Archive for June, 2012

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Classique Eyewear Debuts Newest Lisa Loeb Eyewear Frame Styles

June 27th, 2012


Classique Eyewear is proud to debut the newest Lisa Loeb Eyewear frame styles. The newest frame styles are edgier and more refined, yet still incorporate Lisa Loeb’s signature and iconic cat-eye and retro shape. These styles have a new design element; a unique marbelized purple temple tip, shaped as a guitar pic, which represents Lisa Loeb’s musical persona.

Fans have eagerly awaited an Lisa Loeb sunglass style, and Classique Eyewear is proud to unveil this addition to the collection. Encompassing her signature cat-eye look, this style is available in both sunwear and optical, and it is labelled ‘Cake and Pie’, after Lisa’s album title.

Model: Cake and Pie

The high quality materials include acetate, metal and a combination of both. The color palettes include classic shades with pops of vibrant color, accentuated with minimal temple details. The newest styles are available in four color variations per style. The styles are named after Lisa Loeb’s song titles, and the colors represent her love for food and the culinary arts. The new styles are available in larger eye sizes, to fit more faces. These new frame styles remain true to the essence of the collection, with more frames for every occasion to enhance every face, they can be worn from the work day to a night out.

www.lisaloebeyewear.com

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FENDI Eyewear Collaborates With Maserati For The Whispered Grand Tour Promotion

June 26th, 2012


Experience the beauty of Rome through The Whispered Grand Tour, as the long-standing heritage of the luxurious house of FENDI collaborates with the well-known Italian car manufacturer Maserati for this unique promotion.

FENDI, known for its high quality, luxurious materials, partners with Maserati, the epitome of high-class Italian engineering, to create a sunglass style that complements a luxurious lifestyle. FS5262L is hand crafted with supple genuine leather and fine metal. This light weight frame has been fully made in Italy with only the finest materials. The combination of class and luxury meets the high powered intensity of the Maserati sports car. This style is available in grey with gunmetal metal temples and green lenses and yellow with gold metal temples and brown lenses. The yellow FENDI logo on the lens adds a pop of colour to both of these aviators. The classic Maserati trident logo is featured on the temple tips in silver. The polarized lenses are made of mineral glass and feature an anti-glare coating, ensuring the best possible experience both on and off the road.

With the FENDI sunglasses and the speed and luxury of Maserati, everyone can have the opportunity to experience Rome and Italy first hand. The Whispered Grand Tour provides for an exceptional experience.
For more information visit www.marchon.com or www.fendi.com


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Retinal Imaging Solution Eliminates Need to Dilate

June 25th, 2012

A clinical trial of a new retinal imaging system that aims to make SLO-based scanning accessible for all patients has confirmed that it matches or outperforms fundus cameras while enabling optometrists and ophthalmologists to safely offer an alternative to pupil dilation as a step in routine eye examinations.

The DRIVE trial,1 which looked at 100 people with diabetes, explored the effectiveness of EasyScan, a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) that aims to put high-end eye care within reach of the majority of eye specialists and their patients. The system has been developed by eyecare specialist i-Optics and was launched worldwide late last year.

In the comparator study, the performance of EasyScan was assessed head-to-head with a fundus camera for the early diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy. Partial top-line results showed that the fundus camera would require mydriasis in 33% of cases (n = 33) to achieve the minimum pupil diameter of 3.3 mm for imaging with a traditional non-mydriatic fundus camera. In contrast, EasyScan’s non-mydriatic, confocal SLO technology, which can capture images through pupils as small as 2 mm in diameter, enabled all 100 patients to be scanned successfully without pharmacological dilation (n = 100). In addition, the majority of patients (56%) could be imaged in under three minutes with a median of 174 seconds (50% range: 137–212 seconds).

The results, which will be presented at the ARVO Annual Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, in May this year, adds to results from an earlier trial of the system’s imaging performance — for its European CE marking — which confirmed that EasyScan performs at least as well as fundus on imaging ability and that all assessed pathologies were clearly identifiable, with some, such as AMD, being identifiable at a very early stage compared with a fundus camera.

Dr Steven Squillace is one of the first doctors in the US to use the system, having come across it at the American Academy of Optometry meeting in Boston, October 2011. “I had an old fundus camera that needed to be replaced” said Dr Squillace who is on staff at Johnson Memorial Medical Center and trained at Joslin Diabetes Center whilst attending the New England College of Optometry in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

“I’ve worked with SLO technology for retinal evaluation over 10 years ago as part of a group practice. We saw the benefit of undilated fundus images, but also the drawback: ergonomics and economics. Patients needed to tilt their head to acquire an image, and costs for both the doctor and patient would be an issue in my current solo practice,” he said. “When I heard there was a smaller version being launched, I thought it could be what I needed. Unfortunately it wasn’t, because the price meant it wouldn’t have worked out for my practice. Walking around the AAOPT meeting, I spotted i-Optics. I’d never heard of them but they had an SLO device that looked about the size of the HRT machine in my office. They were expecting to get FDA approval soon and I told them to get back to me when they had it. A few weeks later they called and said they had it!”

Dr Squillace has so far used the new technology on over 100 patients. “EasyScan is wonderful. It’s better than a fundus camera — I can’t think of an application for which a fundus is better except, maybe, for making hard copy print. It gives us a great view of the internal retina via a 532 nm green laser and choroid via a 780 nm infrared laser. This allows for early detection of maculopathies not typically seen by dilated fundus exam, and thus proper nutritional counseling and referral to an ophthalmologist if indicated. The ability to scan into a 2 mm pupil even if a patient has mild cataracts is an advantage over white light cameras. The instrument also images central vitreous floaters so that patients can see their anomaly by the vitreous movie feature. I’ve had three patients in which I saw changes in the macula that I would not have seen with a fundus camera, even if I had dilated the pupils. I take two pictures, one of each side, and that gives me a 60 to 65-degree view, allowing me to analyse the major eye structures.”

Dr Squillace says his experience confirms that EasyScan eliminates the need to dilate but that his protocol remains to dilate on a first visit: “I want to be sure I’m getting the outer reaches of the retina.” He also dilates trauma patients, but “I use EasyScan to document the central retina.” For routine check-ups, however, he now uses it exclusively unless a patient asks to be dilated, which rarely happens. “Patients love EasyScan because it makes scheduling much easier,” Dr Squillace explained. “They can schedule much closer to the examination time because we don’t need to apply drops and so there is no waiting. Patients can insert contacts, if worn, and go back to work or school and see!”

by Alastair Bruce
Ophthalmology Times Europe

www.i-optics.com

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Midwest Lens Introduces The New Perfecta Professional Freeform Lens

June 20th, 2012

A solution for professionals who require an intensive use of the near and intermediate vision.

The Perfecta Professional, available only from Midwest Lens, is a solution for those patients who require an intensive use of the near vision and the intermediate.

Seven power degressions of 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75, 2.00D, and 2.25D guarantee that all wearers will find the best adapted power degression, based on their normal near vision power.

Near vision point is held at 14mm below the pupil. Such a long corridor provides an instant feeling of comfort and adaptation, swim effect disappears and distortions caused by lateral astigmatism zones are virtually invisible.

Around 65% of the degression is reached at level pupil position, making it easier for wearers to find the intermediate vision. This lens has helped patients reduce symptoms associated with computer vision syndrome (CVS), such as neck and shoulder problems and eye strain.

The Perfecta Professional will enhance the experience of reading a book, painting, playing instruments, building scaled models, solving puzzles, etc., for any patient who needs visual correction doing everyday tasks.

Maintaining a correct and comfortable posture is essential to prevent neck and shoulder pain. Users of bifocals and standard progressives need to tilt their head about 20 degrees when working with computers. Being in this position will cause muscle aches and strain the symptoms brought on by Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). In the diagram below, you can see what a difference the Perfecta Professional can make:

Occupational lenses allow users to work in a natural posture due to their power distribution, especially conceived for indoor environments. Thanks to the expanded near-intermediate visual field, occupational wearers will reduce their unnecessary head movements.

Ultimately, patients will be in a more ergonomic posture for more comfort and less fatigue.

 

Perfecta Professional Benefits:

  • Extremely wide near vision region

  • Soft design that eliminates swim effect and perceived lateral distortion

  • No adaptation issues

  • Clear vision from reading distance up to about 14 feet

  • Frame customization

  • Seven available degressions

  • Minimum fitting height: 18mm

  • Normal Rx – no need to convert when ordering

  • Available in over 125 materials

 

www.midwestlens.com

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New Styles For Boys From The Harley-Davidson Wild Child Eyewear Summer 2012 Collection

June 19th, 2012

Viva International Group introduces five new ophthalmic styles for boys from the Harley-Davidson® Wild Child Eyewear Summer 2012 collection. The new collection captures the riveting lifestyle of the Harley-Davidson brand with unique temple treatments featuring fun motorcycle-inspired design elements. Designed to accommodate a wide range of face shapes, each style is perfect for today’s tween on the go.

Model HD 408

Triple-layered colorizations highlight the innovatively designed temples of models HD 407 and HD 408, delivering a sleek sporty look. Handcrafted in acetate, each temple features a slight v-shaped design, which accentuates the temple’s tri-colored treatment. Both featuring rectangular shape fronts, HD 407 is offered in an eye size of 48 mm, while HD 408 is slightly larger with an eye size of 51 mm. A solid tortoise color is also available in both styles.

Model HD 408

The extreme temple designs of models HD 433, HD 434 and HD 435 adds a creative spin to the fun eyewear options available for tweens. Bold angular-shaped plastic temple tips feature the Harley-Davidson Bar & Shield logo on the inside right tip, while the sleek design of the metal temples is branded with the Harley-Davidson name imprinted on the outside left temple. Model HD 433 features a semi-rimless metal front, model HD 434 features full-rimmed oval shape metal front and model HD 435 features a full-rimmed rectangle shape metal front.

All five models from the new collection feature spring hinges for extra comfort and a secure fit. For more information please call 800-345-VIVA or visit vivagroup.com.

 

About Viva International Group
Viva International Group is a global leader in high-quality, fashion eyewear. Its portfolio ranges from accessible luxury brands GANT by Michael Bastian, GUESS by Marciano, Mark Nason and William Rast, to fashion and lifestyle brands BONGO®, CANDIE’S®, Catherine Deneuve, GANT, GANT Rugger, GUESS, Harley-Davidson, RAMPAGE®, SKECHERS, and William Rast Racing, and value names Viva, Magic Clip®, and Savvy.

Viva has six direct sales offices in the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong. Joint ventures and direct sales forces are also maintained in Australia, Austria, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Viva, a Highmark company, is a business unit of HVHC Inc., an integrated vision care company, which also includes Davis Vision Inc. and Visionworks, formerly Eye Care Centers of America. HVHC Inc. has assembled many businesses and brands under one umbrella, which allows it to offer a wide variety of competitive products and services. Together, the companies provide a total eyecare and eyewear experience. For more information, please visit www.vivagroup.com.


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Italian Researcher Develops Eyewear That Stimulate Alpha Brain Waves and Improve Memory

June 18th, 2012

Eyeglasses that stimulate alpha brain waves and improve memory. No, it’s not an accessory for superheroes but the outcome of 10 years’ research by Francesco Ferro Milone of Vicenza, the former head of neurology who is now 85 and has created a device called Mnemosline. Instead of lenses, the glasses have two red LEDs with light impulses that increase alpha wave activity to help memory recovery. Ferro Milone created them together with colleague Adolfo Porro, former head of geriatrics.

“Ever since we retired, we have been volunteers at senior citizen centers and have tried to slow down the mental aging process”.

The idea of using intermittent light to stimulate operative memory is an issue on which Oxford University is also working.

“But, they are concentrating on the immediate effects whereas we are looking at the long term. We both use light impulses with a frequency of about 10 Hertz, which corresponds to the alpha waves of an average person. In the elderly, this frequency gradually slows down. Mnemosline transmits light signals at increasingly higher frequencies up to 13 Hertz, so over time it is able to “pull” the alpha waves back to better levels. We tested it on 200 elderly volunteers. After 5 years, 60 percent had more operative memory and psychological tests showed that they were less depressed, the alpha waves were also wider and more regular. 40 percent remained stable. The 200 volunteers in the control group became worse”.

The glasses will be available in Italy at Local Health Authority (ASL) memory centers (currently, there are only two in the province of Vicenza, but others are scheduled to open). Before they are applied, an electroencephalogram is performed to calibrate the glasses to the patient’s alpha wave width. As a daily exercise program, the treatment lasts 10 minutes, twice a day for at least six months.

www.mnemosline.it

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PUMA 2012 Eyewear Style Spreads The Word With Bright Colors, Hip Styles and Individuality

June 15th, 2012


From top to toe, PUMA style spreads the word with bright colors, hip styles and individuality. A fusion of fashion nous, function and comfort is the hallmark of the unique PUMA Eyewear’s style. The look is cutting-edge and never out of date. Enjoy life, have fun and be healthy with a positive outstanding look!The new 2012 release consists of three Men’s styles (PU15362, PU15363, and PU15367) as well as two ladies (PU15364, PU15365) and one unisex style (PU15366).

PU15361 Unisex
These urban, unisex styles are required accessorizing for trendy metropolitans on the run. Rendered in this summer’s coolest colors, long wearing comfort and non-slip function is enhanced by rubber inserts at the temple tips. Material: Metal | Size: 48-16-140, 50-16-140 | Colors: Blue, Brown, Pink, Silver

PU15364 Ladies
Light, trendy and sporty! Cool, pastel colors and an eye-catching Puma temple logo in ton-sur-ton nuances up the fashion ante of this dynamic girls style. The half-rim frame feels light to the touch, fits perfectly and is extremely comfortable. Material: Metal | Size: 47-16-135, 49-16-135 | Colors: Black, Blue, Brown, Pink, Purple

PU15366 Mens
Whether you’re bouncing a ball around a court or kicking up a storm on the pitch these frames provide you with the best technology and lightweight materials available. Cunningly crafted for extra comfort and excellent fit, while accents of color highlight the understated classic full rim model. The memory metal material prevents against breakage by providing a bend and flexibility of the temples. Material: Memory Metal | Size: 50-18-145, 52-18-145 | Colors: Brown, Gray, Khaki, Navy

www.charmant.com

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Prosthetic Retina Helps Restore Sight In Age Related Macular Degeneration Sufferers

June 14th, 2012

A prosthetic retina to help people suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is being developed by scientists in the U.S. This is only in the beginning stages.

Macular degeneration affects the macular, a tiny part of the retina at the back of the eye, and damages a layer of light sensitive photoreceptor cells that help the person see. Macular degeneration does not affect the peripheral vision, which means that the condition will not cause complete blindness.

Macular degeneration most commonly affects people who 50 and older, and is referred to as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Around one in 500 people aged 55-64 have AMD, but that figure jumps to one in every eight person over the age of 85.

Now, scientists from the University of Strathclyde and Stanford University in California have developed a prosthetic retina to help combat the impact of AMD.

The device electronically stimulated the neurons in the retina left unscathed by AMD, and an infrared beam is projected through the eye and transmits information. It does not require any wires and is easy to implant.

Writing in the journal Nature Photonics, the researcher say that initial lab tests of the prostheses have been encouraging. Dr Keith Mathieson, from Strathclyde University and a lead researcher on the project, said:

“AMD is a huge medical challenge and, with an ageing population, is continuing to grow.”

This means that innovative, practical solutions are essential if sight is to be restored to people around the world with the condition.

“The prosthetic retina we are developing has been partly inspired by cochlear implants for the ear but with a camera instead of a microphone and where many cochlear implants have a few channels, we are designing the retina to deal with millions of light-sensitive nerve cells and sensory outputs.

“The implant is thin and wireless and so is easier to implant. Since it receives information on the visual scene through an infrared beam projected through the eye, the device can take advantage of natural eye movements that play a crucial role in visual processing.”

While there is currently no cure for AMD, there are therapies available that can slow the disease or even restore vision. If this device proves successful, patients with health insurance may be covered for it on their policy in the future. This will need to go through clinical trials.


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Marc by Marc Jacobs Eyewear Presents Its New “I Love Stripes” Collection

June 13th, 2012

Featuring both acetate and metal styles, the brand’s signature stripes provide eye-catching detail to the temples. From rectangular silhouettes for the Men’s offerings, to refined cat eye shapes for the Women, the collection is chic and wearable.

Drawing inspiration from downtown New York in the 1980’s the new wave shapes are now more colorful than ever. Graphic and angular in their construction; plays on transparency, matte finishes and bold color combinations create modern styles for the Marc by Marc Jacobs enthusiast.

The iconic stripes are interpreted in two versions: a finer stripe available in two tone models (MMJ316/s, MMJ525, MMJ534) and a wide stripe featuring exclusive multi-layer acetate pastel tones (MMJ315/s, MMJ530, MMJ531, MMJ533).

www.safilo.com

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Scientists Restore Basic Vision In Lab Mice: Findings Suggest Hope For Patients With Glaucoma, Optic Nerve Damage

June 12th, 2012

Researchers have long tried to get the optic nerve to regenerate when injured, with some success, but no one has been able to demonstrate recovery of vision. A team at Harvard-affiliated Children’s Hospital reports a three-pronged intervention that not only got optic nerve fibers to grow the full length of the visual pathway (from retina to the visual areas of the brain), but also restored some basic elements of vision in live mice.

Larry Benowitz, a professor of surgery and of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School, and colleagues at the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center at Harvard-affiliated Children’s Hospital showed that mice with severe optic nerve damage can regain some depth perception, the ability to detect overall movement of the visual field, and perceive light, allowing them to synchronize their sleep/wake cycles.

The findings, published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, hint that those blinded by optic nerve damage from trauma or glaucoma, conditions affecting more than 4 million Americans, might be able to regain at least some visual function. In other forms of vision loss, such as macular degeneration, people can sometimes regain visual acuity, but there is currently no way to recover from damage to the optic nerve.

Previous studies, including many by the Benowitz lab, have demonstrated that optic nerve fibers can regenerate some distance through the optic nerve, but this is the first study to show that these fibers can be made to grow long enough to go from eye to brain, that they are wrapped in the conducting “insulation” known as myelin, that they can navigate to the proper visual centers in the brain, and that they make connections (synapses) with other neurons, allowing visual circuits to re-form.

“Dr. Benowitz and his group have, for the first time, established proof-of-concept that a damaged optic nerve can regenerate and attain lost function,” says Nareej Agarwal, of the National Eye Institute, which supported the study. “This is an important advance in an effort to reverse vision loss in glaucoma and other neurodegenerative diseases.”

Building on their previous studies, Benowitz and colleagues combined three methods of activating the growth of retina neurons, known as retinal ganglion cells. They stimulated a growth-promoting compound called oncomodulin, originally discovered in the Benowitz lab in 2006, elevated levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), and deleted the gene that encodes the enzyme PTEN. In a 2010 paper, Benowitz and colleagues showed that these interventions have a synergistic effect on growth of optic nerve fibers.

“Sixteen years ago, people said it was impossible to get any regeneration in the optic nerve,” said Benowitz, who is also director of the Laboratories for Neuroscience Research in Neurosurgery at Boston Children’s Hospital. “Our study regenerated only a small percentage of the total number of fibers that would normally come into the brain, but it answers questions that have been real unknowns in the field.”
Benowitz cautions, however, that the vision the mice regained was limited, and probably didn’t restore the ability to discriminate objects.

“What lies behind what we call seeing is very complicated — so many subsystems contribute to seeing,” he said. “We’re in a sense just scratching the surface about functional recovery.”

The molecular manipulations performed in the mice would need to be adapted to create an actual treatment for patients, Benowitz said. He hopes to investigate a gene-therapy approach in the future; such an approach has been proven to work in Leber’s hereditary neuropathy, a rare genetic disease causing vision loss.

“The eye turns out to be a feasible place to do gene therapy,” Benowitz said. “The viruses used to introduce various genes into nerve cells mostly remain in the eye. Retinal ganglion cells are easily targetable.”

childrenshospital.org

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