Hypertensive Retinopathy Predicts Stroke Risk

During your regular eye exam we thoroughly and carefully exam the tiny blood vessels in your Retina-especially for seniors and others who have high blood pressure, other vascular disease and diabetes. For patients with hypertension or high blood one of very important things we can tell from your eye health is you potential risk of stroke. In the past assessment of the signs of hypertensive retinopathy-the retinal vascular condition that results from high blood pressure-has been recommended for determining end organ damage such as kidney and heart problems.

According to researchers reporting in the journal Hypertension there is a clear predictive value of evaluating whether hypertensive retinopathy predicts the long-term risk of stroke in those with hypertension.  In this study, participants with hypertension aged 50 to 73 years had gradable retinal photographs, no history of diabetes mellitus, stroke, and coronary heart disease at baseline and data on incident stroke, were included from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Retinal photographs were assessed for hypertensive retinopathy signs and classified as none, mild, and moderate/severe. Any history of stroke, cerebral infarction or hemorrhagic stroke were identified and confirmed. The results showed that after adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure and other risk factors, persons with moderate hypertensive retinopathy were more likely to have stroke. Even in patients with hypertension on medication with good control of blood pressure, hypertensive retinopathy was related to an increased risk of stroke!

From this study we know that hypertensive retinopathy predicts the long term risk of stroke, independent of blood pressure, even in treated patients with hypertension with good hypertension control. Thus, if you have high blood pressure, it is often important for us to obtain photographs at your eye examination in order to document and assess hypertensive retinopathy signs that may be useful for assessment of your stroke risk.

Eye Specialists Note Need for Fireworks Eye Safety for July 4th

Doctor & AssociatesOphthalmologists provided some advice on the need to use proper eye safety and precautions for July 4^th fireworks celebrations. The importance of fireworks eye safety cannot be overemphasized considering that eye injuries are the second most frequent injury seen in the emergency room each July 4^th weekend.

Common sense and good judgment make it quite possible to reduce the risk of eye injury from fireworks displays. First, regarding children and fireworks of any type-THEY DON’T GO TOGETHER! To help kids avoid suffering severe eye injuries and burns is to not let kids play with any fireworks. It is even better not to purchase, use or store fireworks of any type. Protect yourself, your family and your friends by avoiding fireworks personally. Attend only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators, but be aware that even professional displays can be dangerous. However, if an eye accident does occur, there are a few things you should know:

·         Do not rub the eye.

·         Do not attempt to rinse out the eye. This can be even more damaging than rubbing.

·         Do not apply pressure to the eye itself-but protecting the eye from further contact with any item, including the person’s hand.

·         Do not stop for medicine! Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin (should never be given to children) and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the person to the emergency room at once.

·         Do not apply ointments or drops. They may not be sterile and may make the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.

Once you are seen in the emergency room please feel free to have them call Doctor & Associates at 203-227-4113 as we always have an eye doctor “on call” to provide consultation and continued care for you.

If you or someone you know has questions about fireworks eye safety and eye injuries please

call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice with offices at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

Cataract Surgery for Both Eyes Gives Best Results

Fairfield County Cataract SurgeonLeslie Doctor, M.D., noted that while having cataract surgery in one is likely to improve vision and visual functioning, the best results are found in patients who undergo second eye cataract surgery. A cataract in one or both eyes often causes blurry, cloudy or dimming of vision but more importantly it can cause a meaningful decrease in visual functioning that impacts daily activities and lifestyle. In general it is well known that the presence of a cataract negatively affects both subjective quality of life and objective performance measures.

Researchers reporting in Ophthalmology studied the impact that a cataract and cataract surgery have on clinical measurements of vision, reading speed, objective mobility performance and subjective visual functioning. The results showed that patients who had the cataract surgery in both eyes demonstrated better visual performance, better mobility-based task performance and even scored better on the Activities of Daily Vision Scale (ADVS). “So we tell our patients that even though they might find a great improvement after having cataract surgery in only one eye, the data indicate that having cataract surgery on both eyes provides the best visual functioning,’ summarized Dr. Leslie Doctor.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about cataracts, cataract surgery and visual functioning please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice with offices at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.

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Laser Cataract Surgery Information

Patients often ask us whether we use the laser for cataract surgery. In fact, for many patients we are able to perform laser cataract surgery and lens implants using the Alcon® LenSx® Femtosecond Laser in order to provide exquisite reproducibility, precision, safety and a gentler cataract surgery procedure. At Doctor & Associates, cataract surgery is one of the most frequent types of eye surgery procedures we perform-and, typically with excellent results. However, it is technically complex and requires considerable surgical skill in order to perform the great number of manually delivered steps required.

Dr. Leslie Doctor commented, “Using the laser for cataract surgery allows me to create "perfect" incisions, without using a blade or knife, in terms of size, position and architecture. This is important in order to have self-sealing, “sutureless” incisions without the use of stitches, and to help in preventing infection. Also, the laser helps me create a perfectly centered and sized "capsulotomy", which is the opening I prepare in the front of the crystalline lens where the cloudy lens material is removed and is critical in the centering of the lens implant to provide the best uncorrected vision. Laser cataract surgery also is quite helpful when I liquefy and soften the crystalline lens where the cataract has formed because I can use less energy to remove the cataract, which is gentler on the eye.”

If you or someone you know has cataracts or is considering cataract surgery and would like to learn more about laser cataract surgery, please call Doctor & Associates at 203-227-4113 to schedule an appointment.

Corneal Specialist on Dry Eyes, Contact Lenses & Birth Control Pills

“What does having dry eyes have to do with wearing contact lenses and birth control pills?” asked Fairfield County CornealSpecialist Leslie Doctor, M.D.  As it turns out there is indeed a relationship between dry eye symptoms in woman using oral contraceptives who wear contact lenses. A study published in the journal Cornea examined the relationship among oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use, contact lens wear and dry eye signs and symptoms in healthy young women. “As it turned out, there were no differences in dry eyes between the phases of the menstrual cycle and no evidence that tear osmolarity-or saltiness-was affected by OCP or contact lens use in the young women. However, the study found that the combination of OCP use and contact lens wear together may increase the severity of dry eye symptoms,” noted Dr. Leslie Doctor.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about dry eyes, contact lenses and oral contraceptive birth control pills please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment. 

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice with offices at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.