In a front-page story, the San Francisco Chronicle  (2/2, A1, Allday) reports, “Like alcohol and tobacco, sugar is a toxic, addictive substance that should be highly regulated with taxes, laws on where and to whom it can be advertised, and even age-restricted sales, says a team of UCSF scientists” in a commentary published in Nature.

The Los Angeles Times  (2/2, Kaplan) “Booster Shots” blog reports that, according to the authors, “For both alcohol and tobacco, there is robust evidence that gentle ‘supply side’ control strategies which stop far short of all-out prohibition  taxation, distribution controls, age limits  lower both consumption of the product and the accompanying health harms.” They add, “Consequently, we propose adding taxes to processed foods that contain any form of added sugars.”

ABC News  (2/2, Gann) “Medical Unit” blog reports, “Increased control is necessary, they say, because efforts to keep excessive sugar out of the American diet have failed.”

CBS News  (2/2, Jaslow) “HealthPop” blog reports that the authors “said that over the past 50 years, sugar consumption has tripled worldwide. That’s also helped contribute to the obesity epidemic – so much so that there are 30 percent more obese people in this world than there are malnourished people.”

MedPage Today  (2/2, Fiore) reports that the authors “called sugar ‘toxic,’ particularly in excessive amounts, noting that it poses dangers similar to those of alcohol. Fructose, specifically, can harm the liver, they wrote, and overconsumption has been linked with all the diseases involved with metabolic syndrome: hypertension, high triglycerides, insulin resistance, and diabetes.” Also covering the story are BBC News  (2/2, Briggs), the UK’s Daily Mail  (2/2, Macrae), and WebMD  (2/2, Doheny).

Fine Eyewear & Eyecare offers the Oakley and other fine sunglasses collection. We are a full service eye care facility specializing in unique collections of eye wear and sunglasses. We’re located in the Heb Whitestone shopping plaza at Parmer and 1431, located at the three corners of Cedar Park, Austin and Round Rock, TX and a short drive from Georgetown and Leander TX . Some of the local neighborhoods served by Fine Eyewear include Forest Oaks, Silver Oaks, Teravista, Avery Ranch, Stone Canyon, Mayfield Ranch, The Ranch at Brushy Creek, Vista Oaks and Wood Glen – we have an eye doctor close by for you! Come and See us!

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Fine Eyewear and Eyecare optometrists provides advanced vision care to the families of Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Georgetown, Round Rock and surrounding communities. Stop by and check out our world class optical studio.  Our mission is to help you look and see your best!  We don’t have these contacts available just yet, but we do have just about every other contact made on earth! More info can be found at www.FineEyewear.Net

The San Francisco Chronicle  /Bloomberg News (1/12, Lopatto) reports a study in Nature showing that irisin, “a hormone naturally found in muscle cells…rises during exercise, converting white fat into brown fat, a substance whose primary function is to generate body heat.” When irisin was injected “into obese, pre-diabetic mice, the animals lost weight and their blood sugar levels improved.” Researchers suggested that this finding “may lead to treatments for obesity and diabetes, as well as other disorders where exercise may benefit patients who are too weak to engage in it.”

The New York Times (1/12, Reynolds) “Well” blog notes that activity increases the protein “PGC1-alpha, which is produced in abundance in muscles during and after exercise,” which then stimulates “the expression of a protein known as Fndc5,” which then “[breaks] into different pieces,” generating irisin. “Follow-up experiments with muscle cells from human volunteers who’d completed a controlled, weeks-long jogging program found that they had much higher levels of irisin in their cells than before the exercise program began.”

The Boston Globe  (1/12, Johnson) “White Coat Notes” blog reports, “A Boston startup company, Ember Therapeutics, has already licensed the technology and is working to develop a form of the hormone that could be used as a drug that would mimic some of the benefits of exercise.”

The UK’s Daily Mail  (1/12) notes, “Those who like a toned physique may still have to make the odd trip to the gym, as irisin does not appear to strengthen muscles.” The NPR  (1/12, Chappell) “The Two Way” blog and the UK’s Telegraph  (1/12, Hough) also cover the story.

Fine Eyewear and Eyecare optometrists provides advanced vision care to the families of Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Georgetown, Round Rock and surrounding communities. Stop by and check out our world class optical studio.  Our mission is to help you look and see your best!  More info can be found at www.FineEyewear.Net

In a related feature in the New York Times (11/8, D7, Subscription Publication), Denise Grady describes her experience with a vitreous hemorrhage. Patients who experience symptoms of a “mini-avalanche of the spots that doctors call floaters” along with “lightning-bolt” flashes are advised to seek medical attention promptly. In some cases, a detached retina may present with “blind spots or…black curtains,” and laser surgery is necessary to save sight. In Grady’s case, however, “the vitreous gel that fills the center of the eyeball had shrunk — a normal part of aging — and had pulled away from the retina. The flashes of light were symptoms of its tugging on the retina.” The problem will resolve itself in a couple of weeks.

ST. LOUIS—Consumers who order prescription eyeglasses online often receive glasses that fail to comply with optical tolerance and impact resistance requirements, according to a newly released study conducted by the American Optometric Association in conjunction with the Optical Laboratories Association and The Vision Council.

The study, which was published in the September issue of Optometry: Journal of the American Optometric Association, found that nearly half of the prescription eyewear ordered online in the U.S.—44.8 percent—had incorrect prescriptions or did not meet physical parameters to provide sufficient protection to the wearer.

Over a two-month period in 2010, 10 individuals from across the U.S. ordered two pairs of glasses, including pairs for both adults and children, from each of 10 of the most visited online optical vendors, for a total of 200 pairs of glasses. Frame styles were chosen from the mid-range options offered by each vendor, in varying frame materials, lens styles and prescriptions. The AOA’s published article did not identify the online optical vendors/retailers selected for the study.

Of the eyeglasses ordered, 154 pairs were received. After they were received, lens analysis included measurement of sphere power, cylinder power and axis, add power (if specified), separation of distance optical centers and center thickness.

Several pairs were provided incorrectly such as single vision instead of bifocals, or lens treatments that were added or omitted, the AOA reported. In 29 percent of glasses received, at least one lens was not within the parameters of the prescription. Nearly 23 percent of the lenses failed impact testing, based on center thickness and lens treatment. Of the children’s glasses tested, 29 percent failed impact testing.

Karl Citek, OD, PhD, a lead study author from Pacific University College of Optometry, noted that patients who purchase eyewear without the assistance of a trained professional may not receive a product of equal performance, value or safety. “Patients do not receive the benefit of ensuring an accurate prescription and a proper fit,” he wrote.

Sam Pierce, OD, trustee for the AOA, said consumers should be cautious when ordering any medical devices online. “Although online retailers may effectively market cost savings associated with online purchase of eyewear, consumers should beware, as this study points out, that the lack of oversight and quality control can lead to inferior products that could be harmful,” Pierce said.