12 Search Results for "larry"

• August Is Children’s Vision & August Is Children’s Vision & Learning Month

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    As our children are getting ready to go back to school it is important to make sure their eyes are ready for the classroom. Vision screenings at school or the pediatrician’s office can still miss problems. Consider this:

    How Vision Problems Can Interfere With Learning

    • “25% of students in grades K-6 have visual problems that are serious enough to impede learning.”  American Public Health Association
    • “When vision problems go undetected, children almost invariably have trouble reading and doing their schoolwork. They often display fatigue, fidgeting, and frustrations in the classroom -- traits that can lead to a misdiagnosis of dyslexia or other learning disabilities.”  American Optometric Association
    • “It is estimated that 80% of children with a learning disability have an undiagnosed vision problem.”  Vision Council of America
    • “Early diagnosis and treatment of children’s vision problems is a necessary component to school readiness and academic learning; and that vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor. Comprehensive eye and vision examinations...are important for all children first entering school and regularly throughout their school-aged years to ensure healthy eyes and adequate visual skills essential for successful academic achievement.”  National PTA Policy Statement 2005, Elements of Comprehensive Health Programs
    • "Early testing for vision problems is key to preventing learning disabilities or, in some cases, significant visual impairment in children."  Ned Calonge, MD, MPH, Task Force Chairman, Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
    • “A three year study of 540 children found that those children who had visual perceptual and eye movement difficulties did poorly on standardized tests.”  Dr. Lynn Hellerstein, FAAO, FCOVD, Developmental Optometrist and Past President of COVD

    The bottom line: Get your children’s eyes examined by the eye doctor! This is critical if your child has any type of learning challenge or disability.

    Stay Tuned and Be Well

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 3 weeks ago
  • Views: 158
  • Not yet rated

• Tour of California: Cycling & Tour of California: Cycling & Vision

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    The Tour of California, a professional cycling event that brings together athletes from around the world, is underway -- prompting me to think about the connection between vision and cycling.  As is the case in all sports, good vision plays a key part in the sport of cycling and can give the cyclist a competitive edge.

    When you're cycling -- for fun or in a race -- the body does most of the work. The eyes, though, lead the body and tell the body what to do. Here are some of the factors to keep in mind:

    1. Depth and distance perception, which affect timing decisions

    2. Peripheral vision, which helps guide you through the pack of cyclists and to see other riders as they approach you from behind. When you squint, you reduce your peripheral vision and can negatively affect your balance and speed. Wearing appropriate eyewear can help prevent squinting.

    3. Contrast, which helps you to see changes in the road's surface. Lenses like those from Transitions can improve contrast and decrease glare, giving a better read of the course. They also reduce eyestrain by adjusting to various lighting conditions.

    4. Eye movement skills, which affect balance. Each eye has six muscles that move it in concert with the other eye. Keeping your eyes relaxed helps reduce eye fatigue. Erratic eye movements can slow you down and impair your balance. 

    5. Balance, which is everything in cycling. Nerve messages from the eyes go to balancing centers in the brain. Try keeping your balance on one leg with your eyes closed to test out the role of vision.

    The bottom line is that good vision and eye protection are critical to cyclists of all levels, and should be protected and enhanced with an annual eye exam and with a Transitions or similar lens that will adjust to varying lighting conditions -- keeping the eyes rested, decreasing glare and enhancing contrast. A good lens will also protect the eyes from the harmful effects of UV radiation -- protecting healthy sight for a lifetime of safe cycling.

    Stay Tuned and Be Well!

     

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 258

• Healthy Confessions with Dr. J Healthy Confessions with Dr. Janet: Interview with Dr. Larry Lampert

  • From: JanetETaylorMD
  • Description:
  • 4 months ago
  • Views: 14
  • Not yet rated

• Better Eye Protection for 2010 Better Eye Protection for 2010

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    Baby Boomers are one of the largest population segments in the United States. Healthcare is a primary concern but too often eye health is overlooked. A comprehensive eye exam can help identify underlying health concerns and also determine if a person has macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 65.

    Protecting your eyes from UV exposure may help reduce the chances of developing macular degeneration and other vision conditions. In addition to wearing a wide- brimmed hat and UV protecting clothing, I recommend my patients consider Transitions lenses, which automatically darken and block 100% of harmful UV rays. 

    Remember even if you are seeing well, you want to get regular eye exams for the entire family.

    Stay Tuned and Be Well  

     

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 496

• Super Bowl Memories Super Bowl Memories

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    Last week in South Florida I was privileged to be a part of Radio Row, which is a gathering of sports radio stations to report on the Super Bowl and interview celebrities and athletes in town for the big game. I was there to do several radio interviews along with Lesley Visser, a sportscaster who was the first female NFL analyst on TV. We were there for Transitions Lenses spreading the Healthy Sight message and the need to protect the eyes from harmful UV rays that come from the sun. It was a wonderful experience, and I got to see and meet many football greats.

    Watching the Super Bowl last Sunday brought back fond memories of my work with Qadry Ismail, nicknamed The Missile. He's a pro football player I met when he first started with the Ravens. You can Google him and check out his career. Qadry came to me looking for help with his vision for the game. He told me he was "on the bubble" and needed to prove himself with the Ravens. Long story short: I programmed some Sports Vision Training for him, shortly thereafter he posted career high statistics, and was on the team when they won the 2001 Super Bowl. He tells me after the training he felt like all the plays were in slow motion. Quadry gave me a picture of himself and wrote two quotes on it. One was "Thanks Dr Lampert for helping me slooow the ball down" and the other was "Look, Ma, I can see the football." Today Qadry is an NFL analyst on ESPN News. 

    Whether you are an athlete or a spectator I would like to emphasize the need to see your eyecare provider regularly. One announcer on Radio Row asked me some of the signs you would notice if you were developing certain eye diseases. I told him the key was prevention and having your eyecare provider pick things up before you even notice them. So get your eye exam even if you think you are seeing well.

     

  • Blog post
  • 7 months ago
  • Views: 454
  • Not yet rated

• What Is Sports Vision Training What Is Sports Vision Training?

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    Throughout my career I've had the opportunity to work with athletes from the PGA TOUR, LPGA TOUR, Major League Baseball, and the NFL. I've also worked with professional tennis players and many athletes in the collegiate and high school ranks. Whenever I work with athletes, they are always looking to have their vision give them an extra edge and help them perform better at their sport.

    Sports vision training allows athletes to use their vision to enhance their performance. I'd like to share my model for sports vision training so people can begin to understand how improving their vision truly does improve their game.

    The first part of my model for sports vision training is gaining an awareness of your own visual system.  In order to gain a greater understanding of your visual system, there are several questions you need to answer: Are you left- or right-eye dominant? How well do your eyes work as a team? Are you right- or left-handed? These questions help to reveal important aspects about how your visual system works and what you can do to improve your visual skills.

    Once you have an understanding of your own visual system, there are many tips that can help you better use your system to benefit your performance. If you are right-eye dominant you will do a variety of activities in sports very differently than if you are left-eye dominant. It affects how you line up your eyes over a putt in golf, how you hit a backhand in tennis, and how you position yourself in the batter's box for baseball or softball.

    The final step is training and developing your visual skills. Once you have learned about your vision, there are many different drills and exercises you can do to enhance your vision.

    Please continue checking back as we begin to discuss how to optimize your vision for success on and off the field.

    Stay tuned and BeWell

     

     

  • Blog post
  • 7 months ago
  • Views: 181
  • Not yet rated

• Seeing Is Believing: Children' Seeing Is Believing: Children's Vision & Learning Statistics

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    Experts estimate 25% of school-age children in the United States have vision problems. Yet, only 10% of kids between 9 and 15 years who need glasses actually have them. It’s alarming to me that about 40-67% of children with vision problems do not receive the recommended eye exams or glasses.
    
    It’s estimated that 80% of learning comes through the visual processing of information. Imagine how many children could improve their learning if only they could see properly. According to the National PTA more that 10 million children in this country suffer from vision problems that may affect academic performance. Despite this reality, two out of three children in the U.S. never receive any preventive vision care before they enter elementary school.
    
    Although 33 states (including the District of Columbia) require vision screenings, 27 of these states do not require a child who fails these screenings to be sees by an eye doctor. Most of these screenings only check vision on a distance chart and do not test kids up close, where reading and computer work take place. There are many other visual skills, too, such as eye focusing, eye teaming, visual tracking, and more that need to be assessed and addressed.
    
    Untreated vision problems are linked to high school drop out rates, social and emotional problems, juvenile delinquency, adult literacy problems, and incarcerations. One economist estimates that if a mere one percent more males graduated from high school each year, we would reduce the number of crimes committed by 100,000 per year and save $1.4 billion annually.
    
    How many of our children would have the course of their lives changed and what would be the positive impact on society if the full range of vision problems were adequately detected and addressed?
    
    Stay tuned and Bewell!

  • Blog post
  • 8 months ago
  • Views: 230

• Larrydomd

  • Member
  • Points: 255
  • Views: 15
  • Since: 10 months ago
  • Not yet rated

• Block Those Rays Block Those Rays

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    One of the best things about living in Florida is there’s no off-season for golf. Scratch golfers and weekend warriors can be found on the course year round.

    Whenever I'm at the golf course, I always notice people lathering up with sunscreen before their round. I also catch quite a few players with sunglasses on the tops of their hat, or wearing no eye protection at all. While I’m glad to see people taking the proper precautions to protect their skin, it pains me to see how few remember to protect their eyes from the sun.

    Most people are aware of the damage UV rays can cause the skin, but very few realize how these rays also pose a threat to the eyes. As an optometrist and sports vision specialist who has worked with both professional and amateur athletes, I’m eager to educate athletes and outdoor enthusiasts about the importance of keeping their eyes protected when outdoors.

    Taking simple steps to protect your eyes while outdoors may help prevent many long-term eye health problems, like cataracts and macular degeneration, which can lead to premature blindness. One important fact to remember is that UV damage is cumulative, so it is never too early -- or too late -- to start protecting your eyes with UV-protecting lenses.

    Within one week in September I saw two PGA Tour golfers in my office with sun exposure-related growths on the fronts of their eyes (known as pinquecula and pterygium). These are bumps that form on the white parts of the eyes usually at the 3 and 9 o’clock positions next to the iris. In the case of pterygium, the growths extend onto the cornea and can eventually affect vision. One player has a history of having his pterygium surgically removed and it has re-grown over the cornea again. Both players are now aware how important it is to protect their eyes from the sun’s rays. 

    So remember...protect your eyes as well as your skin when outdoors!

    Stay tuned and BeWell.

  • Blog post
  • 11 months ago
  • Views: 161

• Eye on School: Is Your Child R Eye on School: Is Your Child Ready?

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    If your child can’t see properly, he or she will have a difficult time learning. Makes sense, right? Yet 86% of kids start school without ever having an eye exam.

    The American Optometric Association recently released the results of a survey which indicates that 88% of respondents didn’t realize that one in four students has a visual impairment. 

    Other studies have shown that 60% of children labeled as “problem learners” may actually have undetected vision problems. The New Jersey Commission on Business Efficiency of the Public School reports that “undiagnosed and untreated vision related learning problems are significant contributors to early reading difficulties and ultimately to special education classification.”

    As I have said before, I have seen complete turnarounds in school and self esteem when an undetected vision problem is addressed. I remember an aloof young girl that was made to sit on a stool by herself in the corner of the classroom by the teacher because “maybe then she would pay attention.”  I found that she needed glasses and could not focus her eyes. Soon after treatment she won an award for the most improved student, went into the top reading group, and was a smiling participant in the classroom. No one had ever recommended an eye exam to her parents.

    Arizona Cardinals 2008 NFC West Champion’s wide receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, has recently stated in the media, “Vision problems can have a serious impact on a child’s education. Don’t wait to see if this school year will be better. Take action today!” Larry experienced vision problems that affected his ability to pay attention in school. His grandfather, Dr. Robert Johnson, an optometrist, diagnosed the vision problem and the appropriate treatment. Larry reports that this treatment was one of the keys to his success.

    The American Optometric Association recommends the first eye assessment take place at 6 months of age followed by a comprehensive exam at 3 years of age, and then every two years thereafter unless directed otherwise by the eye doctor. Screenings are not nearly as reliable as a full exam.

    This and every school year parents and teachers should watch for the following behaviors in kids:

    • Squints when reading or watching TV
    • Avoids close work
    • Omits or substitutes small words when reading
    • Consistently performs below potential
    • Holds reading material close to their face
    • Struggles to finish homework
    • Tendency to rub eyes
    • Behavioral problems
    • Frequent headaches
    • Frequent reversals when reading or writing
    • Uses a finger to keep place when reading
    • Loses place when reading
    • Turns or tilts head when looking at something

    An eye exam is indicated if you notice the above. Remember to get your own eyes examined regularly as well. Many eye conditions are successfully treated if detected early enough and this is usually before these conditions are noticed by the patient. Also the eye exam is like a second physical. Eye doctors are sometimes the first to detect high blood pressure, diabetes, and other systemic conditions. Do your family a favor and get everyone’s eyes examined. 

    Stay tuned and BeWell!

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 150

• Vision Quest: Welcome to My Be Vision Quest: Welcome to My BeWell Blog

  • From: LawrenceDLampertOD
  • Description:

    Welcome. As an optometrist I aim to make my new BeWell blog all about the two “i’s” (pun intended!): interactive and interesting. 

    Interactive: I invite and look forward to your participation, questions, comments, wisdom, and debate. Let’s make this a conversation.

    Interesting: My specialty goes way beyond looking at the eyes as an organ. I’m passionate about visual performance in the areas of sports vision training, vision and learning, stroke and head injury vision rehabilitation, and binocular vision (how the eyes work together as a team). Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, for example, has been in the media attributing much of his success to the vision training he received from his grandfather, Dr. Robert Johnson, a developmental optometrist. For your inner athlete, I’ll let you in on many of the sports vision tips and drills I use with pro and amateur athletes to improve their game. In the area of vision and learning, there will be so many topics to cover -- from the visual skills necessary to succeed in the classroom or be a safer driver to brain fitness and stroke and head injury recovery.

    As way of background, here’s what I’ve been up to recently:

    • I am developing software that will address training for learning related vision skills, sports vision, driving safety, brain fitness, and safety of military personnel.
    • I have written and recorded two music CD’s for a company called Flipping for Phonics. The system uses a phonics teaching tool, instructional DVD, storybooks, and the CD’s of the stories put to music. The storybooks have been designed to reinforce some of the visual skills needed for reading.
    • As a spokesperson for Transitions Optical, I am also running a study with over fifty PGA Touring Pros on a golf-specific concept lens that increases contrast, decreases glare, and adjusts to varying lighting conditions. These lenses wouldn’t have to be removed during the game, so players could benefit from protecting the eyes from harmful UV rays all the time. Initial responses are very positive.

    All of the above starts with Healthy Sight, so of course those general topics will be addressed as well.

    Don’t forget: August is Vision and Learning Month. As our children go back to school, I urge you to get their eyes checked if you have not done so already. I’ve witnessed complete turnarounds in school performance when a child’s previously undiagnosed vision problem has been addressed.

    In closing I would like to say that I am very excited and looking forward to our blog time together.  So…stay tuned and BeWell!

  • Blog post
  • 1 year ago
  • Views: 152

• SABCS: HER2/neu News & More SABCS: HER2/neu News & More

  • From: SusanMLoveMD
  • Description:

    Yesterday, the morning sessions at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium focused on hormone-sensitive tumors and how best to treat them. Today the focus was on HER2/neu overexpressing tumors. For these tumors, Trastuzumab (more commonly known as Herceptin) was a breakthrough when it was first introduced, but its widespread use has demonstrated tumors that become resistant and some that are not sensitive to this drug. During this morning's sessions, there was much discussion on finding better ways to measure HER2/neu in the lab and the new drugs that appear to work when a tumor is resistant to Herceptin. Not only were some new drugs described, but there was also talk of a possible marker that will be able to distinguish in advance which tumors should be treated with Herceptin versus lapatinib. While very interesting, all this information falls into the 'stay tuned' category.

    
    

    I was privileged to moderate a press conference that included two very interesting papers. The first was an analysis of the death rate of breast cancer in women who had taken hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the California Teachers Study. Not surprisingly, the tumors that develop in the context of HRT are generally 'good tumors' with a good prognosis. HRT causes more breast cancers, but they tend to be less aggressive. This has been known and I must admit -- since the women with these tumors still need to undergo surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, and maybe chemotherapy -- that I doubt they feel that “good” to those who get them. 

    
    

    The second paper we discussed was also very interesting. It looked at whether the act of having primary care doctors fill out a form describing their clinical breast exam improves the quality of their breast exam and, ultimately, results in finding more cancers. Much to everyone's surprise, it did. Even though there was no special training, simply giving primary care physicians a form to complete seemed to make them pay more attention to their breast exams. In these days of MRI, breast PET scans, and digital mammography, it was refreshing to find that clinical breast cancer can be improved with such a low-tech approach. 

    
    

    The morning ended with a great brain-stretching talk by Larry Norton of Memorial Sloan Kettering, who proposed a new theory of breast cancer where some cancers cells can metastasize back into the breast.  I am not sure I believe it, but it is making me think, which is always fun!

  • Blog post
  • 2 years ago
  • Views: 23
  • Not yet rated