A Quarterly bulletin on new developments in the field of eyecare from Davis EyeCare —Your EyeCare Specialists Spring 2003 Vol. 9 No. 2

In order to better

serve our patients

needs we have been

added to all Cole Vi-

sion Plans as partici-

pating providers. Now

in addition to the rou-

tine eyecare of Davis

Vision, Vision Service

Plan (VSP) and

EyeMed we accept all

EyeCare Update

Davis EyeCare Associates

With innovative technol-

ogy, excellent service and a

caring team, we at Davis

EyeCare have a responsi-

bility to make our patients

aware of what total eye

health really means. We do

this with great pride and

commitment

Special points of interest:

DAVISEYE-

CARE.COM

Visit us at our new website.

You can now make an appointment, order

your contact lenses and solutions, obtain

information about important new develop-

ments in eyecare and general knowledge

about your eye health.

On Call 24 Hours

Phone 708-636-0600

Cell: 708-935-7375

In an emergency situation don't panic, just

pick-up the phone and call someone you

can trust. Treatment of all types of ocular

infections, removal of foreign bodies from

the eye, such as wood or metal, treatment

of allergies or dry eye, patient advocate for

laser vision consultation and in a pinch

contact lens and eye glass replacements.

Davis EyeCare is now proud to have at its

disposal the most sophisticated instrumen-

tation for glaucoma diagnosis and treat-

ment. Don‘t worry, call the EyeCare Spe-

cialist— Davis EyeCare

Loaner Lenses Avail-

able

Lost and broken lenses should not create

a panic. In the event of a lost or damaged

lens we will supply an immediate

replacement for uninterrupted lens wear.

Eyeglasses can also be replaced

immediately. Davis EyeCare can fabricate

a replacement from our large inventory. If

you are in need of an immediate replace-

ment visit our office or web site at

www.daviseyecare.com and communicate

your requirements. Professional contact

lens care makes the difference!

Remember when you had only two choices in contact lenses? “Hard” lenses (rigid gas perme-able) were best for sharp, clear vision, but were often irritating and uncomfort-able, soft lenses were the most comfortable but often provided less-than optimal vision. Now, a technological breakthrough makes that choice a thing of the past.

SynergEyes contact lenses de-liver the crisp vision of a rigid lens plus the all-day comfort of a soft lens. SynergEyes com-bines two types of contact lens materials – a rigid gas per-meable center and a soft hy-drophilic outer skirt – into one unique “hybrid” lens. The rigid center provides high oxygen transmissibility for healthy eyes and clear, sharp vision …even at night and the soft skirt surrounding the center gives you the all-day comfort of a soft lens. The HyperBond™ technology used in SynergEyes lenses delivers exceptional strength at the junc-tion of the soft and rigid materials. The center is highly oxygen permeable which is critical to maintain corneal health.

Synergeyes is free from “toric lens rotation”, a

common problem associated with astigmatic

lenses that causes inconsistent vision. Syner-

gEyes also can be fabricated into a bifocal

design providing clear distant and near vision

for patients with and without astigmatism. Syn-

ergEyes optics remain stable, delivering con-

sistently clear vision – after blink. Thanks to

the rigid center optics, you can enjoy crisp,

clear vision as never before.

SynergEyes enables you to keep

the crisp, clear vision you’re ac-

customed to, while providing the

comfort and wearability of a soft

lens. SynergEyes also eliminates

the problem of irritating debris

that can collect under conven-

tional rigid lenses and you won’t

experience the annoyance of

rigid lenses moving when you

blink or dislodging with your ac-

tive lifestyle. Have you had a

disappointing experience with contact

lenses in the past? The SynergEyes hybrid

design eliminates problems many people

have with contact lenses. SynergEyes may

very well be the contact lens breakthrough

for your active lifestyle. Call Davis Eye-

Care for an appointment to try this revolu-

tionary new contact Lens for both rigid and

soft contact lens patients.

Revolutionary New Contact Lens

Davis EyeCare Now Accepts ALL Cole Vision, VSP and

medically and optically ori-

entated plans to service our

patients needs. Unfortu-

nately some plans exclude

providers to control the ad-

ministration of the plan. Our

billing officer Lin continues

to work diligently to include

Davis Eye Care Associates on

all optically and medically

orientated plans. As a cus-

tomer to the health plan you

may be able to influence this

process by contacting your

human resource person or

the insurance customer

service department and

request to add us to the

list of providers. We are

happy to be of service to

our patients who are par-

ticipating in the Cole Vi-

sion Plan for the City of

Chicago employees.

Most scientists agree that a

diet incorporating

cold-water ocean fish

two or three times a

week helps maintain

the balance of essen-

tial fatty acids that is

fundamental to good

health, including eye

health. People do not

produce fatty acids, so

we have to obtain

them through the

foods we eat. They act

as the gatekeepers for every

cell, allowing vital nutrients in

and forcing destructive free

RAZRWIRE™ is the first eyewear to

combine patented Oakley optics with

Motorola wireless Bluetooth® technol-

ogy. A wearable link to your cellular

phone, RAZRWIRE™ offers the free-

dom of mobile hands-free communica-

tion. The integrated design frees you

from cumbersome wires, allowing you

to quickly answer and place calls with

the touch of a button. RAZRWIRE™

lets you take advantage of patented

optical technology while enjoying the

complete freedom to communicate

without being tethered to a cellular

phone. You get the comfort, protection

and clarity of Oakley eyewear com-

bined with third-generation Motorola

Bluetooth technology. Take

RAZRWIRE™ anywhere. It works up

to 33 feet away from your cell phone,

so you‘ll have the convenience of hands

-free communication with no wires to

get in the way. ―Handle calls easily”

A ring tone in your ear tells you when

a call is coming in, so you can turn off

your phone ringer and avoid disturb-

ing others. Just press the multifunc-

tion button on RAZRWIRE™ to an-

swer the call instantly. ―Long battery

life”

RAZRWIRE™ gives you up to 6 hours

of continuous talk time. Standby time

is up to 100 hours, thanks to technol-

ogy that minimizes power usage while

keeping RAZRWIRE™ ready to an-

swer any call that comes in. ―Easy

recharging” A quick charge of 1.5

hours provides 80% capacity, and a

full charge takes only 2.5 hours. Re-

charging can be done with the in-

cluded Wall Charger or, with an op-

tional cable, through the USB port of

your computer. Whether you‘re golf-

ing, mountain biking or driving

around town, enjoy hands-free wire-

less communication with your cell

phone. Use the multifunction button

for advanced features such as putting

a call on hold, toggling between two

active calls, redialing a number,

transferring a call, or even dialing by

voice. Always be ready for a call be-

cause RAZRWIRE™ is part of some-

thing you're already wearing.

which the body utilizes in other ways.

Our bodies use one class of essential fatty

acids, called Omega-6 to help control in-

flammation, particularly in mucosal tis-

sues, including around the eyes. Omega-6

fatty acids are in nearly all baked goods

and snacks (mostly from corn or safflower

oil) The proportion of Omega 6 fatty acids

can become out of balance to bad dietary

habits, particularly when we eat large

amounts of these processed fats. The

essential fatty acids found in cold water

fish (such as tuna, salmon, mackerel or

sardines) are the omega-3‘s. The body

uses them to keep brain cells healthy, to

keep the rods and cones in our retinas

suppled and working properly, and to

also help in chronic inflammation– which

is one of the recent recognized problems

now linked to many degenerative dis-

eases in the eye, including macular de-

generation, glaucoma, dry eye disease

and diabetic retinopathy. Omega-3 fatty ac-

ids are also in flax seed oil, although the

benefits from fish are more consistent. Ask

one of the doctors at Davis Eyecare about

omega supplements during your next eye

examination.

Safe Telephone Talk while your Driving

Fishing for the Good Fats for Eye Health

PAGE 2 EYECARE UPDATE ISSUE 1

Many patients may not be aware that vi-

sion expenses qualify for flexible spending

account reimbursement. This allows pa-

tients to allocate pre-tax dollars to an ac-

count that can be used for certain IRS ap-

proved expenses incurred throughout the

year including vision care. As more con-

sumers enroll in flexible spending VSP

will have the opportunity to remind

patients to use their flexible spending

for their out of pocket vision care mak-

ing it easier to receive services and ma-

terials that meet their needs. Begin-

ning in late August the authorization

from VSP will identify patients who

may participate in the flexible spending

program. Davis EyeCare encourages the

use of flexible spending accounts to maxi-

mize all benefits.

Flexible Spending Accounts includes Vision care

Protect Your Eyes From UV Radiation Damage What Is UV Radiation?

For all the wonderful things the sun makes possible, you

also need protection from its rays. The principal danger

posed by the sun is in

the form of ultraviolet

(UV) radiation. UV ra-

diation can also be

given off by artificial

sources like tanning

beds, lasers and weld-

ing machines. There are

three types of UV radia-

tion: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C. UV-A and UV– B radiation

penetrates the earth‘s atmosphere and their levels are now

reported on the daily weather reports in the news. The

earth‘s ozone layer used to filter out UV-C radiation, but

with the thinning of the ozone layer even UV-C is an added

threat to our UV exposure.

What You Can’t See Can Hurt You

You are probably aware of the danger posed by UV ra-

diation to your skin, but you may not realize that the

exposure to any type of UV radiation can harm your

eyes and affect your vision as well. More and more sci-

entific evidence conclusively shows that exposure to UV-

A, UV-B and UV-C has adverse long and short term ef-

fects on your eyes and your vision. If you are exposed

while unprotected to excessive amounts of UV radiation

over a short period of time, you are likely to experience

photokeratitis that includes symptoms of pain, tearing

and extreme light sensitivity. Long term exposure to any of

the types of radiation can cause more serious damage in-

cluding cancer, cataracts, macular degeneration and retinal

damage. This damage to the retina is usually not reversi-

ble.

How Can You Protect Your Eyes?

You can protect your and your families eyes by making sure

everyone wears quality sunglasses. Quality sunglasses

PAGE 3 EYECARE UPDATE ISSUE 1

have lenses that block 100% of the UV-A, UV-

B and UV-C radiation while providing clear

and distortion free vision. They should screen

out 70—90% of visible light, be perfectly

matched in color (grey, brown or green) and

free from imperfections. Then make sure

everyone wears them during sun exposure

just like you would wear sunscreen for the

skin.

Why Can Cheap Sunglasses Harm

Your Eyes?

Poor quality sunglasses block some but not all

UV light to the eyes. Being unregulated by the

FDA, tags on sunglasses can say ―100% UV

block‖ but that does not indicate which type of

UV is blocked or for how long. For example,

cheap sunglasses

might have only

100% UV-A blocked

but 0% block for UV-

B or UV-C. Many of

these cheaper sun-

glasses have a

sprayed on UV coat-

ing which can be

washed off after the

first few times you

clean your glasses.

Meanwhile, the dark

tinting the lenses remains causing your pupil

to dilate. This allows your eyes to receive even

greater doses of UV radiation than if you did

not wear sunglasses at all! Poor quality sun-

glasses do not filter out direct or reflected

glare creating a visual pollution that degrades

the clarity of your vision. Cheap sunglasses

are not made of optically ground glass or plas-

tic but molded plastic that creates visual dis-

Age-related Macular Degeneration

(AMD), a progressive eye disease that

affects the central macula of the eye

leaving sufferers with only peripheral

vision, is the most common cause of

irreversible vision loss for people over

the age of 60. It is estimated that 2.5

million people in developed countries

will suffer visual loss from this disor-

der and that there are approximately

200,000 new cases diagnosed every

year.

AMD is fast reaching epidemic pro-

portions with 15 million Americans

currently affected. That number is

expected to double by 2020 as Baby

Boomers reach their 60's and 70's.

AMD is a disease affecting the mac-

ula in the retina of the eye and is

the leading cause of blindness in

this age group. Once symptoms are

noticeable, damage has already oc-

curred. AMD's effects are both perma-

nent and irreversible. Along with

other risk factors, such as light eyes/

skin, smoking (even if you have quit),

and obesity, family history increases

your risk significantly.

We can now asses your risk level for

getting Macular Degeneration by using

a device to measure your Macular Pig-

ment Optical Density (MPOD) — some-

thing only previously available at re-

search facilities, and now, at Davis

EyeCare Associates. This test will tell

us if the maculas of your eyes are defi-

cient in Zeaxanthin and Lutein, two

important carotenoids that protect

against Macular Degeneration. Using

this test along with a health assess-

ment plus a direct view of your macu-

las, we can determine what measures

you might need to help protect your

eyes and your vision. This diagnostic

test will become part of the normal eye

examination at Davis EyeCare. A

baseline measurement is recommended

for everyone over the age of 21.

This cutting edge technology has been

made available to us by St. Louis-based

ZeaVision®, a global leader dedicated to

partnering with eye care professionals

in increasing patient awareness about

early prevention of retinal eye diseases.

ZeaVision's QuantifEYETM

Program is

the first of its kind in the world to

quickly, conveniently, and inexpen-

sively identify potential risk of AMD

(and other diseases of the eye). This

program, through early detection and

mitigation of risk for AMD, has poten-

tial to significantly reduce Medicare

costs for a disease that is on the rise.

Doctors can screen patients at an early

age and can now monitor MPOD levels as

part of their eye care routine.

Low macular pigment has been associ-

ated with high risk for AMD. For pa-

tients that are found to have low levels of

macular pigment, suggesting a change in

diet along with zeaxanthin- and lutein-

based supplements can positively impact

the risk. Prevention is key, and early

risk identification can make the differ-

ence in their patients' quality of life.

Like its cousin lutein, the carotenoid Ze-

axanthin, found in many fruits and vege-

tables, is thought to help protect the ret-

ina from the damaging effects of sunlight

and oxidative stress and free radicals.

Studies have indicated that dietary in-

take of 6mg of lutein and zeaxanthin can

help protect against the onset of AMD.

Most adults get only 2 to 4 mg per day of

lutein and zeaxanthin from their diet – a

shortfall that has led to the popularity of

eye health supplements. While lutein

can be easily obtained in a healthy diet,

it‘s nearly impossible to consume enough

leafy green vegetables to get the levels of

Zeaxanthin required to maintain healthy

eyes.

Have you ever wondered if a Vitamin

you‘re taking is working? ZeaVision‘s

professionally formulated EyePromiseTM

Restore vitamin supplement‘s effective-

ness can now be measured with the de-

vice used in the QuantifEYE Program.

The test is quick, convenient, non-

invasive, and doesn‘t require dilation.

New Kodak unique progres-

sive, just your style for Smooth,

Natural Vision. If you are over

forty, you‘ll appreciate this lat-

est advancement. If you need

glasses for reading, this is wel-

comes news. Kodak Unique

Lenses are the latest develop-

ment for smooth comfortable

vision correction. Sharp, clear

New Advances For patients with a family history

of Macular Degeneration

Smooth Vision: Kodak Unique Lenses That’s my style

PAGE 4 EYECARE UPDATE ISSUE 1

Normal Macular Degen-

eration View

vision wherever you look, from

inches to miles away. These new

lenses are the best alternatives to

bifocals, which have distracting,

unattractive lines that give away

your age. Kodak Unique Lenses

give you clear smooth uninter-

rupted vision wherever you look.

Front and back surfaces work in

harmony to give you a better

view, including a wider field of vi-

sion. Your frame selection and Ko-

dak Unique Lenses are in perfect

tune. The Kodak Lenses will have

been automatically tailored, using

advanced computer models, to pre-

cisely fit your frame selection. Ko-

dak Unique lenses are available in

a complete selection of thin, light-

weight and new lens materials.

If you're having difficulty seeing when

you drive at night, you're not alone.

Auto accidents are 1.6 times more fre-

quent at night than during daylight

hours. With conventional vision correc-

tion, even so-called perfect 20/20 vision

is reduced to 20/50 at night.

It's important to remember that your

eye is not a perfect optical instrument.

Instead, it's made up of microscopic

irregularities, or aberrations on the

surface of the front of the eye. These

cause the light that enters your eye to

be deformed and then reflected off your

retina at various angles. This distor-

tion can have a big impact on the qual-

ity of your vision.

Nighttime glare, halos and starbursts

from headlights and streetlights and

poor weather conditions also reduce

visibility. Even if you are 20/20 with

standard vision correction, your day-

time and nighttime vision is not as

clear and sharp as it could be. Until

now, there was nothing your doctor

could do to correct this problem.

Wavefront analysis of how the hu-

man eye sees now enables eyeglass

manufacturers to design lenses

that may be better able to correct

common refractive errors such as

nearsightedness, farsightedness

and astigmatism, along with some

more obscure vision errors known

as higher order aberrations or opti-

cal distortion.

These new wavefront lenses help

eliminate certain vision distortions

commonly associated with or not cor-

rected by conventional lenses. Glare,

halos and starbursts are reduced or

oftentimes eliminated when driving at

night. In fact, eight of ten patients rate

the lens highly for both daytime vision

and night driving vision.

These lenses are custom-made

uniquely for you, based on the

"fingerprint" of your eye, as

measured during your exam.

This measurement indicates the

presence of higher order distor-

tions that creates glare, halos

and other vision disorders. Your

vision is sharper, clearer and

more vivid than you ever thought

possible.

The wavefront progressive bifocal

lens smoothly transitions be-

tween near, intermediate, and

distance zones. Wavefront technology

lenses cost about 30% more than com-

parable conventional lenses.

Department of Defense has also devel-

oped an adaptive lens that also incor-

porates wavefront measurements.

These SuperVision lenses aimed at sur-

passing 20/20 vision might some day

enhance eyesight of military personnel

found that lower-

ing fluid pressure

in the eye of pa-

tients who have

early glaucoma

and little or no

vision impairment

may partially re-

store the activity

of dysfunctional retinal nerve cells be-

fore permanent damage sets in. In the

Many studies of glaucoma have

pointed to the importance of regular

eye examinations if you are in a high

risk population (family history of

glaucoma, diabetes, African-

American descent, nearsightedness,

over the age of 60). That is because

there are treatments that can pre-

serve vision. A recent study suggests

that the earlier glaucoma is detected

and treated, the better. Researchers

report, 40 percent of those treated

with pressure lowering drops, while

still in the early stages of glaucoma

showed improved retinal cell func-

tion. Glaucoma is a serious eye condi-

tion that involves an elevation in

pressure inside the eye. Increased

pressure results from a buildup of

excess fluid in the eye. Glaucoma is a

dangerous eye condition because it fre-

quently progresses without obvious

Inside Story on Contact Lens Care

New Technology Wavefront in Glasses

GLAUCOMA “THE SNEAK THIEF OF SIGHT”

your lenses and help your eyes stay

healthy and comfortable.

Poor hygiene, dirty lenses and over-

wear can contaminate your contact

lenses and lead to complications such

as eye infections.

Researchers found some evidence for

the fungal infection epidemic of Bausch

and Lomb Moisture Loc. Topping off

lens care solution in the contact lens

storage cases instead of replacing with

fresh solution raised the risk of fungal

infection. Bausch and Lomb con-

cluded that MoistureLoc‘s formulation

created biofilms that would shield the

fungus from the sterilizing agent in

MoistureLoc. That would allow Fusa-

rium to colonize in a lens case or bottle

cap leaving the patient at risk. Davis

EyeCare will give you the most up-to-

date lens care system to clean and dis-

infect your contact lenses. Make sure to

What happens to your contact lenses

as you wear them? Bacteria get

trapped on them, along with protein

deposits. You may not be able to see

any of this, but you probably can feel

it. Dirty contact lenses are unhealthy

and uncomfortable. That‘s where

your lens care system comes in.

These bottled solutions clean and dis-

infect your lenses, helping prevent

infections that could be dangerous to

your eyes. They also extend the life of

PAGE 5 EYECARE UPDATE ISSUE 1

One of the most common complaints

among presbyopes is having to put on

and take off their reading glasses all

day long. Reading glasses must be car-

ried everywhere. And they are often

misplaced or forgotten, forcing some

people to buy several pairs for different

areas of their home and workplace.

Readers and bifocals are unattrac-

tive. They hide the eyes from the world

and emphasize age.

Today Bifocal Disposable Contact

Lenses are changing. A single word

describes why Carol loves her bifocal

contact lenses: freedom. "I can go any-

where, do anything, and don't have to

be always looking for my glasses,

whether around my house, at the office,

or out shopping," says Carol, a manager

at a Chicago stock brokerage. "I put my

lenses in the first thing in the morning

and only take them out right before the

lights go out at night," she says. She

never wore contact lenses before getting

her disposable bifocals. Next time your

at Davis EyeCare ask one of our Doctors

about the new disposable monthly soft

bifocal lenses that will give the freedom

as well as the comfort of not wearing

anything at all.

Most people don't know that contact

lenses can be bifocal, trifocal, or even

progressive. But it's true: new multifocal

contacts are being designed each year for

people with presbyopia, a natural condi-

tion brought on by age, where the eye's

natural ability to focus on close objects is

lost. Eventually everyone after the age of

forty needs a reading prescription. Where

people differ is how they deal with it.

Some use reading glasses or bifocals.

Others choose progressive eyeglass

lenses, which correct near, intermediate,

and far vision but without the unsightly

lines of traditional bifocals. Still others

opt for bifocal contact lenses.

Reading glasses are inconvenient.

Introducing Proclear Multifocal

Proclear Multifocal are the only

contact lenses designed to address

two common conditions experienced

by those with aging eyes: presbyo-

pia and eye dryness. If you're in

your 40s, you may have found read-

ing has become more difficult. If so,

you're likely experiencing a common

vision condition called presbyopia, a

natural part of your eyes' aging

process. Fortunately, bifocal eye-

glasses are not the only option for

clear vision. Now you can enjoy op-

timum vision quality at every dis-

tance and the freedom of soft con-

tact lenses, with Proclear Multifo-

cal. Only Proclear® Multifocal

lenses combine a superior lens de-

sign, Balanced Progressive™ Technol-

ogy, with a unique lens material made

using the patented PC Technology™.

The result? Lenses that give you great

vision at every distance while staying

moist and comfortable, all day long.

Proclear Multi-

focal lenses fo-

cus light from

both near and

far distance ob-

jects creating

the clearest pos-

sible image. This unique system uses

two different, yet complementary,

lenses that work together to provide

clear vision near, far, and in between.

Proclear Multifocal lenses are made

using PC Technology, which creates a

unique material containing molecules

of phosphorylcholine (PC), a sub-

stance found naturally in human cell

membranes. These miracle molecules

attract and surround themselves with

water, keeping Proclear lenses

moist and comfortable. It is the

same technology found in coronary

stents and ear implants.

It's a level of comfort so unique, only

Proclear lenses are cleared by the

FDA for the claim: ―may provide

improved comfort for contact lens

wearers who experience mild discom-

fort or symptoms relating to dryness

during lens wear.‖ Next time your in

the office ask your doctor at Davis Eye

Care for a trial pair.

Stop your Frustration: Disposable Bifocal Contact Lens

Invisible No-Line Bifocal Contact Lenses

Inside Story Headline

PAGE 6 EYECARE UPDATE ISSUE 1

Over the years, our contact lens pa-

tients have been fortu-

nate to experience new

materials and designs

before they get into the

marketplace. Research

and development stud-

ies involving soft and

rigid lens materials

and solutions have

kept Davis EyeCare on the leading

edge in the contact lens field. Our

doctors have written many articles in

professional Journals as well as lec-

tured around the world. Starting in

November Davis EyeCare is the Lead

investigator in the ―SMART Study‖.

This multi site national Study is in-

vestigating the progressive nature of

myopia and the stabilizing effect of

wearing Ortho-k lenses. Each year

over the next five years 150 soft lens

patients will be compared to

150 ortho-K patients and

monitor the progressive nature

of the disease. If your child is

still in grammar school and you

are interested in being part of

this investigation call Jean.

We‘ll pull the record and

check if you are a likely

candidate and answer any ques-

tions you might have.

With the increasing number of

refractive surgical procedures

that have been done in the Chi-

cago land area not everyone has

experience 100% success. Often com-

plaints of night vision are expressed

with increase flare and glare of oncom-

ing headlights cause a blinding effect.

If these are sysmptoms you are experi-

encing call Jean about the Nyxol study

that will relieave the symptoms associ-

ated from complications of refractive

surgery.

Dryness have plagued contact lens

wearers since the first lens was applied

to an eye. The holy grail of contact lens

materials is a lens mate-

rial that will provide

enough oxygen and yet

wet enough that last all

day and night. The Chal-

lenge is to fabricate a

material that will be

comfortable for18hours.

If you would like to try this new surface

treated lens please call Jean to set you

up for this investigation. It will be least

drying lens you have ever wore.

When good vision is not good enough

Research Corner:

New Developments Offered At Davis EyeCare

Inside Story Headline

improve contrast

sensitivity and

depth perception

for better anticipa-

tion and response,

even in low light

conditions. The

innovative aberra-

tion-blocking (AB)

technology reduce spherical aberra-

tion, reducing flare and glare at

night and eliminates halos around

lights which occurs when a lens is

ground perfectly spherical and does

not address the irregular surface of

the cornea. This is caused by light

scattering in the back of the eye cre-

ating multiple focusing points. With

AB technology, a series of correcting

curves are designed to reflect light

to a centralized single point for a

precise focus. So, ask Davis EyeCare

about UniLens Aspheric lenses for

exceptional comfort with pristine

visual acuity. If you want clearer

and precise vision ask for a trial

pair to compare the vision to your

present lenses.

Late night driving,

number crunching,

sports, computer work,

any activity that re-

quires precise vision- if

your lenses aren't

meeting the vision de-

mands of your lifestyle,

ask Davis EyeCare

about UniLens Aspheric soft con-

tact lenses. Ideal for emerging pres-

byopes and those with low levels of

astigmatism, this premium lens can

PAGE 7 EYECARE UPDATE ISSUE 1

WET THE DRY EYE

NEW ADVANCES IN CONTACT

LENS TECHNOLOGY

Davis EyeCare has been part of a research team who have been working

on a dry eye formulation for over ten years. Partnering with Alimera Sci-

ences, Inc., Soothe Emollient has been introduced, as the first multi-dose,

emollient-based artificial tear product for patients with dry eye. Soothe

offers over-the-counter relief to the 12 million Americans suffering from dry

eye, a condition resulting from the body's inability to produce enough tears

to keep the eye surface lubricated. Soothe re-establishes the eye's protective

lipid layer to reduce tear evaporation and seal essential moisture, giving

patients up to 8 hours of long-lasting comfort. Studies show that approxi-

mately 15 percent of the 65-and-over population suffers from dry eye, a

painful condition that dehydrates and irritates eyes. Dry eye is especially

prevalent in women. In fact, a study published in the American Journal of

Ophthalmology found that 3.2 million American women over the age of 50

suffer from dry eye. Certain medications, contact lenses, the environment

and the air conditioner or furnace may also affect moisture levels in the

eye. This product was inspired by and developed for dry eye patients. Be-

cause Soothe restores the compromised lipid layer of patient's tears regard-

less of the particular dry eye state, harmful evaporation is minimized and

the ocular surface is protected. Ask the doctors at Davis EyeCare if you are

a candidate for this revolutionary product.

D

D

medical devices such as catheters,

food packaging, water purification and

other products. The antimicrobial

Lens Case is gentle, non-toxic and

safe.

NATURALEYEZ©: The Post-Dilating

Lens

NATURALEYEZ© is a patented soft

contact lens designed to make life eas-

ier for patients. It is an annular

brightness blocking soft contact lens

that is designed with a brightness

blocking ring with a clear 4.2 mm.

center to be used until the pupils re-

turn to normal. The doctor needs to

dilate the patient but the patient re-

sists because of inconvenience.

NATURALEYEZ© allows the patient

to function with di-

lated pupils in a more

natural state.

After the examination,

the lenses are inserted.

The patient then puts on their specta-

cles or piggy-backs their regular con-

tact lenses and can function in the

bright daylight without the aberra-

tions created by a dilated pupil. After

the dilation wears off, the lenses are

discarded. The post-dilating lens re-

duces the patient inconvenienced

caused by dilation.

Anti-bacterial Lens Case

Contact lens wearers now can receive

extra protection against potential eye

infections through use of a new Lens

Case, infused with an antimicrobial

agent that helps prevent contamination.

The contact lens case contains silver

atoms that have been electrically

charged (ions), have shown in clinical

trials to help reduce the possibility of

outside contami-

nation within the

case by 40%.

Lens cases are

quite vulnerable

to contamination. For example, data tell

us that a large percentage of contact

lens wearers rinse their lens cases with

tap water, which could be a source of

contaminants. It's therefore not surpris-

ing that lens case contamination occurs

with up to 80% of contact lens wearers.

The Lens Case is infused with silver

ions to kill bacteria and help minimize

contamination on the lens case surface.

The silver ions are gradually released as

the case is exposed to moisture. This

slow, sustained release maintains the

antimicrobial agent at the surface of the

case.

Silver has frequently been used as an

antimicrobial agent in oral hygiene,

SpecialEyes© Contact Lens

The first soft toric lens was introduced

in 1978. Success was achieved by either

chance or persistence, since the quality

of the entire manufacturing process

yielded lenses that were not predict-

able. Reorders were frustrating for

both the patient and practitioner be-

cause replacements seldom resembled

the original. Changes in lens specifica-

tions rarely matched the prescribed

lens order. These lenses were known at

the time as snowflake lenses. No two

lenses were identical, like snowflakes.

A new level of fitting was achieved us-

ing a systematic approach to prescrib-

ing. Patients do not have to settle for

reduced vision or variable fitted lenses.

The ultimate lens design can yield com-

fort as well as maximum and stable

vision. The availability of different

parameters, the speed with which a

lens can be received and a ‗guaranteed

fit‘ policy. SpecialEyes Custom Contact

Lens Company represents this new

generation manufacturing technique.

Today Davis EyeCare finally can con-

trol all aspects of the fitting process, no

longer being dictated by the lenses of-

fered in the marketplace. The patient

can finally be fit with a truly custom

design tailored lens. The boutique con-

tact lens manufacturing process offered

by SpecialEyes provides unique advan-

P

Vision is Priceless

D a v i s E y e C a r e

Cataracts and age-related macu-

lar degeneration (AMD) are the leading

causes of visual impairment and acquired

blindness in the U.S.

Cataract extractions are the most

common surgical procedure performed in

the U.S., accounting for more than 2 mil-

lion procedures a year.

Approximately 10 million Ameri-

cans suffer from early signs of AMD. Macu-

lar Degeneration creates a distortion or

loss of central vision. The destruction or

dysfunction of the macula is caused by the

death

of vis-

ual

cells

associ-

ated

with

the

break-

down

of the

nutri-

tional/

dis-

posal

system

in the

eye. The retina then exhibits loss of macu-

lar pigment, leaking blood vessels, oxida-

tive damage and less absorption of high-

energy light waves when visual cells die.

When MPOD (macular pigment optical

density) levels are low, studies have shown

the risk for AMD increases.

Both the severity and irreversibility

of cataracts and AMD have generated inter-

est in ways to either prevent or delay their

progression.

Your macular pigment is made up of

zeaxanthin and lutein, two important nutri-

ents for maintaining healthy vision. Both

these nutrients are found in the retina.

While lutein exists mainly in the peripheral

Qualitative Understanding and Nutritional Treatment Intervention for the EYE Both nutrients play a protective role

in shielding the eye from oxidative

tress and damaging blue light.

Most epidemiol-

ogical evidence suggests

that zeaxanthin and lu-

tein help prevent AMD.

Some very preliminary

evidence suggests also

that higher doses of these

carotenoids might be able

to help slow or stop the

progression in those al-

ready diagnosed.

Nutrition is one promising

means of protecting the eyes from

cataracts and AMD. Given the posi-

tive association between nutrition

and these diseases, it seems prudent

for people to increase the amount of

crucial antioxidants in their diet.

Eating five servings of fruits and

vegetables each day provides more

than 100 mg of Vitamin C. Eating

two servings of nuts and seeds can

provide 8-14 mg of Vitamin E (11.9

– 20.8 IU). However, the

majority of people in the

United States are not eat-

ing five servings of fruits

and vegetable nor good

sources of Vitamin E

each day. Not only that,

but Zeaxanthin is very

scarce in the diet. You‘d

need to consume 20 ears

of corn, or 10 cups of

broccoli, or 12 orange pep-

pers a day to get 20 mg of Zeaxan-

thin and Lutein. Most people sim-

ply cannot consume these quanti-

ties, so it makes sense to supple-

QuantifQuantif

ment.

QuantifEYETM is a

program that com-

bines quick and

easy testing to de-

termine a baseline

measurement of

your MPOD levels.

Testing of this kind

was only available

in a research facil-

ity until now.

If your MPOD score indi-

cates low macular pigment, it is

possible to increase your macu-

lar pigment through adequate

diet and supplementation. If

you‘ve ever wondered whether a

vitamin or supplement you take

is actually working, the Quan-

tifEYE device can

show you with regularly scheduled test-

ing.

is a preventive program, it is recom-

mended that everyone over the age

of 21 gets a baseline measurement,

so that those with low MPOD levels can

be monitored.

This program offers a supple-

ment that contains a profes-

sional formulation of the Vita-

mins and nutrients you need to

maintain healthy vision. Symp-

toms of macular degeneration

may not appear until after you have

the disease. Getting an early start

on prevention can help to preserve

your sight as you age.