We’ve all experienced the feeling of someone looking at us, even if we don’t see them. A look over the shoulder or a turn of the head, and sure enough, there they are. Hopefully, the look is with admiration for our stunning eyewear or new outfit. But how did we know we were being watched? Scientists are finding evidence that it’s another feature of the eye-brain connection, rather than just a feeling.

From Review of Myopia Management
Environmental factors influencing myopia onset include, but are not limited to, level of education, near work, and time spent outdoors. Increased time outdoors has been emphasized as an important modifiable environmental factor for myopia control. Irrespective of physical activity, increased time outdoors is associated with a reduced odds ratio of myopia, even when children perform a high amount of near work. The protective effect of time spent outdoors could be due to the unique characteristics (intensity, spectral distribution, temporal pattern, etc.) of sunlight that are lacking in artificial lighting.

Visual artist Trebs Thompson recently finished the third of a three panel, stained glass room divider, but she was working against time. About six years ago, Thompson was diagnosed with Type 2 parafoveal macular telangiectasia (MacTel), a rare, progressive disease in which blood vessels around the fovea become abnormal, and new blood vessels may form under the retina and leak. Tissue in the macula or the fovea may thin out or form a scar, causing loss of detail and central vision. Loss of central vision progresses over a period of 10 – 20 years, and Type 2 MacTel affects both eyes. To date, there are no treatments that significantly improve vision.

On any given day, we see a wide variety of individuals, many with ametropias or ocular health issues, such as macular degeneration, cataracts, retinopathy, a combination thereof, and so on. When we, as opticians, are fitting and dispensing eyewear, we take into consideration how we can provide an ophthalmic product to improve the quality of life for that individual with consideration for their ocular health and ophthalmic needs.