Uni duo's software helps colour-blind

"Computer software that helps colour-blind people recognise colours they find hard to detect could be available by the end of the month.

Invented by Computer Science student Luke Jefferson, the software integrates models of colour vision deficiency, allowing the user to adjust colours for their own particular type of colour-blindness.

Named Huetility, it enables the user to place a transparent “window” over any part of their screen and improves the colours beneath it.

Mr Jefferson and his business partner Luke Walsh hope that opticians will promote the software to patients when they are first diagnosed with colour-blindness.

Mr Walsh, a 25-year-old Electronics student at the University of York, said: “Initially our software will be available online and through opticians. Currently opticians have nothing to offer someone who has been diagnosed as colour-blind and when we spoke to a number of high-street opticians about our software we received a really positive response.”

The duo, who met whilst on an entrepreneurship scholarship in America, set up a company called Scratchface last summer to develop and sell the product through and are now finalists in the first HSBC Unipreneurs Awards later this month.

The pair’s idea is one of five that have been selected from over 400 applications and will be vying to win the £20,000 prize when the awards ceremony takes place in London on April 23.

Expected to retail at around £25, to find out more about the software visit www.huetility.com when it goes ‘live’ on April 23."

Doctors develop 'blackberry-sized' sight testing kit

"Two medical scientists at NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde’s Gartnavel General Hospital have developed what they claim is the UK’s most advanced eye screening system.

Doctors Stuart Parks and David Keating unveiled their pioneering development, the equivalent of a cardiogram for the eye, at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) general meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last weekend, where they said their system can potentially save peoples’ eyesight because of its early detection technology.

The software developed by the two medical physicists provides diagnosis and monitoring of retinal problems at an early stage, including tunnel vision problems, vein occlusions or blockages.

It is achieved by plugging a machine little bigger than a blackberry into a PC, and in future they hope a simplified version may be available at High Street opticians, with representatives from Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL) marketing its commercial potential.
Dr Parks and Dr Keating, based at the Tennent Institute of Ophthalmology within the hospital, have spent 14 years refining their system, known as multifocal electrophysiology.

Key is the computer software which interprets many electronic signals sent from different areas of the retina."

Treatment Of Iritis

"Treatment of iritis is often directed at finding and removing the cause of the inflammation. In addition, eye drops and ointments are used to relieve pain, quiet the inflammation, dilate the pupil, and reduce any scarring which may occur. Both steroids and antibiotics may be used. The application of hot packs may also provide relief from the symptoms of iritis. In severe cases, oral medications and injections may be necessary to treat the condition. A case of iritis usually lasts 6 to 8 weeks. During this time, the patient must be observed carefully to monitor potential side effects from medications and any complications which may occur. Cataracts, glaucoma, corneal changes, and secondary inflammation of the retina may occur as a result of iritis and the medications used to treat the disorder."

Iritis, Uveitis

"Iritis is the inflammation of the iris, the coloured portion of the eye. It has been known cause extreme pain, light sensitivity and sight loss, which is often the result of a disease in another part of the body. Most cases of iritis are recurring, in what are small attacks. Once treated the attack will usually respond to various medications. However, the condition may become sight threatening when left untreated. Medication for iritis varies, treatment that works for one will not always work with another.

Since iritis is an inflammation inside the eye, the condition is potentially sight threatening. Proper diagnosis and prompt treatment of iritis are essential. To minimise any loss of vision, the patient should have a complete eye examination as soon as symptoms occur. If diagnosed in the early stages, iritis can usually be controlled with the use of eye drops before vision loss occurs. If you are experiencing the symptoms of iritis or have other vision problems, you should obtain a complete eye examination.

In many cases, iritis is related to a disease or infection in another part of the body. Diseases such as arthritis, tuberculosis, or syphilis can contribute to the development of iritis. Infection of some parts of the body (tonsils, sinus, kidney, gallbladder and teeth) can also cause inflammation of the iris. In other cases, iritis may follow injury to the eye or accompany an ulcer or foreign body on the cornea. Often, the exact cause of the disorder remains unknown."

Conjunctivitis

"Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin, transparent layer that lines the inner eyelid and covers the white part of the eye.

The three main types of conjunctivitis are infectious, allergic and chemical. The infectious type, commonly called 'pink eye' is caused by a contagious virus or bacteria. Your body's allergies to pollen, cosmetics, animals or fabrics often bring on allergic conjunctivitis. And, irritants like air pollution, noxious fumes and chlorine in swimming pools may produce the chemical form.

Common symptoms of conjunctivitis are red watery eyes, inflamed inner eyelids, blurred vision, a scratchy feeling in the eyes and, sometimes, a pus-like or watery discharge. Conjunctivitis can sometimes develop into something that can harm vision so you should see your optometrist promptly for diagnosis and treatment.

A good way to treat allergic or chemical conjunctivitis is to avoid the cause. If that does not work, prescription or over-the-counter eye drops may relieve discomfort. Infectious conjunctivitis, caused by bacteria, can be treated with antibiotic eye drops. Other forms, caused by viruses, cannot be treated with antibiotics. They must be fought off by your body's immune system.

To control the spread of infectious conjunctivitis, you should keep your hands away from your eyes, thoroughly wash your hands before applying eye medications and do not share towels, washcloths, cosmetics or eye drops with others."

Routine eye test saved Young Boy's Life

"IT SHOULD have been a routine eye test – but it turned out to be an appointment which saved 14-year-old Andy McNulty's life.

During the examination, optometrist Alister Blockley found serious haemorrhaging and swelling at the back of Andy's eyes and sent him straight to casualty.

Within days he was undergoing emergency surgery to drain fluid from his brain, and weeks later he had to have a second, six-hour operation in Leeds.

Doctors removed a tumour which, although was not big, was attached to his short-term memory nervous system, made the whole procedure fraught with danger.

His mum Sandra, of Scarborough Crescent, Bridlington, said: 'This has completely turned our world upside down – never did we expect to be sent to Scarborough's A&E department following a trip to the opticians.

'To be told your son's life is a ticking time bomb is the most distressing news any mother has to hear. I wouldn't wish that on any family.

'Andrew is a club swimmer so he is a fit and healthy youngster which has really helped him with his recovery as he amazingly spent just over a week in hospital following his operation.

'Doctors were stunned with the speed in which he has recovered and he's back at school already.'

Remarkably, Andy, who is a pupil at Headlands School, only went for an eye test after he had been to see his doctor to get his athlete's foot cured!

He mentioned in passing that he had been having headaches and his eyes were puffy, so the GP advised him to go for an eye exam."

Payout hope for people with eye disease

"More than a hundred people across Norfolk could be in line for a refunded for medical treatment they should have received for free.

Some people who suffer with the degenerative eye disease wet, age related macular degeneration (AMD) were forced to pay for their treatment which can cost more than £1,000 per session.

Now, anyone who fits the criteria and paid for treatment of Avastin or Lucentis after May last year will get their money back and will not have to pay for treatment in the future, after the Norfolk Primary Care Trust (PCT) board held a review.

Health bosses said it was impossible to tell how much they would have to pay out because it would depend on how many people had been using the drugs, how many treatments they were given and whether one or both their eyes were affected.

But, if 150 people do turn out to be eligible, depending on the treatment they have had the cost could range from £450,000 to £1.3m......."

Keep an eye on drivers’ sight - India

"An eye test carried out on 1,000 drivers in the city of THIRUVANANTHAPURAM in INDIA gave a less than encouraging result – 560 had defective eyesight.

Drivers’ defective eyesight and their rampant misuse of headlights are fast becoming a hazard for road users and a matter of grave concern for law enforcing agencies.

An eye test carried out by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) in the city among 1,000 drivers revealed that 560 of them, mostly in the 40-50 age group, had defective eyesight.

According to Natpac scientist T. Elangovan, 10 per cent of the drivers had serious problems like tunnel vision, blurred vision and colour blindness.

According to a senior police official, increase in night time road accidents involving heavy vehicles is mainly due to poor eyesight of the drivers.

Other major culprits are the drivers’ reluctance to dim headlights, misuse of high-beams and use of halogen bulbs in headlights.

Two-wheeler and light motor vehicle drivers often complain that they get blinded by the high-beams used by luxury buses and heavy vehicles, especially those transporting cargo. High-beams are banned in the city. But, all four-wheelers and heavy vehicles prefer to move with the high-beam switched on.

There have also been several instances of two-wheelers and cars colliding with traffic dividers and lamp posts after the drivers are momentarily dazed by the high-beam from the approaching vehicles.

Many vehicles, especially luxury buses, install additional powerful headlights after getting the vehicle registered. The additional lights are removed when the vehicles are taken for CF (Certificate of Fitness) test, Motor Vehicle Department officials say."

Treatment For Squint

"Treatment varies accordingly to the type of squint. An operation is not always needed. The main forms of treatment are:

• Spectacles - to correct any sight problems, especially long sight.
• Occlusion - patching the good eye to encourage the weaker eye to be used. This is usually done under the supervision of an orthoptist.
• Eye drops - certain types of squint can be treated with the use of special eye drops.
• Surgery - this is used with congenital squints, together with other forms of treatment in older children, if needed. Surgery can be performed as early as a few months of age."

What Causes A Squint

"There are several types of squint. The cause is not always known, but some children are more likely to develop it than others. Among the possible causes are the following:


Congenital squint
Sometimes a baby is born with a squint, although it may not be obvious for a few weeks. In about half of such cases, there is a family history of squint or the need for spectacles. The eye muscles are usually at fault. If squint is suspected, it is important that the baby be referred for accurate assessment at the earliest opportunity. Sometimes a baby has what is known as ‘pseudo squint’ which is related to the shape of the face and this does not require any treatment, but a baby with a true squint will not grow out of it and requires careful assessment and due treatment.

Long sight (hypermetropia)
Long sightedness can sometimes lead to a squint developing as the eyes ‘over-focus’ in order to see clearly. In an attempt to avoid double vision, the brain may automatically respond by ‘switching off’ the image from one eye and turning the eye to avoid using it. If left untreated, a ‘lazy eye’ (amblyopia) may result. The most common age for this type of squint to start is between ten months and two years, but it can occur up to the age of five years. It is usually first noticed when a baby is looking at a toy, or at a later age when a child is is concentrating on close work, such as reading.

Childhood illnesses
Squint may develop following an illness such as measles or chickenpox. This may mean that a tendency to squint has been present but, prior to the illness, the child was able to keep his or her eye straight.

Nerve damage
In some cases a difficult delivery of a baby or illness damaging a nerve can lead to a squint."

Optometrist praised for swift diagnosis of papilloedema.

"An optometrist at Asda's Mansfield store whose swift diagnosis of a young customer led to the detection of a brain tumour has been named Asda's Shining Star of the year at its ceremony.

Sarfraz Ali discovered that 12-year old Jessica Wilkins had papilloedema after a colleague at the store suggested she have an eye test, having complained of a headache for several weeks and already been to an accident and emergency department and her GP. Ali referred her immediately to hospital, where after an MRi scan a brain tumour was discovered.

He was one of 37 colleagues nominated as a Shining Star, an award that is given out annually to someone who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. The event was presented by celebrity Ian Wright at the ICC in Birmingham last week and was a feature of Asda's Christmas campaign."

Pharmacists warned over plano Contact Lenses sales

"The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has advised pharmacists that they must not sell plano cosmetic contact lenses unless they are sold under the supervision of a registered optometrist, dispensing optician or doctor.

In its latest Law and Ethics Bulletin, the RPSGB informs those pharmacists wishing to sell plano lenses that they must do so in accordance with the relevant legal requirements set out in the 1989 Optician's Act. It refers them to a statement made by the General Optical Council in October 2006 clarifying the sale and supply of optical appliances."

Patient record memory stick reported to be 'found in car park'

"THE importance of security when dealing with patient records was highlighted this week when a device with private details of hundreds of patients was found in a car park.

It contained the medical and personal data of diabetic patients who were taking part in a trial for the newly re-launched Greater Manchester diabetic screening scheme which had apparently been lost by a local practice.

The computer memory stick detailed the names, addresses, dates of birth, telephone numbers and medical conditions of over 340 patients from Specsavers Opticians in Wythenshawe, reported the Manchester Evening News, (January 23).

The screening scheme, which was launched by Coronation Street star Sue Clever last month, is run by Greater Manchester primary care trusts and aims to get patients to have an annual eye examination. However, the organisers of the scheme emphasised that this loss of the trial’s data from a single practice was not a reflection on the way that the scheme stores its patient data.

Staff at Specsavers were unaware that the device was missing until it was handed into the paper, the Manchester Evening News reported.

Student Karen Hewitt found the device in a car park behind Stockport shopping centre last year but she forgot that she had it until she read about the newly published data loss scandals.

Anthony Showman, director at Specsavers in Wythenshawe, told the paper: “We are launching an immediate internal investigation to try to ascertain how this information could have come into the public domain.

“We would like to reassure all our customers that Specsavers patient records are kept confidential and are 100% secure at all times and that these records were part of the Manchester diabetic screening scheme, not Specsavers’ customer records.”

Manchester Primary Care Trust will also be conducting a full investigation."

Presbyopia - Cause / Treatment

"Presbyopia is caused by an age-related process. This is different from astigmatism, myopia and hypermetropia, which are related to the shape of the eyeball and caused by genetic factors, disease, or trauma. Presbyopia is generally believed to stem from a gradual loss of flexibility in the natural lens inside your eye.
These age-related changes occur within the proteins in the lens, making the lens harder and less elastic with the years. Age-related changes also take place in the muscle fibers surrounding the lens. With less elasticity, the eye has a harder time focusing up close. Other, less popular theories exist as well.

Presbyopia is commonly corrected via prescription glasses (single vision reading glasses, bifocals or varifocals), contact lenses (not a common approach with presbyopia)

Consult your Optometrist for the best suited option"

Hypertension and eye

"Eye is the only organ of the body where one can observe the blood vessels directly. Seeing the retina by using ophthalmoscope, we can see the blood vessels. Thus examination of the eyes help the Optometrist or ophthalmologist to observe the changes in blood vessels because of hypertension. This gives an idea about the severity of the disease elsewhere in the body.

Moreover, presence of swelling of the disc (grade 4 hypertensive retinopathy) is an indicator of a very severe, life threatening malignant rise in blood pressure, which warrants emergency treatment to control the blood pressure."

Hypertension and the eye

"Many of the hypertensive related eye conditions may not have any symptoms in the initial stages. Therefore it is important to have a regular eye tests to detect these.

Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) may lead to a blurring of vision especially for fine work. A vitreous hemorrhage may lead to a more severe loss of vision associated with a shower of red floaters.

Optic neuropathy may also lead to a loss of vision, which is painless and not associated with any floaters.

Paralysis or weakness of the muscles of the eye leads to restriction of movement of the eye and double vision."

Your legal entitlement as a VDU user

"Since 1993 EC legislation has placed responsibilities on employers whose employees regularly use VDUs as part of their work. These regulations are also designed to protect users who may work for an employer from home, or any other location which is not the employer’s main office.

If you are classified as a user, your employer must:

• Provide a full eye examination free of charge to you when you commence VDU work and at regular intervals thereafter

• Provide a full eye examination free of charge to you if you are experiencing visual problems which may be due to working with a VDU

• Pay for a pair of basic glasses if it is shown that you require these specifically for VDU use, or an equivalent amount of money towards a pair of your choice

• Provide adequate breaks or changes of activity to reduce general visual fatigue

• Provide health and safety training information relating to the workstation. Keep you informed about the Regulations, particularly those relating to eyesight, rest breaks and guidance on work station minimum requirements."

Glaucoma Inheritance

"Glaucoma tends to run in families, but only some glaucoma patients have affected relatives. If you have glaucoma, your close relatives (parents, siblings or children) should have a regular eye test every year which includes ophthalmoscopy, tonometry and perimetry (visual field test), once they reach the age of 40 years, or earlier if they are subject to other risk factors, such as being of African-Caribbean origin, or having diabetes or myopia (short sight).

People with a close blood relative who has glaucoma are at a minimum of four times increased risk of developing the condition which is why early detection is so important as treatment is more effective when the glaucoma is detected early."

Glaucoma Awareness Month

"January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, an important time to spread the word about this sight-stealing disease. Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Everyone, from infants to seniors is vulnerable. Moreover, among African-American and Hispanic populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness.
Nearly 70 million people worldwide, have glaucoma. Experts estimate that half of them don’t know they have it. Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of blindness looming if we don’t raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision.
The most common type of glaucoma—primary open angle glaucoma—is hereditary; so if you do have glaucoma, don’t keep it a secret. Let your family members know they are at increased risk."

Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment

"During the initial background/pre-proliferatuve stages of diabetic retinopathy, no treatment is needed, unless you have macular edema. To prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy, people with diabetes should control their levels of blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol. Consult your G.P!!!!
Proliferative retinopathy is treated with laser surgery. This procedure is called scatter laser treatment. Scatter laser treatment helps to shrink the abnormal blood vessels. Your doctor places 1,000 to 2,000 laser burns in the areas of the retina away from the macula, causing the abnormal blood vessels to shrink. Because a high number of laser burns are necessary, two or more sessions usually are required to complete treatment. Although you may notice some loss of your side vision, scatter laser treatment can save the rest of your sight. Scatter laser treatment may slightly reduce your color vision and night vision.
Scatter laser treatment works better before the fragile, new blood vessels have started to bleed. That is why it is important to have regular, comprehensive dilated eye exams. Even if bleeding has started, scatter laser treatment may still be possible, depending on the amount of bleeding.
If the bleeding is severe, you may need a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy. During a vitrectomy, blood is removed from the center of your eye."