Saturday, February 9, 2013

New Hope for Patients Living with Macular Degeneration in Connecticut: E-Scoop Lenses


Press Release

Dr. Kinkade now utilizing new E-Scoop lens technology to help vision loss due to macular degeneration.

Farmington, Conn., February 9, 2013 - There is new hope for people whose vision has been compromised by age related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Many patients with these diseases have heard that nothing more can be done for them, but pioneering changes in recent months may offer them new options. Special types of highly sophisticated glasses prescribed by low vision doctors are quickly emer­g­ing as the answer to vision loss due to macular degeneration or other conditions that lead to limited vision.

New Lens Technology
 


    






 
 
New lens technology helps correct a basic problem experienced by those with macular degeneration.

Recently developed New E-Scoop lenses from Holland now enable doctors to help patients with one of the chief complaints associated with m“Most of my patients ask me for clearer vision.”

Glasses that use the new technology bridge the gap between standard eyeglasses and spectacle head-borne telescopes. Whether your difficulty is night driving, bright light, sunlight or simply seeing clearly into the distance, the E-Scoop lens placed over a standard eyeglass prescription can help.
 
“It is all about the physics and, particularly, precision optics,” said Dr. Kinkade. By combining six different optical properties into a two-lens system, vision can often be enhanced. “We start with the patient’s prescription and then add prism to move the image to a healthy seeing part of the macula,” said Dr. Kinkade.acular degeneration—cloudy vision.


Dr. Randolph Kinkade, a low vision optometrist with seven offices in Connecticut and a founding member of the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists (IALVS), offers new hope and vision. 

“Macular degeneration not only causes central blind spots but reduces clarity,” says Dr. Kinkade.

The lens has five distinct features that make vision clearer and sharper, with reduced glare:

  • The prism moves the image away from the damaged macular area.
  • The low vision prescription ensures that patients’ needs are met.
  • The yellow tint improves contrast.
  • The thickness of the lens, combined with the special “base” curve, makes objects appear slightly larger.
  • The anti-reflection coating allows more light through the lens.
 
 


 


 
 
 
 
Patient Success Story

Mrs. Marianne Girard, a Seymour, CT resident, who suffers from macular degeneration, uses these new E-Scoop glasses to help her drive more confidently and watch television.  “I really need them for driving and they make all the difference for watching TV,” said Mrs. Girard.  “I even use them to play bocce!” 
 

Marianne Girard with E-Scoop Glasses

People with macular degeneration lose some or all of their central straight-ahead vision over time, but their peripheral side vision is not affected. Often this means they see better looking slightly to the side, rather than looking straight ahead.  
 
E-Scoop lenses provide some magnification by using a combination of special lens curvature and thickness. The lenses also incorporate a custom yellow filter and anti-reflective coatings. Dr. Kinkade reports, “This is an example of two lenses definitely being better than one.”
 
Currently, Dr. Kinkade is the only doctor in Connecticut who has been specially trained to fit patients for the New E-scoop glasses.
 
 
About Macular Degeneration

Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of legal blindness and reading impairment in the country.  These lenses can help vision by improving clarity for some people.  “These lenses cannot make vision perfect, but they do make things better,” said Dr. Kinkade.  “They also assist with night driving and glare reduction.”

Macular Degeneration is a progressive disease that leads to damage of cells in the retina in the back of the eye.  Specifically, it affects the central vision in the area called the macula. 

When the macula is damaged, vision is blurred or distorted. When this happens individuals have difficulty seeing well enough to do activities that require fine detail vision like reading, driving, recognizing faces and watching television.

About IALVS
The International Academy of Low Vision Specialists (IALVS) believes in LIFE AFTER VISION LOSS. The IALVS brings new hope and sight to those with macular degeneration and other vision limiting conditions. The IALVS can bring back the enjoyment of retirement.

If you are now having problems seeing and doing the things you enjoy, an IALVS eye doctor can help. If you have been told by your eye doctor that a change in your eyeglass prescription will not help you see any better, call an IALVS doctor who is trained to design special glasses that can make a difference.

When your doctor says, "Sorry, I cannot get you to see any better," an IALVS doctor often says, "It may not be perfect, but it definitely is better!"

About E-Scoop Glasses
E-Scoops were developed by Frans Oosterhof, a Dutch optometrist, who won the Herman Wijffels Award for optics in Holland. Dr. Kinkade has met Dr. Oosterhof and continues to meet semi-annually with other members of IALVS to study optics and research new ways to help patients with macular degeneration. E-scoop glasses are distributed exclusively to IALVS optometrists by Designs for Vision, the leader in medical magnification.

About Dr. Kinkade

Dr. Randolph Kinkade has a Master of Public Health degree and is the founder of Low Vision Consulting. He is co-founder of See and Hear America, a company designed to help those with hearing loss

Dr. Kinkade has been treating the rehabilitation needs of patients with AMD and other vision limiting conditions for over 30 years. He continues to study the causes and treatment of macular degeneration from a medical and public health point of view. He is the only IALVS doctor in New England.

He is a member of the Vision Rehabilitation Section of the American Optometric Association and the Low Vision Section of the American Academy of Optometry. For more information visit www.lowvisioneyeglasses.com
 

(800) 756-0766


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