Glaucoma

Sleep apnea is a lot more common than you might think, and it’s affecting your patients’ eyes and vision in drastic ways, says Brad Sutton, OD, FAAO.

Leaders in their respective specialties came together at the American Academy of Optometry 2015 meeting in New Orleans to share their latest research in dry eye and glaucoma.

For the last few years, doctors have warned that life expectancy may decrease nationwide. The primary culprit-obesity-has been wreaking havoc on patient health and the healthcare system, and many systemic health problems have been on the rise.

Glaucoma comes in more than one flavor, and while open-angle glaucoma has received more attention, its angle-closure cousin has flown under the radar in the United States.

From advances in medical technology and testing to increased awareness among the public, eyecare professionals are better able to identify glaucoma before it starts wreaking havoc on a patient's vision. But when it comes to identifying glaucoma progression, things get a little murkier.

Medical care is often fraught with clinical conundrums, from the logistical of figuring out what to do with patients who refuse to take medicine, to tests or imaging that don't match diagnoses.

A recent editorial in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) raised some questions about the indications for medical marijuana, which vary greatly by state.

With that in mind, there are several aspects of my own EHR software that I really appreciate over paper charts. Besides the fact that I can actually read what I wrote (or typed), one thing that I particularly enjoy is the fact that I am able to consistently look at a new patient’s optic nerves without knowing his or her intraocular pressure (IOP) values beforehand.

Bob Prouty, OD, FAAO, educated a packed house at the American Optometirc Association’s Optometry’s Meeting on marijuana’s use in and outside of eye care.

For years now, there has been considerable evidence indicating that glaucoma should be considered a neurological disease and not an entity isolated to the eyes alone. Perhaps the most compelling evidence for such a characterization is the fact that the retinal ganglion cells affected by glaucoma do not synapse until they arrive at the midbrain (specifically, the lateral geniculate nucleus).

Liverpool, UK-The British Contact Lens Association meeting features several panel discussion on a theme. Topics included a look into the future for managing myopia and contact lens discomfort. In addition, improve the success of your multifocal contact lens fits with expert suggestions.

Liverpool, UK-The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) opened the first day of its 2015 conference with a day-long focus on myopia management. Ian Flitcroft, MA DPHIL FRCOPHTH, calls myopia a public health time bomb.

A recent study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, found that exposure to cats and cockroaches may increase the risk for glaucoma, while contact with dogs could help guard against the disease.

Researchers at the Cullen Eye Institute at Baylor College of Medicine have developed nanowafer technology to delivery ocular drugs, an alternative to inefficient eye drops.

A recent study found an association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and glaucoma that is not attributed to the use of beta-blocker therapy.

In honor of the unofficial stoner holiday-April 20-we wondered how the legalization of marijuana in some states has affected optometrists.

A few days ago, a 61-year-old white male presented with a gradual and painless loss of vision in his left eye.

Compliance is a common concern with glaucoma patients, but a study recently published in Ophthalmology found that generic medication may help increase adherence, possibly due to lower cost.

David Friedman, MD, says glaucoma has a major impact on a patient’s quality of life, but shared his tips for treating these concerns.

Reuters recently reported on a new wave of drugs in development that it says will shake up glaucoma treatments. When the consumer media is giving your patients direct information about eye care, are you ready to answer their questions?

Glaucoma is a term that describes a family of progressive optic neuropathies. All of the glaucomas share characteristic and progressive cupping of the optic nerve head, and this cupping is most easily viewed by means of direct stereoscopic evaluation through a dilated pupil.

Check out our most-read glaucoma stories of 2014.

Reasons for thin CCT values as independent predictors of POAG have been relatively unclear, and there aren’t nearly as many studies concerning CCT as there are concerning risk factors such as IOP.

Neovascular glaucoma is a potentially devastating ocular consequence of pathologic neovascularization of intraocular tissue. The symptoms include vision loss caused by both the underlying etiology (such as retinal vascular disease) as well as increased intraocular pressure (IOP), often accompanied by corneal edema, hyphema, or vitreous hemorrhage.

Seems like everyone is focusing on baby boomers as they enter a new phase of their lives, but vision in particular is a big topic. And why wouldn’t it be? What is more critical to healthy aging than maintaining healthy vision?

Over the last decade, there has been rapid growth in the management of glaucoma. Innovative imaging technologies that aid in the diagnosis of this vision-threatening disease have also been on the rise. Instead of relying on a single diagnostic tool, clinicians may consider leveraging the benefits of several modalities available today.

According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), 7.7 million people age 40 and older have diabetic retinopathy, and this number is projected to increase to approximately 11 million people by 2030.

During the American Academy of Optometry's Academy 2014, panelists outlined the promise and potential pitfalls of cannabinoid-based therapies.

Your patients may have seen wife of rapper T.I. and reality star Tameka “Tiny” Harris appear on Good Morning America this week to reveal she had undergone surgery to permanently change her brown eyes to “ice gray,” sparking a national conversation about the safety of such a procedure.

A recent study published in the Journal of Glaucoma found that there was no detected increase in glaucoma risk with current, recent, or past use of systemic fluoroquinolones, but did find a minimal statistically significant increased risk with distant use.