Optical Prism

www.opticalprism.caTHE MAGAZINE FOR EYECARE PROFESSIONALS CareCulturally Diverse EyecareThe Face of in Canada Across the MILES



contents THE MAGAZINE FOR EYECARE PROFESSIONALSFebruary 2014 — Digital Supplement Publisher 416-432-8473 Robert May [email protected] Associate Publisher 416-233-0779 Mary Lu May [email protected] Editor 226-383-3855 Sarah McGoldrick [email protected] Digital Supplement December 2013 | Vol.1 No.4 www.opticalprism.ca Assistant Editor 519-994-1344 Kelly Waterhouse [email protected] THE MAGAZINE FOR EYECARE PROFESSIONALS Art Director 416-456-3739 The Rhoda Tang [email protected] Right Fit Advertising: Fax: 416-233-1746 Tel: 416-233-0779 E-mail: [email protected] Through Website: www.opticalprism.ca Lethne s Responsibility: Nusand is not responsible for the opinions or statements of its editors or contributors. AllGroup Benefits rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork is strictly prohibited. Optical Prism 225 The East Mall, Suite 1113, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9B 0A9. Fax: 416-233-1746 [email protected] Cuturally Diverse Care by Sarah McGoldrick Creating Communication10 Across The Miles by Sarah McGoldrick Canadian Vision Care14 Changing Face of Eyecare by Kelly Waterhouse Understanding Patient NeedDepartments4 Preview The Scoop on Plan B, Pop A Wheeler OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014 3

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Culturally CareDiverse by Sarah McGoldrick6 OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014

T he face of Canada’s are at greater risk for different eye He said these non-verbal cues tell eyewear client is health issues,” said Manuel Solis, a patient ’I’m accepted here’. changing. A more Multicultural Marketing Manager for culturally diverse Transitions Optical. Solis noted the demographics country has led to between Canada and the US arethe requirement of more specialized He added part of the risk slightly different.and culturally diverse care. is because many patients do not know how to access care in their In the US the greatest risk lies Eyecare providers (ECPs) in own language or culture or have among Asians (Chinese-Korean),even the most remote parts of Canada restrictions within their culture about African-Americans (African decent)are having to learn how to address getting care. and Hispanics.the needs of patients whose care goesbeyond that of strictly medical. To ensure proper care, he notes Research conducted by respect is very important. ECPs Transitions Optical found that there ECPs now have to look at both must respect the needs of their were three key groups under-servicedcultural and in some cases religious patients and work to address them in Canada: Asian (Middle East),requirements to ensure their patients and accommodate them whenever African-Canadian (Caribbean) andare getting the best care possible. possible. Aboriginal. Leaders in the industry have been Who Needs Care? As a result, a greater effort isworking hard to address these needs “It’s important to create a welcoming needed by the health care system tothrough the creation of resources and environment and have staff on hand ensure they are getting to treatmentrunning studies to better understand that can speak the language,” said in a timely manner.this growing market. Solis. “It helps make people feel at ease.” Research conducted by Transitions “Canada is becoming more diverse found that four out of 10 ethnicand a lot of times ethnic minorities minorities scheduled an eye exam in the past year. OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014 7

Vision Loss by cause and ethnicity Refractive Error/Other Diabetic Retinopathy100% Cataract AMD80% Glaucoma60%40%20%0% Visible Caucasian All Minority Ethnicities This leaves a large segment of the KnDidoYwou!!!population not receiving basic care. There are many cultural differences for specific eye conditions. “We are committed to raising For example:awareness about eyecare in generalas well as UV protection,” said Solis, • Older (60+) visible minority women have the highest rates ofadding many minorities do not take cataract while elderly visible minority males have the lowestthe steps to protect themselves against rates.the sun which can lead to unnecessarydamage. “With Canada’s cooler climate, • Men from visible minority populations have high rates ofthere is a false sense of security.” glaucoma.Education • Caucasians are more likely to have vision loss from AMD thanECPs need to educate themselves African-Canadians, while the reverse is true for refractive error.not just on the latest trends, but onthe best way to care for patients with • Chinese-Canadians have double the rate of AMD compared todiverse backgrounds. Caucasians and may have twice the rate of diabetic retinopathy. Chinese-Canadian children are more likely to experience “We believe in the importance nearsightedness than children who are Cauasian.of education,” said Solis adding thenumber of patients ECPs will see • Aboriginal Canadians have higher rates of diabetic retinopathy.from different backgrounds is going Inuit populations have much higher rates of primary open-angleto increase significantly over the next glaucoma.few years as immigrant and migrationcontinues within Canada and the US. These variations reflect differences in treatment access and genetic factors. “Patients are not going to be thesame as they were even two or three Data Courtesy: The Cost of Vision Loss in Canada CNIB/Canadian Opthalmological Societyyears ago. It’s important that ECPsbetter connect with patients throughlanguage, understanding and offeringdifferent ways of communicating,”said Solis. “Cultural competency willbecome more important.” •8 OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014

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CVainsaiodinanCare by Sarah McGoldrick10 OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014

C anadians are known returning to Jamaica this past people for every one eye doctor,” around the world December, Costa Rica and parts of he said. as being leaders in Africa. providing resources To achieve this goal of increasing and care to those in Since then the organization has eyecare professionals in these regions need. done more than $60 million worth of and provide desperately needed care, A team of Canadian eyecare work supported through fundraising Leinweber has called upon eyecare providers (ECPs) are continuing events such as golf tournaments and providers, surgeons and industry this tradition through the Canadian private donations. suppliers to provide assistance and Vision Care program (CVC). support. The team continues to recruit for The team, founded by Gerry the program as well as see exceptional This has included performing eye Leinweber, Gord Hensel, Andy support from across the industry. exams, surgeries, providing lenses and Patterson and Brad Almond began frames and providing an educational their journey in 1979 while Andy and This has allowed them to make opportunities for students from Gerry were interning in Jamaica as regular trips to areas in desperate Canada who have also participated in students attending the University of need of resources and medical support the program. Waterloo School of Optometry. from very basic care to more serious solutions. One of the most active participants When the project they were in the program has been Dr. Allan working with was cancelled, the group The break down generally runs Jones of Alberta who has travelled to decided to carry on at the request of 80 per cent eye exams and 20 per cent Malawi on many occasions to help set the Lions Club of Montego Bay. surgery. The team is working to help up an optometry school in a country those in the developing world better where no practising optometrist was “It was a pretty big job but we understand the importance of eyecare located. decided to do it right and create a and preventative care. charity,” said Leinweber, adding out In an interview with CTV Jones of this CVC was born. One of the most common and said the work being done by CVC is preventable ailments the team treats truly life changing for all involved. The group started small raising on a regular basis is glaucoma. money, awareness and offering eye “I try to tell people, if you can’t exams and surgery to those in need “These populations tend to see more than a few inches in front of in a variety of locations including have seven times the normal levels of you, how would that affect your life?” glauncoma,” he said. He noted there were thousands Leinweber noted that through of people living in the country who simple education it is easy to were considered blind who simply reduce these numbers and prevent didn’t have access to care. unnecessary sight loss. To help curb this problem, he Through the building of donated the funds to build an optometry optometry schools, CVC is helping academy that will train students to to educate the next generation of become fully licensed optometrists. eyecare providers who will be able to treat and help the people of their To some it may seem like a huge own country. investment, but to Jones, it is the only way to ensure that those who Leinweber adds he hopes the need care receive it and no one is left program will help prevent the ‘brain behind because they cannot see. drain’ in many of the countries they visit who often see people leave to “A child could be the next future study in other countries and not president, but may not be because he come back. can’t get glasses,” he said. “In Canada there is 7,500 people To learn more about the program for every one eye doctor. In some and how you can support CVC visit of these countries there are 270,000 www.canadianvisioncare.com. • OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014 11

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ging Face Eye Care b y K e l l y Wa t e r h o u s eT he Canadian cultural related macular degeneration (AMD) at a greater risk of narrow angle landscape is evolving have been shown to be genetically glaucoma, also known as closed- into the diverse linked while genetic factors have also angle glaucoma, than the general mosaic it is been shown to be involved in diabetic population.intended to be and for eyecare retinopathy,” Gordon said.  professionals (ECPs) that means it is “If the eye tends to be moreimportant to educate patients on the He adds, “In addition to narrow then the angle between thegenetic implications of certain eye your family history, your ethnic iris and drainage is more narrow,health concerns, some of which are background will also affect your risk simply because they have narrowermore prevalent to ethnicity-specific of developing many eye diseases. eyes,” Gordon said. “People of Eastgroups. People of East Asian origin (Chinese/ Asian descent have narrower eyes. Japanese) are at a higher risk of It’s strictly a matter of their anatomy- Keith Gordon, Vice President of developing a form of glaucoma called ethnicity.”Research for the Canadian National narrow angle glaucoma as are peopleInstitute for the Blind (CNIB), of Inuit heritage, while First Nations According to research throughsays it is important for patients to people and people from South Asia the CNIB, people of African descentunderstand their genetic heredity in (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) have a have up to eight times the risk ofeye health, including how it relates to higher risk of developing diabetic experiencing open-angle glaucoma,their ethnic ancestry. retinopathy.” also known as wide-angle glaucoma, than the general population. People “Many eye diseases have genetic In the case of glaucoma, Gordon of Hispanic ethnicity are also at aorigins and if your parents or siblings explains that it is the anatomy of the greater risk. Caucasians are also athave the disease, you will be at a higher eye that predisposes the nature of the risk for this form of glaucoma, but arerisk of acquiring the disease yourself. glaucoma, should the disease occur. more likely to develop AMD than anyIn particular, glaucoma and age- For East Asian people, this puts them other ethnic groups. OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014 13

Everyone with diabetes is at risk the highest risk populations for amongst First Nations, Inuit andof developing diabetic retinopathy, diabetes and related complications.” Metis populations.the CNIB website states, but thereare certain factors that increase this Their research states that Recognizing that the prevalencerisk. Some of the risk factors cannot Aboriginal Canadians are three to five of diabetes varies between thesebe controlled, including ethnicity. times more likely than the general cultural groups, according to its population to develop type 2 diabetes unique characteristics, the report “The risk of diabetic retinopathy and are, therefore, at a much higher states that the socio-cultural,is higher in people of Aboriginal, risk of developing vision problems biological, environmental and lifestyleLatin American, Asian, South Asian related to diabetes. changes seen in the First Nations,and African origins,” Gordon said. Inuit and Métis populations in the Supporting that statement, the last half century have contributed The Canadian Diabetes Public Health Agency of Canada’s significantly to increased rates ofAssociation Clinical Practice report, Diabetes in Canada: Facts diabetes and its complications.Guidelines confirms: “Aboriginal and Figures From A Public Health Complications of diabetes are alsopeoples living in Canada are among Perspective, researched diabetes more frequently seen among the Aboriginal population than in the non-Aboriginal population. “Thirty to 40 per cent of diabetic Canadian Aboriginal peoples have diabetic retinopathy, three times as high as the Canadian population,” Gordon states. Gordon points out that patient education is key to creating awareness, offering early detection and encouraging preventative measures when it comes to eye health. Patients need to understand how their genetics and ethnicity impact their risks for certain diseases. Communication is essential. “If you don’t know there is glaucoma in the family and your not aware of the ethnic implications, you don’t know what to look for,” Gordon said. “The good news is that early detection and treatment of these diseases can minimize serious vision loss.” Canada’s cultural mosaic is a landscape that celebrates ethnic diversity. As communities evolve and grow, there are new opportunities for ECPs to work with patients and change the future of eye health for generations of Canadians to come. •14 OPTICAL PRISM | DIGITAL SUPPLEMENT | FEBRUARY 2014