Eye Testing for Alzheimer’s Disease & Multiple Sclerosis

Eye Tests for Alzheimer’s Disease & Multiple Sclerosis
If you have had a thorough eye exam and thought to be at risk for glaucoma, diabetic macular edema from diabetic retinopathy or other retinal diseases you may have had a test called Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) in our office. Optical Coherence Tomography or OCT is a high technology imaging test that allows us to produce high resolution cross sectional views of the structures of your eye without ever touching it. In some ways this is analogous to CT Scans that are used to “image’ organ systems in other parts of your body. According to recent research by using OCT we may also be able to use OCT changes as “biomarkers” for diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. OCT allows us to very carefully scan nerve fibers in the retina-the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the ganglion cell layer (GCL) which are often compromised in the neurodegenerative diseases. We are carefully reviewing the research and waiting to learn if in fact in office OCT testing might be useful either in the diagnosis and/or the monitoring of Alzheimer’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.

If you or someone you know is at risk for any type of neurodegenerative disease and has not had a comprehensive eye exam they should schedule an appointment and be sure to relay to the doctor or staff all of your concerns. 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.

Contact Lens Case Safety

About Contact Lens Case Safety
There is good news for contact lens wearers that was shared at American Society for Microbiology 55th Interscience Conference of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC/ICC). New research has developed a “microbiosensor”-novel sensor device that alerts contact lens wearers when it is unsafe to put contact lenses in their eyes. This new device could reduce the incidence of severe eye infections which occur when dirty contact lenses are worn. This technology has potential for use as a both a research tool in clinical studies to monitor levels of bacterial growth associated with contact lens wear, and as a new approach to reducing and even preventing eye infections associated with contaminated contact lenses. While contact lenses are quite safe and effective properly fitted and cared for, there are a significant number of patients who just don’t take great care and misuse their solutions and especially their cases. Most often, they simply don’t keep their cases clean or replace them or don’t replace the solution in the case each and every day they wear their lenses. These kinds of risky behaviors expose the contact lens wear to increased eye safety risk of infection.

If you or someone you know wears contact lenses, has questions about contact lenses or wishes to be fit with contact 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.

Field Hockey Eye Injury Reduced with Mandatory Eyewear

Avoid Sports Eye Injury with Protective Eyewear

According to research on data from the High School Reporting Information Online database and from a Virginia school district that includes 25 high schools, recorded between 2009 and 2013, analyzed and published in the journal Pediatrics, the use of mandatory protective eyewear by female field hockey players has reduced incidences of eye and orbital injuries, as well as severe face and head injuries. Among female U.S. high school field hockey players, a national mandate for protective eyewear has been associated with a greater than threefold reduced risk of eye and orbital injuries and a decreased incidence of severe eye and orbital as well as head and face injuries. This information supports a policy change and implementation of the mandatory use of protective equipment in field hockey at all amateur levels.

If you or someone you know have questions about protective eyewear for sports, or need to be fitted with protective eyewear to avoid the risk of sports eye injury, please call 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.