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DRY EYE PATIENTS TYPICALLY WAIT TWO YEARS BEFORE SEEKING HELP

Those diagnosed with dry eye disease (DED) commonly wait two years between the onset of symptoms and seeking a health care provider’s advice, reports the National Eye C.A.R.E. (Current Attitudes Related to Eye Health) Survey, conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Shire.

This may be due to the fact that roughly half (49%) of those who have symptoms attribute them to the normal aging process, 69% feel DED symptoms are just something they have to live with, and 32% don’t understand that DED can lead to long-term ocular damage, the Survey reveals.

A total of 76% of ECPs reported a rise in dry eye symptoms in patients between the ages of 18 to 34 vs. 10 years ago, and most attribute this rise to an increase in multiscreen lifestyles.

“Rather than waiting for patients to initiate the conversation, physicians should inquire about screen time and discuss potential dry eye symptoms that can result,” explains Whitney Hauser, O.D., of Memphis, Tenn. “The conversation can be brief with an asymptomatic patient, but it lets the patient know their doctor is a resource and that treatment is available.”

The National Eye C.A.R.E. Survey was conducted in July 2015 and was comprised of 1,210 adults (age 18 and older) who have DED symptoms (diagnosed with the condition or experiencing DED symptoms and have used artificial tears within the past month) and more than 1,015 ECPs ■

Shire Pharmaceuticals hosted the eyelove art project in October in New York City to “celebrate the unique beauty of the eyes.” The project was free to all attendees and allowed them to make art based on their eyes.
Courtesy Shire

FTC SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED CL RULE AMENDMENTS

The Federal Trade Commission has proposed two changes it believes would be beneficial to increase compliance with the Contact Lens Rule’s automatic prescription release requirement and wants public comment on these changes on, or before, Jan. 30.

These changes:

• That contact lens prescribers acquire a signed acknowledgement after releasing a contact lens prescription to a patient, which must be maintained for at least three years.

• That the words “private label” be struck from Section 315.5(e) of the Rule.

For the full Contact Lens Rule, visit tinyurl.com/FTCLENS. To comment on the proposed amendments, visit tinyurl.com/FTCCOMRULE. All received comments will be posted on the FTC’s website ■

STUDY REVEALS REASONS FOR DIABETIC EYE EXAM NON-COMPLIANCE

The common hurdles to routine eye exams by insured diabetic patients are a lack of understanding of insurance benefits, a lack of awareness of the importance of dilated eye exams and time constraints, reveals the Nov. 4 issue of American Health & Drug Benefits. Meanwhile, eye care providers cited the patent’s level of education, a view that eye exams are a low priority vs. other diabetes-related health issues and a lack of symptoms.

Charlie Ficco, O.D., who practices in Cumming, Ga., and sees a lot of diabetes patients, recommends the following patient education to increase the likelihood of diabetic patients complying with their routine eye exams:

• Explain insurance benefits. Since 2008, all medical insurances allow patients to have a yearly comprehensive eye examination (92004/92014) with a diagnosis of diabetes even in the absence of diabetic retinopathy. “If the patient has vision insurance as well as a medical insurance, they most likely would have duplicative benefits since both carriers would cover a 92004/92014. It is our responsibility to explain these benefits to the patient and allow him or her to make the choice of which carrier policy they would like to use,” Dr. Ficco explains. “Don’t always assume that they will choose the MVCP as some medical carriers could have a zero copay or have this examination not subject to the deductible. Most importantly, never make the decision for the patient without their consent. They are the owners of the policies, and it is their right to choose which policy they want — not yours.”

• Explain how early detection can save vision. “I tell my patients, ‘The eye, and, specifically, the retina, is the only place in the entire body that we can actually see the blood flowing through the blood vessels via dilation,’” he says. “‘This view helps in detecting problems early and, thus, adjust medications or seek specialists to save your vision and help prevent both kidney failure and amputations.’”

• Explain the value of an appointment. “I tell my patients, ‘It only takes, at most, a couple of hours out of the year to get your eyes thoroughly examined,’” he explains. “That is a small price to pay for preventing you from going blind.” ■

Portions of this article were reviewed by John Rumpakis, O.D.

AAO CREATES BRIEN HOLDEN HUMANITARIAN AWARD

The American, Academy of Optometry (AAO) announced the creation of the Brien Holden Humanitarian Award at its annual meeting, in Anaheim, Calif., last month. The Award was established to honor the work and memory of Professor Brien Holden, Ph.D., Ds.c, F.A.A.O., who founded the Brien Holden Vision Institute and died unexpectedly in July 2015.

“This is a wonderful acknowledgement by the Academy, a body that Brien greatly respected and a meeting he enthusiastically attended for around four decades,” says Kovin Naidoo, O.D., Ph.D., F.A.A.O., CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute. “This award will give important recognition to those people who may not be known globally, but who are making a difference in eye care in their country or region.”

The award will recognize an individual or organization who/that has made significant contributions to improve eye care within a country or region and will, in particular, acknowledge humanitarian efforts in the non-profit/not-for-profit sector that build or support sustainable eye care systems in developing communities ■

Brien Holden’s name and legacy will live on.

WHO PROVIDES STANDARD DEFINITION FOR MYOPIA/HIGH MYOPIA IN RELATED REPORT

Last March, the World Health Organization (WHO) joined forces with the Brien Holden Vision Institute for a three-day meeting in Sydney, to discuss the current and future impact of myopia and high myopia.

“The Impact of Myopia and High Myopia” report resulted from the gathering and contains several agreed-upon conclusions and recommendations, including a standard definition for both conditions, so that researchers can determine their true impact.

The report defines myopia as “a condition in which the spherical equivalent objective refractive error is < -0.50 diopter (-0.50D) in either eye.” Meanwhile, high myopia is defined as “a condition in which the spherical equivalent objective refractive error is < 5.00D in either eye.”

For the full report, see tinyurl.com/HoldenMy ■

NEW COMPANY SELLS ITS OWN BRAND OF CONTACT LENSES DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS

Through the website hubblecontacts.com, the company Hubble says it ships its own brand of FDA-approved methafilcon A daily disposable contact lenses (CLs) directly to consumers.

According to the website, provided the consumer has a valid prescription, Hubble first ships 30 CLs for the $3 cost of shipping and handling, and then provides the option of selecting monthly or annual shipments for $30 or $264, respectively.

Should the consumer be without a valid prescription and, therefore, need to see a doctor, the website provides a list of eye care practitioners (ECPs), who “are not our employees or contractors,” according to the website. The website states that all prescriptions are verified with ECPs via voicemail or a “specially designed fax system,” that prevents ECPs from receiving busy signals.

Hubble says it permits the modification or cancelling of an order at any time and provides a refund for any unopened product within 30 days of receipt. A website Q&A says the company plans to offer toric lenses in mid-2017. ■

PENTAVISION MEDIA OFFERS RETINAL IMAGING WEBINAR

PentaVision Media, (publisher of this, among other professional eye care magazines, has made available a one-hour webinar, sponsored by Optos, called “Utilizing clinical skills to maximize the benefits and opportunities available with ultra-widefield retinal imaging.”

The webinar drew close to 300 attendees, who submitted 89 questions to the webinar’s presenter. An archived version of the webinar is available at optometricmanagement.com/optos. ■