There are so many suffering with eye diseases who don’t even know it.
This is why it is critical to increase awareness, this is why it is critical to give back.
It is a privilege and honor to be an EyeCare America volunteer!
Author: dralanmendelsohn
Dr Alan Mendelsohn is a Fort Lauderdale, South Florida ophthalmologist
Farewell to Glaucoma Awareness Month
The last day of January is also the final day of Glaucoma Awareness Month. I hope that via my blog posts and YouTube Videos your awareness of Glacuoma is now significantly increased.
Here is my final Glaucoma Awareness video for the year outlining treatment of it.
Out of this, I hope you will be more proactive when it comes to your eyes. Don’t just wait for something to happen to them, especially if you’re over 50.
As for what I will talk about next, unfortunately there are many other ailments that can affect the eyes. Depending on who you hold be, February is Low Vision Awareness Month or Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness month,
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading, if not the number one cause of blindness among older people. As dangerous as glaucoma is, macular degeneration among the elderly simply can not be ignored.
Discussing Vyzulta
There is a new eye drop on the market which I’ve written about previously.
Now watch me speak about it!
We are already giving the drops to patients and while it’s too early to tell how it will work, having to only administer drops once a day is a big difference!
Perils of Central Retinal Vein Occlusion (CRVO)
When all is operating as it should, the veins and arteries carry blood to every part of the body.
But what when things aren’t operating as they should??
The retina has one main vein (central retinal vein) and one main artery. So of this is blocked, the ramifications are serious. throughout your body, including your eyes. The eye’s retina has one main artery and one main vein. When the main retinal vein becomes blocked, it is called central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
When the vein is blocked, fluid and blood leaks into the delicate retina.
From here the chain reaction is out of control. The macula will be affected and in turn disrupting central vision. Nerve calls in the eye will be permanently damaged
Watch the video to find out more and if you have any questions, please ask!
Thyroid Eye Disease
In addition to Glaucoma awareness month, January is also Thyroid Awareness Month!
Thyroid issues result in dry eye.
Watch the video to see how this impacts the eye.
Pingueculas and Pterygium
Pingueculas and Pterygium aren’t common names.
The Pinguecula is a conjunctival degeneration in the eye while the Pterygium is a growth on the cornea.
The best way to avoid either of these is to wear sunglasses.
Dealing with Corneal Abrasions
As the protective layer over the eye, the cornea is critical for making sure the eye is ok.
Having said that, it also means that it’s continually in the firing line.
If the cornea suffers any sort of damage, critical that it’s attended to as quickly as possible.
How can the eye heal if every time it blinks, it washes away the healing cells?
The answers is that we put a type of bandage over it so that it can heal while still allowing the eye to function.
Smoky Eyes
When it comes to smoking and the health dangers it poses, first and foremost it’s about the lungs.
It seems reasonable that this is the case, but the eyes are also part of the equation.
As I’ve written previously, a healthy lifestyle is good for the eyes and the reverse is also true, to the extent that the eyes are actually a barometer of the body’s overall health.
Because illnesses such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy aren’t on the radar of people, it’s not on their radar when it comes to smoking.
If you said to someone, there could be a good chance you may lose your eyesight from smoking, do you think they would continue to do so?
Vyzulta and Glaucoma
Despite all the medical advances, there haven’t been recent developments when it comes to eye drops and those suffering from glaucoma.
This is until now. The release of Vyzulta could be a game-changer.
I’ve written a post at Glaucoma.org documenting my thoughts on the matter.
After many years in development and trialing, it’s now been released and we shall see what happens next.
Ocular Preventive Care – How to Prevent Eye Surgery
Prevention is better than cure and this is definitely the case with anything and everything pertaining to the eye.
Surgery is a very disruptive and invasive process and rather than put the eye, which is very sensitive through it, better to be proactive and avoid it.
So what can you do to prevent eye surgery?
Whenever you are doing any serious physical activity, wear safety goggles.
If you are going to participate in pursuits such as paintball and boxing, eye protection is mandatory.
Walking around in the sunshine is a lovely and wonderful thing to do but the eyes are exposed to the bright sunlight. So whether you are walking around or driving, wear sunglasses.
To find out more, watch the video above.