Laser pointers: toys, nuisances, or significant eye hazards?

BACKGROUND: Laser pointers have been used inappropriately to harass and "dazzle" victims. Reports of retinal damage caused by pointers have also been circulated in the popular press. METHODS: Information on pointer abuse was collected from the literature and through discussions with specialists. RESULTS: Few, if any, documented cases of permanent retinal damage caused by laser pointers could be found. For actual damage to occur, viewing, times need to exceed approximately 10 seconds. Exposures of this duration would require the person being lased to cooperate by holding fixation on the laser beam. CONCLUSIONS: Although the risk of permanent retinal damage from a laser-pointer beam is minimal, other risks include dazzle, annoyance, and concern that a weapon-aiming device rather than a pointer is generating the laser beam.

Optometric trends in sports vision: knowledge, utilization, and practitioner role expansion potential.

BACKGROUND: The optometric discipline of sports vision is a relatively young and actively growing area which has spurred the interest of optometrists and sports organizations at the high school, college, and professional levels. METHODS: 473 optometrists were surveyed and compared to a similar survey sent to 100 optometrists in 1980 and 1983. Also, college and professional teams were surveyed. RESULTS: Optometrists felt there were more opportunities available in sports vision. Contact lenses, particularly soft lenses, were found to be continued in favor over rigid lenses, and nearly half surveyed have utilized vision training in their practices. College and professional sports suggest a broader acceptance and utilization of sports vision services. CONCLUSIONS: Since the establishment of the American Optometric Association Sports Vision Section (AOA-SVS) fourteen years ago, advances have been made in utilization and acceptance of sports vision worldwide. However, this survey demonstrates that despite the increase of vision care consultants, there is still an unmet need for vision care/screening services at the collegiate and professional levels.

Influence of ocular gaze and head position on 4 m heterophoria and fixation disparity.

Four-meter heterophoria and fixation disparity measurements were taken from a sample of 40 young adults in primary gaze, 33 degrees left and right lateral gaze, and in 2 head/gaze positions related to golf putting. Comparisons using analysis of variance were made between the mean values in each gaze position and between the test-retest range of values in each gaze position. Mean heterophoria was more eso (p less than 0.05) in the two head/gaze positions related to golf putting than in other gaze positions, whereas mean fixation disparity was more eso (p less than 0.05) in rightward than in primary gaze. Phoria test-retest range was less (p less than 0.05) in all nonprimary gaze positions than in primary gaze. One of the putting-related gaze positions showed smaller (p less than 0.05) fixation disparity ranges than the primary or leftward position of gaze. All measures were highly variable among subjects. Trends present in the data suggested greater esophoria and eso fixation disparity mean values, and lesser heterophoria and fixation disparity test-retest range values in all nonprimary positions relative to primary gaze. The behavior of exophoric and esophoric subjects differed only in regard to changes in heterophoria associated with left and right lateral gaze. These data indicate differences in oculomotor postural tendencies relative to position of gaze. Relevance of the results to athletes is discussed.