Dealing with growth pressures
The goal of most businesses is to grow. Growth is exciting. Growth implies success. More sales, more customers, more staff, more profit… But the reality can be very different.
David Pearson5 min read
Optometry Comment
Ocular manifestations in Down Syndrome
Down Syndrome (DS), trisomy of chromosome 21, is one of the most common genetic causes of intellectual disability. It affects 50-80 newborns annually in New Zealand, with advanced maternal age being the primary risk factor. This article encompasses the ophthalmic impairment and clinical consideratio
Joyce Mathan8 min read
The power at our fingertips… is being wasted!
In NZ Optics April 2018 issue, a frustrated Chalkeyes pondered: “Imagine if our clinical data could be anonymous and pooled. What learning is hidden in those little boxes on our screens from all our patients across the country or even the world¹?” I couldn’t agree more. Why are we wasting all this
Dr Mike Mair8 min read
Book review – Atlas of Retinal OCT, 1st edition
By Darin Goldman, Nadia Waheed and Jay Duker , Reviewed by Dr Narme Deva The Atlas of Retinal OCT: Optical Coherence Tomography by Darin Goldman et al is rather a nice little book. On first impressions, it is a little on the skinny side for an ophthalmology atlas, but it is jam-packed with lovely p
Review by Dr Narme Deva3 min read
Is your website working for, or against, you?
There is no getting away from the fact that today many people prefer to shop online. It is also here, online, where many customers first learn about a company and build up a level of trust; enough to give them confidence to purchase.
Renee Lunder7 min read
Perception is reality
We all tend to like things that appear shiny and new, but with the cost and upheaval that comes with a refurbishment, combined with forever-changing interior styles, it’s no surprise many practice owners find it difficult to plunge into a major renovation.
Elaine Silk5 min read
Mahalo ARVO Hawaii
Honolulu in the 50th state of the United States of America, Hawai’i, hosted the 2018 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) conference from 29 April to 3 May this year. About 11,000 delegates attended this always popular annual event, one of the most important meetings in any op
Associate Professor Stuti Misra4 min read
Case study: orbital cellulitis
Orbital cellulitis is an uncommon but serious ophthalmic emergency that is potentially sight threatening. In Australasia, community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) associated orbital cellulitis was first noted in Brisbane in 20091. Ophthalmic MRSA-associated infection
Drs Sheng Chiong Hong, Louisa Joyce Lim and Casey Ung5 min read
Corneal transplant rejection: principles and clinical management
Corneal transplantation is the most common form of tissue transplant in New Zealand with more than 300 cases performed annually. As widely-known, the primary indication for corneal transplantation in New Zealand over the last 25 years is keratoconus¹. Fortunately, keratoconus as an indication is typ
Dr Jina Han and Professor Charles McGhee7 min read
Glaucoma: beta blockers, optic disk size and OCT
Systemic medication associations with presumed advanced or uncontrolled POAG; A small disc area is a risk factor for visual field progression in POAG: The Glaucoma Stereo Analysis Study; Use of optical coherence tomography by non-expert personnel as a screening approach for glaucoma
Dr Hussain Patel5 min read
Not everyone loves LASIK
It’s widely accepted that patients undergoing LASIK surgery are happy with the results, but the New York Times says that might not be the case. Based on a recent clinical trial by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Times reports that nearly half of all people who had healthy eyes befo
Staff reporters2 min read
Preservatives in glaucoma drops
Switching to preservative-free tafluprost leads to an increase in tear film thickness (TFT), breakup time and an improvement in the dry eye-related quality-of-life score, researchers found in a study published in the European Journal of Ophthalmology. The study, led by Dr Anton Hommer from Vienna,
Staff reporters2 min read