On The Net
This new "mega-site" offers a wealth of eyecare information.

This column is always happy to point readers to new Web sites that provide highly useful information to patients and eyecare professionals. Such a site is www.visionconnection.org, recently launched by Lighthouse International and the Royal National Institute of the Blind, which provides services and support for the blind and visually impaired in the United Kingdom.

Because the two sponsoring organizations are primarily concerned with the partially sighted and blind, the site's content is weighted heavily toward low-vision rehabilitation and resources. But the content offered on visionconnection.org is so comprehensive and far-ranging that it can easily be called a "mega-site." For example, not only does the site provide basic information on common eye diseases and their treatment, it also offers updates on the latest world news, health information and vision-related developments.

The majority of the content is geared toward patients and can be accessed in large and legible fonts. In the "Ask the Expert" section, a panel of professionals that includes ophthalmologists, optometrists, low-vision specialists and psychologists stands ready to answer questions on all aspects of eye problems, treatment options and the impact of visual impairment on patients' quality of life.

For physicians, the site provides highly useful information on clinical trials, including links to news of current trials seeking to enroll participants. There's also a calendar of upcoming meetings and events that should be helpful to ophthalmologists. And if you're interested in integrating low-vision care into your practice, the Web site offers a highly detailed primer on how you can do it.

Though registration is required to access all of the features that www.visionconnection.org provides, it's free and sign-up only takes a minute. For that small investment of your time, you'll find a treasure trove of eyecare-related content you can return to again and again.

Visit: www.visionconnection.org

If you've discovered a Web site or service that's been useful to you in practice or at home, we'd like to know about it. E-mail Jerry Helzner at helznergi@boucher1.com  or call him at (215) 643-8013.