Archive for May, 2011
The Hidden Dangers of Gardening on a Holiday Weekend
05.30.2011
One of the hidden dangers to summer has nothing to do with sun exposure.
Ultraviolet light is certainly a risk not only to the skin by causing chronic changes in raising the chances for development of both benign skin lesions as well as squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas, but in addition, chronic changes to the internal lens of the eye (cataract) and damage to the retina (macular degeneration).
But as I was out in the garden this holiday weekend, vigorously planting flowers and pulling weeds, I was reminded of the dangers that are often hidden to the public and outside the popular news reports. Each year, here in the Northeast, between May and September, patients stream into my office with various eye injuries related to gardening.
Among these are corneal abrasions–which are excruciatingly painful scratches to the surface of the eye–resulting from getting inadvertently brushed by a branch or even a leaf. Corneal abrasions are not only painful and cause redness, severe light-sensitivity, and tearing, but in addition, because of the lack of blood vessels on the surface of the cornea, in some cases these scratches never fully heal. This condition is called recurrent corneal erosion, and can be problematic for years each time the eyelids are opened, pulling off the newly healed corneal epithelial cells, which begins the pain cycle all over again.
Loamy soil might be great for the health of your plants, but soil doesn’t belong in the eye. And because soil is actually a mixture of various materials, even small ocular foreign body particles can be difficult to remove if they get lodged underneath the upper eyelid. Once in contact with the conjunctiva–the outer surface of the eye–it is not unusual for the eye to become swollen, irritated, and red. The particles in soil may be so small, that even after everting the eyelid and flushing it with water, small remnants can remain which can continue to the irritating.
But perhaps the most worrisome of all gardening accidents are those that involve blunt trauma to the eye. These are the most visually debilitating and heart-wrenching of all emergencies that I see in my office. Because garden tools are used to apply force against the earth–which is far stronger than we are–we are often caught pulling, tugging, or otherwise fighting the forces of the ground which remain steadfast. This can result in the tool coming toward our face as the resistance breaks or we lose grip with the ground. And it is not only ourselves that are at risk, but there are also risks to those who are working nearby. If somebody is working to dislodge clay with a shovel and dispelling the dirt to the side, and you are nearby, you need to be vigilant and aware that the shovel can suddenly break free with enormous force and speed. In my own practice, I have witnessed debilitating injuries from these and similar accidents.
Fortunately, the solution to keeping your eyes safe from gardening accidents couldn’t be more simple.
Eye protection!
During the summer months, with the sun high in the sky, sunglasses are the obvious solution to protect against both ultraviolet light as well as physical trauma to the eye. Even those sunglasses that are not certified as safety goggles will provide some measure of protection against blunt trauma.
Of course, safety goggles are your best measure for reassuring complete safety.*
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President and Founder
Vitamin Science Inc.
Lutein and zeaxanthin offer protection against age-related macular degeneration
05.30.2011
The ongoing study being conducted by Dr. Paul Bernstein, Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Utah’s Moran Eye Center, involves 53 Moran Eye Center patients who are currently enrolled in the AREDS 2 study. In Dr. Bernstein’s research, annual measurements are taken of macular pigments, skin carotenoids, and serum carotenoids. Skin and serum carotenoid measurements are not thought to be reliable biomarkers for macular pigment optical density. 70% of the study participants had high baseline levels of lutein and zeaxanthin.
It is hoped that the data gleaned from the research will lead to new applications in the study of macular xanthophylls and their metabolites in humans. The study may not necessarily lead to clinical applications. In addition to the research of diseased eyes, there is also ongoing research into the effects lutein and zeaxanthin supplements have on healthy eyes. Lutein is also to thought to have a neuroprotective effect and research shows that it slows down cognitive decline in older adults.
VisiVite formulas containing high dosages of Lutein and Zeaxanthin can be found on this page: http://www.visivite.com/lutein-zeaxanthin.html.*
Elise Ervin
Staff Writer
Eye patients treated with Avastin face increased risk of stroke.
05.27.2011Eye patients undergoing treatment with Avastin face an increased risk of stroke or death compared to patients who are treated with Lucentis. Medicare data was analyzed by Johns Hopkins University and presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology conference in May 2011.
The analysis revealed that Avastin increased the risk of early death by 11 percent and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke by 57 percent compared with Lucentis. Currently, Avastin is prescribed “off-label” for the treatment of wet macular degeneration while Lucentis is the only FDA approved wet macular degeneration treatment. Lucentis is $2,000 per injection compared to $50 per injection for Avastin. A recent study found that Avastin is just as effective in treating the condition as Lucentis.
The increased risks associated with the use of Avastin emphasize the need for doctors to balance efficacy and safety when considering the proper treatment for their patients.*
Elise Ervin
Staff Writer
Where will opticians find jobs now that Apple has announced an app to take eyeglass measurements???
05.24.2011
If you tuned in to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address last January, you heard him talk about how the Internet is the wave of the future.
Like it or not, the Internet is quickly replacing in-store shopping in many industries. Take a look around your neighborhood….Blockbusters have closed because people can now rent movies quickly and more conveniently from RedBox and NetFlix. Border’s have all closed because people have the E-Book readers, Nooks and Kindles. Travel Agencies have become dinosaurs because people can now shop around for cheap flights and vacation packages on sites such as Bookit.com and Travelocity.
You can surely see how easy it would be for certain businesses to be taken over by the Internet, but some businesses give the appearance of being “Internet proof”. One of those is the eyeglass industry.
Think about it. People really need to try on glasses to make sure they have a proper fit across the bridge of their nose, are not sitting too high or low on their face and are not too broad or narrow for the size of their head. More importantly, in order for a prescription to be filled properly, you need to have an accurate pupil distance measurement. In recent years, many sites have surfaced that sell frames at a discounted rate, but ensuring a proper fit and prescription really depended on the consumer taking the glasses to an experienced optician and having the proper lenses put in the frame bought on the Internet.
All of this has recently changed. Apple has announced the Pupil Distance Measurement application for the iPhone. By downloading this app and using the camera in your phone a person can accurately measure their pupil distance, enabling them to ensure a more accurate prescription in a pair of glasses bought online.
Although it does not eliminate all of the other obstacles a person could face while buying glasses on line, this “app” certainly does help make the process much easier.*
Mary Sweetman
Certified Ophthalmic Assistant
The iPhone/iPad app is only useful if:
- You already know that a particular frame fits you.
- You are looking to buy a single vision distance prescription (not bifocals, progressives, or reading glasses)
A good optician performs many tasks in the custom fitting of an eyeglass for a patient, not just pupil distance. Frames differ in their bridge size (space where your nose fits), location of the pads (if it’s a metal frame) and length of the temples (pieces that hang on your head). And with progressives, the pupil has to be measured with the glasses ON so that the optician knows where the graduation from distance to near should occur. For reading, the pupils are closer together. And one of the things that concerns me is that the person is focusing on the iPhone or iPad at a moderately close distance, thus giving a measurement that is halfway between the distance and near pupil distance.
But the cleverness of a computerized world is nevertheless startling. Thanks, Mary.
Paul Krawitz, M.D., President and Founder
Vitamin Science, Inc.
No belly laugh – Pot-bellied men more likely to develop macular degeneration
05.23.2011
The researchers followed 21,000 men and women between the ages of 40 and 68 for several years and documented how many of them developed macular degeneration. Researchers theorize that the difference between men and women and the link of body fat to macular degeneration is that abdominal fat increases the hormone estrogen in the body. Women’s bodies are used to the high levels of the hormone throughout their lives and thus aren’t as sensitive to it as men. In men, the estrogen causes inflammation of blood vessels including blood vessels in the eyes.
Researchers say the study offers proof that chronic inflammation is involved in macular degeneration and obesity is a pro-inflammatory state. This marks obesity as a risk factor of macular degeneration.
Men can reduce their macular degeneration risk by as much as 20 percent by eating more fruits, vegetables and nuts.*
Elise Ervin
Staff Writer
