There is nothing more precious than the gift of clear vision. World Sight Day is Oct. 12, and it emphasizes protecting your eyesight. Taking active steps to preserve and protect your vision can help decrease the risk of falls, fractures and other injuries.

Falls Among Elderly Americans Are on the Rise

The rate of falls in the United States has risen consistently over the past 10 years and is likely to continue increasing as life expectancy lengthens. Between 2001 and 2014, almost one million inpatient hospital admissions had eye injury as the primary or secondary diagnosis. According to a 2021 study, patients with a secondary diagnosis of an eye injury rose 31 percent, and 82 percent of the increase in secondary eye injuries was due to falls among older individuals.

The study found more than half of fall-related eye trauma occurred at home. Falls were more likely to occur during the winter, and women were more at risk than men. For patients whose primary diagnosis was an eye injury, orbital fracture from blunt trauma was the most common type.

Eye Diseases Can Increase the Risk of Falls

Low vision always creates mobility challenges. Common eye diseases that increase the likelihood of missteps and falls include the following:

• Cataracts — A cataract is the clouding of the eye lens, which can cause blurry vision and make patients more susceptible to falling. Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most common surgeries. One study found cataract surgery can significantly decrease the risk of a hip fracture.
• Glaucoma — This family of eye diseases deteriorates the optic nerve. Patients with glaucoma often lose their peripheral vision, which can cause them to collide with an object outside their visual field.
•  Macular degeneration — This condition affects central vision. Patients with macular degeneration can easily trip over objects because they cannot see something in front of them.

Easy Ways to Prevent Falls and Protect Your Eyes

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control makes the following suggestions to keep your home safe and prevent falls:

1. Remove clutter from your home. Keep your floors clear to prevent tripping.
2. Avoid using small throw rugs that can shift underneath you.
3. Use non-slip mats in the shower.
4. Install grab bars next to your toilets and showers.

Comprehensive Eye Exams Preserve Vision and Prevent Injury

You can protect your vision by making an annual appointment for a comprehensive eye exam with dilation. At your eye appointment, your ophthalmologist will screen you for eye diseases, test your visual acuity and update your eyeglass prescription. Your doctor can also detect and diagnose vision problems during your eye exam and suggest customized treatments for your vision needs.
Are you under the care of a board-certified ophthalmologist? We can help. Our eye care centers are located across the country, and our physicians are taking new patients. Tell your loved ones about World Sight Day and offer to accompany them to their appointment. Healthy eyesight requires regular maintenance, so call today to get on the schedule before the end of the year.

Do you feel like you are too busy to get your eyes checked? Fun-packed summers give way to hectic fall school schedules, and we often forget preventive care. However, eye exams are essential for overall wellness, so scheduling yearly visits to your ophthalmologist is critical. With a few minutes of preparation, you can breeze through your eye exam and be out of the office in no time.

Routine care prevents eye disease and vision loss

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 93 million Americans are at risk for significant vision loss, but only half visited their eye doctor in the past year. Many adults say they are too busy to check their eyes, while others say eye exams are expensive or unnecessary.

Early detection of eye conditions like cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy can prevent eye damage and preserve vision. However, these diseases may not have symptoms early, so you cannot rely on warning signs to alert to a problem.

How to be efficient on your eye exam day

Yearly comprehensive eye exams can prevent chronic conditions, increase productivity and enhance quality of life. You can take some easy steps to streamline your eye exam.

1. Fill out any necessary paperwork online before your appointment, or print it at home and bring it with you. Preparing beforehand will streamline your appointment.
2. Schedule your appointment at the beginning of the day. Your wait time will more likely increase later in the day for reasons such as the following:

• Some patients arrive late, which can affect all subsequent appointments.
• Certain appointments take longer than their allotted time.
• Doctors have to accommodate eye emergencies and last-minute appointments.

3. Bring all vital information with you:

• Medical and vision insurance card
• Current prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses
• List of your current medication and any allergies you have
• Eye drops you use
• Notes about family history of chronic medical issues, eye conditions or vision problems

4. Begin looking at the eyeglass frame selection before your doctor calls you back for your appointment. You don’t have to wait until you have your new prescription to decide on a designer frame; start shopping while you wait!

Meeting your deductible can decrease medical costs

Studies show most patients meet their deductible by May, so you might have already met your annual deductible. If this is the case, don’t delay getting an eye exam or scheduling an eye procedure, like cataract surgery. Call your insurance company to verify whether you have met your deductible or are close to meeting it. You can also ask for an estimate of benefits to prepare financially.

Other ways to reduce cost

If you need to schedule a procedure, it is wise to ask your doctor about your options for the medical facility you will visit. An ambulatory surgery center (ASC) is an outpatient facility that offers high-quality medical procedures in a home-like setting. ASCs can save money because they are almost always less expensive than hospitals. You can also use a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA) to use pre-tax money for your qualified medical expenses. Both of these decisions will result in more cash in your pocket.

Schedule a comprehensive eye exam with dilation

Life is busy, so don’t delay essential preventive care and eye procedures before the end of the year. There is nothing more important than maintaining healthy vision. Annual comprehensive eye exams can prevent conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts before they impair your vision. If you are not under the care of a board-certified ophthalmologist, we can help you find an eye doctor in your area who is accepting new patients.

A new study found that brain and cognitive changes in patients with Alzheimer’s disease may be linked to changes in the retina.

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

More than three million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia. The disease is progressive, and it affects memory and cognition. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and treatments only slow its development.

Experts know that dementia can affect vision, but this new research may be pivotal in understanding how Alzheimer’s disease affects the retina, especially in the early stages of the disease.

Link between Alzheimer’s disease and retinal health

Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Hospital examined retina and brain tissue samples from 86 donors with confirmed Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. They compared those samples with samples from donors with normal brain function and those with advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

The research team analyzed the patients’ retinas, measuring proteins in retinal and brain tissue and looking for markers of inflammation and functional cell loss. In the retinas of patients with mild cognitive impairment, the team found the following:

• An excess of amyloid beta 42 protein, which in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease binds together and disrupts brain function
• A buildup of amyloid beta protein in ganglion cells, which transmit visual input from the retina to the optic nerve
• Molecules that are responsible for inflammation and cell death

The changes in the retina corresponded with changes in parts of the brain that control memory, navigation and the perception of time.

The team suggested the retina can be seen as “a developmental extension of the brain” because it offers a non-invasive and less expensive way to observe and monitor neurological health.

“These findings may eventually lead to the development of imaging techniques that allow us to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease earlier and more accurately and monitor its progression noninvasively by looking through the eye,” said Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, PhD, professor of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Biomedical Sciences at Cedars-Sinai and senior author of the study.

Schedule a comprehensive eye exam with dilation

May is Healthy Vision Month. The National Eye Institute established this observance in 2003 to stress the importance of preventive vision care and the dangers of ignoring your eye health.

Taking care of your eyes is equally important as a nutritious diet and regular exercise. To maintain healthy vision, you should have a comprehensive eye exam with dilation every year. Your eye doctor will use eye drops to widen your pupils and check for eye diseases or vision problems. A comprehensive eye exam with dilation can help your ophthalmologist detect chronic conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or age-related macular degeneration.

Celebrate Healthy Vision Month by making an appointment at one of our eye care centers nationwide. Our team of board-certified ophthalmologists and friendly staff are equipped to meet your vision needs and help you preserve your eyesight for years to come.

American adults over 40 are at a greater risk for developing eye disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 6.5 million people in this age group are visually impaired and one million are blind.

Lower income, less education linked to vision impairment

Recent research finds that 28 percent of adults over 71 are visually impaired, even with the help of corrective lenses or visual aids.

The study was published in JAMA Ophthalmology and was led by Olivia J. Killeen, MD, a clinical lecturer in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Michigan Medicine.

One of the main findings was that various types of visual impairment that are linked to older age are more prevalent in those with lower income and less education. Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic adults were likelier to have visual acuity and contrast sensitivity impairments than non-Hispanic White adults.

Many participants in the study needed an updated eyeglass prescription to treat their visual impairment, but some faced financial barriers. For example, many seniors have to pay out of pocket for glasses because Medicare only provides eyeglass benefits after cataract surgery.

“These findings are important to address, as poor vision is associated with several adverse outcomes for older adults, including depression, dementia, falls, motor vehicle accidents, and even death,” said Dr. Killeen.

Comprehensive eye exams prevent vision loss

Regular comprehensive eye exams with dilation can help detect vision problems and preserve your eyesight as you age. Yearly eye exams can help prevent or delay eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration that can impair vision. If your ophthalmologist diagnoses a vision problem in the early stages, it is much easier and less expensive to treat.

Chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and arthritis are more common among seniors with vision impairment, so you must also visit your general practitioner regularly. Having diabetes can put you at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy, the most common vision impairment of people over 40.

Has it been over a year since your last eye exam? Eye conditions can develop slowly, so you cannot rely on symptoms or warning signs. If you are looking for a board-certified ophthalmologist, our eye care centers are located nationwide. Call today to make an appointment.

New research suggests low sleep quality could make you more susceptible to glaucoma and irreversible vision loss.

January Is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and vision loss in the United States. Characterized by loss of light-sensitive cells and damage to the optic nerve, glaucoma affects more than three million Americans. By 2030, the National Eye Institute expects to reach 4.2 million.

Glaucoma often has no warning signs in the early stages, and a comprehensive eye exam is the only way to detect glaucoma. Because it develops without notice, glaucoma is called the “sneak thief of sight.” If left untreated, glaucoma can cause irreversible sight loss.

Sleep Quality and Glaucoma

Snoring, daytime sleepiness or sleeping too much or too little can increase the risk for glaucoma, according to a study by UK Biobank. The research team analyzed data from 409,053 participants between the ages of 40 and 69 who provided information about their sleep.

All three of these factors influenced glaucoma risk (Medical Xpress):

• Those who slept too long (more than nine hours) or too short (less than seven hours) had an 8 percent increased risk for glaucoma.
• Snorers had a 12 percent increased risk.
• Those with frequent daytime sleepiness had a 20 percent increased risk for glaucoma.

Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery With Cataract Surgery

Although there is no cure for glaucoma, early treatment can prevent permanent optic nerve damage and protect your vision. Many innovative procedures can treat glaucoma as well as cataracts, like Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS). Some MIGS procedures are stand-alone, but other MIGS operations can be performed in conjunction with cataract surgery so both conditions are treated at once. Another benefit of MIGS is that it targets eye tissues that are not utilized by traditional surgeries, allowing for a more comprehensive array of treatment options.

Make an Appointment for an Eye Exam

Anyone can develop glaucoma, but African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos are even more at risk. Everyone over 60 is more likely to develop glaucoma, so staying current with your eye exams is essential. A yearly comprehensive eye exam with dilation can help prevent eye diseases like cataracts, glaucoma or macular degeneration. If you have a developing condition, you can receive treatment in the early stages and prevent vision loss.

Our eye care centers are located nationwide and are accepting new patients. Call today to make an appointment.

Changes in eye color are rare and usually harmless, but they could indicate a medical condition requiring treatment.

Why Are My Eyes Changing Color?

Your eyes may appear to change color according to light or the clothes you wear. However, certain conditions such as trauma, medication and diseases could cause an actual change in eye color.

Trauma
Injury to the eye can damage the iris or corneal tissue and make the eye color look different. A dilated pupil can also appear to change the color of the eye, and trauma like a stroke or brain injury could cause this.

Medication
Glaucoma medications like prostaglandins can cause lasting color changes in the iris, often making the iris color darker over time. Conversely, Latisse is a prostaglandin medication that does not appear to alter the color of the iris because it is not applied directly to the eye.

Diseases or Conditions
Several diseases or syndromes can cause color changes in the eyes. For example, cataracts cloud the eye lens and can make the pupil look milky white. About 25 percent of people in their 60s have cataracts, but they are easily removed with cataract surgery.

Another condition called arcus senilisis can make your eyes look a different color. A build-up of fats in the eye causes a hazy blue or white ring around the peripheral cornea. This could mean you have high cholesterol.

Uveitis is an inflammation of the eyeball, often caused by autoimmune or infectious diseases. This condition sometimes causes redness in the conjunctiva or the eye’s clear covering. However, it can also alter the color of the iris.

Make an Appointment for an Eye Exam

If you experience any change in eye color or any other aspect of your vision, it’s always best to have an eye exam by a board-certified ophthalmologist. Eye conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration can develop slowly and often do not cause symptoms in the early stages.

A yearly comprehensive eye exam tests more than your vision. It offers a window into your overall health. An ophthalmologist can sometimes detect signs of hypertension, diabetes or high cholesterol while checking your eyes.

Most eye exams take only an hour, but the payoff will last a lifetime. Our eye care centers are located nationwide, and their friendly staff can schedule you for an appointment at your convenience. Your vision is worth the investment.