BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Aremus Industries of Millstone Township created the new solution Prev-MD.C, which helps eyeglasses/sunglasses block harmful ultraviolet rays. MILLSTONE - Aremus Industries wants people to see the truth behind the light.

The company, based in the Perrineville section of Millstone Township, believes it can help beat blindness caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation by creating more awareness of UV damage to the eye, Aman H. Bhatti, president and CEO of Aremus Industries, said.

"Adequate UV protection of the eye can simply be achieved by wearing sunglasses or eyeglasses that have both UV-A and UV-B protection," Bhatti said. "But in order to make sure that we are all protected, we need to reach out to the general public and increase awareness of UV protection."

For this reason, Aremus Industries has developed a program called the Prev-MD.C Initiative, which stands for "prevent macular degeneration and cataracts." The purpose of the program is to research damage to the eyes caused by UV radiation and to develop UV solutions to help block these damaging waves from passing into the eyes, Bhatti said.

Bhatti said research conducted by The World Health Organization estimates that up to 20 percent of blindness is due to UV-radiation damage to the eye. UV radiation causes damage to the retina, which is a thin layer of specialized cells that line the interior surface of the eye, and its blood vessels, he said.

Bhatti said chronic effects of overexposure to damaging UV rays include the possible development of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, pterygium and squamous cell cancer of the conjuctiva.

Bhatti said it doesn't make sense for people who go to the beach to cover themselves with sun block, but leave their eyes exposed to damaging UV rays.

"On the Jersey shore, people are getting pounded by UV light," Bhatti said.

There are two types of UV light, UV-A and UV-B, Bhatti said. UV-B rays are easy to block, but UV-A rays are not, he said, noting that most sunglasses do not block UV-A light from reaching the eyes.

"We want people to know that cheap sunglasses that you buy at places like the gas station do not protect the eyes," Bhatti said.

Aremus Industries manufactures a product called Prev-MD.C, which is a UV solution applied to a tint dye for an optical lens. According to the company, the solution provides 99.9 percent UV protection and helps to prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.

"With the knowledge gained through various journals, we were able to develop new technology for processing our UV solution materials so that they can provide 99.9 percent UV protection," Bhatti said.

Prev-MD.C UV Solution is not directly available to the general public, according to Bhatti.

"It is only available from opticians/optical stores because this is a coating that goes on the lens," he said.

Anyone interested in the product must ask their optician or eye doctor for Prev-MD.C UV Solution by name, according to Bhatti.

"Any store/lab that offers our product will have a display of our bottle to show that they have this special UV solution," Bhatti said.

Aremus tries not only to provide its customers with superior UV protection, it also donates portions of the proceeds of sales to various organizations that research and spread awareness of cataracts and macular degeneration, Bhatti said.

One of the organizations Aremus Industries donates some of its proceeds to is Orbis International.

According to the organization's Web site, Orbis International is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring sight and preventing unnecessary blindness worldwide. Since 1982, through the work of its Flying Eye Hospital and permanent programs, Orbis has transferred sight-saving skills to tens of thousands of eye-care professionals in over 84 countries.

Bhatti said, "The flying eye hospital is a DC-10 aircraft with an operating and a surgical suite that flies worldwide to areas such as China, Pakistan and India. The staff of the plane removes cataracts and also trains local physicians to remove cataracts, which is the No. 1 cause of blindness worldwide."

Bhatti said he wants people to be aware that when they purchase the Prev-MD.C coating as an option for their eyeglasses or sunglasses, they will be helping a worthwhile cause.

"[The cause] is bringing awareness to the public of UV damage to the eye as well as allowing us to help other organizations, through our donations, in research and removing cataracts and aiding in the battle against blindness worldwide," Bhatti said.

Aremus Industries started up a year ago, but its founders have over 25 years of experience in manufacturing optical lenses, lens tint dyes and UV solutions, according to Bhatti. Bhatti, an M.D., attended medical school at Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) in the Dominican Republic.

For more information on Aremus Industries and Prev-MD.C call (888) 246-0027 or visit www.aremusindustries.com.