Stop Smoking & Reduce Cataract Risk

If you are concerned about the risk of cataracts, and if you are a smoker, there is good news in that by stopping smoking you should be able to decrease your cataract risk.

Research on Smoking & Cataract Risk

According to research on smoking and cataract risk reported in JAMA Ophthalmology, stopping smoking decreases the risk of cataracts over time. The study followed a total of 44,371 men, 45 to 79 years old over a 10 year period and the participants filled out questionnaires on their smoking habits and lifestyles and were then matched with the Swedish National Day-Surgery Register and local records of cataract extraction.

Findings on Cataract Risk in Smokers

Smokers of more than 15 cigarettes a day had a 42% increased risk of cataract surgery compared with men who had never smoked. It also found that men who smoked an average of more than 15 cigarettes a day but had stopped smoking more than 20 years earlier had a 21% increased risk. Thus, they found a positive association between cigarette smoking and cataract surgery in men, with a significant increase of cataracts among smokers compared to those who never smoked. Also, stopping smoking was associated with a statistically significant decrease in risk with increasing time from stopping smoking. Even heavy smokers had some benefit from quitting smoking.

This is supportive of the results of a previous study which detailed the relationship between smoking cessation and cataract risk in women. In this study, they found that after cessation of smoking, cataract risk in women decreased with time. Women who smoked 6 to 10 cigarettes a day but had ceased smoking 10 years earlier, and women who smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day but had ceased smoking 20 years earlier were found to have a relative risk of cataracts not significantly different from women who had never smoked.

Smoking cessation seems to decrease the risk of cataract development and the need for cataract surgery with time, although the risk persists for decades. The higher the intensity of smoking, the longer it takes for the increased risk to decline. These findings emphasize the importance of early smoking cessation and, preferably, the avoidance of smoking altogether.

If you or someone you know has questions about cataract risk and smoking or needs to schedule an appointment, please feel free to call us at 508-730-2020, visit Center for Sight, Google+ or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver  to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 for patients from Massachusetts or Rhode Island. 

Osteoporosis Predicts Cataracts Risk

In general, most people know that calcium is important for healthy bone maintenance and the prevention or slowing of osteoporosis. But not too many people know that calcium is also an important factor in the development of cataracts. This, perhaps, raises the question as to whether there is an association between osteoporosis and cataract development.

Research on the Association between Osteoporosis & Cataracts
In the journal Clinical Ophthalmology, researchers shared some interesting information regarding an association between cataracts, cataract surgery and osteoporosis. They first found that age, female sex, higher socioeconomic class, smoking, chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases are all associated with an increased prevalence of osteoporosis. Then through  statistical modeling and analysis, they also found that these factors and osteoporosis are ALL associated with an increased prevalence of cataracts. Thus, they concluded that osteoporosis is associated with the presence of cataracts which may be related to calcium imbalance, hormonal abnormalities, and even a shared genetic predisposition.

If you or someone you know is concerned about osteoporosis and their risk of cataracts, please call us at 508-730-2020, visit Center for Sight, Google+ or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver  to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 for patients from Massachusetts or Rhode Island. 

Droopy Eyebrow a Problem?

What’s a Droopy Eyebrow?

A droopy eyebrow of “brow ptosis” sometimes gets confused with a droopy eyelid or even excess skin on the eyelid. In fact, it isn’t terribly uncommon for patients to come in to see me and ask about a cosmetic eyelid surgery or blepharoplasty because they have tired looking eyes. We have to be thorough and makes sure that we identify and deal with all the factors that contribute to the appearance of tired eyes. 

Sometimes I have to show patients the difference between a droopy eyelid (eyelid ptosis), excess eyelid skin and a droopy eyebrow (brow ptosis). A droopy eyebrow will push the upper eyelid skin further down and cause the appearance of eyelid puffiness and excess eyelid skin, to seem worse. When this is present, blepharoplasty alone may not be sufficient to achieve the best results. Many patients may not be aware that their brow is droopy. Endoscopic forehead lifting through small incisions at the edge of the hairline is an excellent cosmetic technique to elevate the forehead and eyebrow areas.  This technique also helps smooth out forehead wrinkles. It is often combined with upper eyelid blepharoplasty.

If you or someone you know would like help for a droopy eyebrow, please call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020 to schedule a consultation with Cosmetic Eye Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon Gregory Hofeldt, M.D. or learn more at  Center for Sight, Google+ or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver.

Cataract Risk from High Dose Vitamins

Almost all of us have taken vitamins at some time in order to supplement our diets and meet the daily recommended requirement. From time to time, there have been instances where large doses of vitamins are suggested- even higher than the daily recommended dose. This has raised a question as to whether vitamins affect your risk of developing cataracts – are they good, bad, or indifferent for the development of cataracts.

 

Dr. Keegan Johnson, M.D.

Research on High Dose Vitamin Supplements & Risk of Cataracts

Researchers reporting in the American Journal of Epidemiology evaluated the risks and benefits of taking high dose supplements of vitamins C and E and low-dose multivitamins with the risk of developing age related cataract.  Their study looked at any associations of high-dose supplements of vitamins C and E and low dose multivitamins with the risk of age related cataract in a group of 31,120 men who ranged in age from 45–79 years of age. Their results suggest that the use of high dose-but not low dose-single vitamin C or E supplements may increase the risk of age-related cataract. The risk may be even higher among older men, corticosteroid users, and long-term users.

If you or someone you know takes high doses of vitamins or is concerned about their risk of cataracts please call us at 508-730-2020, visit Center for Sight, Google+ or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver  to schedule an appointment.

Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 for patients from Massachusetts or Rhode Island. 

Dark Circles Under Your Eyes: Can We Help?

Help for Dark Circles Under Your Eyes

A very common complaint we hear is the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. Patients often ask us for help with these dark circles, but first we must find the cause for each patient because and we need to address them and treat them differently.

Too Much Eyelid Fat

The space behind the eye, known as the orbit, contains a significant amount of fatty tissue. Orbital fat helps to cushion the eye from impact, however, as we get older, the support structures which keep the fat behind the eye weaken, and the fat moves forward into the eyelids. This results in fullness to the lower eyelids which most people find aesthetically unpleasing. This fullness, commonly referred to as “bags under the eyes”, makes people look older and tired. The best treatment for this type of problem is usually removal of excess fat with a lower eyelid blepharoplasty procedure. Excess skin can be trimmed and tightened at the same time.

Lower Eyelid Hollowness

Dark circles under the eyes can also be caused by a depression or hollowness in the lower eyelids. Patients who have this problem can usually feel the underlying bone when the area of hollowness is touched. Today, we are able to treat the hollowness with injectable volumizing fillers whose qualities make them appropriate for the delicate eye area. These non surgical treatments typically last 6-12 months. If the results are not completely satisfactory sometimes it becomes necessary to surgically reposition the fat to reduce hollows under the eyes as well as performing a lid tightening procedure to improve the lower eyelid contour.

Hyperpigmentation of Eyelid Skin

Sometimes dark circles under the eyes can be caused by too much pigmentation of the skin, although this is the least common cause. Patients often think that they have hyperpigmentation but what they are seeing is shadows from excess eyelid fat or hollowness at the orbital rim.

If you or someone you know would like help for dark circles under their eyes, please call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020 to schedule a consultation with Cosmetic Eye Plastic& Reconstructive Surgeon Gregory Hofeldt, M.D. or learn more at  Center for Sight, Google+ or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver.