Eye Health
Omega 3’s Don’t Help Your Eyes? Not So Fast…
Last week, the much anticipated first round of results from AREDS 2 were published. AREDS stands for “Age-Related Eye Disease Study”, a cross-sectional, multicenter, years-long set of studies set out to determine whether the progression of age-related eye diseases, such as macular degeneration could be curbed by the intake of certain nutraceuticals. The original AREDS results taught us that … Continue reading
iTips For Spring Training
So, I saw this patient last week who was blind in his left eye. Other than a congenital form of blindness in that eye, his ocular and visual health were essentially normal. He asked me why I prescribed glasses for him, and it led to a great and meaningful discussion regarding eye safety. First of all, I prescribed glasses with polycarbonate lenses to … Continue reading
No Marijuana For Glaucoma Any Time Soon
Ok, so we’ve all heard the anecdotal tales of the guy who gets to smoke marijuana to treat his glaucoma, but is there any truth to this wives tale? The answer is a resounding “sort of, but not really”. The story goes like this: someone somewhere figured out that something in hemp lowers intraocular (eye) pressure. So, a series of … Continue reading
Transitions Now Better Than Ever
Transitions lenses are light-activated lenses that turn dark in bright light. This technology has been around for several years, but now Transitions lenses are available for virtually all walks of life, from avid outdoors people to those who spend most of the day inside. Transitions lenses protect from UV radiation, as well as provide a comfortable light level … Continue reading
When Time’s a Factor
The advent of Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography, or SD-OCT, has given us the ability to perform in vivo ( or “in the body”) histology of the tissues of the human eye with a resolution down to just a few microns — a tremendous feat that has led to key developments in the understanding of certain ocular diseases. This case … Continue reading
More than Seeing Clearly
Most people know hypertension, or high blood pressure, as the “silent killer.” It can build for decades with little to no symptoms and can cause irreversible damage and even death if left untreated. However, most people do not think of glaucoma as the “silent blinder,” but it can build for decades and cause irreversible damage … Continue reading
The Enigmatic “Dry Eye”
Dry Eye Syndrome has made its way to the forefront of chronic eye disease in the past few years (thanks in part to new etiological discoveries yielding novel treatment strategies — and the ever-aging population). However, I have very few patients actually complain of their eyes feeling “dry”. Most patients with dry eyes will complain of excess tearing, … Continue reading