Review of Optometry

A new county-level analysis of eyecare workforce distribution in the United States suggests that geographic disparities in access to ophthalmology persist and may be widening, especially in rural communities, even as optometrist availability continues to grow. The study found that ophthalmologist density declined slightly from 2010 to 2021, while optometrist density increased across all county types.

Type 2 macular telangiectasia is a rare disease that causes leaking of the blood vessels around the fovea, leading to a loss of central vision. It is most common in middle-aged and elderly people. This macular OCT shows RPE disruption and an abnormal foveal contour with ILM drape, a pathognomonic finding in MacTel type 2.Photo: Sydney Gross, OD. Click image to enlarge.

This graph from the study shows levels of circulating ketone bodies in relation to GCC thickness. While the observed differences in thickness were modest in absolute magnitude and may have limited clinical significance at the individual patient level, the researchers noted that they may nevertheless reflect subtle neurodegenerative changes of significance at the population level. Photo: Chen J, et al. Ophthalmol Sci. July 6, 2026. Click image to enlarge.

A new county-level analysis of eyecare workforce distribution in the United States suggests that geographic disparities in access to ophthalmology persist and may be widening, especially in rural communities, even as optometrist availability continues to grow. The study found that ophthalmologist density declined slightly from 2010 to 2021, while optometrist density increased across all county types.

Glaucoma can be difficult to diagnose in myopic patients because the two conditions come with many similar features, such as retinal nerve fiber layer bundle shifts, scleral thinning and axial elongation. This study developed a formalized method of assessing dips in TSNIT curves that may one day help reduce false positives (image from an unrelated patient). Photo: James L. Fanelli, OD. Click image to enlarge.

Research has suggested that childhood obesity is a major public health concern that can lead to potential complications later in life. Recent evidence has indicated that astigmatism is a potential future consequence of adolescent struggles with obesity. Photo: Cory Collier, OD. Click image to enlarge. Multiple factors can influence the risk of vision degradation, including obesity.

GATT is emerging as a minimally invasive glaucoma surgery, showing promising outcomes with minimal vision-threatening complications in various types of glaucoma. Photo: Richter G, Coleman AL. Clin Ophthalmol. Jan. 28, 2016. Click image to enlarge. Gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculotomy (GATT) provides a minimally invasive, effective alternative to traditional glaucoma surgeries, with stable visual outcomes and a manageable reoperation rate, supporting its role in advanced glaucoma management.

High myopia is one of the leading causes of optic neuropathy because increased axial length stretches the eye, causing strain and structural damage that extends to the retinal ganglion cells. Photo: Andrew Rouse, OD. Click image to enlarge. Using readily available clinical factors, a team of researchers from France, Germany, India and China developed and validated a “probability calculator” equation that estimated the chance of optic neuropathy occurrence in high myopes.

The gaze-analyzing perimeter (GAP) is a device available outside the US that performs perimetry through the use of eye tracking indicators. In this study, even after adjusting for possible confounders, saccadic eye movement parameters obtained using GAP were significantly associated with MCI, suggesting that saccadic eye movement parameters, particularly mean reaction time, may serve as biomarkers for identifying MCI. Photo: Findex. Click image to enlarge.

DST-related circadian disruption may be a modifiable risk factor for microvascular retinal disease, according to the results of a new nationwide cohort study. Photo: Rami Aboumourad, OD. Click image to enlarge. It’s known that daylight saving time (DST) transitions can disrupt circadian rhythm, and some studies have even found an association with cardiovascular events.