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Spectacle Aid for Contact Lens Wearers with Bilateral Aphakia
VOL. 80, NO. 3, PART II
NOTES, CASES, INSTRUMENTS
547
SPECTACLE AID FOR CONTACT LENS WEARERS WITH BILATERAL A P H A K I A RICHARD A. BROWN,
M.D.,
STEVEN G. KRAMER,
M.D.,
AND DWAYNE ERICKSON
San Francisco, California Patients with bilateral aphakia are often candidates for contact lens optical correction, but these patients may be handicapped by their aphakia in accomplishing contact lens insertion. We developed a spectacle to help these patients insert a contact lens. Two spectacle lenses are independently hinged to the spec tacle frame so that each can be flipped up out of the optic axis (Fig. 1). One lens is an aphakic near correction (+14.00 diopter sphere) and the other lens is a phakic near correction (+3.00 diopter sphere) (Fig. 2 ) . The patient wears the spectacles with the +14.00 diopter lens down and the +3.00 diopter lens up to insert the first contact lens; he then flips up the +14.00 diopter lens and flips down the +3.00 diopter lens over the contact lens to insert the second contact lens. The spectacles are then re moved. A series of patients with bilateral aphakia found these spectacles helpful in manipulat ing their contact lenses, especially in the initial phases of contact lens handling and wear. Some patients ultimately found they were able to abandon the +3.00 diopter lens and no longer needed it when inserting the second contact lens. This device can greatly aid aphakic contact lens wearers, especially those with bilateral aphakia who have not previously worn con tact lenses.
From the Veterans Administration Hospital, and the Department of Ophthalmology of the Univer sity of California, San Francisco, California. Reprint requests to Richard A. Brown, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cali fornia Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94143.
Fig. 1 (Brown, Kramer, and Erickson). Spec tacle lenses are independently hinged to spectacle frame.
Fig. 2 (Brown, Kramer, and Erickson). The right lens is an aphakic near correction (+14.00 diopter sphere) and the left lens a phakic near cor rection (+3.00 diopter sphere). SUMMARY
A spectacle aid has been developed for helping patients with bilateral aphakia insert contact lenses. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The spectacle aid was manufactured by JenkelDavidson, House of Vision Optical Company, 816 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103, and is avail able upon request
A N E W PORTABLE A P P L A N A T I O N TONOMETER MICHAEL E. YABLONSKI,
M.D.
Minneapolis, Minnesota By attaching the standard Goldmann plastic applanation doubling prism to the stylus of a Scherr Tumico dynamometer, From the University of Minnesota, Department of Ophthalmology, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Reprint requests to Michael E. Yablonski, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, University of Min nesota, A-684 Mayo Memorial Bldg., Minneapolis, MN 5S4SS.
NOTES, CASES, INSTRUMENTS
547
SPECTACLE AID FOR CONTACT LENS WEARERS WITH BILATERAL A P H A K I A RICHARD A. BROWN,
M.D.,
STEVEN G. KRAMER,
M.D.,
AND DWAYNE ERICKSON
San Francisco, California Patients with bilateral aphakia are often candidates for contact lens optical correction, but these patients may be handicapped by their aphakia in accomplishing contact lens insertion. We developed a spectacle to help these patients insert a contact lens. Two spectacle lenses are independently hinged to the spec tacle frame so that each can be flipped up out of the optic axis (Fig. 1). One lens is an aphakic near correction (+14.00 diopter sphere) and the other lens is a phakic near correction (+3.00 diopter sphere) (Fig. 2 ) . The patient wears the spectacles with the +14.00 diopter lens down and the +3.00 diopter lens up to insert the first contact lens; he then flips up the +14.00 diopter lens and flips down the +3.00 diopter lens over the contact lens to insert the second contact lens. The spectacles are then re moved. A series of patients with bilateral aphakia found these spectacles helpful in manipulat ing their contact lenses, especially in the initial phases of contact lens handling and wear. Some patients ultimately found they were able to abandon the +3.00 diopter lens and no longer needed it when inserting the second contact lens. This device can greatly aid aphakic contact lens wearers, especially those with bilateral aphakia who have not previously worn con tact lenses.
From the Veterans Administration Hospital, and the Department of Ophthalmology of the Univer sity of California, San Francisco, California. Reprint requests to Richard A. Brown, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cali fornia Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94143.
Fig. 1 (Brown, Kramer, and Erickson). Spec tacle lenses are independently hinged to spectacle frame.
Fig. 2 (Brown, Kramer, and Erickson). The right lens is an aphakic near correction (+14.00 diopter sphere) and the left lens a phakic near cor rection (+3.00 diopter sphere). SUMMARY
A spectacle aid has been developed for helping patients with bilateral aphakia insert contact lenses. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The spectacle aid was manufactured by JenkelDavidson, House of Vision Optical Company, 816 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103, and is avail able upon request
A N E W PORTABLE A P P L A N A T I O N TONOMETER MICHAEL E. YABLONSKI,
M.D.
Minneapolis, Minnesota By attaching the standard Goldmann plastic applanation doubling prism to the stylus of a Scherr Tumico dynamometer, From the University of Minnesota, Department of Ophthalmology, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Reprint requests to Michael E. Yablonski, M.D., Department of Ophthalmology, University of Min nesota, A-684 Mayo Memorial Bldg., Minneapolis, MN 5S4SS.