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Anne Arundel Eye Center

Cataract and Glaucoma Specialist

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Home > Archives for healthy

Can a Healthy Diet Decrease My Risk of Glaucoma?

April 6, 2016 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

The term glaucoma refers to a group of eye conditions affecting over 3 million Americans. Glaucoma is the result of increased intraocular eye pressure (IOP) and damage the optic nerve, the nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Eye pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), and normal eye pressure falls between 12 and 21 mm Hg. Anything above 21 is considered elevated.

We are all at risk of glaucoma, and certain groups are at a higher risk than others. But this doesn’t mean that we have to roll over and just see what happens. There are steps you can take to lower your risk for glaucoma and protect your vision. For instance, researchers at Brigham Women’s Hospital have found that a healthy diet with a high intake of leafy green vegetables could reduce the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma, or POAG, by as much as 30 percent.

Does What I Eat Affect My Risk of Glaucoma?

“We found those consuming the most green leafy vegetables had a 20 to 30 percent lower risk of glaucoma,” said study leader Jae Kang, an assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

What is Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma?

As you may recall if you are a regular visitor to our blog, a few weeks back we discussed narrow angle glaucoma, one of the rarer forms of glaucoma, affecting nearly 500,000 Americans. POAG, meanwhile, is the most common form of glaucoma, affecting approximately one percent of all Americans. POAG is a progressive condition resulting in damage to the optic nerve as fluid builds up in the front of the eye. Some believe POAG to be caused by a structural defect of the eye’s drainage system. This prevents fluid from moving freely and causes increased IOP. Think about a clogged pipe. Everything may look okay on the outside, but there is an issue under the surface, an issue that could cause a lot of problems if not diagnosed and rectified early. However, POAG is painless and presents no symptoms, meaning a person can lose as 40% of his or her vision without even realizing. This also means that annual eye exams are a must.

Vision loss from glaucoma is irreversible, but glaucoma can be managed if detected early. With early detection and vigilant treatment, your eye doctor – optometrist or ophthalmologist – can preserve vision 95% of the time or more. So, when was your last eye exam?

Reducing the Risk of Glaucoma

Kang and a team of researchers followed nearly 64,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study from 1984 through 2012, and more than 41,000 participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study from 1986 through 2014. The investigators divided the participants into five groups, from the highest level of leafy green vegetable consumption to the lowest, finding a 20-30 percent lower rate of glaucoma in those who averaged about 1.5 servings a day.

“In glaucoma, we think there is an impairment of blood flow to the optic nerve,” said Kang. “And an important factor that regulates blood flow to the eye is a substance called nitric oxide. When you consume the higher amount of green leafy vegetables, you have greater levels of nitric oxide in your body.”

Glaucoma Treatment in Annapolis, Maryland

The Anne Arundel Eye Center, led by board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, is a regional leader in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. Staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals, AAEC’s state-of-the-art treatment center is dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone.

Schedule a Comprehensive Eye Exam

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Samuel Boles, Dr. Nicole Kershner, Dr. Kathryn Turner, and the eye care specialists here at AAEC by calling 410-224-2010. AAEC is staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals who will help guide you on your healing journey.

Works Cited:

  1. Kang, Jae H., Walter C. Willett, Bernard A. Rosner, Emmanuel Buys, Janey L. Wiggs, and Louis R. Pasquale. “Association of Dietary Nitrate Intake With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.” JAMA Ophthalmol JAMA Ophthalmology 134.3 (2016): 294. Web.

Filed Under: Glaucoma Tagged With: Diet, Glaucoma, healthy

Cataracts: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

December 16, 2011 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

A cataract is a clouding of the natural lens inside the eye. That crystal clear lens slowly clouds over time as part of the natural aging process. We should all be so lucky to develop cataracts in our lifetime, as this would mean we have lived a long and healthy life.

Cataracts will gradually worsen over time and will eventually interfere with normal vision. This can make every day tasks, like driving (especially at night) and reading, incredibly difficult.

Causes of Cataracts

There are several causes of cataracts. They develop primarily because of normal aging, but also due to eye injuries and genetic disorders. These varying causes lead to different types of cataracts, which include:

• Nuclear Cataracts: This refers to cataracts that affect the center of the eyes lens.

•  Cortical Cataracts: This refers to cataracts that affect the edges of the lens.

• Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts: This refers to cataracts that affect the back of the lens.

•  Congenital Cataracts: This refers to cataracts you were born with.

For additional information on any specific form of cataracts, consult your eye doctor.

Signs and Symptoms of Cataracts

•  Blurred or blurry vision

•  Yellowing or clouding of the lens

•  Difficulty with night vision

•  Sensitivity to light and glare

•  Seeing “halos” around lights

•  Frequent changes in eyeglass or contact lens prescription

•  Fading or yellowing of colors

•  Double vision in a single eye

If you feel you may be experiencing any of the above symptoms, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor as soon as possible. Any sudden change in your vision is a serious medical condition that requires prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Cataracts Treatment

While better lighting and stronger eyeglasses can help you deal with cataracts in the short term, cataract surgery is the only truly effective treatment option available.

Cataract surgery involves removing the clouded lens and replacing it with a new artificial lens. The procedure is fairly safe, but carries a risk of infection and bleeding. Surgery also increases the risk of retinal detachment.

However, if your cataracts begin to affect your quality of life, inhibiting you from performing normal daily tasks, cataract surgery is usually the best choice for trying to regain your sight. So if you feel it may be time to consider cataract surgery, contact your eye doctor to discuss your options. You can also turn to Anne Arundel Eye Center for additional information.

If you have any questions about what you have just read or if you would like to learn more about cataracts, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

Led by Dr. Boles, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well!

Sources:

Cataract MedicinePlus

Cataracts MayoClinic.com

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