ophthalmologists and optometrists. Topic include It highlights a shortage of ophthalmologists and increasing demand for eyecare services, emphasizing the need for better collaboration and relations between optometrists and ophthalmologists to address this issue.

The Presenters This roundtable is made possible, in part, by an unrestricted grant from Bausch & Lomb. The views expressed are those of the authors and not Bausch & Lomb. [...]

The article presents information on the importance of scleral contact lenses in patients with refractive errors and ocular diseases, highlighting the risk factors related to contact lenses. Topics include the fitting techniques of the lenses, alignment of scleral contact lenses in patients with conjunctivochalasis, and prevention of compression of blood vessels.

The article provides information on the primary care of the Glaucoma patients by the ophthalmologists. Topics discussed include the detection, monitoring and risk factors analysis of glaucoma, the assessing of optic nerve by Fundus imaging, and the need for Gonioscopy while treating the glaucoma patients.

The article presents a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that there are thousands practicing pediatric ophthalmologists in the United States, with the highest concentrations in California, New York, Florida, and Texas. The study suggests improving incentive structures to redistribute resources to match the unequal health burden in underserved counties.

The article focuses on changes evolved over the years in cataract surgery. It states that as ophthalmologists are tightly scheduled, optometrists co-manage with patients for their care including cataract assessment, improved surgical procedures, and preoperative and postoperative management. The article also mentions steps to prepare for cataract surgery including normalizing of the lids, preparing the cornea, and controlling glaucoma. It also includes a quiz on cataract surgeries. INSET: QUIZ.

The article discusses aspects of diagnosis of Epiphora eye disease. It states that before performing lacrimal dilation and irrigation ophthalmologists should understand the anatomy of the nasolacrimal drainage system. It mentions causes of Epiphora like eye lid oppositional abnormalities, ocular surface disorders and obstructed tear flow tract. It also provides instruction on performing lacrimal dilation and irrigation.

The article discusses aspects of eyelid examination, critical for keeping eye patients healthy. It states the things ophthalmologists need to look for during the eyelid examination, including the position of the eyelids, eyelid margins namely entropian and ectropian and blepharoptosis. Also it mentions several eyelid disorders and infections like distichiasis, molluscum contagiosum and demodex.

The article discusses the challenges of implementing the Patient protection and Affordable care Act (ACA) in the U.S. as of January 2014 and offers suggestions to ophthalmologists regarding complying with the ACA. It mentions that changes in the ACA have provided an opportunity to optometrists to educate the importance of eye care examination. It also mentions health benefits planned by the ACA to standardize the minimum coverage to patients and benefits of health care exchange insurance. INSETS: How the ACA Affects You, the Small Business Owner;State-Run Health Insurance Exchanges.

The article focuses on the positive and negative aspects of direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing of contact lenses. It reports that major pros attached to DTC advertising are patients being aware of the significance of multifocal and single-use contact lenses and getting patients to visit their doctors. The negative aspects include dissatisfaction of customers due to inapt contact lenses, hidden cost involved in free trials, and fear of losing trust in practitioners.

The article offers suggestions related to the promotion of contact lenses by highlighting the significance of treatment protocol followed by lens practitioners. It sates that making potential patients aware of usage of contact lenses by doctor or staff must be determined. It suggests that staff and technicians should apprise patients of the contact lens agreement and follow-up visits therein. It also recommends for specialty services such as keratoconus meant for comfort vision.

The article offers information on an eye related disorder Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). It informs about the discovery of the disease by ophthalmologist Theodor Leber who explained the disorder to be an acute onset optic neuropathy that typically affects males in their 20s and invariably leads to bilateral optic atrophy and irreversible blindness. INSETS: Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy: A Maternally-Transmitted;Take Your VITAMINES.

The article focuses on the clinical use and benefits of ocular coherence tomography (OCT) for optometrists and ophthalmologists. It states that OCT is used to diagnose glaucoma, optic nerve abnormalities, and macular abnormalities including macular degeneration, vitreomacular traction syndromes, and macular edema. Furthermore, it highlights OCT as a tool for patient education, teleophthalmology, and ophthalmologists' comanagement.

The article presents studies on retinal care which were discussed at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting held in 2011 in the U.S. The National Eye Institute's (NEI) Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials (CATT) compared the therapeutic efficacy of Avastin and Lucentis. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. presented findings for a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) trap-eye. A study investigated nonbioerodible drug delivery system.

The article presents studies on developments of nerve fiber layer thickness, topical therapy, and imaging which were discussed by glaucoma researchers at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting held in 2011 in the U.S. One study investigated the efficacy of drug Galaxia for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT). Another study discovered that patients' compliance was improved through using unpreserved timolol.

The article presents studies on contact lenses, dry eye, and corneal infection which were presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting held in 2011 in the U.S. One study investigated the performance of 16,680 multifocal contact lens fits in 38 countries. Another study discovered that the replacement of SiHi material lens failed to improve ocular comfort. Risk factors for corneal infiltrative events in lens wear were evaluated in another study.

The article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of vital stains used by ophthalmologists in assessing the condition and the integrity of the ocular surface. It notes that these ophthalmologists used three types of vital stains such as sodium fluorescein, lissamine green, and rose bengal which are necessary for the better visualization of surrounding tissues. Corneal staining patterns for diseases including superior punctate keratitis (SPK) are mentioned.

The article discusses the growing advancements and specialty in correcting corneal problems including corneal refractive therapy (CRT) worldwide. It notes that CRT has been adopted and recommended by many ophthalmologists across the globe who are specializing on this kind of treatment for myopia due to its proven effectiveness in regulating such eye problem. This kind of medical approach enables the patient to maintain a stable visual acuity without wearing contact lenses.

The article focuses on the significance of ensuring safety and efficacy of dietary supplements used in mitigating specific eye conditions. It notes that the lack of regulatory scrutiny of dietary supplements has led to the emergence of questionable nutritional treatment. It emphasizes the significance for eye care practitioners such as ophthalmologists and optometrists to be critical in embracing nutritional treatment.

The article focuses on various approaches to manage contact lens-dependent patients with ocular surface disease. It stresses the significance for ophthalmologists and optometrists to perform a thorough anterior segment evaluation and a detailed discussion with the patient regarding case history and treatment approaches. It also highlights the importance to address underlying issues relating to allergy, dry eye, and lid position to improve the ocular environment for contact lens use.

The article provides tips on how eye care specialists could stress the use and benefits of progressive lenses to their patients. It notes that eye care specialists can have an opportunity to give several things to presbyopes with progressive addition lenses (PALs) through choosing appropriate options. It also claims that successful lens options can be assessed by the satisfaction of presbyopes with their PALs.

The article offers tips for ophthalmologists on how to develop significant contact lens practice. Ophthalmologists should value the patient history, the actual examination, and medical decision-making when considering the contact lens options. In addition, ophthalmologists need to understand the materials used in soft contact lenses.

The article offers tips for practitioners on how to ensure proper eyelid analysis, diagnosis and appropriate therapy for patients with vision disorders. Ophthalmologists are advised to evaluate the visage of every patient. It suggests that ophthalmologists need to examine the eyelid margin of each patient in order to characterize ocular surface disease in contact lens wearer.

The article provides information on how to conduct eye care for nursing home residents in the U.S. The author stated that administration and billing in a nursing home is different from optemetric office thus patients must indicate their willingness to have one as their eye-care provider. In addition, knowing how to interpret the facility's health-care chart is a must. Moreover, ophthalmologist must document carefully since nursing home staff will need to read and understand the findings.

The article focuses on some guidelines for ophthalmologists that would help them in managing patients with systemic disorder. It discusses basic pathophysiology of several common immunologic disorders and examines their diagnosis and treatment. It likewise presents some of these common disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, acne rosacea, giant cell arteritis. Moreover, it gives further discussion of systemic disorder, as well as its treatment.

The article presents the third part of a series article about the pioneers in the contact lens field. In this part, the authors examine the groundbreaking practitioners who first eschewed spectacles to establish contact lens-only practices. To mention some, these include, Harold E. Davis, George N. Jessen and Robert L. Davis. Many of these individuals had an early interest in contact lenses and had been fitting rigid polymethyl-methacrylate lenses. INSET: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF OPTOMETRY.

The article provides information on several optometrists who have rendered their medical services to the underserved populations in the U.S. Among the featured eye-care specialist include, ophthalmologist Rohit Varma, who has headed a research about eye disease in the Hispanic American areas and optometrist Valerie Kattouf, who has spent much of her professional life providing comprehensive vision care to high-risk children.

The article presents tips which help one determine whether it is advisable to enter into a business partnership with an ophthalmologist in the U.S. The primary thing to consider in business partnership is to ask if one's practice is busy enough to warrant forging a business relation with an ophthalmologist. The author also suggests to determine the kind of relationship which one needs, know the potential partner, and seek for the right help from a consultant and legal counsel.

The article discusses five steps that an ophthalmologist should consider for his office design to retain patients and attract new ones. Dan Sloan, a designer at Fashion Optical Displays in California, suggests that a key factor in office productivity is efficient patient flow. Michael Sopher of EYEmaginations Inc. noted that technological ambiance reassures patients. The other three factors are minimizing distraction, taking a neutral position, and good lightning systems. INSET: The Technological Wow Factor.

The article focuses on the role of ophthalmologists in the diagnosis of retinal dystrophies. The way in which ophthalmologists diagnose and manage patients with genetic retinal diseases will continually by influenced by recent medical discoveries. Currently, many practitioners are unable to identify a retinal dystrophy and usually refer such cases to a medical retinal specialist who is an expert in the retinal dystrophies.

The article presents information about optometrist Glenda Secor of Huntington Beach, California. She has learnt a lot from the marketing techniques her colleagues have used in their contact lens, children's vision and low vision practices. She worked in a contact lens specialty practice that was affiliated with a hard contact lens lab, owned by an optometrist. When Dr. Secor realized there was no potential for advancement at the practice, she cut back her hours and began traveling to the offices of the ophthalmologists who referred patients to the clinic for contact lens fittings and patient education. Dr. Secor's practice caters to children who are interested in contact lenses for cosmetic reasons, presbyopic patients who do not want to discontinue contact lens wear and patients who require therapeutic contact lenses.

Presents issues on anterior uveitis. Etiology of anterior uveitis; Mistakes of doctors during treatment process; Details on various diagnostic tests.

Focuses on the comanagement practices of ophthalmic surgeons in the United States. Reason of ophthalmologists for discontinuing the comanagement of patients; Occurrence of comanagement under justifiable circumstances; Efficiency of comanagement in surgical and medical services. INSETS: Panel Results: O.D.'s Put Patient Care First;6 Tips for Proper Comanagement.

The article discusses the precautions to be taken by ophthalmologists while suggesting scleral lenses. It mentions that tear exchange test must be conducted by using sodium fluorescein and if patient complains of red eyes, discomfort and blurred vision upon lens removal, then the edge of the scleral lens must be flattened to create greater alignment with the conjunctiva. It mentions that patients must be informed about the fitting process.

The article presents a study as of December 2020 which showed that emergency room (ER) personnel have no capabilities to measure critical vital signs like intraocular pressure (IOP) and visual acuity (VA). Topics include the most common ocular diagnoses like corneal abrasion, meibomian gland dysfunction, and blepharitis, and the recommended ER triage plan to response to anterior segment conditions.

The article focuses on ocular injuries caused to an individual following vehicular airbag deployment. It states that there can be three types of injuries which include damage similar to that caused by baseball, penetration injury and thermal and chemical burns due to explosive nature of the deployment system. It mentions that the ophthalmologist should evaluate the damage to the anterior segment and obtain visual acuity for better treatment. INSET: The Danger of Chemical Bums.

The article presents studies on refractive surgery developments which were discussed at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) meeting held in 2011 in the U.S. One study investigated 24 cases of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty performed with femtosecond laser (iDALK). Another study focused on two innovative uses of corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL). Ways to increase the structural integrity of synthetic corneas were explored in another research.

The article discusses the integral role of contact lenses in the management of amblyopia. It notes that contact lenses provide vision that allows for better adaptation of patients with amblyopia, which develops when there is decreased visual stimulation during the vital period of visual development. It also notes that treating amblyopia can pose several challenges to optometrists and ophthalmologists but eye care practitioners have a number of treatment options to choose from.

The article focuses on the influence of nutrition such as proper diet on ocular and systemic health. It highlights various scientific evidence showing that nutrition has a significant effect in several eye disorders. It stresses the significance for eye care practitioners such as ophthalmologists and optometrists to realize that recommending nutrition and dietary supplements can be a safe and effective tool in the prevention and management of chronic eye disease.

The article focuses on the significance of a cellular telephone technology on the treatment of periorbital cellulitis of a five-year-old girl. The girl's older sister sent her eye doctor grandfather a cellular telephone picture of the girl's eye. After the doctor look at the picture, he discovered that the condition was periorbital cellulitis. It noted that with the help of the technology, she was given proper care and treatment.

Information about Acanthamoeba discussed at a roundtable discussion of ophthalmologists in the U.S. is presented. Dwight Cavanagh says that the infection rate of Acanthamoeba was one to two cases per million lens wearers. According to Joseph P. Shovlin, the confocal microscopy is the most accurate method to diagnose the disease.

The article presents information on NearVision Conductive Keratoplasty (CK), one of the procedures for presbyopic patients. NearVision CK improves a patient's depth of field more than what is achievable with any other presbyopic treatment. In NearVision CK, an accommodation is created by the surgeon by increasing the overall curvature of the cornea. In the procedure, radio frequency energy is applied in a circular pattern around the outer cornea.

Part I. Provides tips on becoming a successful independent ophthalmologist. Effort to develop a physician-patient relationships; Awareness of legal rights; Maintenance of insurance profile.

The article discusses ways in managing patients with vitreomacular traction (VMT). Topics mention including unpredictable natural history of the disease, use of Pharmacologic vitreolysis which is under local anesthesia and importance of a detailed discussion with the patient regarding treatment options.

Q I see many young and middle-age patients in my office with normal pressures but large physiologic cups. I'm afraid I might miss something if I don't send them out. [...]