Cataracts are common

Cataracts, other eye conditions affect many seniors. U.S. News and World Report (1/29, Shute) reports, "Cataracts are the most common age-related eye disease, with more than 17 percent of Americans age 40 and over affected. The main cause, aside from plain old aging, is exposure to ultraviolet B radiation in sunlight." People can reduce their risk "and delay the need for surgery to remove a clouded lens" by "wearing sunglasses and brimmed hats while outside." At present, "cataract surgery has been refined so that the super small incisions are self-sealing." Besides cataracts, eye conditions such as "glaucoma and macular degeneration" also affect seniors, although they "are more insidious." Typically, medications are used to slow the damage caused by glaucoma. Meanwhile, "high doses of supplements, including vitamins C and E and beta carotene and the mineral zinc, have been found to slow the progression of AMD in several trials."

Prevalence of Diabetes

UPI (1/28) reports, "Nearly one-third of U.S. adults age 65 and older have diabetes, while an additional 30 percent have pre-diabetes," according to the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey published in Diabetes Care. The survey "also found 13 percent of adults age 20 and older have diabetes, but 40 percent of them have not been diagnosed."

Second leading cause of Blindness

CHICAGO – Glaucoma is often called the "sneak thief of sight" because half of all patients have it and do not know it. Although some may consider the eye disease something that only happens to older people, the truth is, even children and teenagers can be diagnosed with it.

A.J. DeGeorge is now 27 years old but has been receiving treatment for juvenile open-angle glaucoma since he was 13. At the time of his diagnosis, he exhibited no signs or symptoms of the potentially blinding eye disease. His glaucoma was only discovered because of a routine eye exam.

Glaucoma causes loss of sight by slowly damaging a part of the eye called the optic nerve. When the optic nerve becomes damaged, it usually begins to damage peripheral vision. Without treatment, central vision becomes diminished. It is the second leading cause of blindness, second only to cataracts.

"There were no warning signs. I had very close to 20/20 vision and never had any pain," said DeGeorge. "But, when the doctors checked the pressures in my eyes, they were unbelievably high and my optic nerves had shown signs of damage."

After his diagnosis, DeGeorge began treatment with a glaucoma specialist, Mildred M.G. Olivier, M.D. of the Midwest Glaucoma Center. Initial treatment included medications but later a Trabeculectomy (surgery) was needed in the right eye to lower the eye pressure so that no further damage would occur. Today, thanks to the early detection and consistently following his doctor’s directions, DeGeorge needs only to take eye drops in his left eye once a day.

"Although having glaucoma at such a young age is rare, I think A.J.’s story demonstrates the need for everyone, including those young and more mature, to receive an eye exam," said Dr. Olivier. "There is no cure for glaucoma, but with early treatment, we can lessen the risk of severe vision loss."

As of today, there are more then 2.2 million Americans over the age of 40 who have been diagnosed. Unfortunately, once glaucoma takes away sight, it cannot be restored. That is why Prevent Blindness America, the leading volunteer eye health and safety organization, has joined other leading eye care groups in designating January as National Glaucoma Awareness Month in an effort to educate the public on the disease.

Prevent Blindness America offers free informational resources, including treatment options and general information through its Web site and toll free number. The Glaucoma Learning Center, at www.preventblindess.org/glaucoma, contains a variety of resources including an adult vision risk assessment and an interactive guide on how to take eye drops. The Web site also includes The Glaucoma Web Discussion Forum that allows patients and caregivers the opportunity to discuss online all subjects related to the disease.

Prevent Blindness America also offers free printed materials including the Guide for People with Glaucoma. This comprehensive booklet serves as a handbook for patients and includes information on what to expect during treatment and even a list of questions to ask the eye doctor.
And, Prevent Blindness America offers a resource directory for those who may require financial assistance. And, consumers can obtain free printed materials on glaucoma in either English or Spanish by calling 1-800-331-2020. Additional information can be found online at www.preventblindness.org/glaucoma.

photo by orange acid

Reducing risk of myopia

Writing in the Los Angeles Times (1/12) Booster Shots blog, Shari Roan observed that, according to a study published in the Jan. issue of the journal Optometry and Science Vision, "spending two or three hours outdoors each day appears to lower a child's risk of developing" myopia, a condition that "affects about one-third of U.S. adults." In analyzing "several large studies examining nearsightedness...in large populations," researchers found that "the risk of myopia drops in
children who spend more time outdoors." Yet, "the authors of the analysis say they cannot explain why outdoor time lowers the risk of nearsightedness. It could be related to more time spent on distance viewing or to being in sunlight."

"The critical factor for reducing the development of myopia in children seems to be total time spent outdoors during daylight hours," and not what the children are doing outside, UPI (1/13) points out. In fact, "both active and passive outdoor activities had a protective effect on vision, while sports played indoors were found not to have this effect." Donald Mutti, guest editor of the journal, explained that "a child's chances of becoming myopic -- if he or she has two myopic
biological parents -- are about six in 10 for children engaging in zero to five hours per week of outdoor activity, but the risk drops to two in 10 when outdoor activity exceeds 14 hours a week."

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