The Eye Clinic of Texas

Improvement in Glaucoma Blindness Rate

Glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million people in the United States and over 60 million globally. Although the disease is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, the probability of going blind from glaucoma has been significantly reduced due to advances in diagnosis and treatment. In office use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to study and measure the nerve fiber layer of the retina and optic nerve as well lasers and implantable microscopic devices to change the risk of blindness from glaucoma. Researchers from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine studied the change in the rate of blindness from glaucoma over 2 consecutive 20 year periods and found that the rate of blindness was decreased by half but still remained unacceptably high! The best ways to avoid vision loss from glaucoma are to know your risk factors-such as family history, African and Hispanic descent, smoking, diabetes and sleep apnea, and be sure to schedule regular eye exams with glaucoma testing within timeframes recommended by your eye doctor.

If you or someone you now is concerned about their risk of glaucoma, schedule an eye exam at The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

The Eye Clinic of Texas is an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, the largest ophthalmology clinic in the nation. We are a leading eye care practice serving the greater Houston, Galveston & League City with offices at 1100 Gulf Freeway, Suite 114, League City, Texas 77573 and 2302 Avenue P, Galveston, Texas.

Cataract Surgery for Mary B

Mary B tells us about her cataract surgery.

“I was having trouble driving because I had developed cataracts. It had reached the point to where I was afraid to drive after dark. Dr. Milstein examined and diagnosed me with cataracts and recommended surgery and the ReSTOR lens. My surgeries were about 2 weeks apart and the process was quick, painless and unbelievably successful! I now need no visual aids and drive into the night with confidence! I Love It! Thank you Dr. Milstein.”

If you or some you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please call The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

Help for Keratoconus with Corneal Cross Linking

Keratoconus is a disease of the cornea in which the normally round dome like shape undergoes thinning and begins to bulge. This results in light entering the eye being irregularly focused and blurring of vision. Early on, the vision changes from keratoconus can be managed with eyeglasses and even later with contact lenses. However, keratoconus is progressive and many sufferers require cornea transplant surgery. The use of a new treatment option called Corneal Cross Linking appears to be successful in the treatment of keratoconus and stabilizes the shape of the cornea either significantly or completely halting the disease progression.

If you or someone you know suffers from keratoconus and would like to know more about corneal cross linking, schedule an eye exam at The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

Avoid Eyebrow Tweezing & Plucking Infections!

Plucking or tweezing to shape eyebrows into a flawless, face-framing arch is a common grooming process used by many people-both women and men. Did you know that eyebrow hair removal of any type-plucking, waxing, tweezing, threading or even shaving-can be a source of serious infection called “preseptal cellulitis” and should be done with care and consideration of good hygiene in order to avoid infection risk. A study reported in the journal Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery examined patients who had eyebrow infections-either preseptal cellulitis or infected cysts-and identified both the type of bacteria and the patient history and event that resulted in the infection. More than 2/3 of the patients who had eyebrow infections had actual abscesses that were caused by forms of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (24%) and other very damaging bacteria. If you are going to personally have your eyebrows groomed please be aware of using good hygiene techniques including hand washing, washing and swabbing the eyebrow area before and after with alcohol, wiping and soaking all tools such as tweezers with alcohol before you use them. These are serious causes of eyebrow infection with potentially very damaging results.

If you or someone you know has an eyebrow infection or ingrown eyebrow and has been plucking, tweezing, waxing or threading please schedule and appointment at The Eye Clinic of Texas is an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, the largest ophthalmology clinic in the nation. We are a leading eye care practice serving the greater Houston, Galveston & League City with offices at 1100 Gulf Freeway, Suite 114, League City, Texas 77573 and 2302 Avenue P, Galveston, Texas.

Thinner Retina a Sign of Cognitive Decline

We know that people with dementia typically have a thin retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) when we test them using optical coherence tomography (OCT) during their eye exam. Researcher reporting the results of a large study in JAMA Neurology found a significant association between RNFL thickness and cognitive function even when dementia had not yet been diagnosed. In fact, they found that those people in the bottom 20% of RNFL thickness were twice as likely to suffer cognitive decline over the next three years! This is the first study to identify that a thin RNFL indicates a risk of future cognitive decline and suggests that regular eye tests could help identify those likely to get dementia at a much earlier stage, which means suitable treatments could be prescribed at a more effective time to slow or stop the onset of dementia at early stages of the disease.

If you or someone you know is concerned about their risk of cognitive decline or even dementia, please schedule an eye exam at The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google+ or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

Glaucoma Status Affected by Certain Medications

Primary Open Angle Glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma and is generally treated by eye drops, laser treatment and/or surgery to help reduce the eye pressure or intraocular pressure (IOP). Certain systemic medications that you take for anxiety or depression that are in the class called “SSRI,” such as Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Paxil, or blood pressure medications in the class called “calcium channel blockers,” such as Norvasc, Cadizem, Procardia and Calan may be associated with your glaucoma risk. SSRIs are strongly associated with a reduced risk of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma whereas calcium channel blockers were strongly associated with an increased risk. According to researchers reporting in Ophthalmology, the official journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, this is important and useful information to us as we assess your risk of glaucoma, but is helpful to researchers seeking new medications for the treatment of glaucoma as it might indicate novel approaches with medications used for other systemic diseases.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about glaucoma risk and systemic medications or schedule a glaucoma eye exam, please call The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google+ or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

Todd’s LASIK at The Eye Clinic of Texas

“This was absolutely the best money I ever spent. I am 8 years out from my LASIK, and my vision is still perfect. They corrected my astigmatism and allowed me to live without glasses or contacts! The procedure they used is called monovision correction, which means I have one eye for up close and one eye for distance. After a short period, your brain switches back and forth and you never know the difference. It's like you were born this way! Price has gone down since I had it done in 2009, so what are you waiting for???”-Todd

If you or some you know is tired of the hassle of glasses or contact lenses for seeing at distance and would like to find out if LASIK might be a good vision correction option, please call The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google+ or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

Michael D’s Cataract Success

“Dr. Van and all of her staff are wonderful. I had cataract surgery on both eyes. It was painless and pleasant. All of her staff are so helpful and friendly. I tell everyone that Dr. Van is an angel straight of heaven. My vision is perfect since surgery and I couldn’t be more pleased with my vision. Obviously there are a few reservations prior to surgery because it is surgery but Dr. Van is so calming and explains everything as she is performing the surgery and afterwards you go home and nap a little, which is no problem for me, and when I woke up , my vision had drastically changed and improved! I like to make clocks and would wear two pair of glasses while working on them before I had surgery. Now, I just walk out into the garage and start working and can see things so clearly now! I recommend Dr. Van and The Eye Clinic of Texas to everyone!”-Michael D.

Contact Lenses that Adjust to Sunlight?

Did you know that there are now FDA approved contact lenses that adjust to sunlight? These contact lenses darken automatically when you wear them in bright sunlight and then lighten in darker lighting conditions, just like the eyeglass lenses you have known about for years. They are available under the name ACUVUE® OASYS Contact Lenses with Transitions® Light Intelligent Technology. This convenient feature may be helpful for certain patients who are particularly light sensitive but shouldn’t be regarded as a substitute for UV protecting sunglasses which offer a great deal more protection.

If you would like to learn more about ACUVUE® OASYS Contact Lenses with Transitions® Light Intelligent Technology please call The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google+ or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

Oral Health Can Affect the Retina

Did you know that not taking care of your teeth and gums can increase your risk of blood vessel damage in the retina? Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation of the gums that results from bacterial buildup and the surface and between your teeth. It is easily prevented with through oral hygiene such as brushing your teeth and flossing properly to avoid accumulation of bacteria on your teeth and gums. If left untreated it can result in loosening or even loss of teeth. But, a study in the Journal of Periodontology found that there was an association between periodontitis and the health of the retinal blood vessels in terms of their narrowing and constriction in a similar manner as results from hypertension and vascular and inflammatory diseases. The researchers speculated that over time this could lead to “leaky blood vessels” and indicate that periodontitis might lead to increased risk for other diseases.

To learn more about tooth and gum disease such as periodontitis ask your dentist. If you have periodontitis and have not had a regular eye exam please call The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google+ or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.

Fitness & Exercise Reduces Glaucoma Risk

Did you know that meeting fitness guidelines can actually help reduce your risk of glaucoma? A recent clinical study reported in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) examined if there was an association between physical activity and cardio respiratory fitness and the incidence of glaucoma. Thorough epidemiological data was reviewed and demonstrated that compared with low fitness, those patients with high levels of fitness had a significantly lower risk of glaucoma. By far the lowest risk of glaucoma was found in those patients who had both high fitness levels and met physical activity guidelines recommended by ACSM.

The message is clear-you can lower your risk of glaucoma by being active in accordance with the guidelines and maintaining a high level of fitness. If you or someone you know is concerned about their risk of glaucoma, please schedule an eye exam and glaucoma testing at The Eye Clinic of Texas, an affiliate of Houston Eye Associates, at 800-423-3937, visit The Eye Clinic of Texas, Google+ or facebook.com/ecot.lasik.