Fruits Can Reduce Diabetic Risk

About Diabetes & Eye Problems
Lifestyle choices such as what you eat can have a meaningful impact on your overall health. According to the Centers for Disease Control diabetes affects more than 26 million people or over 8% of the U.S. population-a number that is growing annually with no end in sight. Seniors are particularly affected with almost 11 million or 27% of U.S. residents aged 65 years and older having diabetes. Diabetes is a major risk factor for cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, which is the most severe of these three eye diseases and affects approximately 7.7 million Americans. More than 4 million, over 28% of people with diabetes aged 40 years or older had diabetic retinopathy, and of these, some 650-700,000 or almost 4% of all diabetics have advanced diabetic retinopathy that can result in severe vision loss. Diabetic eye disease continues to be the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults 20 to 74 years of age.

Eat Fruit to Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes
According the reports from the Harvard School of Public Health eating certain whole fruits may reduce the risk for Type 2 diabetes, even though fruit juice consumption may increase the risk for diabetes. Investigators combined data from 3 studies: the Nurses' Health Study of more than 66,000 patients, the Nurses' Health Study II of more than 85,000 patients and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with over 36,000 patients. The participants in all 3 studies completed questionnaires assessing health and lifestyle factors, including diet, every 2 years.

The researchers excluded participants with a baseline diagnosis of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer, as well as those who had missing data for fruit or fruit juice consumption or an extremely high or low caloric intake, and those who had an unclear date of diabetes diagnosis.

The analysis was adjusted for personal, lifestyle, and dietary risk factors for diabetes. The researchers concluded that every 3 servings of fruit per week were associated with a lower risk for Type 2 diabetes. When the researchers looked at individual types of fruit in a multivariate analysis, adjusted for the same factors, they found that 3 servings per week of some fruits were more closely associated with reduced risk of diabetes especially blueberries, grapes and apples.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about diabetes or diabetic eye disease or problems, please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ 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.

Lazy Eye or Amblyopia: What is it?

Lazy Eye Amblyopia: What is it?
Amblyopia or “lazy eye” is a very common vision problem that we see in children. In fact it is responsible for more vision loss in kids than all other reasons combined. Amblyopia is a decrease in the child’s vision that occurs even without any structural problem being present. The decrease in vision results when one or both eyes send a blurry image to the brain. The brain then “learns” to only see blurry with that eye, even when glasses are used. Only children can get amblyopia. If it is not treated, it can cause permanent loss of vision. There are a number of types of amblyopia including strabismic amblyopia which is caused by an eye alignment or eye turning problem, deprivation amblyopia which is caused by cataracts or other condition that “deprives” the eye of a visual image, and refractive amblyopia which is due to an uncorrected refractive error such as farsightedness or astigmatism.

Depending on the cause of the amblyopia and whether there is an underlying uncorrected refractive error, sometime glasses can help but will not correct the vision to 20/20. With amblyopia, the brain is “used to” seeing a blurry image and it cannot interpret the clear image that the glasses produce. With time, however, the brain may “re-learn” how to see and the vision may increase. Remember, glasses alone do not increase the vision all the way to 20/20, as the brain is used to seeing blurry with that eye. Because of this, much of the time the normal eye is treated with patching or eye drops to force the amblyopic “weak” eye to be used and to make it “stronger.”

If you or someone you know wishes to learn about “lazy eye” or amblyopia or has questions or concerns about amblyopia or needs a kids eye exam, please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ 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.

Laser Cataract Surgery is Gentler

At Doctor & Associates we see many of our own patients in need of both routine and complex cataract surgery as well as patients who have had cataract surgery elsewhere and for a number of reasons their corneas may not clear as fast as they would like or they don’t see as crisply as they would like. Typically, these people had a bit more fragile corneal tissue that could have really benefited by have the most gentle cataract procedure possible.

According to researchers reporting in the Journal of Refractive Surgery, laser cataract surgery does indeed allow for a gentler cataract surgery procedure. While there is really no difference between manual cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery in uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, surgically induced astigmatism, and corneal aberrations, the laser cataract surgery was gentler on the cornea as it caused less loss of fragile endothelial cells and less corneal swelling from the cataract surgery. Also, the amount of time required for the more intense parts of the cataract surgery procedure-chopping, fragmenting and removing the cataract are significantly lower with the laser cataract surgery.

There is little doubt that laser cataract surgery gives the cataract surgeon the ability to deliver a gentler cataract surgery that is easier on the cornea and the delicate internal structures of the eye. Really, anyone with a concurrent eye condition such as diabetic retinopathy, fragile corneal tissue, glaucoma or thinning retinal tissue should have laser cataract surgery as it allows us to reduce the energy required to break apart and remove their cataract.

If you or someone you know has questions about cataracts, laser cataract surgery or lens implants or needs an appointment for a cataract exam, please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ 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.

Why Do Children Need Glasses?

Why Do Children Need Glasses?
Kids can need glasses to correct common refractive errors that can blur their vision - like nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), or astigmatism, or they need glasses to help correct an eye muscle imbalance, or strabismus such as “crossed eyes” (esotropia) or provide help with a vision development problem such as “lazy eye” (amblyopia). The reasons children can need to wear glasses really depends on the nature of their vision development and eye coordination and focusing ability. The reasons can be somewhat different than for adults in certain cases. Depending on the problem, they may have to wear the glasses through their developmental years and could “outgrow” the need in certain development instances.

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about why children need glasses or needs a kids eye exam, please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ 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.

Eye Injury & Laser Pointer Safety

Given the widespread use of laser pointers, the possibility and ways in which they pose a risk to eye safety and cause eye injury is often overlooked. Laser pointers are very commonly used in the classroom, business meetings, at presentations and lectures-but did you know that they are also sold as toys? This could be a cause for concern as the greater a laser pointer's output power, the more likely it will cause serious eye injuries. Understanding the safety of that laser pointer in your desk drawer or in your kid's hand isn't always obvious but we can share some information that may be useful.
 

Laser Pointer Basics
As laser power increases above five milliwatts, the time margin for safe exposure decreases, meaning that permanent eye and skin damage can occur quickly. However, the challenge is that the output power of laser pointers is not immediately apparent to the user. Laser pointers often lack appropriate labeling or are mislabeled, and definitive testing of individual pointers is beyond the reach of the average consumer. What we know for sure is that even the briefest exposure to high-powered blue handheld laser products can cause serious eye injuries.

Researchers reporting the results of a study in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology found that if a laser with less than five milliwatts of output power is directed at someone's eye, that person can blink or turn away without suffering an eye injury. However, the natural protective mechanisms of the eye – such as the blink reflex – are ineffective against lasers with an output power greater than five milliwatts, and severe retinal damage may occur, even after momentary exposure.
 
Here's what the FDA advises:

• Never aim or shine a laser pointer at anyone.
•  Don't buy laser pointers for your children.
• Before purchasing a laser pointer, make sure it has the following information on the label:
•  a statement that it complies with Chapter 21 CFR (the Code of Federal Regulations);
•  the manufacturer or distributor's name and the date of manufacture;
•  a warning to avoid exposure to laser radiation; and
•  the class designation, ranging from Class I to IIIa. Class IIIb and IV products should be used only by individuals with proper training and in applications where there is a legitimate need for these high-powered products. 

The problem is that many laser pointers lack labels or have inaccurate labels and the researchers found that 60 percent of the sampled laser pointer products that the FDA tests are overpowered compared with what the label says. Those pointers may be powered in the 10s or 100s of milliwatts!
 
How do you know if your laser pointer is overpowered?
Ideally, consumers could buy a laser pointer with the certainty that it's powered under five milliwatts but this isn’t possible based on the poor labeling and compliance.
 The FDA says that if you have a laser pointer that isn't labeled or if you don't trust the labeling, consider the following:

• If the pointer is small and runs on button batteries, its output probably is less than five milliwatts.
•  If it's pen-sized and runs on AA or AAA batteries, it's likely to be more powerful and may exceed five milliwatts.
• If it's flashlight-sized and runs on a cluster of AA or AAA batteries or runs on lithium batteries, it likely exceeds five milliwatts.
• Pointers sold with battery chargers probably drain their batteries quickly and are likely to be overpowered.
• Some pointers are sold with a removable cap that spreads the beam into a pattern.  If used without the cap, the beam becomes a single beam that could exceed 5 milliwatts.
•  Look for keywords that sellers might use to indicate a pointer is highly powered without saying that it's over five milliwatts: powerful, bright, ultra, super, military, military grade, super bright, high power, ultra bright, strong, balloon pop, burn, burning, adjustable focus, lithium battery, lithium powered.
•  Look for videos or photos that show the laser burning, melting, balloon popping or show a bright, well-defined beam of light.
•  Look for purchaser comments on websites that tout the brightness or power of the product.

Blue & Violet Laser Pointers Are the Most Dangerous!
Blue and Violet laser pointers are the most dangerous because the human eye actually is less sensitive to blue and violet. So, while a person would react quickly to a red or green laser, that person may not blink or turn away as fast from an equally powerful blue or violet light, creating a greater likelihood of injury.
 
If you or someone you know is concerned about laser pointer use and eye safety, please have them 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.

About Photochromatic vs. Tinted lenses

Photochromatic lenses change from light to dark as you go from indoors to outside, then lighten again as you return indoors. This makes a great choice for professions that require continually walking between indoors and out, such as real estate or construction. Without photochromatics, these patients would constantly have to switch between their clear glasses and sunglasses. The darkening mechanism in these lenses is a chemical called silver halide. When exposed to UV light, the molecules are excited into a state of darkening. The more UV light exposure, the darker the lenses become. Photochromatic lenses do not darken very well inside a car because most windshields block out UV rays. So for people who want driving sunglasses, it is best to recommend a separate pair that is permanently tinted. Newer and more advanced technology allows more rapid darkening when you go outside and a more rapid return to clear when you go inside, and 100 percent UV protection.

In contrast to the changeable photochromatic lenses, another option in colored lenses is a permanent tint. Tints are available in almost any color desired. Lighter tints are often used as a fashion accent, while darker tints allow the wearer to use the lenses as sunglasses when paired with a UV coat. A tint can be solid-in which the entire lens is the same color-or gradient, a gradual fade from dark to light, usually fading from the top down. Keep in mind that a tint alone does not provide UV protection. To truly make a pair of sunglasses, you must combine the tint with a UV coat.

If you or someone you know has questions about eyeglass lenses including photochromatic lenses, tinted lenses or Transitions® lenses please call Doctor & Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County, Google+ 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.