Andrew Karp, Group Editor, Lenses & Technology
Andrew has reported on many facets of the optical industry for
Vision Monday and
20/20 Magazine since 1987. He specializes in covering the latest developments in ophthalmic dispensing, spectacle lenses and treatments, lens processing technology, optical laboratories and wearable technology. Andrew contributes daily briefings to
VMAIL LaunchPad, that spotlights new products, software and online applications for labs and dispensers. He also helps plan and produce
Vision Monday’s annual Global Leadership Summit. Contact Andrew at
akarp@jobson.com.
By Andrew Karp
Tuesday, July 26, 2022 1:00 PM
Diagnosed prevalent cases of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the seven major markets—U.S., France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K., and Japan—combined is expected to increase from 33.66 million cases in 2021 to 40.32 million in 2031, at an annual growth rate (AGR) of 1.98 percent, according to
GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. AMD is a progressive eye condition that is characterized by the gradual deterioration of the macula, which is the area of the retina responsible for central vision.
By Andrew Karp
Friday, July 22, 2022 8:30 AM
A retinal exam may be able to predict a person’s risk of heart attack, when combined with other information, according to a recent study. Researchers found that the pattern of blood vessels in the retina could help identify those who are likely to experience heart problems, according to
The Guardian. In a recent article posted on
WebMD, writer Carolyn Crist reported that the researchers used data from
UK Biobank, which contains medical and lifestyle records for 500,000 people, to calculate a measure known as fractal dimension. The research team then studied people in the database who had experienced a heart attack, or myocardial infarction, after retinal images had been collected, Crist said.
By Andrew Karp
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 1:30 AM
Along with receding hairlines, crow’s feet and sagging skin, presbyopia is one of the least welcome physical changes we experience as we age. The gradual loss of our eyes’ ability to focus on nearby objects, a result of the stiffening of the crystalline lens, is an inevitable condition for most of us who are middle aged and older. In fact, you could even add presbyopia to the familiar litany of death and taxes. And it only gets worse with time.
By Andrew Karp
Friday, June 17, 2022 8:30 AM
While researching and writing a feature article on presbyopia for the June issue of
Vision Monday, I remembered a novel device called the Grolman Fitting System that was once used for fitting patients with progressive lenses. It was, excuse the pun, progressive for its time, though it has since been replaced with modern, digital technologies. Here’s a brief history of the device, drawn from an article I wrote about 25 years ago.
By Andrew Karp
Thursday, May 26, 2022 8:30 AM
I’m always on the lookout for new research that help us better understand human vision as well as how to preserve and protect it. One study that caught my attention recently concerns a team of researchers at
Purdue University who discovered that the circadian clock plays a significant role in protecting eyes from retinal degeneration. The team studied fruit flies, which serve as a good model for the human retina. In a recent interview with Purdue writer Elizabeth K. Gardner, team leader Vikki Weake, associate professor of biochemistry in Purdue's College of Agriculture, discussed how it might be possible to slow or prevent vision loss from retinal degeneration.
By Andrew Karp
Friday, April 29, 2022 11:43 AM
Most ophthalmologists and optometrists are probably familiar with optical coherence tomography (OCT), the non-invasive imaging test that uses light waves to take cross-section images of a patient’s retina. However, OCT is being applied in new ways that might surprise even the eyecare professionals who use it in their everyday practice. Duke University recently announced that researchers there are now applying lessons learned from decades of perfecting the eye imaging technology to autonomous systems sensor technologies used in robots and vehicles.
By Andrew Karp
Friday, March 25, 2022 8:30 AM
Biomedical engineers at
Duke University have demonstrated a method for increasing the depth at which optical coherence tomography (OCT) can image structures beneath skin. The gold standard for imaging and diagnosing diseases within the retina, OCT has yet to find widespread use as an imaging technique for other parts of the body due to its inability to return clear images from more than a millimeter beneath the skin’s surface. Duke researchers found that tilting the light source and detector used in the technique increases OCT’s imaging depth by almost 50 percent, putting skin diagnoses within reach. The “dual-axis” approach opens new possibilities for OCT to be used in applications such as spotting skin cancer, assessing burn damage and healing progress, and guiding surgical procedures.
By Andrew Karp
Thursday, March 17, 2022 1:15 AM
NEW YORK—If the term “smart glasses” still conjures up images of Google Glass for you, it’s time you took another look at them. Smart glasses have come a long way in the eight years since Glass’s brief but controversial run as a consumer product, which ended due to its unconventional styling, high price and privacy concerns related to its onboard video camera.
By Andrew Karp
Friday, February 25, 2022 8:30 AM
Calling the
James Webb Space Telescope an "eye in the sky" barely hints at its power, precision and vast capabilities. Launched by NASA in December, 2021 following years of research and development, and an investment of $10 billion, the Webb Telescope is by far the most sensitive and sophisticated instrument of its type ever developed, a pinnacle of scientific achievement. Its ambitious mission, to peer into space and provide clear images of distant planets, stars and whole galaxies that are light years away from Earth, is unprecedented in scope and complexity.
By Andrew Karp
Sunday, February 6, 2022 3:15 AM
Starting with the launch of Google Glass in 2013, tech giants such as Google, Meta and Amazon have been exploring ways to make eyeglasses a vehicle for their consumer technologies. A prominent example is Ray-Ban Stories, which features a Ray-Ban frame with camera and audio capabilities and is the result of Meta’s collaboration with EssilorLuxottica.