ROCHESTER, N.Y. – According to a global study of vision-corrected subjects surveyed to better understand eye-related symptoms, halos and glare are common and bothersome symptoms. Halos are the appearance of rings around sources of light while glare is the difficulty seeing in the presence of bright light. The majority of patients who experienced these symptoms reported they were most likely to experience halos or glare in the evening or late at night. The symptoms were commonly associated with bright lights, headlights, being in the dark and nighttime driving.
The Needs, Symptoms, Incidence, Global Eye Health Trends (NSIGHT) study surveyed 3,800 spectacle- and contact lens-corrected subjects, 15 to 65 years of age, from seven different countries (China, Korea, Japan, France, Italy, United Kingdom, United States) to better understand the eye-related symptoms that vision-corrected patients experience. The NSIGHT data provided valuable details on how often patients experienced halos and glare and the degree to which they found them bothersome.
NSIGHT Study Highlights:
- About half of the spectacle and contact lens wearers surveyed reported suffering from the symptoms of halos (52% and 56%, respectively) and glare (47% and 50%, respectively) more than three times a week.
- More than four of five patients who experienced these symptoms found each symptom bothersome (84% and 89% for halo and glare, respectively).
- Spherical aberration, which can contribute to irregularities in the visual system, can create halos and glare. Spherical aberration is a type of image blur caused by light rays striking the lens periphery where they are bent too much – over refracted – compared with rays coming through the center of the lens.
“We know that during low-light situations, our pupils become larger, and halos and glare are more prevalent. This means everyday activities, such as driving at night, can be impacted as our vision is affected by spherical aberration,” said Nick Dash, BSc, MCOptom. “It is important for eye care professionals to discuss vision in low-light situations with their patients to ensure solutions are identified for patients experiencing halos and glare.”
Symptom Severity:
These study findings indicate that the severity of symptoms associated with halos and glare is sufficient enough to impact patient satisfaction with prescribed vision correction methods. Coupled with how bothersome patients tended to find halos and glare, about 90% of these patients (90% for halos, 91% for glares) reported having either no solution or one that was unsatisfactory. Moreover, the same rate of these patients (89% for halos, 87% for glares) expressed an interest in an intervention that more adequately addressed these symptoms.
“At Bausch + Lomb, we believe there is an opportunity for eye care professionals to address these common and bothersome symptoms with their patients,” said Carla Mack, O.D., F.A.A.O., director, Global Medical Affairs for Bausch + Lomb. "Some spectacle designs
as well as aspheric contact lenses may help patients achieve optimal visual correction with no halos or glare".
The study, commissioned by Bausch + Lomb, was conducted by an independent market research firm, Market Probe: Europe. Additional analyses and reports from the exhaustive data obtained in NSIGHT are expected to appear in optometry journals and professional congresses throughout 2011.
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News Media Contacts:
Jane Mazur
Vice President, Public Relations, Bausch + Lomb Vision Care
+1 585-355-5978 or jane.mazur@bausch.com
Rachel St. Martin
Zeno Group for Bausch + Lomb
+1 202-415-1164 or rachel.st.martin@zenogroup.com
About Bausch + Lomb
Bausch + Lomb is one of the best-known and most respected healthcare companies in the world. Its core businesses include contact lenses and lens care products, ophthalmic surgical devices and instruments, and ophthalmic pharmaceuticals. Founded in 1853, the company is headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., and employs more than 10,000 people worldwide. Its products are available in more than 100 countries. More information is available at www.bausch.com
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