Wear Visors to Avoid Hockey Eye Injury

As a pediatric ophthalmologist I am very aware of the needs of parents, coaches and players to have information and take steps to avoid eye injury. Hockey is particularly popular in Connecticut both by observers and fans as well as among middle school, high school and college athletes. Eye injury is a series risk among hockey players and it requires that parents and players take some precautions-specifically the use of visors to minimize the risk of hockey eye injury. Based on research presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology, you should be aware that the researchers found that wearing visors could cause a four-fold decrease in the risk of eye injuries. The researchers, based at the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School, examined data from The Sports Network (TSN) and The Hockey News annual visor survey over the last 10 seasons from 2002 to 2013 in the NHL. The data clearly demonstrated that the risk of eye injury is 4.23 times higher for players who do not wear a visor. The study also found that the majority of eye injuries are caused by being hit by the puck (37%) or struck by a high stick (28%) or by a fight or scrum (18%), while the researchers could not identify the cause of injury for 17%. Further, players without visors had a more aggressive style of play, measured by penalty minutes, hits and fights in a case-control study.

If you or someone you know plays hockey please share this information with them to help them decrease their risk of hockey eye injury, or please feel free to call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Macular Degeneration Risk Increased by Obesity

The risk of many systemic diseases-such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory problems & joint problems-and obesity is well documented. Recently researchers reviewing the Beaver Dam Eye Study evaluated the risk of age related eye disease such as age related macular degeneration (AMD) with obesity. They discussed their review in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science where they reported the results of eye exams that were used to evaluate the presence and severity of cataract and macular degeneration as well as measurements of height and weight over a 15 year period of time. Their findings show that for females who were non smokers, there was indeed and increased risk of early and late stage age related macular degeneration (AMD) with an increasing Body Mass Index (BMI).

If you or someone you know is concerned about obesity and the risk of age related macular degeneration (AMD) , please feel free to call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule a comprehensive eye examination. 

Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Osteoporosis Increases Cataract Risk

It is pretty well understood that calcium is an important factor in bone health and the occurrence of osteoporosis. But, it is also important to note that calcium is an important factor in cataract formation.  Recently, researchers studied and investigated the association between osteoporosis and cataracts. Reporting in the journal Clinical Ophthalmology, the researchers shared some interesting information regarding an association between cataracts, cataract surgery and osteoporosis.

Association Between Osteoporosis & Cataracts
First, the researchers found that 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 by using powerful statistical modeling 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 feel free to call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or http://www.facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule a comprehensive eye exam and cataract evaluation.

Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Top Macular Degeneration (AMD) Risks

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of severe vision loss among Americans ages 65 and over. Knowing your risk factors, being aware of your family history, and scheduling regular eye exam appointments with your eye doctor can help reduce your risks for vision loss from macular degeneration. The key to preventing vision loss from age related macular degeneration is early detection, diagnosis and treatment as recommended by your eye doctor.

Know the Top AMD Risks

Ø  Being over the Age of 60

Ø  Having a Family History of AMD

Ø  Cigarette Smoking

Ø  Obesity

Ø  Hypertension

If you have any two of these risk factors, you should schedule an appointment at Doctor & Associates for a complete eye exam and evaluation if you have not already done so that we can recommend certain preventive measures which can reduce your risk of vision loss from this disease.

Managing AMD Risk Factors
Some AMD risks can be managed by changing certain lifestyle habits such as stopping smoking, eating a low fat diet rich in green leafy vegetables and reducing alcohol consumption, whereas others such as genetic factors cannot be changed. However, knowing your family medical history is one way to learn whether you may be genetically predisposed to a disease. One way to reduce AMD risk is to quit smoking or never start. For patients at high risk for developing late stage AMD, taking a dietary supplement of vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene, along with zinc, has been shown to lower the risk of AMD advancing to advanced stages by 25 percent.

Know the Symptoms of Wet AMD

With early detection, diagnosis and treatment it is possible to avoid or minimize vision loss from Wet AMD. People who are at risk should know the symptoms of Wet AMD, the form most likely to cause rapid and serious vision loss. These include sudden, noticeable loss or distortion of vision, such as seeing “wavy” lines, “distortion”, “bending of straight lines and objects”. If you experience any of these symptoms, please call Doctor & Associates and explain your symptoms and request an immediate appointment. Current treatments for Wet AMD such as Lucentis® Injections and Eylea® Injections provide an excellent chance of stopping vision loss and may actually restore some vision when macular degeneration develops. Earlier diagnosis of wet AMD gives us the best chance of successful treatment.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about their risk of AMD or needs a an eye exam for macular degeneration, please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates offices are located at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Eyelid Surgery: How Long Does It Last?

Flora Levin, M.D.

How Long Does Eyelid Surgery Last?

Removing even a small amount of skin and repositioning or removing eyelid fat in the 40’s or 50’s may have a drastic rejuvenating effect that will last for many years, during which patients look and feel better.  However, aging is a dynamic process, influenced by many factors such as the pull of gravity, sun exposure, and even genetics.

Bleph Pre-Op

Patients often ask me if they should wait until their condition worsens. My answer is that each person perceives the aging process differently, both psychologically and physically.  Most people understandably feel younger than their chronological age but may feel that their appearance does not reflect the way that they feel. Rejuvenating the eye area helps address such common concerns.

Bleph Post-Op

If you or someone you know would like to learn more or schedule a consultation for cosmetic eyelid orblepharoplasty, please call Doctor & Associates at 203-227-4113 to schedule a consultation with Cosmetic Eye Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, Flora Levin, 
M.D.