Skipping AMD Treatment Affects Vision

About AMD Treatment
For patients with Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) who are being treated with VEGF Inhibitor injections such as Lucentis® and Eylea®, even though it might seem like a great deal of trouble and effort to be totally consistent and compliant with all scheduled appointments-IT IS CRITICAL! The need for consecutive, carefully timed injections according to clinically tested protocol is what helps us preserve your vision and avoid the untoward, potentially catastrophic effects of vision loss from Age related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Researchers reporting in the journal Eye actually studied what happens to the vision of patients who skip even one injection visit. In France, summer vacations are taken very seriously and many French patients leave their doctor’s care for 6-8 weeks as they travel around Europe for the summer. The French eye specialists found that patients who skipped even a single injection during their holiday period were prone to a decrease in vision, formation of cysts and fluid in the macula of the eye being treated. We are hopeful you will carefully follow our recommendations for the timing and frequency of AMD treatment injections so we can help preserve your eye health and vision.

If you or someone you know has questions about AMD treatment with VEGF injections or any aspect of Age Related Macular Degeneration risk, diagnosis, symptoms or treatment, please call at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Angle Closure Glaucoma with Certain Medications

About Angle Closure Glaucoma
Angle Closure Glaucoma is a type of glaucoma caused by a blockage or complete closure of the drainage structure of the eye called the trabecular meshwork. The trabecular meshwork is actually a fine filter, and if it is blocked or obstructed by any alteration in the size or shape of the surrounding structures, or by change in the size or shape of the tissue itself, it will cause the intraocular pressure (IOP) to elevate. In instances where the meshwork becomes blocked abruptly, it will cause a sudden rise in the intraocular pressure (IOP), resulting in Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma. Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma is characterized by this sudden rise in pressure which will cause pain, redness, light sensitivity, colored haloes around lights, nausea or vomiting, and blurred vision, and if left untreated permanent loss of vision.

Medications Can Cause Angle Closure Glaucoma
In patients who may already be at risk for Angle Closure Glaucoma because they have certain tissue and anatomical features inside their eyes, certain medications can significantly increase their risk. Two medications that are worth mentioning are the antidepressants Wellbutrin (Buproprion) and Topamax® (Topiramate). While both of these are often used to treat mild to moderate depression, they are also used to help patients stop smoking! Researchers reporting a study in Archives of Ophthalmology found that the risk of angle-closure glaucoma in patients younger than 50 years was twice as high in patients taking Wellbutrin and more than 5 times higher in patients taking Topamax®.

If you or someone you know is being treated for depression or has been prescribed Wellbutrin or Topamax® to help stop smoking, please make sure you tell your eye doctor and ask about your risk of Angle Closure Glaucoma, as well as become familiar with the symptoms above. If you have not had an eye exam with glaucoma testing and are taking these medications, please call us at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser to schedule an appointment.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

My Cataract Story

“I am a very active grandmother of 6 grandkids. My time is precious to me. Four days a week I babysit for three of my grandkids. So when I was told that I had cataracts I was worried about the time I would have to rearrange my babysitting schedule. I was so relieved and surprised to find out that the procedure was as fast as it was. I went in to the surgery center at 7am and was home resting comfortably by 9:30am! My vision was a little cloudy for the first few days but that was no big deal. Now i don’t rely on my glasses as much and colors are so bright and vibrant. I was back to watching my grandkids just a couple of days later.”

If you or someone you know suffers from cloudy, blurry vision with night vision problems or fading of colors you should be checked for cataracts and learn more about cataract surgery and lens implants. Please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser to schedule an appointment.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Rheumatoid Arthritis & Your Eyes

Rheumatoid Arthritis Eye Problems
What does arthritis have to do with your eyes? Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease characterized by swelling and irritation. The inflammation of RA occurs when your body's defense system (immune system) attacks your own body tissues instead of foreign invaders like viruses or bacteria. Most of these attacks occur in your joints, but RA inflammation can also affect other parts of your body, including your eyes. In fact, your eyes are especially vulnerable. Some of the more common eye complications of rheumatoid arthritis include dry eyes, scleritis-an inflammation of the “white” of your eye-which is uncomfortable and even painful, iritis-an inflammation of the colored part of the eye or the iris, or uveitis, an inflammation of the middle lining inside the eye that supplies blood to other internal structures.

Any of these rheumatoid arthritis complications can requirement treatment to avoid at a minimum discomfort and more seriously vision loss. So, if you have been told you have rheumatoid arthritis and experience dry eyes, redness, pain, or changes in your vision, you should make sure to see us for a diagnosis and treatment if needed.

If you or someone you know wishes to learn more about how rheumatoid arthritis can cause eye problems, call us at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Contact Lens Eye Problems: Avoid Risky Behaviors

Avoid Contact Lens Problems
Eye health and vision problems from contacts lenses can be prevented by avoiding known risky behaviors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention almost all of the 41 million estimated contact lens wearers in the United States may be engaging in at least one behavior known to increase their risk of eye infections. Nearly one-third of contact lens wearers who participated in a national survey reported going to the eye doctor for red or painful eyes related to wearing contact lenses. More than 99 percent of survey respondents reported at least one risky behavior. The majority of wearers reported:

• Keeping their contact lens cases for longer than recommended (82.3 %)
•  “Topping off” solution in the case by adding new solution to the existing solution instead of emptying the case out fully before adding new solution (55.1%)
• Wearing their lenses while sleeping (50.2 %)

Each of these behaviors has been reported in previous studies to raise the risk of eye infections by five times or more!An online survey was administered to a sample of contact lens wearers to determine how often contact lens wearers engaged in behaviors that could put them at risk for an eye infection. CDC collaborated with the Contact Lens Assessment in Youth (CLAY) group, a multi-university group of researchers, to conduct the survey. A separate survey was used to estimate the number of contact lens wearers – about 41 million adults. Taken together, the survey results indicate that millions of Americans could be at risk for serious eye infections because of poor contact lens hygiene behaviors. We know that contact lenses can be worn safely if wearers are mindful of using good hygiene.  To prevent eye infections, contact lens wearers should:

• Wash hands with soap and water and dry them well before touching contact lenses
•  Take contacts out before sleeping, showering or swimming
• Rub and rinse contacts in disinfecting solution each time they remove them
• Rub and rinse the case with contact lens solution, dry with a clean tissue and store it upside down with the caps off after each use
• Replace contact lens cases at least once every three months
• Avoid “topping off” solution in lens case (adding fresh solution to old solution)
• Carry a backup pair of glasses in case contact lenses have to be taken out

If you or someone you know have questions about contact lens care, hygiene, safety and how to avoid eye infections from contact lens wear, or wish to have a contact lens consultation or fitting, please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center us at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, Google+ or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1001 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.