It may be time to rethink the egg-white omelette. Popular on breakfast menus with dieters and cholesterol watchers, they’re often prepared with chopped spinach and tomatoes and arrive with whole-grain toast. Although the egg-whites-and-veggies-only choice is lower in total calories, fat and cholesterol, saying no to yolks is not always the healthiest thing to do.

Good for your eyes
A recent study in the journal Archives of Ophthalmology found a link between two anti-oxidants found in egg yolks - lutein and zeaxanthin - and the prevention of macular degeneration. Some brands of eggs, including Eggland’s Best, contain about 25% more lutein than regular eggs.

Good for your mind
Yolks are a good source of choline, a nutrient that helps maintain the structure of brain cells. Choline is especially important for fetal brain development. Two eggs provide about 250 milligrams of choline, or roughly half the recommended daily intake for pregnant women.

The cholesterol?
According to the American Heart Association, healthy people should limit their dietary cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day (200 if you have heart disease). The yolk of a large egg contains about 210 milligrams of cholesterol. So, do the math. But not everyone in the health and nutrition world agrees with the AHA’s advice. A recent Physicians Health Study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no link between those who ate up to six eggs per week and the risk of dying of heart attack or stroke. But saturated fats do raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease. So go easy on the bacon, sausage and butter that often surround breakfast eggs.

The egg’s a bargain
Whether you’re cutting calories or pinching pennies, eggs fit the bill. One egg contains 13 essential nutrients - and all for only 75 calories, including high-quality protein, folate, iron and zinc.

The M & S Smart System 2008 PC’s are full featured visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and video display units that provide all the necessary tools to accurately and efficiently evaluate patient’s vision.

The unique Smart System broadband infrared controller provides direct access to over 38 tests and measurements. Luminance levels and color temperatures of the LCD monitors are pre-set at the factory in strict compliance to ANSI/ISO specifications. After calibration, M & S optotypes are the most accurate available.

Valuable features of the Smart System 2008 include:

• Integration with the leading patient education software, Eyemaginations™.
• SystemLink™ allows integration with all Electronic Medical Records software.
• Seamless interfacing with Topcon or Marco auto-phoroptor refraction systems.
• Approved for clinical trials utilizing ETDRS and ATS protocols.
• Dual View™ displays a small eye chart running on top of your EMR system at your desk so you can see what the patient sees. No need to turn and look at the display.
• Sine Wave Grating Contrast Testing.
• Secondary Calibration Distance to accommodate a clinical trial requirement or a patient in a wheelchair.

The after sale service reputation of M & S is unsurpassed with 24 hour replacement systems, toll-free technical support, and free software upgrades during the one year warranty period.

The humble slit lamp, with its accessories, still remains the most important instrument in the exam room. There is no substitute for the absolutely dependable performance and precision optics offered by a fine slit lamp.

Dr. George Eisner, a former student of Prof. Goldmann, authored a set of three DVDs for the teaching of biomicroscopy. This format can be used either as a reference work for the experienced slit lamp user, or as a teaching device for beginners.

Techniques in Biomicroscopy leads viewers beyond the essentials for daily routine to explore the full potential of slit lamp examination. Please give us a call for more details.

The RK-F1 Auto Refractor-Keratometer simplifies the standard measurement procedure conducting all operations in just one step. Just press the Start Button, and the RK-F1 automatically completes the entire series of steps for both eyes: alignment, measurement, and printout. The motorized optical head automatically aligns, acquires the readings, and then automatically moves over to the opposite eye to perform the same function. Printout is automatic.

Features:

• The dioptric measurement range of -30D to +22D allows examination of strong myopia and other abnormalities for refraction. The radius of curvature extends from 5.5 mm to 10.0 mm (33.75 - 61.25D) for keratometry.
• The peripheral keratometry mode provides accurate measurements for examining oblique astigmatism as well as for determining the best fit for a contact lens. The RK-F1 can be used to make a series of measurements at a 30 degree angle from the eye’s center along the attentive meridians.
• A motorized chin rest offers easy adjustment of the unit when beginning the eye examination.
• Corneal Diameter Measurement and Retroillumination modes are standard.