With Valentine’s Day falling in February, it’s only natural for the American Heart Association to declare February American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women, accounting for one in four deaths annually.

While your patients may not believe it, there are some connections between the eyes and heart disease. Studies have shown that when higher levels of lipids are found in one’s blood, they “develop raised yellow patches of skin around the eyelids, known as xanthelasma,” (The New York Times Well Blog). Once thought to be purely a cosmetic issue, Danish researchers later found these spots indicators of underlying cardiovascular disease, and that those with spots were more likely than others to suffer a heart attack or death due to heart disease.

Researchers at the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) also studied the topic in a project funded by the Medical Benevolence Foundation (MBF). The study showed that “blood vessels of the retina can be photographed and the images analyzed by a computer to accurately determine a person’s risk of heart attack or stroke.”

Even if your practice isn’t located in the …

We’ve shared before that eyes can provide practitioners with signs and symptoms of a variety of systemic issues, such as chronic myelogenous leukemia and hypertension. Early last fall, researchers shared that a possible clue to detecting Alzheimer’s disease may be found through eye exams, and now, a new study reports that damaged blood vessels in the eyes could help doctors diagnose a heart-rhythm disorder called atrial fibrillation.

According to U.S. News Health, the study led by Sunil Agarwal of Johns Hopkins University followed over 10,000 middle-aged patients for about 14 years. The results of the study “found that microvascular changes – trouble in the smaller vessels of the eyes or kidneys – appeared to be linked to the presence of atrial fibrillation.”

About six of every 1,000 people monitored during the study with no microvascular disease did develop atrial fibrillation, increasing to nine out of every 1,000 people that had micro-bleeds or micro-aneurysms in the small vessels of their retinas. Those with vessel damage present in their kidneys accounted for 17 out of every 1,000 people followed in the study, increasing to 24 out of every 1,000 with damage to the vessels of the kidneys and eyes.

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As we shared a few months ago, a study published in Diabetes Care comparing Optos’ nonmydriatic UWF imaging to mydriatic ETDRS 7-field photography as screening tools for DR showed UWF imaging as having an advantage in screening for DR. As Healio recently reported, UWF imaging is also considered “a viable option that may improve the efficiency of diagnostics for [DR] and diabetic macular edema.”

Jan Lammer, MD, shared at the Advanced Retinal Therapy Meeting that in addition to the standard methods of assessment and follow up for DR and diabetic macular edema (DME) – which include fluorescein angiography, fundus photography and others – Optos’ UWF imaging was utilized in a study of 206 eyes of 103 patients. Optos’ UWF imaging was used because it allowed practitioners to “detect peripheral alterations of the retina that would otherwise go undetected.”

The study compared the results of UWF imaging with conventional non-mydriatic fundus photography (NMFP). While the UWF images identified similar results in terms of rates and severity of DR as NMFP, it also “identified additional peripheral lesions” in over 24 percent of patients, which Lammers said may have indicated more severe cases of retinopathy severity grading in about …

With glaucoma affecting as many as 4 million people in the U.S. alone and thousands upon thousands more around the world, it’s important for practitioners to be diligent in making sure patients understand their risk factors, as well as providing proper screenings to detect, diagnose, and monitor the condition.

In New York, Sanjeev Nath, M.D., had a 37-year-old female patient come in for an exam. She had a 20-year history of an “untreatable” retinal degeneration. At that time, she used high plus reading glasses and, with difficulty, was able to read magazine print from 4-inches. The patient felt her vision was worsening and also was experiencing difficulty seeing at night.

The patient’s vision was 10/400 in each eye unaided, and Goldmann IOP’s were 23 OD and 24 OS. An exam with a fundus with a slit lamp provided the explanation for her visual difficulties, and additional testing performed revealed Pachymetry to be 498u OD and 505u OS. Threshold fields showed the patient’s central Scotomas at about 12×15 degrees in size with erratic fixation. Her flash ERGs were normal.

However, the additional testing also revealed pisciform flecks and the appearance of the patient’s macula as presenting Stargardt’s disease. …

While many may feel that children have excellent vision simply because they are young and healthy, eye care professionals know better. With research showing between 5 and 10 percent of preschool aged children being affected by a vision impairment and 1 in 4 school-aged children having a vision impairment, several organizations dedicated to eye and vision health have declared 2014 as the Year of Children’s Vision.

The Year of Children’s Vision (YOCV) is a joint initiative formed by Prevent Blindness America (PBA), PBA’s National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health, the National Head Start Association and other like-minded groups. The goal of the initiative is to help standardize the approach early childhood care and education programs take toward vision screenings for young children. Another goal is to make improvements in follow-up care for those that don’t pass vision screenings and providing educational materials for families, among others.

Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of PBA, said of the YOCV initiative:

“Our children depend on their eyes to learn and view the world around them. They also depend on us to make sure they have healthy vision and can reach their full potential. With this new, comprehensive program …

While performing what was expected to be a demonstrative optomap eye exam, a Wellingborough optician noticed an unusual hole in his son’s retina. Dr. Bob Halsey, owner of Halsey Opticians, credits optomap with showing him the “suspicious hole” in his son’s retina.

Upon the discovery, Dr. Halsey sent his son, Alex, to Northhampton General Hospital. There, a specialist used the optomap images to pinpoint the location of the hole. Afterwards, Alex was sent to surgery to repair it. Dr. Halsey says without having such technology in his practice, the discovery and diagnosis of the hole in Alex’s retina wouldn’t have been possible, which could have led to further issues.

“A conventional eye test wouldn’t have spotted the hole, as it was in the periphery of the retina, which can’t be seen without a more in-depth examination,” Dr. Halsey shared. “We’re hopeful that the surgery has been successful and will continue to monitor Alex’s eye health with our optomap.”

Following this experience, all patients at Halsey Opticians are now offered an optomap as a part of the practice’s advanced eye testing.

Thousands of practitioners around the world have made sight-saving discoveries thanks to optomap, with over 40 …

As we have shared before, glaucoma cases continue to rise here in the U.S., as well as in other parts of the world. New estimates from the National Eye Institute suggest as many as 4 million people in the U.S. suffer from this eye disease and that half of those individuals aren’t even aware of it.

Prevent Blindness America expects these numbers to continue to grow as America’s population of older adults increases. And as the number of glaucoma cases grow, so does the cost of treatment. Glaucoma is said to cost about $5.8 billion annually, with individuals paying as much as $2,170 for treatment. Since January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, it’s time once again to help your patients understand whether or not they are at risk of developing this condition, which is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, and what they can do to prevent it.

Below are a few facts patients should be aware of regarding glaucoma:

– Typically, there are symptoms of glaucoma. Vision loss is first experienced in peripheral vision and is usually noticed once the condition becomes severe. – There are two main types of glaucoma, open-angle and …

Discussing a patient’s body weight during an eye exam may once have been considered a strange or unnecessary question. These patients might wonder, “What does my weight have to do with my eyes?” However, it’s a subject that many eyecare practitioners are now addressing. As obesity rates continue to rise, researchers are noticing more instances of eye disease and vision loss in overweight and obese patients.

The connection between obesity and vision loss lies within the many health issues associated with carrying extra weight, according to Kimberly Reed, OD, FAAO. Systemic conditions such as Type II diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia and carotid artery disease, Dr. Reed writes, can “pose [an] additional threat to the ocular and visual system in the form of diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, vascular occlusive disease, optic neuropathy, glaucoma, and others.”

With this information at hand, it’s important to start discussions with patients on how maintaining a healthy weight can benefit their eyes. Take the time to, in a non-judgmental manner, talk about how achieving a healthier weight, as well as a healthier diet and regular exercise, can lead to a longer life and better overall health, as well as better ocular and visual health.

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We all seem to have a few of those people on our holiday gift lists that seem impossible to shop for. It is highly likely that your patients have a few of these people on their holiday shopping lists, too. These individuals seem to have everything they could possibly want or need, making it difficult to give them a gift with meaning. Rather than buy these individuals more “stuff,” suggest that your patients take a cue from Europeans by gifting their loved ones with an optomap® this holiday season.

In many European countries, such as Germany, it is a common practice to give a gift that promotes health and wellness. While gym memberships and other similar gifts are thoughtful, there is always a chance that the recipient may only use it for a month or two before they stop going altogether. The gift of an optomap®, on the other hand, is a thoughtful gift that can be used to ensure the recipient’s eyes and vision are healthy.

As an added benefit, the gift of an optomap® can potentially save an individual’s vision, if not their life, as many systemic diseases and other issues that threaten one’s vision can be …

Optos and the AOA have collaborated on disease-related tools including diabetes education and resources for AOA member optometrists and their practices since 2008.  This year, Optos sponsored a formal multi-year diabetes initiative focused on providing clinical education and resources to AOA members.  The overall goal was to make the doctors aware that they are essential health care providers for patients with diabetes relating to their visual and retinal health.  Through this sponsorship, AOA and Optos have provided a valuable resource to help AOA doctors increase patient awareness about the condition, facilitate early detection, and assist in disease management and treatment.

The supplement is called Optometrists Form Front Line in Battling Diabetes and it can be found at http://www.aoa.org/diabetes.