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TIPS, TRENDS & NEWS YOU CAN USE

FLORIDA O.D. REVEALS ZIKA VIRUS PROTOCOL

With the Zika virus mosquito-borne in Florida — 14 cases as we go to press — U.S. travel-associated cases in the thousands and the fact that the virus has ocular manifestations, O.D.s can aid in its diagnosis.

“When patients present with conjunctivitis and, upon questioning, reveal they’ve recently traveled to South America or the Miami region of Florida, we must communicate our findings and refer these patients to their general practitioners for virus-confirming lab testing,” explains Sherrol Reynolds, O.D., F.A.A.O., of Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Fla. and “Posterior” columnist. She adds that patients with viral complaints, such as muscle pain or fever, as described by the CDC (cdc.gov/zika), should raise a high suspicion for the virus.

Something else to remember: Retina focal pigment mottling, chorioretinal atrophy, optic nerve abnormalities, bilateral iris coloboma, lens subluxation, loss of the foveal reflex, uveitis and well-defined macular atrophy have recently been linked with Zika. ■

ZEISS HIRES JAMES MAZZO FOR OPHTHALMOLOGY AND OPTOMETRY BUSINESS

ZEISS has consolidated its ophthalmic business groups of Ophthalmic Diagnostics, Surgical Ophthalmology and Refractive Lasers into a new strategic business unit and has hired James V. Mazzo, a 36-year veteran of the eye care industry, as global president of Ophthalmic Devices to oversee the global unit and its U.S. Sales and Service Center. In his role, Mr. Mazzo says ZEISS will address both patient and customer needs “at an accelerated pace.”

“I will increase our sense of urgency around knowing the customers and being able to understand their needs,” he explains. “We’ll spend more time with the practitioner and make sure we listen to him or her.”

In addition, Mr. Mazzo says he plans to leverage Carl Zeiss Meditec’s heritage as a leader in technology. “This is a 170-year-old company with an unbelievable heritage that is continuously adding to their innovation,” he says. “This is who we are. We are committed to the practitioners of today and of the future.”

Mr. Mazzo spent more than 20 years leading Allergan. He led the public spin-off of AMO as chairman/CEO. When Abbott Labs purchased AMO in 2009, he became executive vice president of Abbott’s global ophthalmology business. Mr. Mazzo left Abbott in 2013 to become executive chair and CEO of AcuFocus and executive chair of Neurotech ■

HARRY WACHS, VISION THERAPY PIONEER

Harry Wachs, O.D., founder of the Vision & Conceptual Development Center, which provides vision therapy (VT) to children who have developmental and learning disorders in Maryland, passed away in late July at age 92 in Chevy Chase, Md.

“Dr. Wachs was a pioneer in developmental vision, spearheading the move from behavioralism toward cognition and visual thinking,” says pediatric optometrist Leonard Press, O.D., F.C.O.V.D., F.A.A.O., who practices in Fairlawn, N.J.

Dr. Wachs co-authored, “Thinking Goes to School,” a VT technique book, created a reading program at George Washington University for developmentally disabled children, and he developed visual tests.

He is survived by his three children and three grandchildren ■

ORAL OMEGA-3 USE IMPROVES DRY EYE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS, STUDY SHOWS

The oral use of re-esterified omega-3 fatty acids is linked with statistically significant improvements in tear osmolarity, TBUT, MMP-9 and OSDI symptom scores in patients who have meibomian gland dysfunction, reveals September’s Cornea.

“The findings here are game changing. The research shows that omega-3s administered in the proper dose and in a cleaned triglyceride form can not only provide the necessary lipids for the tear film to impact tear osmolarity and tear break-up time, the data also demonstrates that re-esterified triglyceride omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is a vital option for patients with meibomian gland disease and should be considered [when] treating dry eye patients,” explains Alice T. Epitropoulos, M.D., F.A.C.S., lead researcher of the study.

Specifically, the placebo-controlled, double-masked 12-week study was comprised of 105 participants who were randomized to receive four softgels containing 1680 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid/560 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (54 participants) or a control (51 participants) of 3136 mg of linoleic acid, daily for 12 weeks. All subject’s tear osmolarity, TBUT, OSDI, fluorescein corneal staining and Schirmer testing was recorded at week six and week 12, and MMP-9 testing was recorded at baseline and at 12 weeks. ■

VISION EXPO WEST OFFERS CLINICAL AND SPECIALTY CE

Vision Expo West, taking place Sept. 14-17 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, will be providing more than 320 of hours of education.

OM has signed on as a media sponsor for the following programs:

• Best of ODs on Facebook. Optometrists Alan Glazier, Ben Gaddie, Diana Shechtman, Mark Dunbar, Scot Morris, April Jasper, Neil Gailmard and Mark Wright provide clinical tales from the trenches, practice management pearls and social media marketing through three sessions, totaling 5 hours. And, don’t forget the after-party at Tao Nightclub!

• CAB Chairman Top Picks. O.D.s Marc Myers, William Marcolini, S. Barry Eiden, Andrew Morgenstern, Steven Ferrucci, Douglas Devries, Louise Sclafani, Charlie Ficco, Eric Schmidt, Shana Zeitlin, Jay Haynie, Diana Shechtman, Richard Madonna and Zachary McCarty discuss retinal disease, neuro, lens materials, anterior segment disease, ocular emergencies, glaucoma suspects, pediatric eye diseases, retail marketing, eyewear and how to communicate value, through 13 sessions, totaling 21 hours.

For more information on Vision Expo CE, visit tinyurl.com/eduglance. ■