Connecticut Seniors Eyes Have Better Vision

“Connecticut seniors aging eyes have better vision,” noted Ophthalmologist Leslie Doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with Fairfield County offices in Norwalk, Westport & Wilton, Connecticut. According to the journal Ophthalmology-the official publication of the American Academy of Ophthalmology-there has been a significant decrease is vision loss in older Americans. “The prevalence of activity-limiting visual impairment is decreasing and has been decreasing-and this is really great news for seniors. While the study wasn’t terribly specific, I believe that better cataract surgery and lens implants, better diabetes treatment and control and a sharp decrease in smoking all play a role in why seniors now have better overall chances of preserving their eye health and vision,” Dr. Leslie Doctor stated.

Modern cataract surgery-with advanced technology lens implants has become routine and complications are pretty unusual. Years ago, people waited until a cataract was so bad that even a poor surgical result was better than living with a cataract. Today, when the presence of a cataract impairs either the quality of vision or the quality of life, the techniques and procedures allow for safe and effective cataract surgery to be performed.

 

• Today, only 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. smoke cigarettes as compared to 1 in 3 in the 1980s.
• Smoking is a major risk factor for macular degeneration, which is one of the most common vision impairing eye diseases in seniors. 
• Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness and age and obesity are leading risk factors for diabetes.
• Even though diabetes rates in the U.S. continue to climb, better therapies are now available to prevent and treat diabetes-related eye health vision problems.

To some extent, seniors have helped preserve eye health and vision by taking the step of having regular eye exams which are quite important for everyone as they age, especially people with diabetes and other health conditions that can lead to vision loss. If you have any questions or concerns about cataracts, cataract surgery, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration 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 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.

Connecticut LASIK Flex Plans-Now is the Time!

“Now is the time for patients who want LASIK in Connecticut to use any Flex Plan funds that might be available to them,” commented Dorothy Figueroa, Practice Administrator of Doctor & Associates with Fairfield County offices located in Westport, Norwalk and Wilton. “January is a popular month for New Year’s resolutions which often includes self improvements like LASIK. If you or a family member has Flex Plan funds to use, this is a good time to make LASIK affordable.”

Many employers offer Flex Plans-Flexible Spending Accounts or FSA’s. These plans allow you to have money taken out of your paycheck over time to pay for LASIK. What is even more appealing about Flex Plans is that money is withheld in Pre-Tax dollars allowing you to get extra tax savings.

“This is an especially good time for police, firefighters and military personnel to have LASIK because we recognize the benefits of LASIK for these first responders and patriots and thus offer them a special police, firefighters and military LASIK discount in addition to helping them use their Flex Plans,” said Ms. Figueroa.

If you have any questions about LASIK or would like to schedule a Fee LASIK Consultation 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 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.

Understanding Narrow Angle Glaucoma

Fairfield County eye surgeon Leslie Doctor, M.D. helped us understand a type of glaucoma called narrow angle glaucoma. “Narrow angle glaucoma can be a pretty serious sight threatening matter, thus it’s important for people to understand more about its risks and symptoms in order to avoid the potential for vision loss,” commented Dr. Leslie Doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with offices in Norwalk, Westport & Wilton, Connecticut. “A narrow angle is an anatomical configuration in the eye that under certain conditions can result in high eye pressure. High eye pressure may lead to glaucoma. The presence of and the  diagnosis of narrow angles is not the same as a diagnosis of glaucoma as only a small percentage of patients with narrow angles actually develop narrow angle glaucoma,” further explained Dr. Doctor.

Dr. Doctor continued, “The crystalline lens inside the eye grows throughout life and actually increases in size. As its size increases it can move the iris forward and slowly narrow or crowd the angle. Narrow angles tend to be seen more commonly as we age and some eyes are more predisposed to narrow angles than others. Narrow angles are more commonly found in people over the age of 40, females, farsighted or hyperopic patients, and in people of East Asian, African and Inuit descent.”

“Unlike open angle glaucoma which really produces no symptoms, symptoms that the angle is closing intermittently include episodes of blurred vision, perhaps seeing halos around objects, a headache-like pain around the eye or brow and even red eye,” explained Dr. Doctor. “These symptoms can sometimes resolve spontaneously and may occur periodically over days or weeks. In addition, if the angle closes and does not reopen spontaneously, you may experience nausea and vomiting,” she further explained. “If this happens you need to call us right away and tell us you need an immediate appointment.”

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about narrow angle glaucoma or is concerned about having narrow angles please schedule an appointment by calling

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

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.

Open Angle Glaucoma Symptoms & Diagnosis

“But Dr. Leslie, how can I have glaucoma-I see well and I have no symptoms?” is a question that many patients have asked with great surprise at their glaucoma diagnosis,” commented Fairfield County Ophthalmologist Leslie Doctor, M.D. of Doctor & Associates with offices in Norwalk, Westport & Wilton, Connecticut.

Glaucoma is a sight stealing eye disease in which the most common form-primary Open Angle Glaucoma-has no symptoms that affected patients can readily be aware of. This is especially important as among African-American and Hispanic populations glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness. Further-primary open angle glaucoma-is hereditary. The Nottingham Glaucoma Study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology evaluated the risk that siblings of glaucoma patients would themselves develop glaucoma within their lifetime. The study demonstrated that there was a strong likelihood that family members of glaucoma patients were at greater risk and that siblings were 5 times more likely to develop glaucoma by age 70. “This is why we strongly recommend that siblings of glaucoma patients and glaucoma suspects be screened for glaucoma, each and every year, said Dr. Doctor.

There is a real need for regular eye examinations and glaucoma screening by an eye doctor in order to help you preserve your eye health and vision. If you or someone you know has a question about glaucoma, glaucoma symptoms, glaucoma risk or to schedule a glaucoma eye exam 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 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.

Connecticut Glaucoma Awareness Month



Leslie Doctor, M.D.

Fairfield County eye specialist Leslie Doctor, M.D., noted that Prevent Blindness America has designated January as National Glaucoma Awareness Month. According to the most recent statistical data provided by Prevent Blindness America in 2012, 2,719,379 people age 40 and older have open-angle glaucoma, which reflects a 22 percent increase over 2000-a 22% increase.

 “Making our community aware of the need for regular eye exams with glaucoma screening and evaluation is a priority,” said Dr. Leslie Doctor. “Patients should be particularly sensitive to the fact that in African-American and Hispanic populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness,” she said. Additional glaucoma risk factors include any family history-especially among siblings-of glaucoma, certain diseases such as diabetes and an increase is risk as patients transcend through their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.

“The good news for patients to keep in mind is that we can prevent vision loss from glaucoma with early detection, diagnosis and treatment,” said Dr. Doctor. “This is why we want raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision especially for our aging population. We strongly recommend that siblings of glaucoma patients be screened each and every year as their risk of developing glaucoma is some 5 times higher than the typical population.”

If you or a family member have any questions or concerns about glaucoma or glaucoma risk factors 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 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.