The golden age of Hollywood brings to mind images of many classic movies stars giving the camera smoldering glances…with a mood-setting cigarette smoldering along side them. Actors like John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Paul Newman, Suzanne Pleshette, and Betty Grable were often pictured as sultry smokers, and sadly, each of them died of lung cancer. The affects of smoking on the lungs and heart are well known, but have you ever considered how tobacco affects eye health?
Cigarette smoking increases risks for cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Tobacco smoke is an irritant to the eyes that worsens dry eye syndrome, even when exposure is from second-hand smoke. It even increases the risk of serious vision loss in people who have other eye diseases.
The 36th annual Great American Smokeout is November 17. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society, it is a day for smokers to give up cigarettes for a day and make a plan to quit permanently.
Working at VSP, and also wearing glasses for more than ten years, I understand the importance of healthy vision. (I’m not going to lie, either; I love getting new glasses and can never seem to have enough.) Last week when I got my yearly eye check-up, I had the option to get a digital image of my eye in lieu of a dilated exam. I have to admit, I was curious to see what the inside of my eye looked like…just what was my eye doctor (Dr. Nakamura of Natomas Optometry) looking at in there?
At first glance, I was a little concerned with the red dot in the middle and white blob off to the side, but Dr. Nakamura explained to me that the red dot was actually the macula and the white spot was the optic nerve—both were supposed to be there. The macula is responsible for seeing things in detail and our “central vision” (as in not peripheral vision) while the optic nerve is what carries the visual information to the brain. (Quick clip: the eye is like a camera.)
I thought it was rather interesting to see my own eyes on the screen in front of me. What I liked most was how Dr. Nakamura could show me that my eyes were healthy by comparing my images to sample pictures with various eye or eye-related health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, cataracts, and macular degeneration. I was happy to see my eyes didn’t have any of those problems.
P.S. I just got computer vision glasses for the first time, and I am really excited about them. I will write about what I think of them after I have used them a week or so.
The every-increasing cost of healthcare is a concern for many Americans, but even more so for the elderly.
Many suffering from wet macular degeneration, an age-related condition, are treated with a once-monthly shot of Lucentis—costing upwards of $2000 per shot! So, it’s great news that an alternate drug, Avastin, has been proved an effective treatment for this condition, with costs as low as $50 monthly. Avastin has been used to treat certain types of cancer, and was not originally intended for ocular use.
Consider the potential savings of swapping the drugs, shared in the Philadelphia Inquirer: “Over the course of a year in the study, Avastin cost to $385 from $595, depending on the treatment regimen. Lucentis cost $13,800 from $23,400.”
And the audience for this is huge. The Associated Press quotes Dr. Paul Sieving, director of the National Eye Institute, the federal agency that paid for the study: “More than 250,000 Americans are treated for macular degeneration each year… About 1.6 million Americans have advanced macular degeneration and another 7 million are at risk of developing it.”
While testing still needs to be done before Avastin is officially approved to treat wet macular degeneration, this is a huge development for those struggling with the cost of care.
Jessica Hein, member of VSP's Eye Health Management Team
Here’s a snippet from an eye opening article by Deepak Chopra, MD from his Weekly Health Tip: It’s Hard to See Through the Smoke
We all know that smoking causes cancer, cardiovascular disease, and multiple respiratory illnesses. Does anyone really need another reason to quit? Okay, here’s one: To save your vision. Surprised? In addition to the well-known, systemic illnesses that kill hundreds of thousands every year, smokers have a higher risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. The macula is the central visual field of the eye’s retina, the layer of tissue at the back of the eye that sends visual information to the brain. Everyone’s risk of macular degeneration increases with age, but smoking increases the risk of macular degeneration two- to three-fold compared with the risk for those who have never smoked. Smoking increases blood pressure in the eye’s small vessels and depresses antioxidant levels and immune reactions—all believed to be involved in macular degeneration. Heavy smokers also have a three-fold increase in their risk of developing cataracts, clouding over of the eye’s lens. Doctors believe the toxins in smoke cause damage to the proteins in the lens cells. People with cataracts have blurry, clouded vision and eventually must have their lenses removed or replaced.
A visit to your VSP eye doctor can check for signs of these diseases and help you get the care you need. Read the full article on TheVisualMD.com.
Many of us know there are lots of benefits to eating fish including, omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, and it’s a great source of protein. Another benefit new research suggests women who consume fish regularly — and the abundance of omega-3 fatty acids found in that meal choice — have a lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Specifically, women who ate one or more servings of fish every week had a 42 percent lower risk of AMD than those who consumed fish just once a month or less, the study found.
Matt Lauer talks to Dr. Nancy Snyderman about what happens when your eyes start to age. Dr. Snyderman explains how your eyes begin to change after 40, what it means for your vision and tips for keeping your eyes healthy.
I had a friend visit from England a few weeks ago. She arrived the same day we got hit with a huge snowstorm. The next day as we were leaving to walk around Central Park to take pictures she was surprised to see that I reached for my sunglasses. She asked why I wear sunglasses in the winter. I said it may be winter and you may not see the sun but its still there and those ultraviolet rays are harmful. Snow is reflective and up to 85% of the sun UV rays are reflected upwards. The sun sits lower in the sky during winter which gives you more exposure. Research shows that the sun UV rays can contribute to varioues eye diseases related to aging like cataracts and macular degeneration. Its very important to protect your eyes so make sure you reach for your sunglasses even in the winter months.
Independence Day, Fourth of July, is right around the corner and that means picnics, BBQ’s, outdoor activities and most importantly, fireworks! We want to make sure you see them bright and clear so we encourage you to wear sunglasses throughout the day. Lets face it, shades look cool, but did you know they are essential to eye health?
VSP doctor Stephen Cohen from Scottsdale, Arizona says ”there’s increasing evidence that ultraviolet rays in sunlight can significantly increase your risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. Because both conditions can threaten healthy vision, I recommend wearing sunglasses on sunny days year-round. Plus, you’ll experience better night vision when you wear sunglasses on sunny days.” This is a plus for the fireworks show!
Here are some tips to picking out the right shades to protect your eyes.
Tommy Bahama Aviator
Labels: Make sure they carry a consumer-protection label stating they’re 99-100% UV-absorbent, or provide UV absorption up to 400 nanometers (nm).
Go big or wrap it: Bigger frames and lenses, and also wrap-around styles, give you more UV protection because they block peripheral rays. Also, this is the trend this season!
Go polar: Polarized lenses block out sunlight glare bouncing off windshields, pavement, and other smooth surfaces.
Consider color: Gray lenses are best. Why? They don’t change colors. Green and brown lenses are good too.
Often times, store-bought fireworks can emit smoke. Here are some tips for smokey-eyes:
Rinse your eyes with clean water regularly; at least once a day or more often if they burn or itch.
Try not to rub your eyes, since you might transfer dust and ash from your hands or face to your eyes that could scratch or irritate them. Wash your hands regularly, especially if you wear contact lenses.
Use lubricating eye drops or artificial tears to keep your eyes refreshed and help get rid of dust and particles that can irritate eyes.
We hope you have a fun and safe Fourth of July this year!
Did you know that carrots are not the only vegetable that can protect your eyes? Dr. Jennifer Ashton recently discussed some other eye-healthy foods on, “The Early Show.” According to Dr. Ashton, lutein and zeaxanthin are the most beneficial cartenoids for eye health. In fact, there are foods that are good for our eyes and taste delicious, too, that most of us are not even aware of. Below is a list of some of these foods, which promote eye health.
Spinach
Kale
Peas
Zucchini
Broccoli
Other leafy greens
Orange peppers
Corn
Oranges
Honeydew melon
Egg yolks
Why is it so important to protect our eyes, you may ask? Dr. Ashton states it in simple logic:
“The thinking is that our eyes age just like other parts of our body, and things like these substances can really make a big difference in preventing things like macular degeneration and cataracts.” Read more »
Dr. Joel Kestenbaum is a VSP provider in Long Island, NY
Dr. Kestenbaum is back! Today his guest blog discusses colorblindness …
Color blindness is also known as color vision deficiency. It is a condition in which certain colors cannot be differentiated. It is most commonly an inherited condition, transmitted by the “X” chromosome. About 99 percent of color deficient individuals are red/green colorblind. These people have a hard time distinguishing different hues of reds and greens. About 8% of males and half of 1% of females are red/green colorblind.
Blue/yellow color deficiency is rarely inherited and as far as I am aware, there is no commonly available test for it. Total color blindness, or seeing only shades of gray, is an extremely rare condition.
There is no treatment for color blindness but it can be very frustrating for people affected by it. Think about all things that we do in life that require good color vision: Coordinating your clothes, determining if a traffic light is red, yellow or green (especially in states whose lights are horizontal), coloring with crayons, technical wiring for electricians, telling rare from well-done with meats, seeing if a piece of litmus paper turns red or blue. Commercial pilots must have normal color vision for their job.
Can you see the 2?
Certain diseases can also cause color deficiencies, either temporary or permanent. Cataracts cloud vision and filter light away from the retina. When cataracts are surgically removed, most people will see rejuvenated colors. Macular degeneration causes, in most cases, permanent color vision changes. Diseases like Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease or any diseases that cause optic neuritis (an inflammation of the optic nerve), can cause colors to appear paler.
The good news is that colorblindness is not deadly. Eight to ten percent of us live with it every day and learn to compensate for this minor disability. You can search many websites including here, here, and here for more information on color deficiency.
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The golden age of Hollywood brings to mind images of many classic movies stars giving the camera smoldering glances…with a mood-setting cigarette smoldering along side them. Actors like John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Paul Newman, Suzanne Pleshette, and Betty Grable were often pictured as sultry smokers, and sadly, each of them died of lung cancer. The affects of smoking on the lungs and heart are well known, but have you ever considered how tobacco affects eye health?
Many of us know there are lots of benefits to eating fish including, omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, and it’s a great source of protein. Another benefit new research suggests women who consume fish regularly — and the abundance of omega-3 fatty acids found in that meal choice — have a lower risk of developing 
Did you know that carrots are not the only vegetable that can protect your eyes? 
