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Clipped from the sports section of the Oct. 4, 1996, some of the first coverage Clodys One Eye Golf Scramble received in the Banner Graphic still adorns the wall of tournament namesake Terry Clody Clodfelter. Old Hickory Golf Course will host the tournaments final round on Saturday, Sept. 9.

Banner Graphic archive

After 25 years and nearly $200,000 in fundraising, a unique Putnam County tradition is coming to an end.

Clodys One Eye, still touting itself as the worlds only one-eye golf tournament, is set for one last round on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Old Hickory Golf Course.

For the final go-round, organizers are planning a single flight set for 11 a.m.

This is gonna be the final 25 years, organizer and tournament namesake Terry Clody Clodfelter told the Banner Graphic recently.

The rules are straightforward: A four-man best-ball scramble with one mulligan per player available for $5 per person.

The cost is $200 per four-man team. First prize is $300, followed by $200 for second and $100 for third.

The tournament will be followed by a 5 p.m. reception at Greencastle Elks Lodge 1077, 202 S. Indiana St.

All proceeds go to the Riley Childrens Hospital opthalmology department. Through the 2016 scramble, $182,000 has been donated by Clodys One Eye so far.

Oh yes, and there is the little matter of those pesky, little eye patches that make golf so much more challenging.

For a quarter century now, those patches have been teaching otherwise competent golfers how difficult the game can be without depth perception.

It was a lesson that Clodys friends needed 25 years ago when they couldnt stop razzing him for his golfing skills.

When Clody, who has no sight in one eye following a childhood accident, challenged these friends to try golfing with just one eye, a tradition was born.

One of the participants who shall remain nameless borrowed the original set of eye patches from the infirmary at the Putnamville State Farm.

Then, as now, even Clody donned an eye patch, noting that the discomfort of the patch is itself a handicap to comfortably playing the game.

Eight of us started it, Clody noted recently. Threw money in the hat, winner takes all. Five buck winner, five buck loser.

It took a few years for the fundraising for Riley to start. The first three years were for sh**s and grins, as Clody puts it.

During the third year, Tony Sparks said to Clody, You ought to do this for charity.

And so Clody reached out to Dr. Eugene Helveston, who had performed his surgery back in 1972, and the partnership between Clodys One Eye and Riley was born.

Dr. Helveston was the surgeon performing in 1972, Clody said. Between the two of us, we got this all started. He was on the ground floor of the One Eye and hes coming back this year.

Now into his 80s, Helveston has not been at the tournament in several years, so his former patient will be glad to see him.

Im glad hes coming, Clody said. Ive had a lot of conversations with that man over the years.

Itll probably be an emotional, humbling day.

Their 45-year relationship began with a freak accident by a 13-year-old boy. Clody was cutting down a thorn tree and got a thorn in his eye.

Five days later he suffered a cataract.

Five or six months later, his retina detached.

Dr. Helveston performed the surgery that kept Clody from further injury, but he has had no sight in the eye since he was 14.

Clody noted how much has changed since his own accident and surgery.

I think I was there at Riley for six or eight days after the retina surgery, he said. Now they do the retina surgery and send you home that afternoon.

While the general advancement of medicine is certainly a part of such positive changes, Clodys own tournament has helped Riley keep up with those changes.

They have opened their own digital diagnosis eye laboratory with the funds that we produced for them, Clody said.

Here in Putnam County, the funds have also provided juvenile vision screening kits to local schools and even funded eye surgeries for kids in Putnam and Clay counties.

Weve taken care of 10 or 12 kids over the years in unfortunate situations, Clody said. The families would get ahold of me and Id contact Riley. It would take care of 100 percent of the cost.

Even as the tournaments run winds to a close, the Riley connection remains strong. Current ophthalmology chief of staff Dr. David Plager will be in attendance, as will others from Riley.

Clody even recently learned that the One Eye is notable in its long-running support of Riley.

We are the longest-running charitable group to have supported any one department that Rileys ever had, Clody said. I didnt know it.

Brad Alspaugh, who has played in the tournament from the beginning and still serves as a co-organizer, hopes to go out with a bang. While it would be departure from recent years, hes hoping to raise $18,000 to bring the total money to $200,000 over the tournaments history.

To do so, the tournament not only needs participants, but sponsors. All donations are tax deductible.

Anyone interested in playing or a sponsorship may contact Clody at 653-9322, Alspaugh at 653-7273 or Jo Corbitt at 247-9426.

Its not for lack of passion that theyll be calling it quits. Clody still keeps a 1996 Banner Graphic clipping of the fourth-annual event tacked up at his house and can recall how Alspaughs team edged his for the tournament title.

With the teams tied for low score, it went to a chip-off and E.J. Rosengarten placed his just inside of Clodys to give a team that also included Barb Young and Mike Cherry the title.

Its the task of organizing the tournament and subsequent reception at Greencastle Elks Lodge 1077 thats become taxing on organizers.

Its run its course, I think, Clody said. And whos to say it may never kick off again? I know Im tired and the other guys are tired. Maybe somebody will get energetic and start it up again.

He also knows that the tradition of golfing with one eye wont be going anywhere just yet.

Brad and I were talking and we know therell be eight or so of us go out and throw money in the hat, Clody said.

For now, theres still the fun of watching some fool put on an eye patch and try to hit a ball with one eye for the very first time. Clody will be playing this time with his son and 13-year-old grandson, who got his first taste of the One Eye last year.

He was saying, How do you do it? This is stupid, Clody said with a grin. But I know he enjoyed it.

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One Eye, once more: Final Clody's scramble set Sept. 9 - The Banner-Graphic

Dr. Jon Pederson, the president of the Colorado Optometric Association, is here to answer your eclipse damage questions.

Josh Hafner, USA TODAY , WXIA 7:29 AM. MDT August 22, 2017

A composite image of the total solar eclipse seen from the Lowell Observatory Solar Eclipse Experience August 21, 2017 in Madras, Oregon. / AFP PHOTO / STAN HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

If you,like our nation's president, looked directly into Monday's eclipse, you might wonder: Did I just damage my eyes?

Whether by accident or disregard, untold masses looked at the sun with unshielded eyes during the must-see-safely event. By Monday afternoon,peoplewere alreadyfreaking outabouttheir eyesonline.

The sun isn't more damaging to your eyes during asolar eclipse than on any other day. But asOhio optometristMichael Schectertold USA TODAY, the moon's covering makes it a lot less painful to look at it for a lot longer. That makes it tempting for folks to peer over their cardboard eclipse glasses to see "what's really going on," Schecter said.

So how long can you look before getting hurt?Not long,says Jacob Chung, Chief of Opthalmology at New Jersey's Englewood Hospital.

"If you look at it for a second or two, nothing will happen," he said."Five seconds, I'm not sure, but 10 seconds is probably too long, and 20 seconds is definitely too long."

You won't feel any pain if your eyes suffer damage, Chung said, because ourretinas lackpain fibers. Retinas can't heal themselves, either, he said, making permanent damage a possibility.

Any blurry vision won't kick in for a day or two, after the affected area swells "like an egg yolk" Schecter said. It can take months, even a year, for eyes to return to normal, he said if it they do at all.

You would basically get a burn on your central vision," Schecter said.

A2001 studylooked at 45 British patients who viewed the 1999 solar eclipse. While 20 patients claimedsymptoms of affected vision, just five showed damage on their retinas. All five looked at the eclipse for 18 seconds or longer,Slate's Will Oremusnoted.

One way to testat home whether you've damaged your eyes is to print offan Amsler Grid, Schecter said, a tool usedto detect vision problems. Closing each eye separately, focus on the center dot and see whether the surrounding grid appears wavy, splotchy or distorted, he said.

An eye doctor, of course, can properly diagnosewhether you've indeed damaged your eyes.

Contributing: Elyse Toribio of The (Bergen County, N.J.) Record.

Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter:@joshhafner

2017 USATODAY.COM

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How to know if you damaged your eyes during the eclipse | 9news ... - 9NEWS.com

Park Ophthalmology is a full service eye care center dedicated to serving the needs of your entire family. We have locations in the Research Triangle Park area and North Raleigh for your convenience. We are currently accepting new patients.

Our board certified physicians provide a wide variety of medical and surgical treatments of eye diseases, including glaucoma, cataracts, corneal disease, dry eye syndrome, and diabetic eye disease. We perform general vision exams, specialty dry eye evaluations, contact lens evaluation and fitting, eye safety information, and sports medicine protective eyewear and counseling. Surgical procedures include small incision cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, laser surgery, and emergency eye treatments.

Our philosophy of health care is geared toward the prevention and treatment of eye diseases, with education, counseling, and personalized service. Early detection is the best defense against permanent vision loss. We are dedicated to providing sophisticated, advanced eye care in a warm and caring environment.

Many questions and interactions with our practice are best handled via the secure Patient Portal Click on the logo below to login to the Patient Portal.

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Park Ophthalmology | Durham & Raleigh NC | Beth Friedland, MD

A Portland man who watched a solar eclipse in 1963 says the experience left him partially blind in one eye, and now he wants everyone to know the warnings about eye damage during the upcoming eclipse are no joke.

PORTLAND, Oregon A Portland man who watched a solar eclipse in 1963 says the experience left him partially blind in one eye, and now he wants everyone to know the warnings about eye damage during the upcoming eclipse are no joke.

Back then, it was a total solar eclipse in Alaska and Canada, but the path of totality did not come through Oregon.

Still, Louis Tomososki remembers being 16 years old and watching it unfold from the baseball field at Marshall High School.

Nobody was talking about safety glasses back then, so he watched it with the naked eye, closing his left eye and leaving his right eye open.

Oh 20 seconds probably, thats all it took, Tomososki told FOX 12. Im glad I didnt go 40 seconds, it would have been even worse.

He doesnt remember exactly when he realized there was a problem, but those few seconds burned a hole in his retina leaving him with a sizable blind spot hes had ever since.

He describes it as looking at someone and being able see their face but not their nose.

Tomososki remembers it was discovered during an eye exam when he went into the Air Force right after high school.

In the 54 years since that eclipse, he said the blind spot hasnt gotten any worse or any better.

Every time we go to an eye doctor now for an exam, they dilate your eyes and look in there, the first thing they say is, you looked at a solar eclipse sometime in your life, he said.

Dr. Brandon Lujan, an assistant professor of Opthalmology at OHSUs Casey Eye Institute, said the same damage can be done on any other day if you stare at the sun. But with the eclipse, even when the visible light is reduced by the moon, UV and infrared rays can still do damage to the retina.

Some damage occurs pretty quickly, but a lot of damage can take hours to days to really come to bear, Lujan said. Unfortunately theres not a treatment for it, so once that damage is done you have to wait and hopefully things improve and your body can heal some, but a lot of the damage can be permanent.

Its a lesson Tomososki wishes he knew back in 1963.

With Mondays total solar eclipse on the horizon, he wants you to remember that even a quick look at the sun with the naked eye just isnt worth it.

A quick look like we did back in 1963, and Im 71, almost 71 now, that quick look cost us, Tomososki said. And it could have cost us a lot more.

Source:KPTV

Originally posted here:
Man who was left partially blind by 1963 eclipse offers warning: 20 seconds is 'all it took' - myfox8.com

Andrew McClellan (Courtesy of: Texas Retina Associates)

Dallas-based Texas Retina Associates has added Dr. Andrew McClellan to its Dallas-Fort Worth practice. He starts on September 1.

TRA has 14 offices throughout Texas and is the states largest opthalmology practice, employing 210 physicians and medical staffers. The company focuses on the diagnosis and medical and surgical management of retina and vitreous diseases.

McClellan is an ophthalmologist specializing in the treatment of macular degeneration, retinal tears and detachment, diabetic retinopathy, and macular holes. He will work with patients in the Fort Worth, Wichita Falls, and Grapevine TRA offices.

He most previously served as an ophthalmologist at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Fla..

TRA Jeff Brockette said in a statement: McClellan comes to us with stellar training and experience from one of the top-rated eye hospitals in the country, and we are honored to have him join our practice. He shares our commitment to providing patients with convenient access to the latest sight-saving treatment options and doing so in a compassionate, personalized manner.

McClellan earned his bachelors degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. He earned his M.D. from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, and completed his internship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, Fla.

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Texas Retina Associates Adds Specialist - D Healthcare Daily

Sun worship is not new, in fact, the 14th century B.C. Egyptians worshiped the sun god in a religion known as Atonism. In modern times we acknowledge the crucial importance of the sun as our provider of life sustaining energy, but we generally do not worship it. This Monday, however, with the first total solar eclipse to cross the entire country coast-to-coast since 1918, the obsessive fascination with viewing it is bordering on religious fervor.

Is it safe to directly view the eclipse? Certainly not without special protective eyewear that comply with international safety standards for direct observation of the sun (ISO 12312-2). NASA has emphasized that the filter must be from an approved manufacturer. The American Astronomical Society has also provided tips for safe viewing as well a list of reputable manufacturers of eyewear. If you can see any objects including your hand in front of your face then the eyewear is definitely faulty. Across our land, eclipse glasses are selling out of pharmacies and photo stores much faster than they can be restocked, and libraries are holding onto them for special eclipse viewing sessions. Scalpers are asking prices usually reserved for sports playoff games.

Unfortunately, there is no proven treatment and though there is often improvement over time, some of the eye damage may be permanent, so the best idea is to avoid the exposure in the first place.

According to NASA, if you happen to be in the direct path of the total eclipse across the south/central U.S. you could theoretically choose the exact moment when the moon is directly positioned across the Sun and only the corona is visible to view the eclipse without eye protection. But to try to gauge that exact moment correctly could be risky too.

Dr. Joel Schuman, Chairman of Opthalmology at NYU Langone Health, told me that eyewear that meets the ISO 12312-2 standard should be safe, provided of course that it is in good condition and you wear it the entire time you are viewing the eclipse and not add on a magnifying telescope, binoculars, or camera. Dr. Martin Leib, professor of pphthalmology at Columbia University, said that he thinks that the safest way to view the eclipse is with your back to the sun, cutting a tiny hole in a paper plate and allowing the image of the eclipse to pass through and project onto another paper plate for your safe viewing.

If you try to look directly at the sun on a normal day, your eyes will water and begin to burn if you stare for more than a minute or two. This discomfort will get you to turn away. With the eclipse, you can end up staring for longer and not even realizing you are damaging and scarring your retina (solar retinopathy) until later, when you begin to experience symptoms. A central part of the retina can be damaged (macula) and your vision may become less sharp, you may develop blind spots, see wavy instead of straight lines, and a central yellow spot may appear which develops into a red spot over several days or weeks. Unfortunately, there is no proven treatment and though there is often improvement over time, some of the damage may be permanent, so the best idea is to avoid the exposure in the first place.

Fascination with solar eclipses has damaged retinas (the essential camera of the eye) through history. There is a story that Isaac Newton himself viewed an eclipse through a mirror and ended up with temporary blindness.

Perhaps Newton was prescient in his fascination with eclipses, since the total solar eclipse of 1919 was used by British scientist Arthur Eddington to show that Newtons absolutes of space and time were incorrect and that Einsteins newer theory of relativity (that gravity affected light, space, and time) was more accurate.

Mondays total solar eclipse is not likely to have the same long term impact on scientific theory, though it is definitely exciting for all and a moment for our country to safely unite behind a celebration of natures wonder.

Marc Siegel, M.D. is a professor of medicine and medical director of Doctor Radio at NYU Langone Medical Center. He has been a medical analyst and reporter for Fox News since 2008.

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Dr. Marc Siegel: Solar eclipse - science, safety, and wonder - Fox News

Irish biotech giantShire plc (LON:SHP) received a validation fromthe UK, in the capacity of the Reference Member State, for its marketing authorization application forlifitegrast. If approved, lifitegrast would be the first and only treatment in a new class of drugs (LFA-1 antagonist) to address the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease in adults in Europe, said the company.

Shire submitted the application for marketing authorization (MAA) through a Decentralized Procedure toDenmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Greece.This submission is another important milestone for lifitegrast and the millions of patients living with dry eye disease, which can impact a persons vision-related quality of life, affecting daily activities such as reading and using computers, commented Shires head of clinical department Howard Mayer.

Opthalmology hasnt been at the core of Shires growth agenda historically, but its acquisition of SARcode Bioscience in 2013 marked an official entry into the medical field, where Shire expects to capitalise on unmet needs in eye care through a multi-faceted approach targeting rare diseases and specialty conditions.

Shires MAA forlifitegrast is backed by what the company claims to be the largest development program to date for an investigational stage dry eye disease candidate. The program involves five clinical trials with 2,500 patients. In four safety and efficacy studies, lifitegrast improved symptoms as measured by patient reported eye dryness score (EDS), and in three of the four studies improved the objective signs of dry eye disease (measured using corneal staining), said Shire.

Nearly a year ago, llifitegrast received the US FDA approval as Xiidra for dry eye treatment. Out of more than US$14 billion in sales over the past year, Xiidra accounted for just over $50 million (representing a more than 20% market share in the US) with opthalmology contributing 2% to overall sales, which largely comprises of five therapeutic areas: Hemtology, Genetic Diseases, Immunology, Neuroscience and Internal Medicine.

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Shire PLC (SHP): Looking To Captalise On Unmet Needs In Eye Care - Simply Wall St

Q: With the solar eclipse looming Monday afternoon, I notice the Winston-Salem Open is scheduled to start play at 3 p.m. Are any adjustments being considered for the players participating at that time?

Answer: Play will go on as normal, according to organizers of the Winston-Salem Open. The eclipse will start at 1:12 p.m., reach its maximum at 2:41, and end at 4:03 p.m. But there will be some special commemorations of the event at the Open:

Q: If someone normally wears vision glasses, do the eclipse safety glasses go over, or under, your glasses, or should no other glasses be worn at all? I havent seen this addressed anywhere. What is the protocol for eyeglass wearers?

Answer: If you normally wear eyeglasses, keep them on while wearing eclipse glasses put eclipse glasses on over them, said Dr. Rajiv Shah, assistant professor of opthalmology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Its also important to note that even when wearing eclipse glasses, you should not look at the sun through a camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device. The concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter the eyes, Shah said.

He added that you should always supervise children using solar filters and inspect the glasses before use. If the glasses are scratched, punctured, torn or otherwise damaged, they should be discarded.

And to repeat a frequent warning: Dont try to use ordinary sunglasses, even very dark ones. Wear solar eclipse glasses and use handheld solar viewers that are compliant with the International Organization for Standardizations ISO 12312-2 standard. Failing to use proper precautions could lead to irreparable eye damage.

And dont wear eclipse glasses while driving.

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Ask SAM: How will Winston-Salem Open handle eclipse? | Ask SAM ... - Winston-Salem Journal

People can't look at Monday's solar eclipse without solar eclipse glasses.

This weekend, sun and moon lovers may look all over the Capital Region for the safety-tested, black-filmshades.

But they will have trouble finding them.

Stores have exhausted their supplies. There were none at Toys "R" Us in Clifton Park, none at Wal-Mart in Amsterdam, none at Lowe's in Glenville.

Lowe's in Niskayuna -- no. Walmart in Rotterdam -- no. Local hardware stores -- no.

"We are all sold out," said one store representative on Friday. "Every store around is sold out."

Places all over the country have sold out. And online sales may now be tricky;even rush orders may not arrive by early Monday afternoon, when the "Great American Eclipse" will begin.

The rare event will darken skies from Oregon to South Carolina along a 70-mile stretch. People in the "path of totality" will see the moon completely block the sun and cast a shadow on the surface of the Earth.

In the Capital Region, astronomy fans will see a partial eclipse -- 66 percent of the sun will be covered by the moon. The show will start at 1:22 p.m. and end at 3:56 p.m. The best time to check out the cosmic conference will be about 2:45 p.m.

Libraries around the U.S. have the shades, whichresemble old-fashioned, 3-D movie glasses. According to the American Astronomical Society, 6,900 libraries have been given solar eye wear through a program supported by NASA, Google and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

At the Schenectady County Public Library's eclipse gathering, which begins at noon and runs until 4 p.m., glasses will be available outside the building. People who attend the library party won't even have to examine the heavens to see the lunar-solar team-up; a live NASA stream of the celestial event will be held in the McChesney Room.

The glassessold out at miSci -- Schenectady's Museum of Innovation and Science. Valerie Rapson, outreach astronomer at the Dudley Observatory at miSci, said the museum's gift store had nearly 4,000 pairs in stock.

People must have the protection if they'regoing to watch the skies. Sunglasses with tough-sounding names such as "Solar Shields" are not going to work. They will not be safe.

The American Optometric Association added that smoked glass, unfiltered telescopes or magnifiersand polarizing filters will also be unsafe for eclipse viewing.

The American Academy of Opthalmology has also issued a warning:"Looking directly at the sun, even while it's partially eclipsed, can permanently damage vision or blind you."

According to Rapson, "The special glasses block 99.99 percent of the light, which is way more than a regular pair of sunglasses. That's the main thing to stress. Sunglasses are not enough. They really have to have those safety glasses."

The eclipse glasses must come from reputable vendors -- theAmerican Astronomical Society has composed a page of legitimate manufacturers and authorized dealers of eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers, all verified to be compliancewith the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard.

Angela Strong, assistant library director for operations at the Schenectady County Public Library, is expecting a large crowd for the eclipse party. She said glasses will be distributed outside the building, with a limit of four pairs per family.

"We're going to encourage people to share the glasses," Strong said. "It's recommended people limit their viewing to three minutes at a time."

People without glasses at miSci will be able to "watch" the show with "sun spotters," devices that will project images of the sun on white paper. Telescopes equipped with safe solar filters will also be on the grounds.

Reach Gazette reporter Jeff Wilkin at 395-3124 at at wilkin@dailygazette.com or @jeffwilkin1 on Twitter.

Originally posted here:
Eclipse safety glasses hard to find in Capital Region - The Daily Gazette

Experts are warning people about counterfeit eclipse glasses.

Watching solar eclipse(Photo: Daniel MacDonald / http://www.dmacphoto.com, Getty Images/Flickr RF)

You've heard over and over that you shouldn't look up at the sun during Monday's solar eclipse (or ever, as a general rule), but what actually happens if you do?

Dr. Jacob Chung, Chief of Opthalmology at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, answered our burning (ahem) questions about what'll happenif you just can't help but take a peek sans ISO-approved glasses during the big event.

If you look at it for a second or two, nothing will happen. Five seconds, I'm not sure, but 10 seconds is probably too long and 20 seconds is definitely too long.

The eye works like a camera, and the retina is like the film of your eye. So looking at the sun too long is almost like burning a hole in the center of your film, or retina. We don't have pain fibers there so you won't have discomfort or feel pain, but you might see a fuzzed out, dark spot.

The retina can't heal itself, so the blind spot is permanent and cannot be treated, but definitely go see a doctor to make sure it's the right diagnosis.

ECLIPSE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about the solar eclipse

GLASSES: 5 places to get eclipse glasses before the big day

If you're in that 70-mile swath where you'll be able to see the total eclipse [parts of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, Illinois, Kentucky, South Carolina], you have about a two-minute window where the sun is 100 percent eclipsed. Because we have a partial eclipse, there is a zero-second window where it's safe to look at the sun directly.

Look, no one loves to look at the sun: it hurts. The reason it's more dangerous during the eclipse is because you don't feel much discomfort, yet your eyes are receiving all the harm. It's similar to getting sunburnedon a cloudy day.

[Chuckles] Yes.

They filter out a lot more of the sun's harmful radiation something like 100,000 times more than standard sunglasses.

The best alternative is to visualize it from an indirect method. Put your phone camera on selfie mode, then turn your back to the sun and see the eclipse that way.

Or, take twopieces of cardboard or paper. Cut a hole in one and again, turn yourback to the sun and hold it up against the second one. Thesun will cast its rays through the pinhole, [creating a projection on the second piece of cardboard/paper].

I had a case many years ago of a gentleman who had a condition called solar retinopathy. I don't know if it was during an eclipse, but he said he was on LSD and looked at the sun for four straight hours. In hisretina there was a pigmented spot and his vision was very poor, needless to say. Hewas basically legally blind.

In summer, of course, since we're closer to the sun. But there are different ways you can get damage from the sun in your eyes. If you are outdoors a lot you can get a growth on the surface of your eye, called pterygium. It's found very commonly in people who live or grew up in equatorial regions, and a lot of surfers get itbecause the water reflects UV into eyes [the condition is also called Surfer's Eye]. If very severe, it can start to obscure your vision and cause irritation from time to time. That can be surgically removed, however.

Chronic sun exposure can also contribute to formation of cataracts and macular degeneration. So, wear sunglasses as often as it makes sense to.

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Eye doctor explains why you shouldn't look at the sun during the ... - NorthJersey.com

Bangladesh has successfully reduced around 50% of child blindness in last the 14 years, which has come down to 25,000 from 48,000 as estimated in the year 2000.

Dr AHM Enayet Hussain, head of paediatric ophthalmology at the National Institute of Opthalmology and Hospital and program manager of national eye care program, made the announcement while presenting his keynote paper at an orientation on childhood blindness for journalist at the National Press Club yesterday.

Orbis International and Bangladesh Nari Sangbadik Kendra jointly organised the orientation under National Childhood Blindness Reduction Program at Orbis and the National Eye Care.

Presenting his keynote speech, Enayet said although no national survey was conduction on child blindness in the country, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated the number of child blindness patients using Under-5 child mortality rate.

Currently, the Under-5 child mortality rate is at 53, so it can be said that the estimated number of child blindness patients would be around 25,000, he added.

He also added: We had conducted cataract surgery of more than 10,000 children between 2005 and 2010. When we reviewed the success of these operations, we observed that many of the operation did not give satisfactory outcomes as the patient did not come for treatment at an earlier age.

He urged the people to bring their children, who are suffering from eyesight problem, for treatment and informed that the government will be providing all kinds of eye care treatment, including surgery, free of cost.

When asked, Dr Munir Ahmed, country director of Orbis International for Bangladesh, told the Dhaka Tribune: I will not disagree with him [Enayet] but before using this data it should be validated in some way.

However, the number of child blindness patients had definitely reduce in number. But, a large number of children continue to suffering from avoidable childhood illnesses.

He further said early detection of the problem, quality of treatment and post-treatment care can prevent avoidable blindness or restore the sight of the children.

Child eye experts said avoidable child blindness and visual impairment is a significant health issue in Bangladesh and its impact fuels poverty and worsens socio-economic inequality.

They also added that children of Bangladesh have been suffering of different eye related issues, such as cataract, refractive error, strabismus, rop (retinopathy of prematurity), ptosis and eye injury.

Quoting WHO, global estimates of childhood blindness show that the prevalence of childhood blindness in Bangladesh is at 0.75 per 1,000 children.

They said approximately 1.3 million children have refractive errors and around 1,53,600 have low vision problems, of which around 78,336 can be avoided.

Without intervention, blind or visually-impaired children are likely to experience low educational achievement, lack of productive employment opportunities, social isolation and increased poverty.

Among others, Mohammed Alauddin, director program of Orbis, Dr Nahid Ferdousi, co-ordinator of National Childhood Blindness Reduction Program, Dr. Lutful Husain, staff optholmologist at Orbis, and Parvin Sultana Jhuma, general secretary of Bangladesh Nari Sangbadhik Kendra, also addressed the program.

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Bangladesh successfully reduces child blindness over the last 14 years - Dhaka Tribune

Written by Ritika Chopra | New Delhi | Published:August 11, 2017 1:11 am Currently, there are a total of 123 deemed universities across the country. (File photo)

The government has asked University Grants Commission (UGC) to set up a committee to regulate the tuition fee for medical courses offered by self-financed deemed universities.

The HRD Ministry, in a letter dated July 26, has nominated Sanjay Shrivastav, a retired professor of opthalmology, and B Srinivas, assistant director general at the Directorate of Health Services under the Health Ministry, to the committee. The Indian Express could not reach UGCs acting chairman V S Chauhan for comment.

The proposed committee is being set up in compliance with the order of the Madras High Court, which is currently hearing a PIL seeking to fix tuition fee charged by deemed universities offering medical courses.

Currently, there are a total of 123 deemed universities across the country. Of these, about 30 offer medical courses. Among them are Manipal University, SRM University in Tamil Nadu, NIMHANS in Bengaluru and Jamia Hamdard University.

The PIL filed in Madras High Court said deemed universities offering medical courses were profiteering and operating with the sole intention of amassing wealth through unfair means. The plea has been admitted by the bench and all medical deemed universities in the state have been made respondents to the PIL.

The court also asked the government to set up a panel to regulate the fee charged by deemed universities offering medical courses, but the decision of the fee panel will abide by the final ruling on the PIL. Under the UGC [Institutions Deemed to be Universities] Regulation, 2016, the commission is empowered to fix the fee charged by deemed varsities.

For all the latest Education News, download Indian Express App

Read more here:
Medical courses: UGC to set up panel to fix deemed varsities' fee - The Indian Express

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

Guildford, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/08/2017 -- When it comes to eye health and vision, the needs of every individual differ. As we are subjected to an increasing girth of information regarding sight correction procedures and vision health, researching choices and options can be overwhelming. With the advancements in technology, ground breaking treatments such as LASIK, LASEK, 3rd Generation ReLEx SMILE and Lens Replacement can transform eyesight overnight thereby reducing the need to rely on optical aids like glasses or contact lenses.

Attending Optegra's informative Open Evening on August 9, 2017 (6 PM) affords all Londoners an ideal opportunity to learn about powerful lens replacement techniques. Ideal for those in the Capital aged 50+ yearning for perfect sight, the event will help provide answers to any and all vision correction concerns and queries.

The North London event will be held at Optegra's state of the art hospital conveniently located at 6 The Technology Park Colindeep Lane, London, NW9 6BX.The evening will be led by Optegra's Consultant Mr. Mark Hulbert along with Optegra's Eye Health Care team. Mr. Hulbert is a specialist in general ophthalmology and has a particular interest in glaucoma and neuro-opthalmology.

The informal structure of the North London event encourages attendees to clarify doubts and discuss any unfounded fears they may have regarding vision correction. The open evening also provides participants an opportunity to learn about past patient experiences and get an understanding about Optegra's clinical outcomes and outstanding success rate standards. Due to the high popularity of the event, prior booking is encouraged to attend the North London Open Evening.

To find out why Optegra is UK's most trusted eye health care provider recommended by GPs & optometrists, its wide range of treatments and money saving offer visit Optegra.com or call 0808 273 6059 Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-4pm.

For media enquiries contact Tukshad Engineer Head of Digital at Optegra - 0755 499 4155 | tukshad.engineer@optegra.com.

About Optegra Eye Health CareOptegra Eye Health Care is a specialist provider of ophthalmic services in the UK, China, Czech Republic, Poland and Germany. Optegra operates nationwide eye hospitals and clinics in the UK and brings together leading edge research and medical expertise, state-of-the-art surgical equipment and top ophthalmic surgeons renowned for their areas of expertise to offer excellent clinical outcomes in laser eye surgery, lens replacement (Clarivu), cataract removal, AMD, vitreoretinal and oculoplastic procedures all carried out in five-star patient facilities.

Optegra Eye Health Care operates seven dedicated eye hospitals based in Birmingham, Central London, Hampshire, Manchester, North London, Surrey and Yorkshire. For more information please visit Optegra.com.

Contact:Tukshad Engineer, Head of Digital at OptegraCompany: Optegra Eye Health CarePhone: 0755 499 4155Address: The Surrey Research Park, 10 Alan Turing Rd, Guildford GU2 7YF, United KingdomEmail: tukshad.engineer@optegra.comWebsite:http://optegraeyehealthcare.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/have-questions-about-an-eye-condition-or-vision-problems-attend-optegras-informative-open-evening-in-north-london-on-august-9-2017-844882.htm

Original post:
Have Questions About an Eye Condition or Vision Problems? Attend Optegra's Informative Open Evening in North ... - Digital Journal

"Any attempt to treat veterans with traumatic brain injuries begins with an accurate diagnosis," says Randall Benson, M.D., CNS Vice President and Medical Director. "Combat injuries are frequently mis-diagnosed resulting in inappropriate and unsuccessful treatment. We can and must do better. Better diagnoses lead to improved outcomes."

Hope After Combat combines diagnostic testing including neurology, neuro-opthalmology and neuropsychology enhanced by CNS' advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging and susceptibility-weighted imaging. These advanced MRI techniques developed at CNS are significantly more sensitive than traditional MRI imaging and have worked successfully on hundreds of non-combat brain-injury victims.

In the Hope After Combat study, once diagnostic testing is complete a treatment plan is developed and the veteran takes part in an individualized 60-day rehabilitation program based on his or her specific diagnosis. All disciplines continue to provide input and care for the victim and his/her family. The final study is expected to include more than 50 combat victims.

"These veterans and their families are desperate for answers and we're trying to provide them," says John D. Russell, CEO and President of CNS. "The veterans have been real troopers in every sense of the word and we're learning from their individual efforts and progress. But our donors are the ones who've made the study possible. Without them we couldn't bring all these disciplines together for such an important study."

For further information or to participate in or make a contribution to the Hope After Combat study, contact John Russell at 313-228-0930 or visit the CNS website, http://neurologicstudies.com

CNS was founded in 2011 with the objective of advancing scientific research for neurovascular disease. CNS staff are available for interview on brain injuries and brain-related diseases.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/military-brain-injuries-are-the-subject-of-center-for-neurological-studies-hope-after-combat-study-300499425.html

SOURCE Center for Neurological Studies

Welcome

Read the original here:
Military Brain Injuries are the Subject of Center for Neurological Studies "Hope After Combat" Study - PR Newswire (press release)

CHICAGO (CBS) While the sun may be difficult to spot on Friday, an eye expert warns of the danger of staring at it for too long during the eclipse later this month.

Dr. Kirk Packo, chair of the ophthalmology department at Rush University Medical Center, said 22 years after the instrument for inspecting the eye was invented doctors saw the after affects of looking at a solar eclipse.

The first big description of sun damage to the eye occurred following a total solar eclipse that went through Europe in 1912, he said.

For those watching the eclipse without lenses rated to block the full spectrum of light, he said substituting multiple pairs of sunglasses wont protect you. In fact, he said, they could lead to more damage because things will look darker so you may stare longer, but the invisible thermal-damaging light is still coming through.

Then you are looking at it, you are not getting the painful stimulus, because you have darkened the visible light, and yet all that time, you are letting the invisible, dangerous thermal damaging light still through, he said.

Dr. Packo said rentinal burns from the sun can cause lifelong dead spots in the center of your vision and can reduce your vision permanently; but are not likely to make you completely blind.

When the medical facility where Dr. Packo worked in Atlanta in May 1984 offered free eye exams after an annular eclipse (not total solar edge still visible), he said none of the roughly 100 people who came in suffered any damage.

He attributes the lack of problems to how well publicized the warnings were.

If you are going to watch the eclipse, you should get eclipse glasses properly rated to block the visible spectrum, said Dr. Packo. But even then, he said, you are not immune from any retinal damage.

Adler Planetarium display of giant solar eclipse glasses with information on protecting your eyes during the solar eclipse. (WBBM/Nancy Harty)

Dont look through a camera, telephoto lense, telescope or binoculars while wearing solar eclipse glasses, he said.

That magnification can lead to damage.

If you cannot get eclipse glasses, he suggests making a pinhole camera to project the suns image on a piece of paper to safely watch.

When asked whats a safe amount of time to stare at the eclipse Dr. Packo hesitated, saying it depends on how much cataract you have or refractive error is.

He said the problem is an eclipse is mesmerizing and you will want to look longer than a couple of seconds, as the doctor recommends.

Link:
Opthalmology Doctor Warns Of The Dangers Of Starring At The Solar Eclipse - CBS Chicago

Column

Underdevelopment has its cost which is far greater than the mere incidental. Siddkur's is thus an avoidable personal tragedy. It could not have happened if the authorities moved fast and were serious enough to take up the affiliation matters. The tragic incident involving Siddiqur, however, has both diluted and shifted the focus from the main issue. Now Siddikur has become the issue instead of the fate of 167,000 students, writes Nilratan Halder

In case of the loss of his eyesight, an uncertain future stares in the fact of the young man and his poor mother. He lost his father at an early age and his mother struggled to educate her son with the hope that he would soon take over the responsibility of the family once he completes his graduation. He nurtured in his bosom the dream of becoming a government officer and pleaded with her to wait for two more years. Now that appears to be a distant dream.

To call it an accident is a gross misstatement. What prompted the students of Dhaka City's seven government colleges affiliated with the University of Dhaka after their dissociation with the National University to hold a demonstration exposes both underdevelopment and the lack of seriousness on the part of some highly placed responsible people. Relations between the National University and the University of Dhaka cannot be said to be ideal on account of personal antagonism between the highest authorities. Lack of cooperation and coordination between the two universities simply cast a dark shadow on the future of 167,000 students studying at those colleges. For months students have been passing agonising time in the absence of curricula or syllabuses for some and an announcement of exam date for others. How so often does it happen that students are holding rallies for announcement of exam dates? The demonstrating students at Shahbagh were exactly doing this. They were not protesting against anyone. Their objective was simple: just announce the exam date so that they do not have to waste their academic year. Usually demonstrations are held for opposite reasons but here is a most positive cause they were making a demand for.

And it is exactly for this reason Siddiqur is now going to lose his eyesight. The police know the language of force and indiscriminately use it. This was an apolitical demonstration and could be handled with care. After all, the demonstration was not violent. It is exactly here the authorities responsible for creating the mess also demonstrated how callous and insensitive they could be. Eminent educationist Jafar Iqbal has rightly accused the Dhaka University authorities for not doing enough to save the day for the highest seat of learning. It failed miserably when no one felt the need to arrive at the scene to tell that the exam schedule has been finalised two days ago. If this message was conveyed to the assembled students, they would leave the place happily.

Instead, the authorities maintained an atrocious silence over the decision they have already arrived at. Understandably, the preparation for a smooth transition and takeover is missing. Overall, it is a mess that the two universities have created for the students of the seven colleges. The students are now neither here nor there. The website of the NU has been deleted and the DU is yet to prepare the required dossier for the inducted students. Now the very objective of raising the quality of education of the seven colleges under the DU is fading out when the rudimentary tasks remain unfulfilled. These are signs of underdevelopment and inefficiency.

It is already late but the authorities need to gear up their efforts in order to bring the academic activities of the colleges in order. It is not a tall order, though. The university has its curricula and syllabuses. Those will mostly be recommended with minor changes for the colleges as well. Students not receiving lessons in the absence of syllabi cannot be blamed for demanding the same. If the crucial issues are not attended on a priority basis, more such unpleasant incidents cannot be ruled out. The name of the game is discharging duty responsibly.

However, responsibility is increasingly becoming a casualty at the hands of teachers at the highest seats of learning now. Or else, it would have been unthinkable for teachers getting involved in a scuffle with students over Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) election and the number of university senate members required for the election of the university's vice-chancellor.

nilratanhalder2000@yahoo.com

Read more from the original source:
Loss of Siddikur's eyesight and focus shift - Financial Express Bangladesh

According to the Cleveland Clinic, more than 60% of infant blindness cases are caused by inherited eye diseases such as congenital cataracts and glaucoma, retinal degeneration, optic atrophy and eye malformations., and up to 40% of patients with certain types of strabismus (ocular misalignment) have a family history of the disease. In adults, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration are two of the leading causes of blindness, and both appear to be inherited in a large portion of cases.

Applied Genetic Technologies (Nasdaq: AGTC) is developing treatments for severe opthalmological diseases using gene therapy to replace abnormal or broken genes with normal functional genes, enabling the body to produce proteins to treat its own illness.

Pipeline

AGTC has a broad pipeline of severe opthalmological diseases and corresponding gene targets that it's pursuing in the clinic, including two programs under collaboration with Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB).

Source: Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation website

X-Linked Retinoschisis (XLRS)

An inherited form of retinal degeneration affecting young males, presenting with poor visual acuity by school age that usually worsens during the teenage years. Severe complications such as retinal hemorrhage or retinal detachment occur in up to 40% of patients, especially in older individuals. There are currently no approved treatments for XLRS.

Achromatopsia (ACHM)

An inherited condition that is associated with visual acuity loss, extreme light sensitivity resulting in daytime blindness and total loss of color discrimination. There is no specific treatment, although deep red tinted spectacles or contact lenses can reduce symptoms of light sensitivity. AGTC is working on two programs based on the gene mutations known as CNGB3 and CNGA3, which account for 75% of affected patients.

X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP)

An inherited condition that causes boys to develop night blindness by the time they are 10 years old, followed by progressive constriction of the field of vision. Affected men become legally blind at an average of about 45 years of age.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

The leading cause of blindness in the US, with more than 1.6 million people affected. Wet AMD is a more severe progression of AMD. Although it affects only 10-15 percent of those who have the condition, it accounts for 90 percent of the severe vision loss caused by macular degeneration according to the Macular Degeneration Partnership. One of the treatments for wet AMD is ranibizumab, a blood vessel growth inhibitor marketed as Lucentis by Roche (OTCQB: RHHBY) and Novartis (NYSE: NVS), which requires frequent injections into the affected eye. AGTC believes that gene therapy offers a potential long-term solution to treat wet AMD with just one injection, and that there is a strong rationale for combination therapy to become the standard of care.

Management

CEO Sue Washer has led the company since 2002. She has a decade of pharmaceutical management and research experience with Abbott Labs (NYSE: ABT) and Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) and more than 16 years of senior management experience with entrepreneurial firms in Florida including three start-ups. Ms. Washer is the chair of Southeast BIO and a member of the Executive Committee of BioFlorida and the board of the Florida High Tech Corridor Council.

William Sullivan was announced yesterday as the new CFO succeeding the retiring Larry Bullock. Mr. Sullivan has 20 years of experience in corporate finance, leading strategic transactions, fundraising, and accounting. Most recently, he held a variety of leadership positions at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: MACK), including CFO, Principal Accounting Officer and Treasurer.

Michael Goldstein, MD has been Chief Medical Officer since November 2016. Previously, Dr. Goldstein was the Chief Medical Officer and VP of Clinical Research at Eleven Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: EBIO). He is the Co-Director of Cornea and External Disease Service and Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology at the New England Eye Center.

AGTC Stock

AGTC went public in 2014, raising $57.5 million in gross proceeds at a post-IPO valuation of $168 million. The stock peaked at above $400 million in market value in early 2015 but is now trading at an all-time low of just $82 million. The company has a good cash position - $149 million as of the end of March and an anticipated $130-$140 million at the end of the fiscal year, June 30th. We like where AGTC sits on the risk-reward spectrum, as we await the company's fiscal year-end update sometime this month.

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Link:
Applied Genetic Technologies (AGTC): Gene Therapy for Opthalmology - Equities.com

NOVI, Mich., Aug. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Thousands of military men and women involvedinthe long raging war in the Middle East have arrived home suffering from undiagnosed traumatic brain injuries, the "invisible wound" of battle. These injuries can lead to stress, depression, insomnia, alcoholism, substance abuse and, all too often, suicide.

Center for Neurological Studies (CNS), a Novi-based non-profit, has launched "Hope After Combat," an in-depth study combining ten diagnostic testing disciplines to diagnose and develop individualized treatment for veterans with brain injuries.

"Any attempt to treat veterans with traumatic brain injuries begins with an accurate diagnosis," says Randall Benson, M.D., CNS Vice President and Medical Director. "Combat injuries are frequently mis-diagnosed resulting in inappropriate and unsuccessful treatment. We can and must do better. Better diagnoses lead to improved outcomes."

Hope After Combat combines diagnostic testing including neurology, neuro-opthalmology and neuropsychology enhanced by CNS' advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging and susceptibility-weighted imaging. These advanced MRI techniques developed at CNS are significantly more sensitive than traditional MRI imaging and have worked successfully on hundreds of non-combat brain-injury victims.

In the Hope After Combat study, once diagnostic testing is complete a treatment plan is developed and the veteran takes part in an individualized 60-day rehabilitation program based on his or her specific diagnosis. All disciplines continue to provide input and care for the victim and his/her family. The final study is expected to include more than 50 combat victims.

"These veterans and their families are desperate for answers and we're trying to provide them," says John D. Russell, CEO and President of CNS. "The veterans have been real troopers in every sense of the word and we're learning from their individual efforts and progress. But our donors are the ones who've made the study possible. Without them we couldn't bring all these disciplines together for such an important study."

For further information or to participate in or make a contribution to the Hope After Combat study, contact John Russell at 313-228-0930 or visit the CNS website, http://neurologicstudies.com

CNS was founded in 2011 with the objective of advancing scientific research for neurovascular disease. CNS staff are available for interview on brain injuries and brain-related diseases.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/military-brain-injuries-are-the-subject-of-center-for-neurological-studies-hope-after-combat-study-300499425.html

SOURCE Center for Neurological Studies

Read the rest here:
Military Brain Injuries are the Subject of Center for Neurological Studies "Hope After Combat" Study - Markets Insider

Plans to change healthcare across Coventry, Nuneaton, Bedworth and Warwickshire and save around 250million are forging ahead with an action plan for maternity services expected in the autumn.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) has now been renamed the Better Health, Better Care, Better Value programme.

According to a report to the Warwickshire Health and Wellbeing Board, progress is underway on the plan and, under the transformation work stream updates, it states that an action plan is set to be agreed for maternity and paediatrics by October.

A Maternity System Transformation Group has been set up to look at implementing better births, improving maternal safety and wellbeing, reviewing and implementing the West Midlands Neonatal Review and implementing the saving lives care bundle.

The first draft of the STP, which must bridge a 250 million funding gap across Coventry and Warwickshire, was released in December and included proposals for stroke care across the region.

It was criticised for being vague and not giving details on how savings will be made.

The initial plans confirmed a review of the sustainability of under-pressure emergency care at George Eliot Hospital and UHCW, while also highlighting the potential need for capital to right size the A&E department in Coventry due to GEH and UHCW collaboration activity.

The latest report also outlines progress on what has been described as urgent and emergency care.

In the report it says that work is underway to assess progress of the national A&E plan and that an assessment of current capacity issues has taken place.

A patient mapping exercise is now being undertaken to identify patient flows to emergency and urgent care centres, the report adds.

Under the cancer section, the latest report says that a pilot project is underway in opthalmology to reduce patient follow-ups appointments in Coventry and Warwickshire North.

It also includes a section on the Health and Wellbeing Campus plan for the George Eliot Hospital, which could see education and housing brought on to the sprawling 34 acre site.

The Warwickshire Health and Wellbeing Board is made up of key stakeholders from across the county, and they specifically asked to be kept up-to-date on the progress of the STP.

After the initial STP was released in December, STP chief Prof Andy Hardy insisted no decision had been made over the future of A&E and maternity services at George Eliot as part of the process.

The 62-page initial STP report was slammed as opaque, incomprehensible and secretive at the time and one of the bosses at the head of the plan, Andrea Green, admitted it needed to be made easier to understand.

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See the original post:
Plan to plug 250million NHS funding gap in Coventry, Nuneaton and Warwickshire gathers pace - Coventry Telegraph

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Tony Norman: The GOP's plan to make America sicker Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (It bears noting that he is a doctor who practiced opthalmology for years in Kentucky.) He considers confiscating money from taxpayers to be set aside for any old deadbeat with a medical emergency a bad thing and contrary to the principles of democracy.

Read more from the original source:
Tony Norman: The GOP's plan to make America sicker - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette