ASO News (American Society of Ocularists)

Exams, lectures, tests, workshops and discussions with some tasty culinary delights thrown in about sums up the four days’ Annual meeting in New Orleans, held on the 15th – 18th November 2013.

Topics covered included Evisceration and Enucleation techniques, PMMA – polymerisation methods, Fitting the Phthisical Globe, Digital irises, and a most interesting discourse by Dr Todd Swick, MD regarding the Non-24 hour Circadian Sleep Disorder, pertaining to the Circadian rhythm disorder, affecting approx 70% pf totally blind individuals with not light perception…..”without the ability to perceive/receive light signals, the master body clock in the SCN cannot be “cued” or synchronised to the 24-hour day” We, as Ocularists can help identify those who are at risk of Non-24 by educating these individuals that Non-24 is a real illness fist described in 1948 and the first case studies in the late 1970’s and that more information from authoritative sources such as Non-24.com is available.

A reminder that we offer a unique service at our practice, to help patients choose the correct frame and lenses to enhance the cosmetic aspects pertaining to dissymmetry so often encompassing the Anophthalmic patient. This was also highlighted by Mr Jim Strauss at one of the workshops…USE IT, its free! The following ASO annual meeting in Chicago takes place on the 17th and the 21st of October.