OVD issue highlights prevalence of eye problems in general population

In the latest issue of Optometry & Vision Development (OVD), Dr. Dominick Maino, editor of OVD, notes that: "In 2010 there are 9 million people with lazy eye and 18 million individuals with eye-turns. For children under 18 years of age that means there will be, unfortunately a very large number of children with these often undiagnosed but treatable eye problems.

One research study suggests that the prevalence of these eye problems within the general population is 56% or 60 million men, women, and young adults." He also says, "In comparison to glaucoma, cataract, age-related macular degeneration, and other various eye diseases; binocular vision disorders are… more frequently encountered than these diseases and have significant negative effects on one's quality of life. … One study revealed that the prevalence of these vision disorders… is 9.7 times greater than the prevalence of eye disease in children ages six months to five years and it's 8.5 times greater than the prevalence of ocular disease in children ages six to 18 years… Shouldn't your eye doctor not only check for eye disease, but also eye teaming, focusing and eye movement problems that affect how well you work, study, and play?" For more information go to www.covd.org, click on the "OVD Journal" link, and read "The Binocular Vision Dysfunction Pandemic."

Israeli Optometry Featured in Optometry & Vision Development (OVD)

Optometry is a relatively young profession with the first laws governing its existence passed in the USA early in the 1900s. In Israel, the profession is just now coming of age. In OVD, Volume 41, Number 1, well known and respected Israeli optometrists, Drs. Koslowe and Stoller review the many changes to the profession in Israel and the need for future changes; while Dinah Paritzky, BSc, MCOptom; Ariela Gordon-Shaag, Ph.D.; and Rachel Eichler, OD tell us about The Hadassah Academic College Department of Optometry.

This issue of OVD also published several research articles by Israeli optometric scientists that include how the sequence of testing procedures affects test outcomes, an assessment of which focusing tests are best, and how first and second grader's eye teaming capabilities affect their ability to visually organize their world. Additional articles discuss a new testing technique and review the current research from other journals.