A private eye hospital in London has launched a new laser therapy procedure, ‘retinal rejuvenation,’ which it says could save the sight of millions of diabetes sufferers. The London Eye Hospital has used the Ellex 2RT laser (Optician 23.11.12) to combat diabetic retinopathy in its early stages before patients notice a difference in their vision, something which the hospital said conventional laser treatments could not manage.
Fresh research from new charity Saving Essex Eyes has found that fewer than half of all children in the county had an eye test during 2012. ‘Given that in 2012 there were about 185,000 children registered in Essex schools that means there could be up to 48,000 children in schools across the county struggling with their vision,’ said the charity’s co-founder and optometrist Niall Dorgan. The charity has launched a school poster design competition for the start of the autumn term to increase awareness of sight tests.
Three eye health needs assessment groups have been established by a UK Vision Strategy commissioning project. The organisation will work with clinical commissioning groups in Bedfordshire, Gateshead and South Devon and Torbay to develop what it described as sustainable collaborative commissioning to meet demand. The project, which aims to establish and share information about redesigning eye care, will run until September 2014.
Abstracts for clinical lectures, workshops and discussion sessions have been invited for the European Academy of Optometry and Optics’ annual conference in Warsaw on May 15-18. Professionals from 25 countries will discuss and share the latest research, education and clinical practice in optometry, optics and dispensing, and vision science. Abstracts for clinical workshops must be submitted by September 9, with all other abstracts accepted until October 18 via www.eaoo.info/abstract.