Behind the headlines

31 October 2019
Autumn 2019

Dr David Robert Grimes looks at the eye health issues that are making the news.

Lenses ‘zoom’ on command

Scientists at the University of California San Diego have developed a soft tunable lens that automatically shifts focal length when the wearer blinks twice (Li et al, 2019). 

The basic principle behind this technology is electrooculography: the measuring of corneo-retinal standing potential between the front and the back of the eye. This changes in known ways when the eyes move in different directions, and typically a pair of electrodes attached to the face can then ascertain which way the eye is moving, and whether blinking has transpired. 

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The College, The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) and the Federation of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (FODO) back the Government’s commitment to put patients in the driving seat and give them more control and choice over their care.

One thing is certain: I wasn’t expecting the events of the last 10 weeks to take place when I wrote my last Optometry in Practice editorial in February this year.

We are asking the public to make eye health a priority in 2025 and provide top tips for good eye health.