Durrie Vision staff and their families will be cheering on the Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles in support of the event as well!

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration study has “brought to light the alarming rate of emergency room visits linked to contact lens injuries such as infections and abrasions,” the American Academy of Ophthalmology stated. The study (which is published in Pediatrics) reviewed medical records from ER departments at 100 hospitals between 2004 and 2005 and estimated that nearly 34,000 (or 23%) cases a year were due to contact lens injury in children and teens. The majority of these contact lens injuries occurred among teenagers between the ages of 16 and 21 years, followed by children between the ages of 11 and 15 years, AAO said. The findings support AAO’s long-standing position that contact lenses are medical devices that require a prescription, proper fitting by an eye care professional, and a commitment to proper care by the consumer. The Pediatrics study does not document whether the contact lens injuries were acquired through lenses obtained by a prescription from an eye care professional or illegally through over-the-counter or internet sales (as many decorative lenses are).

Cosmetic or plano lenses have been illegal in the United States since 2005 when federal law classified all contact lenses as medical devices and restricted their distribution to licensed eye care professionals. The American Academy of Ophthalmology would like to alert consumers to the hazards of buying any decorative lenses, including circle lenses. In a press release from the Academy, they caution that inflammation and pain can occur from improperly fitted over-the-counter lenses and lead to more serious problems including corneal abrasions and blinding infections.

To protect your eyes, all contact lenses must be fitted by an eye care professional.

A Refractive Surgery Fellowship is an additional year of training after ophthalmology residency. The fellowship includes all aspects of refractive surgery such as laser eye surgery.

Durrie Vision is pleased to welcome Dr. Erin Durrie Stahl into her second year of fellowship at Durrie Vision. She is also completing a fellowship at Children’s Mercy Hosptial in pediatric ophthalmology.

Does this replace your trip to the eye doctor? No, because your doctor is looking not only at what your prescription is for clear vision, but your eye health, medical history and any sign of eye disease such as cataract or macular degeneration. And the app can’t do that. But it may have a significant impact worldwide for people that don’t have access to high quality ophthalmic care, but do have access to cell phones. According to the internet article by Discovery News, MIT is working with various NGOs in different countries to help distribute the both the app and the screen, which will be known as PerfectSight.

Dr. Durrie’s lecture was titled “Corneal Refractive Surgery: The Future is Bright,” highlighting the history of refractive surgery as well as what is currently in the development stage. Dr. Jason Stahl’s lecture was titled, “Refractive Lens Surgery: Lights, Camera, Action,” a peek into the evolution of lens replacement surgery. Dr. Erin Durrie Stahl spoke about pediatric ophthalmology with “Pediatric Cataract, Corneal and Refractive Surgery,” an area of great interest. Dr. Erin Stahl just finished her pediatric ophthalmology fellowship at Children’s Mercy hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dr. Durrie, Bryson and Wagner at the one day post-op visit.

Meet our most recent Focus on Independence patient, Bryson Casey and his companion dog, Wagner. Bryson was in a car accident in 2008 leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. During his rehabilitation, he was introduced Canine Assistants who matched him up with Wagner. Bryson was a contact lens wearer which is difficult when you don’t have use of your hands. He had SBK -Advanced LASIK on Friday, April 16th and by his post-operative appointment on Saturday morning he was seeing 20/15! Bryson and Casey will be featured on a PBS special, Through a Dogs Eyes, on April 21st.