Ibis Vision

IbisVision has developed an advanced online platform with a suite of best in class products and exams, allowing eye care professionals to provide the best possible service to patients and customers. Our dedication to creating greater accessibility in eye care has driven us to work with some forward-thinking leaders across both the optometry and healthcare sectors.

To support awareness throughout National Eye Health Week (NEHW), we are highlighting some of our work with these leaders, in particular the NHS as one of the key discussion themes over the next few days, as well as sharing more on how our technology can be utilised as an early detection tool.

Since 2021, IbisVision has been working with NHS Forth Valley to develop a remote vision screening platform solution that could integrate into wider NHS services and Ophthalmic patient pathways. Our work in Forth Valley and further afield has allowed us to focus on the provisions for children’s eye care to ensure clinicians can provide accessible, flexible and convenient eye care to as many children as possible so they can receive regular check-ups. As well as this, it has allowed us to look into and explore how our technology could become part of the solution in stroke assessments within NHS communities.

IbisVision’s NHS projects have led to us being able to explore our online testing platform further and plan for how we can continue to make advancements in our technology for the future of eye care. NEHW is an important week for reflecting on some of the issues at hand and with myopia becoming an ongoing cause for concern as well as access to NHS eye care services, IbisVision is well poised to help in raising awareness with our interlinked purposes and continued support of the NHS.

To find out more about our online platform, IBIS-Connect and features including online refraction, a suite of online eye exams and live video consultations, click here.

Healthy Vision Month comes around every May and was created to stress the importance of our eyes and keeping them healthy. Back in 2003, the National Eye Institute established this month to spread awareness and educate people on maintaining good eye health. Organisations and individuals spend May spreading the word via social media, hosting events, and promoting via their organisation channels and networks.

Therefore, it’s the perfect month to get the word out there and share how we can all maintain healthy vision. So, what are some of the main things we can do to look after our eyes?

1 – Of course, the top tip is to have regular eye examinations with your optometrist. Often, some conditions can go unnoticed or even have no symptoms at all so it’s vital to get your eyes checked by an eye care professional. An eye exam will pick up any irregularities so make sure an eye exam is top of your priority list once every 2 years!

2 – Smoking is a big no-no when it comes to looking after eye health. This is because as well as influencing your general health, it can double the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration which is the leading cause of sight loss in the UK (RNIB).

3 – Paying attention to your diet and eating healthily is a good way to look after your eyes. According to Healthline, some serious eye conditions can be avoided if you include foods that contain a range of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals known as antioxidants. For a full list, visit the Healthline website, here.

4 – Protect your eyes from the sun; UVA and UVB rays can be harmful to your eyes and could increase the risk of cataracts and AMD. You can avoid this risk by wearing sunglasses that are CE marked and have been made to the standard requirements to allow for maximum protection.

There are various ways we can ensure our eyes stay healthy as you can see from some of the tips above. It’s important that this month we keep sharing what we can do with our networks to ensure we’re spreading the news effectively.

Accessibility is key in providing eye exams and that’s where IbisVision comes in. Our tele-optometry platform ensures optometrists can examine patients anywhere at any time. This supports them in carrying out routine eye examinations, triaging and aiding in the early detection of eye conditions. Find out more about our platform, here.

*Healthy vision tips based on guidance issued by RNIB.

Brain Tumour Awareness Week started on the 29^th of October and is running until the 5^th of November. Awareness will be raised this week through several mediums, including social media campaigns, sponsored walks, and various fundraising events. The more that we can shout about the symptoms and signs of a brain tumour, the better; it could be essential in helping others to identify if something may be wrong.

As an online eye testing platform, we’re aware of how important eye tests can be in identifying if there’s a problem that needs attention. How can an eye test help? It identifies symptoms that may be related to a brain tumour as well as identifying other health conditions too.

A regular routine eye test can detect problems that we may not even know are there. An optometrist can often discover issues that indicate a brain tumour before the individual even notices any signs or symptoms. Brain Tumour Research have stated that,

“An eye test is good at identifying swelling of the optic nerve (a condition called papilledema) and can also identify when there is pressure on the optic nerve.”

This allows for an optometrist to recommend further investigation which can often lead to life saving discoveries and treatments. Here are some eye symptoms that need to be looked out for below. If you experience any of these it’s important to visit your doctor or optometrist to talk about your concerns.

Squinting

Worsening vision

Blurred or double vision

Restricted field of vision, loss of peripheral vision, blind spots

Problems with looking upwards or controlling eye movements

Abnormal eye movements such as flickering eyes

Head tilt, usually because the patient is turning to see things out of the corner of their eye rather than looking straight at them

Brief loss, blurring or “greying out” of vision, sometimes triggered by coughing, sneezing or bending down

As the tumour grows, it may cause the eyeball to bulge forwards. This is known as proptosis.

It’s important to note that these are only symptoms related to eyes, be sure to check all symptoms to be aware of, here. This is an important awareness week and we’re keen to share more about regular eye testing. Make sure to share what information you can with your patients, networks, family and friends; it might just save a life.

Since it’s #NationalSaveYourVisionMonth we’re taking a look at all of the important steps you can take to protect your vision. IbisVision’s technology supports optometrists in making eye tests more widely accessible so that any eye conditions and health concerns can be detected as early as possible; but what else can be done to protect our vision?

Follow the 20/20/20 rule. This rule helps to focus your vision away from your screen throughout the day. You should take a break every 20 minutes, focusing on something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Take care of your contact lenses. If you have reusable lenses, make sure you’re cleansing them properly to avoid putting any unwanted bacteria into your eyes.

Eat the right foods. Our eyes respond to the food we put into our body. There are lots of nutrients in certain foods that support healthy vision so we can make sure we’re eating the right things for our bodies and eye health. Staying hydrated also helps too!

Keep active. Exercise reduces both blood pressure and eye pressure which is beneficial for reducing your risk of glaucoma. As well as this, exercising 3-4 times a week can also reduce your risk of Age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Book your eye test. As mentioned above, detecting eye conditions as early as possible is vital with many conditions. Regular routine eye tests are important for your eye health and detecting eye concerns and other health conditions. It’s also just as important for anyone with children to make sure their eye tests are up to date too. Children are developing myopia at a very alarming rate and early diagnosis is essential to protect their long-term eye health so make sure to keep on top of your entire family’s eye health routine.

{Source: https://oregoneyeconsultants.com/10-healthy-eye-tips-for-save-your-vision-awareness-month/}

Every year we celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8^th. It’s a day of celebration in many countries across the world and is an important time to recognise women for their contributions to their work, families, and movements throughout history.

We’ve decided to look at the optical industry and some of the amazing women who have made it what it is today. Let’s take a look:

The first female optometrist

Gertude Stanton was reported to become the first licensed female optometrist in 1899. Representation of women in the optometry field was extremely limited at this time and continued to be so for many years. After Gertude began to pave the way for women to enter the sector there were still many barriers faced and by 1968 only 2.1% of active optometrists in the US were women; there was still much to be done in the industry! Great strides have been made since then however, and the 2018 annual report of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO) showed that around 40% of fellows and 63% of candidates for fellowship were female.

{Facts and figures from The Journal of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry}

The first woman appointed Professor of Optometry in the United Kingdom

In a traditionally male dominated field, women began to find their place in the education of optometry. Shahina Pardhan became the first female Professor of Optometry in the United Kindgom in 1993. She has broken down many barriers for those coming after her and still continues to give guidance and advice to women in the sector. In a 2019 interview with The Ophthalmologist she shared, “If you start losing confidence, look to the women around you for advice. It was only with the help of my family and line managers that I was able to break down some of the barriers holding me back,” (theophthalmologist.com)

Leading the way in American optometry

As an ever-growing sector, the achievements of women in optometry continue to grow year on year. In the US we have been lucky to see many of these developments in our lifetime. Joan Exford became the first female president of the American Academy of Optometry in 1993 and the AOA followed the appointment of a female president in 2011 with Dori Carlson taking the position. These are all positive steps for representation in the sector and we hope to continue to see this happen.

{Information taken from Minnesota.aoa.org}

Optometrists named in the UK list of the top 100 female entrepreneurs

Dr Valarie Jerome and Roshni Dalia were both named within Small Business Britain’s #ialso100 campaign in 2021. Both optometrists have done a lot of great work for the optometry sector in the UK over the past few years with Dr Jerome offering remote eye care services during the Covid-19 pandemic and collecting prescriptions and shopping for those isolating in her area. Roshni Dalia qualified as an optometrist in 2012 and became a business owner at the young age of 27. She’s hoping to use her platform to inspire young woman to keep working towards their goals and encourage them to continue with hard work and determination in the sector. These women and many like them in their field are doing so much to inspire those around them as well as upcoming optometrists.

{Information taken from aop.org.uk}

These accomplishments are just some of the things achieved by women in this sector and there are many more across the entire healthcare profession. We continue to see the effects of these actions reflected everyday from women across the profession. It’s important to promote and celebrate these developments on this day and every day so we can strive to keep this growing representation for women in any and every industry.

During the summer we always think about protecting our skin from the sun, but we should also be thinking about protecting our eyes from UV rays as well. Increased exposure to sunlight is known to put us more at risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration so it’s important to think about how we can limit the damage from UV rays. It’s also vital to remember that sun damage does not only occur in the summer, we are also at risk throughout the rest of the year too.

Here are some tips from the American Academy of Ophthalmology to help us protect our eyes from sun damage.

Don’t focus on colour or darkness of sunglass lenses: Select sunglasses that block UV rays. The ability to block UV light is not dependent on the price tag or how dark the sunglass lenses are.

Check for 100 percent UV protection: Make sure your sunglasses block 100 percent of UV-A rays and UV-B rays.

Choose wrap-around styles: Ideally, your sunglasses should wrap all the way around to your temples, so the sun’s rays can’t enter from the side.

Wear a hat: In addition to your sunglasses, wear a broad-brimmed hat to protect your eyes.

Don’t rely on contact lenses: Even if you wear contact lenses with UV protection, remember your sunglasses.

Don’t be fooled by clouds: The sun’s rays can pass through haze and thin clouds. Sun damage to eyes can occur anytime during the year, not just in the summertime.

Protect your eyes during peak sun times: Sunglasses should be worn whenever outside, and it’s especially important to wear sunglasses in the early afternoon and at higher altitudes, where UV light is more intense.

Never look directly at the sun. Looking directly at the sun at any time, including during an eclipse, can lead to solar retinopathy, damage to the eye’s retina from solar radiation.

Don’t forget the kids: Everyone is at risk, including children.

Protect their eyes with hats and sunglasses. In addition, try to keep children out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s UV rays are the strongest.

Source: https://www.eyeandhealth.com/blog/july-is-uv-safety-awareness-month