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Archive for Old Age

Glaucoma and the Risk to African-Americans

By Renee Bovelle · Comments (0)
Wednesday, March 4th, 2015
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Glaucoma and the Risk to African-AmericansYou may know that February is Black History Month – but did you know that January is Glaucoma Awareness Month?  If you’re wondering why these two are tied together, consider this: African-Americans are especially vulnerable to glaucoma, which is one of the most dangerous eye conditions.  If left untreated, glaucoma can lead to vision impairment and even blindness.  What’s more, once this happens, the damage is permanent, as there is no way to reverse the damage caused by glaucoma.

So why are African-Americans particularly at risk for developing glaucoma – and if you’re part of this group, what can you do to protect your health?

We are still researching why African-Americans are more likely to develop glaucoma.  Interestingly enough, another ethnicity that carries a significantly elevated list of developing glaucoma is Hispanics.  It’s estimated that these two ethnicities are six times more likely to develop glaucoma than any other ethnicity.  That means African-Americans and Hispanics need to be extremely careful in monitoring the health of their vision.

While we don’t know everything there is to know about glaucoma, it is worth noting that this disease appears to be genetic.  Many studies have shown that glaucoma can be passed down through the generations; therefore, if someone in your immediate family has had it, your chances of developing glaucoma significantly increase.  What’s more, studies have shown that siblings of people who have been diagnosed with glaucoma are much more likely to have glaucoma themselves.  With this in mind, it’s worth paying attention to the eye health of your family members, as it may have profound implications for your own ocular well-being.

Glaucoma can be difficult to catch because the symptoms often only appear once the disease has reached an advanced state.  Glaucoma steals your vision like a thief in the night.  So you should see an ophthalmologist at least once a year.

You should also schedule regular appointments if you meet the following criteria:

  • You’re over the age of 40
  • You have extreme nearsightedness
  • You suffer from diabetes
  • You’re of African or Hispanic descent
  • You suffer from hypertension
  • Have sleep apnea
  • You’ve used steroid medication for a significant period of time

For regular eye check-ups and advanced glaucoma care, schedule an appointment with Dr. Renee Bovelle of Envision Eye & Laser Center in Bowie, Maryland – also serving the greater Baltimore and Washington, DC areas.

Call (301) 805 – 4664 for to schedule an appointment today.

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Categories : Glaucoma, Old Age
Tags : African-Americans, DC areas, glaucoma, Glaucoma and the Risk Bowie, greater Baltimore and Washington, Maryland, ophthalmologist

Why Eye Nutrition is So Vital to Your Eye Health

By Renee Bovelle · Comments (0)
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012
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You’ve heard about how vital it is to keep your body healthy by eating nutritional foods, getting plenty of exercise, and surrounding yourself with great people.  But it’s not just your body that needs proper care and attention to be in peak physical condition – your eye health does as well.

Like the body, your eyes need specific nutrients (more commonly referred to as “ocular nutrition”) in order to maintain stellar vision and combat the stresses of everyday life.  These daily stresses are often known as “oxidative stress”, and can pose a serious health risk to our eyesight.   Nutrition such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants work to counteract the by-products caused by oxidative stress, which keeps our eyes healthy and strong.

However, as our bodies age, the amount of nutrition available to our eyes steadily drops, resulting in a number of degenerative eye diseases that are so common in our golden years.  In the US and other developed countries, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has become the leading cause of irreversible vision loss.

So what’s the solution for keeping our eye health on track?  Simple: taking nutritional supplements that are meant specifically for preserving and protecting eye health.

 

Ocular Nutrition and Your Eye Health

In order to counteract the damages associated with poor eye health, complete ocular nutrition should be a necessary part of every person’s diet.  Ocular nutrition is comprised of highly specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all which work together to support eye health and vision.  Additionally, ocular nutrition helps to combat the byproducts of oxidative stress, which in turn assists individuals with fighting off degenerative diseases and other vision problems.

The retina in particular has the highest concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids, chemicals that are prone to ROS (reactive oxygen species), which have toxic and destructive effects on all cellular components. With age, the amount of vitamin C and E in the body, and in the retina, have been shown to decline. This fact, combined with deficiencies in antioxidants in an aging eye, create additional risk factors for developing AMD.

An example of ocular nutrition would be omega-3 supplements.  Omega-3 is a type of fatty acid that has been shown to reduce inflammatory effects on the eye.  Because this type of fatty acid is not produced by the body (hence why it’s known as an “essential” fatty acid), it’s extremely critical for individuals to get their fill through a healthy diet and regular nutritional supplements.

Unfortunately, many Americans progressively replace omega-3s, as well as vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin, with refined sugars and other processed foods. It’s estimated that on any given day 25% of the population consumes any omega-3s, and nearly half of Americans fail to eat the recommended amount of zinc.

At Envision Eye & Laser Center in Glenn Dale, MD (also serving the greater Washington DC area; Bowie, Maryland; and Prince George’s county), Dr. Bovelle provides an extensive range of ocular nutrition supplements that are designed to support healthy eyesight from the inside out.  Our ocular antioxidants help protect the eye by preventing oxidative damage, which supports healthy eyes as you age and prevents AMD from developing.

Support and protect your eye health by taking a look at ocular nutritional supplements with Dr. Bovelle today. You can visit our eye health website for product information, or simply call 301-805-4664 to learn more.

 

 

 

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Categories : Nutrition, Ocular Nutrition, Old Age, Products, Vitamins
Tags : eye health Bowie, eye health DC, eye health Glenn Dale, eye health Prince George's county, eye health Washington DC, Ocular Nutrition, Ocular Nutrition Bowie, Ocular Nutrition DC, Ocular Nutrition Glenn Dale, Ocular Nutrition Maryland, Ocular Nutrition Prince George's county, Ocular Nutrition Washington DC

Older Drivers And Their Vision: Unique Solutions

By Renee Bovelle · Comments (0)
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
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For older individuals who enjoy the freedom of driving, recent research indicates that you’re more likely to be at risk for traffic accidents – and your vision is one of the primary reasons behind this elevated risk.

According to the American Medical Association, older drivers have a higher risk of traffic fatalities for multiple reasons, one of which is vision impairment.  The AMA cites that age-related vision problems – including diseases like cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and stroke – affect older drivers’ abilities to clearly see their field of vision.  As vision is one of the most vital functions involved in driving, it’s no wonder more older drivers are searching for long-term solutions for their vision.

If you’re an older driver suffering from age-related vision problems, Dr. Bovelle, owner of the Envision Eye & Laser Center in Glenn Dale, MD and serving the Washington DC metro, can offer a multitude of unique solutions.  Let’s take a closer look at how common age-related vision issues are redressed at her Center:

Cataracts:  In addition to offering cataract surgeries, Dr. Bovelle can provide older drivers with a number of lens solutions.  Multifocal lenses allow the patients to see better at both near and far distances, thus significantly reducing the older driver’s dependency on reading glasses.  These lenses have also been shown to improve intermediate vision, which is a crucial component of safe driving.

Astigmatism:  For those older drivers who suffer from cataracts and astigmatism, Dr. Bovelle offers a two-pronged solution in the form of toric lenses.  These lenses work to correct and reduce the astigmatism, all while improving the driver’s vision.

Glaucoma:  While glaucoma is a common vision problem associated with advanced age and near-sightedness, it can also present a major impairment to older drivers.  If left undetected, glaucoma can eventually led to cloudy vision and even blindness; therefore, early detection is crucial.  Dr. Bovelle is especially vigilant in glaucoma treatment, and utilizes the most advanced technology for early glaucoma detection: Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and  treatment with the Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT).

Diabetes and Hypertension:  Finally, diabetes and hypertension have both been shown to significantly impair an older driver’s vision.  Drivers who have these conditions (or who are at risk for them) should undergo yearly exams in order to detect and treat any vision ailments.  Keep your eyes healthy and strong.

Keep your independence and active lifestyle well into your golden years and beyond.  Fill out the form in the top left corner or call 301-805-4664  today to learn more about our complete eye exams.

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Categories : Astigmatism, Cataracts, Diabetes, Glaucoma, Old Age
Tags : Age-Related Vision Problems Bowie, Age-Related Vision Problems Glenn Dale, Age-Related Vision Problems Prince George's County, DC Age-Related Vision Problems, Maryland Old Age Vision Problems, Older Drivers, Older Drivers Vision Problems, Older Drivers Vision Problems DC, Treat Age-Related Vision Problems DC, Treat Age-Related Vision Problems Washington DC
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