We're launching a new feature on the blog today, bringing you advice on the top trends and technology in eyewear straight from the people who know it best, your optometrists!  If you are active on Instagram you'll definitely recognize our first featured OD; with over 2,000 followers, Dr. Fartash posts daily as @glamoptometrist about her favorite eyewear and eye-themed fashion.  She is a 2nd generation optometrist, born and raised in Orange County, California.  A graduate of SCCO (Southern California College of Optometry), she practices in both optical and private practice settings, as well as doing bedside exams at nursing facilities.  "What drove me to start a blog and Instagram was my passion for fashion.  Luckily, in optometry we are able to have both worlds collide."



Current Eyewear: As I am writing this I am wearing my Dolce & Gabbana horned rimmed ophthalmic glasses.  I have recently been more daring in the frames I wear and choose to live in color! So most of the newer frames I wear have lots of personality, like my pink Cartier [above] and red SEE glasses [below]. 

Dolce & Gabbana frames (left) and SEE frames (right)

Tom Ford Sunglasses

When I first switched to a Daytona Optos imaging system for retinal photography, I'm not gonna lie -- I was a little hesitant.  I had gotten so comfortable with traditional imaging systems, and I felt like the posterior pole looked sort of warped in the Optos picture.  Within just a few weeks I was completely sold, though.  The images I was seeing were totally changing the way I talked about ocular health with my patients.  We could see tiny peripheral retinal hemorrhages.  We could see peripheral drusen that might increase their risk for macular degeneration later in life, or even the risk of Alzheimer's disease.  And the filter system allows for spectacular contrast views, even auto-fluorescent imaging.

A large rhegamatogenous retinal detachment

If you are considering upgrading to Optos imaging, or have a camera and want to share your fantastic photos, you need to check out What the Fundus?, a website dedicated to fascinating images taken with Optos cameras.  The founder Dr. M created "What the Fundus?" after a discussion with fellow eye doctors at a Optos training session. "We wanted a place where we could post interesting or just cool looking pictures that have been taken in our practices.  A place free from internet trolls and malcontents where we share what we are passionate about.  Hence, whatthefundus.com was born."

Asteroid Hyalosis

One (or a few) retinal tears going on in the periphery of an asymptomatic patient.

Have images of your own you want to share?  Email Dr. M at michael@whatthefundus.com to be featured on the site!  He adds new photographs regularly, so keep checking back to see what interesting cases walk through the door.

Lot's of announcements with the start of 2016 at CooperVision, including the impending nationwide launch of the lens we've been waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for -- Biofinity Toric XR.  For patients with high amounts of astigmatism, CooperVision has been the only company providing soft contact lens options that aren't custom order for this community for years. But Frequency 55 Toric XR is limited by its' low oxygen permeability (Dk/t is 15.7 in this lens -- other monthly disposable lenses on the market typically have numbers over 100), and the more updated extended power range option Proclear Toric XR isn't much better at 30.9 Dk/t.  Proclear Toric XR has also been notorious for easy ripping, a headache for patients and your doctors!  Biofinity Toric XR will be the first lens that isn't custom order that is made in a highly breathable silicone hydrogel material (Dk/t for Biofinity is 116).  This higher breathability is a needed improvement for patients that have suffered scarring or corneal health changes from the lower oxygen materials they've been stuck with due to their high prescriptions in the past.  The lens has been launched on a very limited initial roll-out already (about 400 offices nationwide), but is slated to be released nationwide between April and June/July.  Here are the details: