Glaucoma: Diet, Health & Lifestyle

Glaucoma: Diet, Health & Lifestyle: What You Need to Know!

As glaucoma is a chronic eye disease, we are often asked by glaucoma patients what diet, health and lifestyle factors can helpful or harmful to their eye health. There is a need to separate fact from fiction on recommendations and yet we can all take away some useful and practical information about the effect of diet, health and lifestyle on glaucoma.

Exercise and Glaucoma

One of the typical findings in glaucoma is that patients have an elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Results from a number of studies indicate that aerobic exercise is associated with IOP lowering and according to the findings the change is greater among sedentary individuals than those who were already active and is independent of exercise duration or intensity. So, even a little aerobic exercise has a positive impact on lowering IOP! For anyone who feels they cannot incorporate exercise into their lifestyle-any kind of movement, even walking, may be beneficial. But, the key is consistency as you have to maintain your regimen because there is evidence showing as well that the effect of exercise on IOP does not continue when deconditioning occurs.

Diet and Glaucoma

There are many studies that suggest eating a healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables-especially green leafy vegetables-is beneficial. This advice comes from studies showing that consumption of a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, or with a higher dietary nitrate intake (for which green leafy vegetables are an excellent source), seemed to protect against glaucoma. In general there is no harm in increasing your intake of green leafy vegetables–EXCEPT that for patients taking the blood thinner Coumadin® or warfarin, you need to be aware that green leafy vegetables are high in vitamin K and should you should discuss any increase in their green vegetable intake with their primary care doctor so that medication dosages can be adjusted if necessary.

Acupuncture and Glaucoma

Today, many patients express an interest in alternative therapies such as acupuncture for managing treating their glaucoma.  In general according to the results of a well designed clinical study reported on acupuncture treatment for glaucoma in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, acupuncture is unlikely to be beneficial.

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

Glaucoma, Eye Pressure & Inhalers: No Need to Worry!

For certain patients taking oral steroid medications for asthma or severe arthritis can actually elevate their intraocular pressure (IOP) and cause them to develop glaucoma. In the recent past, it has become very common to treat the symptoms of season allergies-such as a runny nose, itching and sneezing, with Flonase® (Fluticasone) which is administered with an inhaler. In fact Flonase® inhalers are now available “over the counter” without a prescription at your local pharmacy so that you can just buy them and begin treating yourself.  Is it safe to use Flonase® inhalers if you are at risk of high eye pressure and are you at even greater risk if you have ocular hypertension or already have glaucoma? According to the results of a clinical study, called the ICOUGH Study presented in the Journal of Glaucoma, there was no clinically significant increase in the average eye pressure in patients with well-controlled open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension after 6 weeks of twice-daily inhaled Flonase®. Thus, it is generally regarded as safe to use OTC inhalers of Flonase® without causing an increased risk of glaucoma.

If you or someone you know is concerned about their risk of glaucoma or needs to schedule and eye exam including glaucoma testing, please call Early detection, diagnosis and treatment are critical to managing this disease and preventing vision loss and blindness. If you or someone you know has not had a recent eye exam and glaucoma testing please call and schedule an appointment at Center for Sight 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. 

Early Detection Critical to Treating Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a major cause of vision loss worldwide. It affects more than 3 million people in the United States with nearly half being unaware they have the disease. During Glaucoma Awareness Month in January, the American Academy of Ophthalmology is reminding the public that early detection and treatment can help protect your sight. 

Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, which transmits visual information from the retina to the brain. Typically, the disease initially has no signs or symptoms. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause irreversible blindness. 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that everyone have a comprehensive eye exam at age 40. This exam provides eye doctors an opportunity to carefully examine the eye including the optic nerve for signs of damage and other possible problems that may affect vision. Individuals at greater risk for developing glaucoma include people: 

• over age 40;
• who have a family history of glaucoma;
• of African, Asian or Hispanic heritage;
• who have high eye pressure detected during an eye exam;
• who are farsighted or nearsighted;
• who have experienced eye trauma or eye injury;
• whose corneas are thin in the center;
• or who have health problems such as diabetes, migraines, high blood pressure or poor blood

Early detection, diagnosis and treatment are critical to managing this disease and preventing vision loss and blindness. If you or someone you know has not had a recent eye exam and glaucoma testing please call and schedule an appointment at Center for Sight 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.

Laser Toy Eye Injury in Children

Inexpensive and extremely powerful lasers that are incorporated in toys are now available for purchase on the Internet. Laser pointers used for presentations or as toys typically have outputs of 5 milliwatts (mW) or less, usually in the red wavelength. These lasers are generally harmless to the human eye in short exposures. Ophthalmic lasers for treating diabetic retinopathy typically have a power output of 50 to 100 mW and come in a variety of wavelengths, depending on the clinical application. If misused, the lasers are capable of causing severe eye damage. Such lasers are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are not available for public use. However, foreign companies sell lasers over the Internet that have outputs of up to 200 mW or more in dangerous green wavelengths.

These lasers can cause eye injuries plus confusion for eye doctors. Children who suffer eye damage from lasers may be misdiagnosed with genetic eye disorders and undergo expensive and unnecessary testing. It’s never advisable for children to play with lasers, but it’s especially worrisome that these devices are becoming more dangerous. The increased accessibility and stronger power of these devices most likely explains the sizable number of cases of eye damage in children being reported over the past two years.

If you or someone you know needs information or help with a laser toy eye injury in children

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. 

What Do You See During Cataract Surgery?

We always like to take the time to carefully explain all of the things patients having cataract surgery and lens implants might experience during their visit to the surgery center and even during their cataract surgery procedure. In this way we are hopefully helping them relax and have an easy and comfortable experience as we correct their vision. For just about all of our patients having cataract surgery, they are awake but very comfortable. Every once in a while a patient will be curious about what they will actually see during the cataract procedure since they are awake. As this can really vary greatly from patient to patient we were please to find the results of a study that can give patients some guidance of what they might experience.

Results

Patients having cataract surgery were asked to describe the quality of the visual experience as, pleasant, neutral or unpleasant. The group of 200 patients interviewed in the study included an almost even mix of men and woman around the age of 70 years old and as is to be expected, were a bit anxious before the surgery and were given an oral tablet to help them relax. They all reported seeing some gradation of colors including in descending order blue, red, pink, yellow, green, purple, turquoise, and orange with the most common color combination being red-blue light which was most likely from the operating microscope. Most-61% of the light and color experiences during surgery were reported to be pleasant, 38% were neutral and 1% found them transiently unpleasant. Overall the experience of light and colors seen during cataract surgery is mildly pleasant and in fact should reassure patients that the visual experience is actually somewhat calming and relaxing during surgery.

If you or some you know is concerned about having a cataract or needing cataract surgery and lens implants and worried about what they will see, 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. 

Injections vs. Laser Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy

Injections for Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy progresses in stages that reflect the severity of the disease. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is a more advanced stage and requires treatment. Therapeutic injections for proliferative diabetic retinopathy represent a sound treatment for some patients with this advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy where blood vessels in the retina begin to grow, or proliferate, many which are fragile and more likely leak and bleed. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is a significant cause of vision loss if left untreated. Reporting on a clinical trial in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers compared the visual outcomes in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy who underwent either anti-VEGF treatment or Panretinal photocoagulation laser treatment. They found in many respects the outcomes of the group receiving injections were better in that the average vision over the two years in the injection group was better than the laser group, and the patients with the injections had less peripheral vision loss, required fewer future surgeries and developed fewer complications in the macular area of the eye.

If you or someone you know has diabetes, it is important to have regular diabetic eye exams to prevent vision loss from diabetic eye disease complications called diabetic retinopathy. Early detection, diagnosis and treatment are the keys to preventing vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.

If you need a diabetic eye exam 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. 

Diabetic Retinopathy & Neuropathy

We have known for quite some time that with both Type 1 & Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus are at high risk for developing diabetic retinopathy, which is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in adults. Vision loss occurs because of microvascular damage to the retina. People with diabetes are typically not aware that they are also at risk for developing retinal diabetic neuropathy, which is the loss of nerve cells in the retina. For many years, scientists believed patients developed retinopathy and, as a result of the damage to the blood vessels, later developed neuropathy. Doctors were focusing on early detection and treatment of retinopathy to prevent blindness, which they thought would then prevent the damage caused by neuropathy.

In a new study researchers discovered that the sequence of events occurring in the retina is just the opposite. Unfortunately we now know that the nerve damage actually does come first, before the vessel damage. Even people with diabetes who never get retinopathy can still develop this damage, and after many years, damage may be severe, similar to glaucoma. As part of the diabetic eye exam we provide for patients, we often perform a test called Optical Coherence Topography (OCT) that actually allows us to carefully examine the retinal nerve fiber health

The best way to prevent vision loss from diabetic retinopathy is through early detection, diagnosis and treatment with regular eye exams. If you or someone you know is diabetic and needs an diabetic eye exam, 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.