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Issue 29 | December 2015
Eyelash Mites (Demodex)
Microscopic mites that live in some eyelash follicles, Demodex is a topic of growing interest for clinicians. In this edition of Contact Lens Update: Etty Bitton provides an overview of this topic, including presentation, clinical evaluation and management strategies; Sarah Farrant explains her approach to treating Demodex in her own practice; William Ngo reviews Isabelle Jalbert’s 2015 article on its prevalence in contact lens wearers in addition to presenting the results of a study designed to identify the most effective way to view Demodex in clinical practice.
- Editorial - Everything you wanted to know and were afraid to ask about Demodex
- Feature Article - Increased numbers of Demodex in contact lens wearers
- Conference Highlights - Enhancement of clinical observation of Demodex folliculorum
- Clinical Insight - Managing Demodex in clinical practice
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Issue 28 | October 2015
Outsmarting bacteria with new technology
There is good reason to be optimistic when it comes to the use of technology to support compliance with contact lens care guidelines. In this edition of Contact Lens Update, we provide an update on the most promising gadgets currently in development: Mark Willcox and Mohit Verma provide an overview of products that support compliance by detecting or inhibiting microbial contamination. Debarun Dutta explores the use of gold nanoparticles to identify ocular pathogens in contact lens cases as well as the antimicrobial efficacy of melamine-coated contact lenses. Of course, these products still require additional work, not to mention clinical testing. In the meantime, you can use our patient handout to help explain the best way to care for contact lenses!
- Editorial - Contact lenses and microbes – latest innovations
- Feature Article - “Chemical nose” for the visual identification of emerging ocular pathogens using gold nanostars
- Conference Highlights - Antimicrobial activity of cationic peptide Mel-4 covalently bound to contact lenses
- Clinical Insight - Patient handout: Cleaning instructions for contact lens wearers
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Issue 27 | August 2015
Youth and contact lenses
Teenagers and young adults can be prone to risk-taking, erratic schedules and late nights, among other characteristics that can have an impact on safe and healthy soft contact lens wear. In this edition of Contact Lens Update, we teamed up with the Contact Lens Assessment in Youth (CLAY) study group to provide some guidance as to how best to approach patients within this age range. Heidi Wagner and Gina Sorbara provide an overview of what puts young adults at higher risk for contact lens-related complications; Debby Yeung reviews a 2011 article focusing on the risk factors and prevalence of non-compliant overnight wear; and read about the development of a practical tool for helping eye care professionals identify patients at risk for complications. Download our patient handout, which targets young people who aren’t sure how to care for their contact lenses when faced with the prospect of sleeping away from home unexpectedly.
- Editorial - Targeted Patient Education for Young Adult Soft Contact Lens Wearers
- Feature Article - Characterization of patients who report compliant and non-compliant overnight wear of soft contact lenses
- Conference Highlights - Development of a Soft Contact Lens Risk Assessment Survey
- Clinical Insight - Patient handout: Don’t be casual with your contact lenses
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Issue 26 | June 2015
Sports Vision
The sport-specific visual needs of professional and amateur athletes is an emerging area of specialization. In this edition of Contact Lens Update, Kristine Dalton provides an overview of some fundamental concepts and starting points, and David Mann reviews an article exploring the visual needs of athletes in specific sports (Laby 2011), and we share a scientific poster (Dalton 2014) focusing on the visual characteristics of varsity athletes. Download tips for conducting sports vision assessments in your own practice!
- Editorial - Sports vision in practice?
- Feature Article - The visual function of Olympic-level athletes
- Conference Highlights - Visual characteristics of varsity athletes
- Clinical Insight - Research brief: Assessing the visual needs of patients who are serious about sports