Christmas Plants Treat Eye Tumors?

German researchers reporting in Science Signaling have identified a compound in the berries of the Coralberry plant that appears to be able to destroy Uveal Melanoma, the most common and an aggressive type of eye cancer. The Coralberry is a very common plant we use for Christmas and holiday decorations! The leaves of the plant contain bacteria that produce a toxin that inhibits a cancer cell molecule called Gq protein and thus is destructive to the cancer. It also appears that the toxin may be effective against skin cancer as well. At this time the investigation is still in the laboratory but researchers hope to make it into a pharmaceutical in the near future.

If you notice pigmented or non pigmented lesions or dry scaly patches on your eyelids or around your eyes please let us know at your eye exam. Schedule routine eye exams with us at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Eye Exams & Diagnosing Alzheimer’s

Could An Eye Doctor Diagnose Alzheimer’s Before You Have Symptoms?

A recent study published by Duke University researchers in the journal Retina suggests that an observed loss of blood vessels in retina may reflect changes in brain health and could signal Alzheimer’s disease. In people with healthy brains, microscopic blood vessels form a dense web at the back of the eye inside the retina. In the eyes of people with Alzheimer’s disease, that web was less dense and even sparse in places. The differences in density were statistically significant after researchers controlled for factors including age, sex, and level of education. The study measured blood vessels that can’t be seen during a regular eye exam using noninvasive technology that takes high-resolution images of very small blood vessels within the retina in just a few minutes, called Optical Coherence Tomography-Angiography (OCT-A). They concluded that it’s possible that these changes in blood vessel density in the retina could mirror what’s going on in the tiny blood vessels in the brain, perhaps before we are able to detect any changes in cognition. 

With nearly 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and no viable treatments or noninvasive tools for early diagnosis, its burden on families and the economy is heavy. Scientists at have studied other changes in the retina that could signal trouble upstream in the brain, such as thinning of some of the retinal nerve layers. The goal would be to use this technology to detect Alzheimer’s early, before symptoms of memory loss are evident, and be able to monitor these changes over time in participants of clinical trials studying new Alzheimer’s treatments.

Please mention any concerns you have about Alzheimer’s during your regular eye exam. To learn more about new technology and examination techniques we are using, please just ask us at your scheduled appointment. Please be sure to schedule an eye exam at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser. 

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Caution: Kids & Laundry Detergent Pods

Kids are curious! Laundry packets or laundry pods are often brightly colored, and kids may mistake them for toys or candy. If a laundry packet is popped, the detergent can severely burn the cornea, eyelids and skin around the eyes. Chemical burns to the eyes can result in lifelong decreased vision or total blindness. If children swallow laundry packets, the poisoning can be fatal. Unfortunately laundry pod detergent eye injury has increased over the past several years according to researchers reporting in JAMA Ophthalmology. Recent data suggest there has been greater than a 30 fold increase in these injuries among kids. The message is clear-if you use laundry pods, make sure you know the risks. Store them safely and keep them out of the hands of children.

If you or a child experiences an alkali chemical eye burn, please immediately rinse with cold water and attempt to get as much of the detergent out of the eyes as possible. Then, take them to the emergency room immediately and have them call our office at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or facebook.com/nwindianaeyeandlaser.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 502 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.