Optometry Commons^™

Lipid Biomarkers And Pathway Identification For Contact Lens Related Discomfort, Shyam Panthi

All ETDs from UAB

The purpose of this investigation was to identify possible lipid biomarkers that are associated with contact lens related discomfort and determine whether inflammation as a result of lipid peroxidation or enzymatic arachidonic acid metabolism is associated with such discomfort. Ten microliters of tears were collected from each eye of fifteen subjects (11 non-contact lens wearers, 2 contact lens wearers with discomfort and 2 contact lens wearers without discomfort) and assayed using various chemical extraction methods and mass spectrometry based analytical approaches. This was done to determine whether lipid mediators of inflammation could be identified in low volume (10 l) of …

A Comparison Between Number And Letter Acuities Among Patients, Sarah Berry

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Purpose: Previous studies have shown that there is an association between visual acuity and Alzheimers’ disease. Untreated visual problems may contribute to cognitive impairment and more progressive cognitive decline. This study investigates the association of chart design, specifically comparing charts using letters versus numbers, to accuracy and repeatability among patients with dementia. Methods: 23 English-speaking subjects diagnosed with moderate to advanced levels of dementia were recruited from two local Birmingham nursing homes. Visual acuities were measured in a randomly selected eye and timed from six different charts: Back-illuminated ETDRS chart with letters, Back-illuminated ETDRS chart with numbers, HOTV cards …

Oxygen Permeability (Dk) Of Silicone-Hydrogel Materials: Relationship With Water, Silicon, And Fluorine Contents, Terin E. Dupre

All ETDs from UAB

To more precisely determine the fundamental relationships between oxygen permeability (Dk), water content (WC), silicon (Si) content, and fluorine (F) content of clinically prescribed silicone-hydrogel (SiHy) materials, identical methodologies for 16 commercially available brands of SiHy materials were performed. Dk and WC were determined according to the ANSI and ISO standards and, with Si and F contents, on the same lot numbers of samples across a common range of available refractive powers. A negative linear relationship was found between Si content and water content. Lotrafilcon A, Lotrafilcon B, and the bulk polymer of Delefilcon A initially deviated from this relationship. …

The Eye As A Window To The Alzheimer’S Disease Brain, Fred Souza

All ETDs from UAB

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a debilitating, and the most prevalent, type of dementia that is manifested by cognitive deficits, anomalous protein metabolism, cell loss, and pathological alterations in several neurotransmitter systems, particularly the cholinergic and glutamatergic systems. Moreover, AD is associated with visual deficits that have been reported to occur even in the early stages of the disease and may precede conspicuous cognitive impairment. To date, the underlying causes of the visual deficits and whether they stem from retinal or cortical abnormalities remain poorly understood. The following studies aimed at establishing whether the pathological changes observed in the cerebrum are …

Optometric Case Finding For Glaucoma In Ireland: An Investigation Of Current Practice Patterns., Catriona Barrett

Doctoral

Optometrists play a vital role in the detection of glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness. As population screening for glaucoma is neither cost effective nor viable, glaucoma is primarily detected through opportunistic case-finding during routine eye examinations. The present study provides new insight into optometrists’ practice patterns for glaucoma detection in Ireland. Chapters 3 and 4 report on a national survey. The results show that optometrists are well equipped to carry out the traditional glaucoma case finding triad. However, moving towards enhanced services such as monitoring glaucoma suspects or ocular hypertension cases would require some investment in equipment and …

Barriers To Glaucoma Case Finding As Perceived By Optometrists In Ireland, Catriona Barrett, Colm O'Brien, John Butler, James Loughman

Articles

Background: This research was designed to provide an in-depth exploration of the perceptions of optometrists relating to the challenges of glaucoma case finding in the Irish health-care system.

Methods: A survey was developed, piloted and distributed for anonymous completion by optometrists registered to practice in Ireland. The survey included 10 five-level Likert items exploring potential barriers to glaucoma detection and a free-text box for participants to comment more broadly.

Results: One hundred and ninety-nine optometrists (27 per cent of registrants) responded to the survey. Among the barriers identified, there was notable agreement (71 per cent) with the need for extra …

Time To Refocus Assessment Of Vision In Older Adults? Contrast Sensitivity But Not Visual Acuity Is Associated With Gait In Older Adults, James Loughman, Eoin Duggan, Orna Donoghue,, Rose Anne Kenny, Hilary Cronin, Ciarán Finucane

Articles

Background:

The relationship between measures of visual function and gait related risk factors for falls is unclear. In this study, we examine the relationship between visual function (visual acuity [VA] and contrast sensitivity [CS] at multiple spatial frequencies) and quantitative spatiotemporal gait, using a large, nationally representative sample of community dwelling older adults.

Methods: Participants aged 50 and over were recruited as part of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). VA was measured with the LogMAR chart according to the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study protocol. CS was measured at five spatial frequencies ranging 1.5 to 18 cycles …

Perceived Barriers Of Optometrists To Glaucoma Case Findings In Ireland, James Loughman, Catriona Barrett, Colm O’Brien, John S. Butler

Articles

Background:

This research was designed to provide an in-depth exploration of the perceptions of optometrists relating to the challenges of glaucoma case finding in the Irish health-care system.

Methods: A survey was developed, piloted and distributed for anonymous completion by optometrists registered to practise in Ireland. The survey included 10 five-level Likert items exploring potential barriers to glaucoma detection and a free-text box for participants to comment more broadly.

Results: One hundred and ninety-nine optometrists (27 per cent of registrants) responded to the survey. Among the barriers identified, there was notable agreement (71 per cent) with the need for extra …

Novel Myopia Genes And Pathways Identified From Syndromic Forms Of Myopia, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, James Loughman, Christine F. Wildsoet, Cathy Williams, Jeremy A. Guggenheim

Articles

Clinical phenotypes and syndromes that have refractive errors as a recognized feature were identified using the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database. One hundred fifty-four unique causative genes were identified, of which 119 were specifically linked with myopia and 114 represented syndromic myopia (i.e., myopia and at least one other clinical feature). Myopia was the only refractive error listed for 98 genes and hyperopia and the only refractive error noted for 28 genes, with the remaining 28 genes linked to phenotypes with multiple forms of refractive error. Pathway analysis was carried out to find biological processes overrepresented within these …

Novel Myopia Genes And Pathways Identified From Syndromic Forms Of Myopia, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, James Loughman, Christine F. Wildsoet, Cathy Williams, Jeremy A. Guggenheim

Articles

P URPOSE . To test the hypothesis that genes known to cause clinical syndromes featuring myopia also harbor polymorphisms contributing to nonsyndromic refractive errors.

Visual Impairment And Factors Associated With Difficulties With Daily Tasks, Anne T. Riddering

Dissertations

In the past 10 years, the number of American adults with visual impairments has increased from 1 million to 4 million and is expected to double to 8 million people by the year 2050 (The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group, 2004; National Eye Institute, 2013). Therapies to treat retinal diseases causing visual impairment, such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration (Massof, 2002; Mogk, 2011), have evolved in the past two decades (Gupta et al., 2013; Hooper & Guymer, 2003), but little research has examined recent population and difficulties with performing daily activities. Different types of professionals, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, …

When The Challenges Of Aging And Visual Impairment Collide: Working Together To Build A Toolbox Of Rehab Ideas Of Best Care For Older Adults, Regula H. Robnett, Kathy Clarrage

Occupational Therapy Faculty Presentations

Workshop/presentation by Regi Robnett, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, professor in the UNE Department of Occupational Therapy and Kathy Clarrage, COMS, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist for the State of Maine. Given at the North East Chapter of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired (NEAER) conference, this presentation encouraged health care providers to work as a team to care for older, visually impaired adults. The professional audience included orientation and mobility specialists, vision rehabilitation therapists, low vision specialists, administrators in the field of blindness, social workers in the field of blindness and vocational rehabilitation counselors.

Recording Of High Efficiency Volume Bragg Gratings In A Photopolymer Using Diffraction From Very Weak Pre-Recorded Gratings, Denis Bade

Articles

No abstract provided.

Research/Internship In Optometry, Alisha Trivedi

Trick to the Treat of Internships and Research

This is an enriching experience for undergraduate students, giving them a clinical and hands on experience in the field of Optometry. Students will have the opportunity to participate in research, see participants, shadow optometrists, engage in new studies, and possibly present their research at the end of their second semester. Students will work under a health professional at HPD and first observe their work along with the work of the interns before them to get familiar with the position. They will typically see participants for research about 2-3 times a week, and work on their term paper outside of that.

Puzzleart Therapy: Connecting The Pieces In Search Of Answers, Jennifer Fortuna

Open Journal of Occupational Therapy: Occupation and the Artist

Alli Berman has been an artist, educator, author, and lecturer for more than 25 years. Her art can be found in private, corporate, and nonprofit collections around the world. Berman is the creator of PuzzleArt, a series of small abstract paintings that combine to form a modular puzzle. When a stroke impacted Berman’s quality of life, she turned to art for answers. Engagement in a meaningful activity, such as painting, provided her motivation and strength for continued physical and psychological healing. The PuzzleArt concept evolved from a simple exercise that helped Berman to fit all of the missing pieces back …

Puzzleart Therapy: Connecting The Pieces In Search Of Answers, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Alli Berman, a New York based artist, provided the cover art for the Fall 2016 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Sunlight Underwater” is a 12 piece PuzzleArt painting made from acrylic on American maple that measures 22x30. The PuzzleArt concept began as a simple exercise that evolved into a therapeutic modality. When a sudden stroke impacted Berman’s well-being and quality of life, it was art that helped her to make connections during recovery.

Development Of Holographic Sensors For Monitoring Relative Humidity And Temperature, Tatsiana Mikulchyk

Doctoral

Photonic structures capable of responding to an analyte with an easily identifiable change in their optical properties have generated wide interest due to their possible application as holographic sensors. Holographic sensors are considered a low-cost, lightweight and disposable technology, and have potential for application in different areas ranging from medical diagnostics to environmental sensing including the monitoring of environmental temperature and relative humidity. In spite of the existing wide range of temperature and humidity sensors, holographic sensors are of special interest as they can provide fast, real-time, reversible or irreversible, visual colorimetric or electronic readouts. The main objective of this …

Relationship Between Ocular Sensory Dominance And Stereopsis, Raheela Saeed Ali

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Purpose: It is unknown whether individuals with two balanced eyes show quicker response and lower threshold in fine stereoscopic detection. Previous methods to measure ocular dominance were primarily qualitative, which do not quantify the degree of dominance and show limitation in identifying the dominant eye. In this study, we aimed at quantifying the difference of ocular strength between the two eyes with ocular dominance index (ODI) and studying the association of ocular balance between the two eyes with stereoscopic detection. Methods: Stereoscopic threshold was measured in thirty-three subjects. Stereopsis was measured with random dot stimuli. The minimal detectable disparity (Dmin) …

A Systems Framework For Development Projects And Partnerships In Eye Health Training, Diane Wallace

Doctoral

Purpose: Development projects in eye health have evolved over the past fifteen years in response to VISION 2020: The Right to Sight. Estimates that 285 million people, mainly in the developing world, are needlessly vision impaired largely due to the lack of trained eye health professionals have moved development initiatives away from vertical, service delivery approaches towards the establishment of more sustainable, locally owned professional training programmes in an effort to ensure long term production of adequately trained human resource capacity to address this challenge. The Mozambique Eyecare Project was one such initiative, established as a solution to the challenge …

College Of Optometry Sr Awards Dinner Dance 2016, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.