Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) now published

The much anticipated results of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) have now been published.

AREDS2 is a multi-center, randomized trial designed to assess the effects of oral supplementation of macular xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin) and/or long-chain omega-3 fatty acids on the progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD).  An additional goal of the study is to assess whether forms of the AREDS nutritional supplement with reduced zinc and/or no beta-carotene works as well as the original supplement in reducing the risk of progression to advanced AMD.

For a brief overview of the findings, which includes an audio version of the details for the visually-impaired, please see the National Eye Institute (NEI) press release.

A full text version of the report can be found through the Journal of the American Medical Association for those with institutional access: http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1684847

New Optometry Clinic Resource Guide

The Witer Learning Resource Centre (WLRC) is pleased to announce a new online Optometry Clinic Resource Guide. The guide is designed to provide information students will find useful prior to starting in a particular clinic, and includes resources such as:

•     online medical resources to fact check medical conditions
•     links to contact lens fitting guides from companies
•     standards associated with electrodiagnostic testing

Clinic supervisors have reviewed and contributed to the content of each clinic specific page. A link to the guide can be found on the WLRC home page in the right navigation column Subject Guide: Clinics

Link: http://subjectguides.uwaterloo.ca/optometry-clinics-resource-guide

The Witer Learning Resource Center (WLRC) is excited to offer expanded weekend hours! Following a formal request from our Optometry students, we will run a trial period of extended hours for the 2013 winter and fall terms.

New hours of service:

Winter 2013 term
January 2, 2013 to May 31, 2013
Monday to Thursday      9 am – 11 pm
Friday                            9 am – 5 pm
Saturday and Sunday     9 am – 9 pm

2013 holiday closures
January 1, 2013 – New Year’s Day
February 18, 2013 – Family Day
March 29, 3013 – Good Friday
May 20, 2013 – Victoria Day

(Exceptions to these hours will be posted on the WLRC website and at the WLRC entrance)

Welcome to the Witer for the 2012 fall term! We have made some significant changes over the summer to the way you access our resources.

First, we have a new website. In fact the entire university has a new look that promotes a common university theme to ensure accessibility and better usability, particularly for mobile devices! We have ensured that no links are gone, but the interface has changed. Like it, don't like it? We value your feedback!

Our library catalogue search interface has also changed. Traditionally, library catalogues search for items at the title level (books, journals etc). The new Primo library catalogue now also allows you to search for articles, reviews, conference proceedings etc., by selecting the All or Search option. For more details about these changes see the following library webpage. If you want the old interface to do a simple title search, select the Books option.

 

On behalf of the Witer staff, all the best in the new academic year!

National Eye Institute is offering $3,000 awards to as many as 20 contestants

The National Eye Institute (NEI)is offering $3,000 awards to as many as 20 contestants who submit the most compelling one-page ideas to advance vision science. The submission deadline November 12, 2012. Winning contestants will be invited to present, discuss, and refine their ideas at the NEI Audacious Goals Development Meeting, February 24-26, 2013, in Washington D.C. For further information, please see the NEI press release. Contact: National Eye Institute (301) 496-5248 neinews@nei.nih.gov

U.S. vision report finds increase in eye disease prevalence

Review of Optometry recently highlighted the following report provided by the Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute’s 2012 update of the “Vision Problems in the U.S.” report. The number of individuals age 40 and older with vision impairment and blindness has increased 23% since the year 2000, according to researchers from Johns Hopkins University who conducted the study.

The four most common eye diseases have seen alarming increases since 2000 include:

• 25% increase in Age-related Macular Degeneration among people age 50+
• 19% increase in cataracts among people age 40+
• 22% increase in glaucoma among people age 40+
• 89% increase in diabetic retinopathy among people age 40+

A new online, searchable database available through the Prevent Blindness American website enables users to search for a wide range of information including eye disease and condition numbers, which can be refined by state, age, sex, and race, and provides comparisons across disease conditions.

New online resources for our alumni and CAO members

Following on a recent survey of uWaterloo Optometry and Vision Science alumni, we have purchased access to two new resources for both our alumni and CAO members. Selection criteria was simple in that we were able to purchase the following two resources based on the fact that they received the most requests for access.

Manual of Ocular Diagnosis & Therapy (eBook)

The Manual of Ocular Diagnosis & Therapy is a highly practical reference resource that provides the latest information on clinical disease, diagnostic techniques, and treatments for the practicing eye care specialist. Drug formulary, drawings, and tables are all designed so that information can be rapidly accessed. An appendices provides an image gallery of clinical photographs.

Optometry & Vision Science (eJournal)

Official journal of the American Academy of Optometry, Optometry & Vision Science is an authoritative source for current developments in optometry, physiological optics, and vision science. This frequently cited monthly scientific journal has served primary eye care practitioners for more than 75 years, promoting vital interdisciplinary exchange among optometrists and vision scientists worldwide.

Other valuable online resources we offer to our alumni and CAO members include:

• Wills Eye Manual
•  e-Therapeutics (eCPS) 

Please see our alumni homepage to find full details.