February 27th, 2007 by statuseyecare
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Author :
BR Shamanna MD MSc
LV Prasad Eye Institute Banjara Hills Hyderabad 500 034 India
R Muralikrishnan MHM MSc
Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology 72 Kuruvikavan Salai Gandhi Nagar Madurai 625 020 India
Keywords: Visually Impaired Persons; Child; Child, Preschool; Infant; Cataract; Economics; World Health; India; South East Asia
What is the Magnitude of Childhood Cataract?
The prevalence of blindness among children in different regions varies from 0.2/1000 children to over 1.5/1000 children with a global figure estimated at 0.7/1000. This means that there are an estimated 1.4 million blind children worldwide.1 The proportion of blindness in children due to cataract varies considerably between regions from 10%-30% with a global average estimated at 14%, giving 190,000 children blind from cataract. 2 While the magnitude of childhood cataracts varies from place to place, it is a priority within all blindness control programmes for children. Children who are blind have to overcome a lifetime of emotional, social and economic difficulties which affect the child, the family and society.3 Loss of vision in children influences their education, employment and social life. The numbers blind with cataract do not reflect the years of disability and lost quality of life. Childhood blindness is second only to adult cataract as a cause of blind-person years. Approximately 70 million blind-person years are caused by childhood blindness of which about 10 million blind-person years (14%) is due to childhood cataract. Timely recognition and intervention can eliminate blind-years due to childhood cataract, as the condition is treatable.
What is the Cost of Childhood Cataract?
Childhood blindness is estimated to lead to a loss in earning capacity of US$6,000-27,000 million.4 By extrapolation, assuming a global growth rate of 3%, the economic loss over 10 years for childhood cataract would be in the order of US$1,000-6,000 million. Estimates in India5, assuming a blind child has on average 33 years of blindness, and that 14% of childhood blindness is due to cataracts, calculate a lifetime loss of earning capacity of US$3,500 million to childhood cataract. The cost of a cataract intervention in India is of the order of US$100-200, depending on facilities. The cost of treating the 40,000 blind children from cataract in India would be US$4-8 million.
What should be done about Childhood Cataract?
Case finding
Case finding is of prime importance for the management of cataract in children. Obviously, children with cataract do not present themselves and it takes careful observation by the caregivers or trained health staff to notice lens opacities. In this issue, Mohammad Muhit’s article ‘Childhood Cataract: Home to Hospital’ proposes an approach to finding out about and overcoming the barriers to detecting and treating cataract in children.
Surgical management
Management is complicated by the fact that paediatric cataract surgery is technically more difficult and requires frequent post-operative follow up. It is very unwise to equate a childhood cataract to a smaller replica of an adult cataract. Questions related to the management of childhood cataracts include the timing of surgery, type of surgery, personnel doing the surgery and place where the surgery will be done. Good visual outcome depends on doing surgery as early as possible within the period of onset of visually disabling cataract. It is recommended that lensectomy combined with posterior capsulectomy with anterior vitrectomy be carried out by paediatric-orientated ophthalmologists with the necessary skills and commitment to supervise the child’s visual development. 2
Surgery for childhood cataract should be carried out in specialist centres approp-riately staffed and resourced with facilities such as paediatric anesthetic equipment and good supportive services for refraction and low vision services. The inflammatory response is more pronounced post-operatively, and posterior capsule opacification is routine. David Yorston’s article in this issue discusses in more detail the surgical management of childhood cataract. This issue’s contribution from the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group discusses the evidence-base for the treatment of childhood cataract and concludes that more work in this area is needed.
Post-operative management
Correction of aphakia by spectacles, contact lenses or intra-ocular lenses to focus the image for vision development is very important in the post-operative management of childhood cataracts. Petra Verweyen’s article provides useful guidelines for measuring vision in children, while Mohammad Muhit’s article stresses the importance of the partnership between the family and the medical team in ensuring long-term follow-up.
There is a need to look at the impact of treating childhood cataracts and relate it not just to visual acuity but also to scholastic achievements and development.
Conclusion
The global ophthalmic community has been convinced of the need for prioritising childhood blindness. The technical knowledge is available. Resources are required, in particular trained paediatric ophthalmologists working in well-equipped tertiary centres as part of a comprehensive child eye care programme. This is the strategy of VISION 2020 which now needs to be implemented.
References
1 Rahi JS. Measuring the burden of childhood blindness. Br J Ophthalmol 1999; 83:387-388.
2 Preventing blindness in children. Report of a WHO/IAPB scientific meeting. Hyderabad, India, 13-17 April, 1999.
3 Gilbert C, Foster A. Childhood blindness in the context of VISION 2020:The Right to Sight. Bull World Health Organ 2001; 79:227-232.
4 Smith AF, Smith JG. The economic burden of global blindness: a price too high. Br J Ophthalmol 1996; 80:276-277.
5 Shamanna BR, Dandona L, Rao GN. Economic burden of blindness in India. Ind J Ophthalmol 1998; 46:169-172.
Mail Us at info@statuseyecare.com or Contact Us at +919322679910 or Vist Our Showroom At Status Eye Care , Shop No 5-a, Modi Chawl, Station Road, Santacruz-west ,Mumbai-400054 , India For More details
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February 20th, 2007 by statuseyecare
To Buy Designer Sunglasses and Eye Glasses at Heavy Discounts Click Here
Benefits Of Wearing Polarized Sunglasses.
Get yourselves on the super visual fast track with polarized lenses for your daily activities like Playing Golf, Skiing, Swimming, Driving and many other activities. Polarized sunglasses are also used for several medical conditions.
When it comes to cutting glare and increasing your visual comfort and clarity, polarized lenses are the pick of the sunglasses today. There are some patient situations, workstyles and Lifestyles where Polarized products are not just luxury but are necessity. These conditions include specific sports, driving, aquatic work and play, and medical conditions. Best Polarized Sunglasses are from Brands Like Polaroid sunglasses and Ray Ban / Rayban sunglasses.
Here are the reasons why polarized sunglasses are very useful for these categories.
- Sport Specific
Polarized sunglasses are highly recommended for outdoor sports for primarily protecting eyes from glare and ultraviolet rays. Glare can affect the performance as well as can cause injury to athletes due to distraction from dangerous glares.
We highly recommend polarized sunglasses for active adults and children as they fulfill the necessity and requirements.
The major sports where polarized sunglasses are necessary are in high light conditions like climbing, snow sports, high altitudes, and marine activities. Windy conditions like those found on the water, on the road, and on the mountain require polarized glare protection to reduce eyestrain.
Today, polarized lens colors can be targeted for every outdoor sport. By filtering out specific colors from the spectrum, tinted polarized lenses can help enhance sports and task-specific activities
The Polarized color goal is to cut glare and provide the best visual acuity for the best performance.
Gray and Brown color polarized lenses can be used for all purpose, true color vision, driving and some sports.
Those who have power should use Polarized Prescription Sunglasses.
- Driving Definite
The prime reason for using polarized lenses for driving is for the purpose of safety.
Polarized lenses are not only helpful for visual comfort but also helps for safety of ownself and for others.
All people who have to travel frequently should use polarized lenses. These people include people who have to travel for office purpose, for pleasure, for picnic or for motor sports. Basically Polarized Sunglasses are must for those who want to travel in sun or under any kind of glare producing environment.
Some professions calling for polarized lenses include sales people who are on the road between sales calls, city workers (waste management, police/fire/utilities), professional drivers (mail and package delivery, taxi/ limo drivers, truckers), and any other profession that calls for in-and-out of the vehicle trips or work.
It is not necessary that only those who spend majority of the day driving wear polarized sunglasses. Driving directly into sunlight and with reflected light has been documented in causing accidents, injury, and even death.
Most of the accidents occurred in early morning or late afternoon, primary rush hours when drivers were heading east or west with the sun low on the horizon and shining into their eyes.
Road glare is caused from surface reflection. These reflections can come from any surface including reflected light from another vehicle or windshield, buildings, sand, or the roadway itself. Bright sunlight combined with rain on the road or snow can cause intense glare, creating additional danger.
A fact every patient needs to know is that blinding glare, intense glare, and distracting glare on the road can be significantly minimized with polarized sunwear. Darker polarized lenses can help reduce the light’s intensity, so a dark gray or brown polarized lens will work in high-light, high-reflective situations.
- Marine Matters
Polarized lenses are a natural on and around the water. Fishing, sailing, and boating professionals consider polarized sunwear part of their equipment and wear only polarized sunwear on the water, since polarized products outperform other sunwear in this environment.
In addition to cutting glare from the water, equipment, other boats, buildings, and beaches, polarized lenses offer a water performance edge by facilitating accurate depth perception and definition.
Water glare may vary depending on sun conditions. Intense overhead sun may call for a dark polarized lens, while morning or late afternoon sun may call for a lighter tint in a different color.
Traditionally, gray polarized lenses have been recommended for deep (blue water) fishing, while brown polarized lenses have been recommended for shallow (brown water) fishing. However, some experts suggest that brown is the preferred polarized lens color for deep water fishing due to its ability to reduce glare in bright sun plus heighten vision in low light conditions.
It is also recommended to use polarized lenses for waterside activities since reflective glare from water, sand, and other surfaces can cause performance distraction and visual discomfort.
- Medical Necessity
Studies have shown that UV radiation can cause damage to the eyes and skin, including cataracts and macular degeneration. Glare can also be damaging to eyesight, causing fatigue from brightness and distraction.
In certain situations, glare can also be dangerous. A case in point is driving, where glare has been identified as causing traffic accidents and injuries. Polarized lenses greatly reduce glare for overall safety.
In addition to blocking glare, polarized lenses also block UV rays if the lenses are UV treated. It’s important to note that polarization in of itself isn’t UV protective.
Polarized lenses that feature melanin help protect against High Energy Visible (HEV) light, which scientists say may be just as damaging as UV to eyes and skin, and
help block blue light in addition to reducing glare.
Due to physical conditions, environmental conditions, prescription and/or over-the-counter drug use that increases photosensitivity, and natural aging, eyes can become more sensitized to the detrimental effects of sunlight and glare.
In these situations, polarized lenses can increase contrast sensitivity, aid visual acuity adaptation from light to dark, and improve color contrast.
Specifically, polarized lenses are recommended for patients with sensitive and/or light-colored eyes, baby boomers and senior citizens, those with diabetes, those who spend extended hours in snow or sun, and vacationers or those who live close to the equator or high altitudes.
Polarization is also recommended for post-surgical patients, contact lens wearers, and outdoor workers. We recommend to have prescription sunglasses in such cases.
Polarized lenses are especially recommended for those under age 18. The lenses in their eyes are clear and allow greater levels of UV and HEV light into the eye than adults.
Mail Us at info@statuseyecare.com or Contact Us at +919322679910 or Vist Our Showroom At Status Eye Care , Shop No 5-a, Modi Chawl, Station Road, Santacruz-west ,Mumbai-400054 , India For More details
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February 5th, 2007 by statuseyecare
To Buy Designer Sunglasses and Eye Glasses at Heavy Discounts Click Here
1) So are you embarrassed by wearing thick eyeglass lenses?
There is no need to have your eyeglass lenses looking like Coke bottle bottoms. We are experts in making thin eyeglasses with very thin high index plastic and glass lenses. At Status Eye Care , Mumbai - India we change many people’s lives due to the fact we can make strong prescriptions for eyeglasses look very good and our clients are not ashamed to wear their eyeglasses in public.
2) Have you been searching for the thinnest materials for eyeglass lenses?
At Status Eye Care - Mumbai - India we can offer you all the thinnest lens materials available in the optical industry. We have our high index plastic lenses that are very popular especially when our clients want to have very thin lenses in Silhouette rimless frames. We also specialize in making thin glass lenses for our clients with stronger minus eyeglass prescriptions.
3) Did you know you that hi index glass lenses still exist?
Since our store is located in Mumbai - India we can also offer you high index glass lenses that are not available elsewhere. Thin glass lenses are very commonly used for patients with stronger prescriptions. We mainly use thin glass lenses for the high myopic patient when thin plastic lenses are not thin enough. Also there are many people that still prefer the vision and performance of thin glass lenses vs. plastic lenses. Thin glass lenses can be used in most everyday situations but obviously cannot be used for sports, wood working shops, factories etc.
4) Did you know that hi index glass lenses are the thinnest of all lens materials?
Thin glass lenses can be made much thinner than plastic lenses when you have a prescription over -10.00. In my estimates comparing the same prescription in a pair of eyeglasses, 1.9 index glass lenses could turn out half the thickness of a CR or Polycarbonate in a stronger Rx. Not only can we reduce your lens edge thickness dramatically with thin glass lenses, they also make your lenses look normal. This is where we get most of our orders. Carl Zeiss, Rodenstock and Essilor supply us with the majority of our thin Hi index glass lenses. These companies are industry leaders in thin eyeglass lens designs and manufacturing. You can buy with confidence when your lenses are produced by these laboratories.
5) Explain to me the advantages of hi index glass lenses vs. Polycarbonate lenses.
Polycarbonate lenses seem to be the most popular thin eyeglass lens material . These lenses serve there purpose in the eyeglass industry, they are very Strong and they are great lenses for sports, work shops, factories and children’s eyeglasses. Unfortunately they have faults that many people complain to us about.
a.) It is very common for the coating’s to peel off polycarbonate lenses.
b.) Polycarbonate lenses generally have a gray color to them and cosmetically they are not
the nicest looking lenses.
c.) Allot of people notice distortions in polycarbonate lenses especially in the periphery of the lens.
d.) Polycarbonate eyeglass lenses are one of the thickest lenses in the thin eyeglass lens industry.
e.) It is noticed that when they are drilled and placed into frames that the lenses are mounted
in by screws & lock nuts, polycarbonate lenses have tendency to start cracking at the drill
holes over a period of time.
f.) When we polish the edges of these lenses they are very shiny.
6) The advantages of creating your eyeglasses using ultra thin glass lenses.
a.) We don’t have a problem with the coatings coming off glass lenses, it is normal for a client to get 3 to 5 years out of a pair of glass lenses.
b.) Thin glass lenses after they are anti glare coated turn can turn out crystal clear. The manufactures have really worked on these lenses.
c. Our clients very rarely ever complain about distortions in the periphery with the thin glass lenses.
d.) 1.9 index glass lenses are the thinnest of all eyeglass lens materials. They are dramatically thinner than polycarbonate lenses.
e.) We cannot drill thin glass lenses that is why we need good quality high index plastic lenses for these situations.
f.) The edges polish up beautiful on these thin lenses.
In conclusion polycarbonate lenses have not always been the most rewarding. They are a very safe lens but not a high performance lens.
7) When would you recommend I not wear thin glass lenses?
Ultra thin glass lenses are not to be used in any manufacturing area, work shops, sports and children’s eyewear that is going to be abused. I would never recommend you to use any glass lens in where you are relying on them as safety eyeglasses. Over the years we have heard of many accidents with glass lenses and most of these situations the lenses saved the eye from damage. Our clients know that these lenses are for dress use and not for industrial purposes.
What power ranges can hi index glass lenses be made in?
We can start at approx. a -3.00 in a 1.6 glass lenses and go as high as -24.00 in a 1.9 hi index glass lens. The average prescription range of a pair of eyeglasses we manufacture is between -8.00 to -18.00. It is very common for us to see prescriptions in this range.
9) What styles of lenses do you offer in thin glass?
We use these different styles of lenses in hi index glass materials.
a.) Single vision lenses with refractive indexes of 1.6, 1.7, 1.8 and 1.9 (With 1.9 index lenses being the thinnest)
b.) Progressive invisible lenses with refractive indexes of 1.6 and 1.8. (1.8 index lenses are the thinnest)
c.) Back surface Atoric Progressive invisible graduated lenses made by Rodenstock in Germany.
Rodenstock Multigressive 2 in a 1.8 index glass material is the thinnest Hi index glass progressive invisible bifocal lens on the market today.
10) How do I know what refractive index lens to choose?
We will help you choose the correct refractive index for your eyeglasses.
We will generally use 1.6 index lenses in lower prescriptions -2.00 to -4.00
We will generally use 1.7 index lenses in medium prescriptions up to -6.00
We will generally use 1.8 index lenses in progressive designs -6.00 to -10.00
We will normally recommend 1.8 index Multigressive 2 lenses above -10.00
Our thinnest single vision lens is 1.9 index glass lenses and is always
recommended in prescriptions -10.00 & above. There can be over laps
in prescriptions to lens refractive indexes this where our experience helps.
11) What is the vision like looking thru thin glass lenses?
It is always enjoyable dispensing a pair of our glasses in the thin glass lenses.
When clients pick up their new eyeglasses for the first time, they generally tell that they have never seen so clear thru a pair of lenses.
12) I heard that glass lenses turn out heavy, is that true?
When you let us guide you in creating your thin eyeglasses it is very common for a pair of eyeglasses, including thin glass lenses and a titanium frame to weigh less than 28 grams or 1 ounce. It is very common for our eyeglasses with thin glass lenses to end up weighing less than the client’s previous glasses. If you leave your order in the hands of inexperienced people your eyeglasses could turn out very heavy. We create thin eyeglasses for client’s everyday and our theory is no mass, no thickness, and no weight!
13) What options can I get with my thin glass lenses?
When you decide to follow thru with us at Status Eye Care - Mumbai - India we will explain to you what options can be purchased with each individual lens design. For example every pair of lenses is delivered with a high quality anti glare coating and is generally ground to approx. 1mm centers. Most all the clients want the edges polished. We can also control where the bevel is placed on the lens, many people have different views on how they want their lenses to be finished. We can also offer breakage warranties on Zeiss lenses.
Manufacturing ultra thin eyeglass lenses at Status Eye Care using our unique process of eyeglass lense inspection, eyeglass lense cutting and hand finishing of the eyeglass lenses to give them the precision fitting into the eyeglass frames.
14) Explain to me what stages my eyeglasses go thru when manufactured!
First thing we do is consult the client in choosing the correct frame and the proper lens design with the options they need to make a beautiful pair of eyeglasses. We will give them their complete costs and payments are arranged. They will also be given an approx. delivery time.
Then the procedures that are followed are:
a.) We fax the order for your thin lenses to the correct manufacture.
b.) Also we have to make sure the correct size & colour frame is ordered.
c.) It generally takes 1 to 2 weeks before your lenses are shipped from the manufacture.
d.) All of the manufactures we use have a very good quality control system in place so your lenses are checked before they leave. They will verify the prescriptions, look for defects, check the center thickness, make sure your anti glare coating is perfect before they leave the factory. Some clients that are in a hurry get upset when a pair of lenses gets rejected & the manufacture has to start from the beginning to make a new pair of lenses. I would rather have the system this way than trying to pass off lenses that don’t meet standards.
e.) We then check the lenses once they are delivered to our store.
f.) Then we use a special edging machine all computer controlled to cut and edge your eyeglass lenses.
g.) After the lenses are finished in edging area then your lenses are cleaned and
the mounting chucks are removed.
h.) Then we hand finish the bevel & sizing on a diamond hand stone.
i.) We then check them for sizing and finish around the edges.
j.) All lenses get a nice polishing to get the mat finish off and this also smoothens edges the glass lens.
k.) We then mount the lenses into the frame and check them for accuracy.
l.) Since most of the frames purchased are metal we put locktite on the screws
so the lenses don’t fall out.
m.) Then the frames are checked for adjustments and the over all pair of eyeglasses
is visually checked over.
n.) When we are satisfied that everything in the new eyeglasses meets our and your
expectations then we will call you and let you know your eyeglasses are ready for pick up.
o.) The patient comes in to Status Eye Care and the eyeglasses are adjusted to fit nice.
Cleaning cloths & cases are supplied. We will then answer any questions the client
has related to the eyeglasses.
Come visit us at Status Eye Care at Santacruz - West , Mumbai. Review the many designer eyeglass frames on display in our showroom were you can try on each and every designer frame style we carry. Plus enjoy the superior cusomer service at Status Eye Care where each customer is treated with personal care.
15) Can I get an eye exam there or will you accept my Doctor’s prescription?
We can accept your Eye Doctor’s prescription. The optical world is all done in metric. Where-ever your prescription is from India or any country the measurements are the same. There is no reason for us not to accept your own personal Eye Doctor’s prescription.
16) Do you guarantee I will be satisfied with my purchase?
Most all our thin eyeglasses exceed our client’s expectations. We generally cannot make the eyeglasses fast enough after a patient see our work. We watch all orders going thru to make sure they will meet the client’s expectations before we manufacture them. If we detect a problem we will contact the client. Also we will not just take any order, if a patient does not follow our advice we will refuse the order. You must allow us to help guide you to make your experience a good one!
20) What is the easiest way to contact you to start the process? CONTACT US!
You can call us at +919322679910 Or email us at info@statuseyecare.com
Mail Us at info@statuseyecare.com or Contact Us at +919322679910 or Vist Our Showroom At Status Eye Care , Shop No 5-a, Modi Chawl, Station Road, Santacruz-west ,Mumbai-400054 , India For More details
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