FALL 2000 – WINTER 2001

Inside this issue
Research Projects Funded, Year 2000	Alert! Trendy Colored Contact Lenses
ISPB NEWS	Exercise and Glaucoma
ISPB Lectureship, Year 2000 (COS)	Community Health Charities of Illinois
Research Updates	Guidelines for Eye Drops
Vision Loss and High Blood Pressure	Recalls
High Salt-Intake & Vision/Health Problems	Remembrances
New EYE SPY Presenters	Quick Tips

RESEARCH PROJECTS FUNDED BY ISPB FOR 2000

The board of directors of the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness has approved financial support, totaling nearly $28,000, to ten research projects at six Illinois institutions.

“It is a privilege for us to support such worthwhile starter and ongoing research projects in the prevention of blindness,” states Dr. Charles M. Vygantas, M.D., chair, ISPB professional committee. “This support will continue, each year, as our funds permit,” he continued.

The research projects being supported for the Year 2000 include:

Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital Jay I. Perlman, M.D., Ph.D. and James D. Stittsworth, Jr., Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigators, Ultrastructural Investigation of Retina Implanted with a Microphotodiode-Based Array (See Research Updates, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Page 3); Joan Stelmack, O.D. and Co-Investigator, Thomas R. Stelmack, O.D., Preventing Disabling Effects of Vision Loss in Patients with Age Related Macular Degeneration.
Illinois College of Optometry Mary F. Flynn, O.D., F.A.A.O. and Co-Investigators, Gerald A. Fishman, M.D. and Sandeep Grover, M.D., Clinical Course of Vision Loss in Choroideremia; Choroideremia; Daniel K. Roberts, O.D., M.S., Factors in Expression of the Pigment Dispersion Syndrome: Iris Thickness and Other Parameter Differences Between African-Americans and Caucasians; Rebecca K. Zoltoski, Ph.D., The Effect of Antioxidant Vitamins E and C on Tryptophan-Deficiency Cataract in the Guinea Pig.
Loyola University Medical Center Thomas John, M.D., Comparison of the Efficacy of Olfloxacin vs. Ciprofloxacin Against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa Adherence to Pig Corneal Stroma During LASIK Surgery.
Northwestern University Paul Bryar, M.D., Classification of Conjunctival and Orbital Lymphoid Lesions: A Study of Histopathology, Immunocytochemistry and Clinical Course.
RUSH University Alan C. Parent, M.D., Histopathologic Staining Characteristics of Indocyanine Green (ICG) Dye Following Intraocular Injection in Rabbits.
The University of Chicago Laura J. Pankow, O.D., M.S.W., Glaucoma Screening Program of Dementia Patients in a Primary Health Care Setting; Kourous A. Rezai, M.D., Immune Privilege in Retina.

THE ISPB is also proud to continue supporting two worthwhile programs — one in Chicago and one in central Illinois.

Since the 1920s, the Chicago Hearing Society (now a division of Anixter Center) has a solid record of providing hearing and vision testing services. In 1999, technicians provided vision screening for 10,544 children. Of those, 2,971 were rescreened and 301 were referred for follow-up service. Ninety-five percent served come from families whose incomes are below poverty level.

Vision for Humanity of Central Illinois (formerly VOSH of Central Illinois) has provided 7,141 vision examinations and eyeglasses for economically disadvantaged men, women and children in the area from May 1988 through December 1999. Seventy-three percent of those served were children. The ISPB continues to pay for the lens grinding expenses provided by a local laboratory at a discounted cost.

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The Visionary, published as a service of the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness,
is available upon request. The information contained in this issue,
taken from sources considered to be accurate,
does not replace the need for professional eye care consultations and treatments.

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