Norwalk Eye Doctor on Glaucoma Risk & Metabolic Syndrome

Norwalk Ophthalmologist Leslie Doctor, M.D. shared information about the risk of glaucoma when patients suffer from metabolic syndrome. “I am particularly diligent about watching for glaucoma in patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol and triglycerides and obesity as the current research suggests that they have elevated risks of developing open angle glaucoma,” remarked Dr. Leslie Doctor of Doctor & Associates with Fairfield County offices in Norwalk, Westport and Wilton, Connecticut.

Reporting in the publication Ophthalmology, the official journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, researchers suggested that the risk of developing open angle glaucoma (OAG) may be increased if you suffer from Metabolic Syndrome. “This is of particular concern as some one-fifth of the U.S. population has metabolic syndrome and both metabolic syndrome and open angle glaucoma increase in prevalence with age so that as the U.S. population ages, the disease burden of OAG may increase in the coming years," shared Dr. Doctor. The authors performed statistical analysis to determine patients' risk of developing OAG in conjunction with individual and combined types of metabolic syndrome. Data were adjusted for social and demographic factors, systemic medical conditions and other ocular diseases. The adjusted data showed that subjects with diabetes alone had a 35% increased risk of developing OAG, and those with hypertension alone had a 17% increased risk. Those with diabetes and hypertension combined had a 48% risk. Those with hyperlipidemia alone had a 5% decreased risk. Obese subjects had a 14% increased risk. Patients with diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension combined had a 26% increased risk and the risk of developing OAG were higher in African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans than in Caucasians, the authors reported.

If you have any questions or concerns about glaucoma or suffer from metabolic syndrome including diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension or high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol and triglycerides or obesity please schedule an appointment at Doctor & Associates by calling 203-227-4113, visiting Doctor & Associates or facebook.com/doctorandassociates.

Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.