Dry Eye
Nutritional Supplement


Tears Again Hydrate, from Cynacon/Ocusoft, is a soft-gel nutritional supplement that provides long-lasting relief from dry eye symptoms, the company says.

The supplement contains omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, flaxseed oil, bilberry extract and primrose oil.

Call 1-800-233-5469, or go to www.ocusoft.com.

Eyelid Cleanser


SteriLid Eyelid Cleanser, from Advanced Vision Research, Inc., is an antibacterial foam for lid hygiene.

The foam treats blepharitis, dry eye and punctal plug bacteria. It also can reduce the risk of endophthalmitis when used in pre-surgical patients, as it destroys both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, the company says.

Call (781) 932-8327, or go to www.theratears.com.

Dry Eye Goggles


Tranquileyes Eye Hydrating Therapy goggles, from Eyeeco, provide relief from chronic dry eye, the company says.

The goggles are said to alleviate the chronic dry eye that results from refractive surgery, contact lens wear, allergies, prolonged computer use, Sjgrens syndrome or aging, Eyeeco says.

By increasing heat and humidity around the eye, Tranquileyes Eye Hydrating Therapy goggles restore moisture to aid in stimulating tear production and in preventing natural tear evaporation, the company says. Also, because increased humidity thickens the lipid layer, the goggles restore the eyes defense against evaporation, Eyeeco says.

The goggles come with a foam insert for added eye moisture and are available in colors sky blue, sage, lavender, pearl, black and rose. Call 1-888-730-7999, or go to www.eyeeco.com.

Contact Lenses
Parameter Expansion


The Proclear Toric contact lens, from CooperVision, is now available in an 8.4mm base curve. This will enable eyecare practitioners to offer the lens to a wider range of astigmatic patients, the company says.

Proclear Toric lenses are made of omafilcon A  and have a sphere power of +6.00D to -8.00D; cylinder powers of -0.75, -1.25, -1.75 and -2.25; and an axis of 10 to 180 in 10 steps.

Proclear Toric XR, which features an extended parameter range with a cylinder power up to -5.75, and Proclear Toric with a -2.25 cylinder in an 8.4mm base curve will make their debuts in late 2006, CooperVision says.

Call 1-800-341-2020, or go to www.coopervision.com.

Exam Equipment
Autorefractor/Keratometer


The WAM-5500, from AIT Industries, is a binocular open-view autorefractor/keratometer that provides accurate and repeatable objective measurements for both far and near point testing, the company says.

Examples of features: accommodation measurements of up to 300 per minute with simultaneous measurement of pupil diameter to 2.0mm, and a WCS-1 dedicated software communication system in which individual refraction and pupil diameter measurements are placed in a spreadsheet and can be graphed.

Call 1-800-729-1959, or go to www.aitindustries.com.

Retinal Camera


The Genesis-D hand-held retinal camera, from Kowa, features a finder observation system parallel to the optical axis, two mega-pixel imaging, a 2.5-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display screen, ID input function and a padded stand for storage.

The camera has a width of three inches, a depth of eight inches and a height of 11 inches. It weighs four-and-a-half pounds with the charging unit.

Call 1-800-966-5692, or go to www.kowa-usa.com.

Retinal Camera Software


Eye Q Capture software, from Canon Medical Systems, assists in capturing high-resolution digital images and transferring these images using either visible light or ophthalmic photography Digital Imaging and Communications (DICOM), standard in eye care image formats.

DICOM is the global standard for exchanging biomedical imaging and image information, which encompasses ultrasound, radiotherapy, waveforms and visible-light imaging, the company says.

Eye Q Capture software uses a DICOM modality work list to incorporate a patient search feature and enables images to be transferred to up to three DICOM storage locations. Images can be seen in a variety of ways, such as in whole-screen or contact strip format, and you can set up image acquisition parameters for each eye or both eyes at the same time. This means that parameters that have been set up for a patients right eye can be copied for the left eye via one click.

Call 1-800-970-7227, or go to www.usa.canon.com/eye-care.

Smart System Upgrades


The Smart System Premier and the Smart System Basic, from M&S Technologies, Inc., are the newest additions to the Smart System computerized visual acuity and contrast sensitivity family.

The Smart System Premier is an up-graded system that includes the integration of Eyemaginations patient education videos. The Smart System Basic is a simpler system perfect for patient screening rooms, the company says.

These single-component systems have the monitor and CPU integrated into a single piece of hardware. Tests available include:

Astigmatic dial.

Fixation disparity.

Two-directional optotype pointer.

Phoria.

Maddox rod.

Other features of both systems: calibration down to six feet direct view, new Allen symbols and video and image display. They are compatible with MPEG, AVI and Windows media formats.

Call 1-877-225-6101, or go to www.mstech-eyes.com.

Practice Management
Technology Integration


Eyefinity.com has agreed to integrate with AltaPoint Data Systems Vision practice-management softwarea program that includes billing, inventory, scheduling, clinical records and more.

This means that AltaPoint Vision users can access an array of Eyefinitys online tools and services. Some examples of these services: practice-management information resources, online continuing education, lab services, product ordering, and claim filing to VSP and other managed care payers.

Eyefinity.com provides private-practice eyecare practitioners with e-commerce, marketing and business management solutions. AltaPoint Data Systems creates practice-management solutions for the health-care, dental, legal and veterinary markets.

Call 1-877-448-0707, or go to www.eyefinity.com.

Software Solution
OD Professional Enterprise 5.0, a practice-management program from EMRlogic, uses eXtensible Markup Language (XML) to interface with other software via the Internet in real time.

The new software also features a patient manager solution that sends out appointment reminders and marketing items to patients, as well as personalized patient Web sites. An action manager feature allows each practice to ensure proper data entry for patients by giving automated reminders to ensure that the user asks the same questions every time for each patient, so that nothing falls between the cracks, the company says.

Other features:

VSP interface, which includes membership, eligibility, authorization, claim submission and lab ordering.

VisionWeb interface, which includes an XML in-terface to all labs serviced through VisionWeb. Real-time lab order short-listing and error listing are included.

Medicare and VSP-compliant exam forms with a billing and coding program.

A payment program that includes payment posting and family account payments.

A clinical letter and reports engine that is powered via an XML interface.

Call 1-866-623-5644, or go to www.emrlogic.com.

Trivex Users Guide


Need advice on prescribing, recommending and processing lenses made from Trivex material? If so, youll want the Trivex Lens Material Users Guide, from PPG Industries, Inc.

The Trivex Lens Material Users Guide includes four sections:

What is Trivex Material serves as a reference guide on the history of the lens material and its technical features.

The Eyecare Professionals Guide to Lenses Made from Trivex Material shows you how to explain the features and benefits of Trivex to the patient and provides advice on how to tie the properties of the Trivex lens material directly to patients lifestyles.

The Laboratorys Guide to Lenses Made from Trivex Material provides tips to lab personnel to improve their final results with the material, and offers advice to novice and experienced lab technicians on drilling, surfacing, finishing and tinting Trivex lenses.

Lens Availability Chart showcases all the lenses made of Trivex material. These include single-vision with finished and semi-finished spherical base curve designs; finished and semi-finished aspheric and double-aspheric designs; and bifocal, trifocal and progressive lens designs. All of these designs are made from seven different manufacturers listed in the chart.

Call 1-800-323-2487, or go to www.ppgtrivex.com.

Presbyopia Animation Program
Refractec, Inc. and Eyemaginations, Inc. have joined forces to feature 3-D animations that simulate presbyopia and NearVision conductive keratoplasty (CK) to be shown in your reception area, exam rooms and consultation areas.

In addition, the program allows you to utilize the Eyemaginations 3D-Eye Office full software suite, enabling you to add many other ocular 3D animations to your office, including your own video segments.

Call 1-800-752-9544, or go to www.refractec.com.

Comanagement
Bladeless Surgery Upgrade
The 4th Generation FS Laser, from IntraLase Corp., is double the speed of the 30kHz laser, its predecessor, reducing the flap procedure time to less than 15 seconds, the company says.

The new laser allows the surgeon to create a tighter spot pattern that makes lifting the flap easier and less-ens the potential for and/or severity of postoperative inflammation, IntraLase says.

Call 1-877-393-2020, or go to www.intralasefacts.com.

Flexible Iris Retractors

The Resusable and Disposable Iris Retractors


Reusable and Disposable Iris Retractors, from FCI Ophthalmics, stretch and stabilize the iris for maximum visibility during cataract surgery, the company says.

The retractors are made of blue polypropylene fiber and are inserted through a 0.5mm incision. Once the iris is hooked and retracted, the retractors tiny adjust-able silicone donut is slid up to the limbus to hold the retractor securely in place.

The reusable iris retractors are available in a sterile six-pack in a steam autoclave container. The disposable retractors come in a sterile five-pack.

Call 1-800-932-4202, or go to www.fci-ophthalmics.com

Vol. No: 143:05Issue: 5/15/2006