Do you suggest Transitions lenses to your Pediatric patients? Explain please.
Yes
No
Don't Care
Do you suggest Transitions lenses to your Pediatric patients? Explain please.
Why? Because 9 times out of 10, they're going to lose either the matching clip-on or the sunglasses. I recommend Transitions and a back up pair.
I vote no. Like any other muscle, the muscle that controls the aperature needs to be exercised or it becomes weak. With the transition doing the work for the eye, you may create a dependency and light sensitivity (IMHO). I would reserve the transitions for your older patients.
shutterbug
Yes I do, not only as an Optician but as the mother of two daughters who wore RX sun throughout their adolescent and teen years. Back then it was photo gray, first generation transition or RX Sun. In an effort to assure they looked "cool", they had great rx sun. Because they were not easily discernable as Rx, guess hoe often they were stollen in school cafeterias? But I agree with Judy, back up should always exist.
It's a way to make more money.
In our area, parents aren't about to shell out the extra money for Transitions. A lot of the kids are so rough on their glasses. I about fell out of my chair the other day when I suggested Transitions to the daughter and the mother agreed. That's a rarity in our office.
I voted yes. We usually recommend Quantum Transitions for kids getting sport goggles. Many of our parents come in requesting Transitions because they feel their kids are going to loose a second pair or a clip on. Our stores are in rural areas where folks spend a great deal of time outdoors.
I don't usually because I am an advocate of children having a second pair of sunglasses. But on the other hand, kids ruin there glasses so quickly that shelling out the extra 80 or 90 for transitions isn't usually practical. The poly all by itself is usually pretty inexpensive and can be replaced at a discounted rate to keep the patient happy.
ad
I agree with what Shutterbug said as far as my personal opinion goes...our corporate policy is ONLY poly lenses for children 12 & under and we do not have access to poly transitions .
Karen
- http://www.extenza-eps.com/extenza/l...&type=abstract
- http://www.informedparent.com/articl...olarprotection
Wouldn't Transitions, which have a relatively controlled level of light transmission, be a better option than a tinted lens for an adolescent?... Infants and children under ten years of age may be at an increased risk for eye injury because ultraviolet light more easily penetrates the lens of the eye. As children get older the lens is able to increase its absorptive powers, thus limiting deeper eye injury to the retina. But, this increased absorption of UV light by the lens may predispose the person to the formation of cataracts. ...
... Sunglasses protect against UV light by a chemical that is added to the lens which absorbs this type of light, not because the lens is dark. In fact, dark lenses without proper UV absorbing capabilities may be harmful, because they allow more harmful light to pass through the open pupil of the eye. ...
... Fortunately, many children find that wearing sunglasses makes outdoor activities more comfortable, and that comfort may be saving their vision for the future. For further specifics, including how certain medications affect this process, see your doctor. It is never too early to encourage proper use of sunglasses.
http://www.informedparent.com/articl...olarprotection
Remember you can control the UV with a clear lenses and the pupil will contract normally. Transitions doesn't block UV any better than a tranpearent UV coating. If I have been taught correctly a darkened transitions isn't blocking any more UV than an undarkened transtions or a CR 39 with UV or an untreated Poly lens (I don't like poly but it does cut UV). In fact most lenses of any type and no coating block most UV.
But, you make more money look for more theories.
Chip
is ludicrous! As far as the money angle is concerned- who is to say that those charging $30 for a UVAB absorbative tint are not making more money? (particularly AFTER they sell the second "sunglass" pair.
Get Real folks! Transition lenses are beneficial to the patient/customer at ALL ages. They provide protection from light in the visible and invisible spectrums.They do so at less cost than an additional pair of sunglasses. Really, what is there not to like?
hj
You're correct regarding various forms of UV protection but I was referring more to the ability of Transitions to not end up too dark for children because it is not a dyed lens. Transitions will only darken to a certain density and there is no room for someone to tint the lens darker than appropriate.chip anderson said:
Remember you can control the UV with a clear lenses and the pupil will contract normally. Transitions doesn't block UV any better than a tranpearent UV coating. If I have been taught correctly a darkened transitions isn't blocking any more UV than an undarkened transtions or a CR 39 with UV or an untreated Poly lens (I don't like poly but it does cut UV). In fact most lenses of any type and no coating block most UV.
But, you make more money look for more theories.
Chip
Transition lenses can be tinted to garner a darker lens effect although minimally but they do retain that tint even once they've lightened. As to what Chip said I'm gonna back him up on his assertion because he has a valid point. All muscles can and will adapt to more or less work or stress including the eye.
To say that "The idea that transitions CREATES light sensitivity ....
is ludicrous!" is in and of itself a bit on the ludicrous side (sorry Harry). For instance if one spends a lot of time sitting at a desk you will develope adaptive shortening of the hamstrings. If you lift weights you will develope more strength and more muscle mass. If you are sedentary you will lose the muscle developement and stabalizer muscle control. If you repeat a task day in and day out the body will adapt for it in one way or another. The eye is an orbit controled by voluntary and involuntary muscle movement.
Overuse eyedrops and over time the eye will produce less tear film on its own. So it stand to reason that putting a lens in front of the eye that will lessen its need for accodating to light and dark will also create the same adaptive problems. Is it permamnent? Not to my knowledge, because taking the deterent away will cause the eye to accomodate in the opposit manner (or back to normal) If I wear sunglasses on a regular basis I am more light sensative when I don't have the sunglasses and it takes longer for my eyes to accomodate going from light to dark and back again. It does happen. Will it cause long term problems? I don't know. Is it a bad thing to do to these children? I don't know. Do you make more money by selling the Transitions? Yup. Unless you charge nothing for it.
Sunglasses and Transitions have their place, but they are a want more than a necessity when clear lenses will block out UV light just as well.
In short, the body adapts to everything you do to it and there are always side effects good or bad.
Take care all,
Darris C.
All sighted humans are light sensitive in the strict sense. When I was refering to light sensitivity I was talking about the condition that we encounter with some folks who are light sensitive in the extreme sense. No spectacle lens has created that problem, it just exists. I maintain that no tinted lens can cause that problem either. I have worn Transitions lenses since their inception. (I'm talking first generation that did virtually nothing other than recoup some of the development costs on the joint venture between Essilor and PPG)
I stand by what I said. I am no more light sensitive today than I was then, and according to the reasoning which appears above, I should be a lot more light sensitive than I was. The fact remains that I am not......nor are any of my transitions wearing clientel. You may draw your own conclusions.
Have a good Columbus Day weekend everyone!
Not to get too far off topic here but... I just had a Popeye's apple pie and man oh man! Take a thin flaky outer crust, stuff it with sugar enrich, sugar fortified, sugar coated little bits of sugar (and apple) deep fry it and roll the whole thing in cinnamon and sugar and BAMMO! You got yourself one heck of a sugar rush. Nothing like spiking the insulin to get your day going in a hurry :D
Hello Harry,
Please don't be offended by my remarks and I hope you're not, but I did want to point out that the human body will adapt to its environment and the conditions thereof. Can a person become light sensative by wearing sunglasses or Transitions lenses for prolonged periods of time? I don't know for sure but it would stand to reason since every other process in the body can and will adapt to the conditions it is exposed to. I would assume the eye and it's components would fall into that category as well.
A person can become acclimated to colder or warmer weather conditions over time. The body can acclimate to higher altitudes over time. The body can acclimate to losing certain organs or even limbs. For me there is too much evidence to support the idea that Transitions or tinted lenses over a period of time could make one light sensative, not unlike blind folding a person for a long period of time would do the same and would possibly even reduce the amount of pigment in the iris over time. I can't see why it wouldn't.
One thing I would like to address if I may:
"I have worn Transitions lenses since their inception..."
"I stand by what I said. I am no more light sensitive today than I was then, and according to the reasoning which appears above, I should be a lot more light sensitive than I was."
I don't know if you're like me but I can't see without my glasses so I'm never without them. How often do you go with your Transitions lenses? Can you go without your glasses and see? Because I'm blind without mine.
Take care Harry. Always a pleasure to talk with you.
Darris C.
Yeah, I know Transitions can be tinted but odds are that they won't be tinted. (Disclaimer: It may be more common to tint Transitions in Darris' neck of the woods than in mine so I am not going to say that it won't happen.)Darris Chambless said:
Transition lenses can be tinted to garner a darker lens effect although minimally but they do retain that tint even once they've lightened. As to what Chip said I'm gonna back him up on his assertion because he has a valid point. All muscles can and will adapt to more or less work or stress including the eye.
To take Chip's take a step farther, scratch coated lenses block out a certain amount of UV so isn't anyone wearing an SRC lens protected from harmful wavelengths without any additional lens treatments?
Now, I think I have gotten a bit off track myself here. I intended to make a point about comfort issues more so than actual proctective issues.
3 days ago I visited my internist for a follow up visit after my pneumonia last winter. I got the "quit smoking, excercise more, and lose weight" sermon. So I have been a good boy for 3 days.....well almost good, I am addressing 2 out of three as we speak and Sunday is Q day. Right about now I would KILL for an apple pie....
In answer to your question I am a plus 4.25 hyperope with a 3 add.I could not see a thing without my glasses. I have multiple pairs of spectacles and wear them more or less interchanably however I must admit my " go to" pair is trivex transitions. They're my "go to" pair because they are comfortable, and as I try to explain to Pete, comfort is the name of the game. My Transitions lenses did not '"cause" my light sensitivity because I was born with it as were you and all other sighted folks. It is not possible for lenses to cause light sensitivity....in my opinion.
Now If you want to do me a real favor.....email me some pie!:D
Just to muddy up the waters a little more. I used to wear photo-grays (before transitions) but I had several pairs of glasses. One day I couldn't find my photo-grays and wore a pair of clear glass lenses. Boy was I amazed to see what I had not been seeing at work.
Chip
if you don't see what you want, you're in the right place! You wouldn't be able to mail me some pie tonight, would you?? It doesn't look as if Darris is going to come through! :D
harry
I decided it was time to get a second opinion, so I emailed the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology. This morning I received a reply from Rick Blocker, MD. He states that there is no indication that Transitions technology has any adverse affect on light sensitivity in children. His greater concern was that children be fitted with polycarbonate lenses in every case.
Isn't light sensitivity more a question of subjectivity? Some people are more sensitive to light than others and wouldn't a light tint, transitions, or sunglasses be more for visual comfort to an individual rather than a necessity or want?
Children usually have strong opinions as to what works for them, I know my kids do! My older kid hates sunglasses while my youngest loves them.
Just ask the kids who are old enough to speak and can speak for themselves. For those who are too young - place sunglasses on them and watch their reaction.
Sorry about the pie thing Harry.
Well Harry,
If and when you need support on the road to wellsville let me know. I don't have the healthiest diet in the world but I am an avid weight lifter and have been for years. I like staying in decent shape, but do smoke and drink on occasion. Tell me what eating habbits you have and I can tell you how to take off weight without starving yourself and even give you a good excercise routine that will work for you if you don't already have either of these things yet.
Back to the light sensativity thing...
Perhaps I should pose this as a question rather than a statement. All muscles when left unused or not used to their full potential will atrophy. So do the muscles of the eye not atrophy if kept shaded with Transitions or sun lenses? Detrimental or not long term does it happen? If the intraocular muscles of the eye do not atrophy like all other muscles in the body then why not? Has there been a study of this?
"This morning I received a reply from Rick Blocker, MD. He states that there is no indication that Transitions technology has any adverse affect on light sensitivity in children."
While I tend to put more stock in an MD's ability to discern this type of thing I have to ask what test he or anyone else has used to determine increases or decreases in light sensativity in any fashion? Other than muscle reaction time (which determines very little) I know of no test that can measure increased or decreased light sensitivity but then I've not been around the ophthalmological side of the business for a while.
Anyway, take care to all and Harry I'm rooting for you.
Darris C.
My friend Darris said:
"All muscles when left unused or not used to their full potential will atrophy."...."If the intraocular muscles of the eye do not atrophy like all other muscles in the body then why not?" My feeble attempt at an explanation follows.
I agree that unused muscles will atrophy, however, the muscles controling the aperature of the pupil are never unused.That is the case with involuntary muscle reactions. You really cannot will your pupil aperature to open or to close. That is an involuntary response and therefore something over which the individual has no control and the muscles controling it are not in a state of atrophy.
I am not a scientist, nor am I a physician. I have only a rudimentary background in biology and physiology. I freely admit I may be mistaken, but I could be wrong about that too!:D :D
Now kindly pass the Pie !
hj
I'm with hcjilson. I don't think the transitions will cause a patient to be light sensitive after prolonged use. The pupil is still dilating and contracting even if you wear tinted lenses. Also lets not confuse light sensitivity with light and dark adaptation. These are different things. The pupil size has only a small role in adaptation. The adaptation mostly occurs at the recepter level. Ones sensitivity to light is more of a hard wiring and doesn't really change. Also the analogy to skeletal muscle and atropy or strengthening from no use or full use doesn't fly. Different types of muscles. If this was true people who go in and out of dark rooms all day (maybe an OD) would have super strong and bulky Iris muscles.
Personal preference, let the patints decide what they like
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks