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Eye Care 2018 & Public Health Congress 2018 Archives of General Internal Medicine | ISSN: 2591-7951 | Volume 2
S e p t e m b e r 0 3 - 0 4 , 2 0 1 8 | L i s b o n , P o r t u g a l
alliedacademies Joint Event on
PUBLIC HEALTH, EPIDEMIOLOGY AND NUTRITION
OCULAR PHARMACOLOGY AND EYE CARE
&
World Congress on
19th International Conference on
Mark Roark, Arch Gen Intern Med 2018, Volume 2 | DOI: 10.4066/2591-7951-C4-011
THE POWER OF CONTRAST SENSITIVITY
AND NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION IN
PRIMARY EYE CARE
Mark Roark
Allisonville Eye Care Center, USA
Purpose: This paper discusses the proper use of visual acuity measurement
and its limitations in assessing a patient’s ability to perform daily activities.
It demonstrates that Contrast Sensitivity (CS) testing, when measured at
intermediate spatial frequencies, is a powerful tool useful in providing unique
and important information for both patients with healthy eyes and those with
ocular pathology. The results of CS testing enable the practitioner to provide
more accurate guidance regarding nutritional intervention with macular
carotenoids as shown in recent research, and for other interventions as
indicated.
Method: The proper methods for measuring CS are described with a
comparison of sine wave gratings and letter charts. The Harris Contrast Test
for measuring CS with an electronic device is discussed and compared to
the Pelli-Robson Chart for assessing letter CS. Normal letter CS threshold
ranges are presented for patients with no ocular pathology with a suggested
action diagram. The effect of ocular disease on letter CS is also detailed with
suggestions for appropriate action with monitoring or referring a cataract
patient. New research showing the positive effect of nutrition on visual
performance in patients with early Age-Related Macular Degeneration is also
reviewed.
Results: Case illustrations show that the techniques presented for measuring
CS provide a powerful tool for proper assessment and appropriate
management of patients with impaired CS in the clinic setting. The practical
application of nutritional intervention utilizing the latest research findings is
demonstrated for patients with no apparent ocular pathology and for those
with ocular disease.
Conclusions: Eye Care Practitioners cannot effectively help a patient unless
they truly understand the patient’s visual world. This requires the use of both
visual acuity testing and accurate CS measurements at intermediate spatial
frequencies for the best patient care.
Mark W Roark is graduated with High Honors from
Indiana University with a Doctorate in Optometry
and founded Allisonville Eye Care Center in Fishers,
Indiana in 2003. He is certified in the treatment and
management of ocular disease by the International
Association of Boards of Examiners in Optometry
and is a Member of the American and Indiana Opto-
metric Associations. He is also a Fellow of the Amer-
ican Academy of Optometry and a Member of the
Ocular Nutrition Society. He has a special interest in
educating his patients about ocular nutrition and has
lectured to other eye care professionals in several
states on the importance of macular carotenoids in
optimizing eye health and visual performance. In re-
sponse to increasing demand, he has also developed
a large and growing Dry Eye Clinic in his private prac-
tice. Since 1991, he has been involved in providingmo-
bile eye care services to the poor in several third world
countries including Bolivia, Honduras, Jamaica, Haiti
and Dominica. Additionally, he has provided eye care
services to assisted-living residents of Indianapolis for
over 15 years.
BIOGRAPHY