“We can find many systemic risk
and health problems during routine
eye exams,” commented Connecticut
eye specialist Leslie Doctor, M.D. “Now we actually have encouraging
information about a new eye test that may help identify patients who are at
high risk for stroke,” said Dr. Doctor. A study about a new eye test for stroke
risk from the University of Zurich published in the journal Ophthalmology, demonstrated that a test called Ocular Pulse Amplitude
(OPA) can reliably detect carotid artery stenosis (CAS) or carotid artery
narrowing, a condition that clogs or blocks the arteries that feed the front
part of the brain which is a known risk factor for stroke. “At the moment there
are some high-tech tests, such as magnetic resonance angiography and color
duplex ultrasound, but they are expensive and not widely available-and
certainly not part of a routine eye exam in our offices,” said Dr. Doctor. It
would be convenient and very helpful to be able to perform the OPA test during
a regular eye exam.”
Each
year, approximately 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke, and
more than 137,000 of these people die as a result. People with severe CAS are
much more likely to suffer stroke.”We would like to catch and treat CAS before
that can happen, but because CAS has no symptoms and an efficient test is not
currently available the disease often goes undetected,” explained Dr. Doctor.
If you
or someone you know has questions about eye exams, eye health and stroke risk
and prevention please feel free to call Doctor
& Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor &
Associates 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.
