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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