A short discussion on treatments of macular degeneration

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Macular degeneration is a common eye condition referring to the slow and painless deterioration of the central potion of the retina (macula). There are many types of macular degeneration, although the most common is known as AMD, or age-related macular degeneration. As the name suggests, this eye condition affects the elderly and is considered the leading cause of vision loss among Americans 60 years and older. AMD typically affects both eyes, though the appearance and severity of the condition could vary between the two eyes.

Currently, there is no cure for AMD, although several treatment options may be considered, depending on the type of age-related macular degeneration an individual has.

Dry AMD: This is the most common form and its onset is very slow. Individuals usually do not go completely blind and peripheral vision is rarely affected. Treatment plans usually revolve around minimizing the effects of dry AMD and involve low vision clinics. These health facilities would typically recommend corrective suggestions such as magnifying lenses, buying large print books, and using intensive reading lights.

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Wet AMD: This is less common but more aggressive and can result in severe central vision loss. There are two main treatment options for this. The first is Anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) which prevents the growth of new blood vessels in the eye. This medication is injected into the eye using a very fine needle. This treatment, however, is still under research as not everyone reacts to the medication the same way. The other treatment option is laser surgery, which destroys abnormal blood vessels in the eye. While this stops the spread of wet AMD for a while, this is not a cure and should only be a last resort.

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Scientists and health professionals are still working on developing a cure for either type of AMD, although to date, there are only options for managing them. Ophthalmologists are, therefore, encouraging preventive measures to minimize the risk of acquiring such a debilitating condition.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel is a renowned ophthalmologist in Edison, New Jersey. Learn more about eye health by following this Twitter account.

REPOST: Washington County woman lost her eyesight, not her 'vision'

Natalie Ruschell shares her “walk from darkness to light” story and the journey that has helped her develop many personal mantras, including “It’s alright to be blind as long as you never lose your vision” and “people helping people.”

Natalie Ruschell of Midway, Washington County, talks about the day she lost her vision. Ruschell lost her eyesight in 1987 when she was in law school. She went on to pass the bar exam and became an attorney. | Image Source: triblive.com

This time, opening her eyes did not help.

Natalie Ruschell awoke in her bedroom and saw nothing but impenetrable darkness. When she heard the sound of morning rush hour traffic outside her window, she knew she was in trouble.

“I rolled over to my right side so I could face the window and there was nothing, nothing there,” said Ruschell, 55, of Midway, Washington County. “I rolled back over to my left side to see the clock, but I couldn't see the digital display, I couldn't see it. I tried to see my nightstand — nothing. I tried to focus in on my desk, because it's a lot bigger; I couldn't see my desk. Finally, I tried to just see the walls, and I couldn't.

“I leaned back, took a deep breath and thought, ‘How do I get out of this room?' ”

Ruschell had feared this day.

When doctors told her she had diabetes at age 12, they explained the potential life-altering or even life-ending complications associated with the disease. Among them was the loss of sight. So she began closing her eyes for long stretches, trying to figure out if she could navigate her world in complete darkness.

“I wanted to understand that sensation because it really scared me,” she said. “They told me about kidney disease, heart disease — I didn't care about that stuff. But blindness? I never wanted to be there.

“When I closed my eyes, it was uncomfortable, very uncomfortable, but I could always open them. It was still frightening, but I always knew that I could open my eyes.”

Not this time.

Ruschell slowly got out of bed. She took short steps to her desk, followed the edge until it led her to the door, then stepped into the hallway. With her hand on the wall, she passed her roommates' doors and approached the dining area. She reached out for the kitchen table, found it, then eased into a chair.

For close to an hour she sat there, figuring out what to do next.

Ruschell was a third-year law school student in 1987 at Western New England College in Springfield, Mass. She needed to call someone back home in Midway, but who? Her parents were on vacation. One of her sisters was off at college and the other sister, a flight attendant, was on a plane.

That left her best friend, Debbie. She reached for the phone and carefully dialed.

“I just went blind,” Ruschell said calmly.

There was a long silence, followed by: “What?”

“I lost my sight,” Ruschell said. “I've gone blind. And I have to get home.”

Her roommates helped her onto the plane. When they left and the plane roared into the sky, terror set in.

“I was in this little tube and I was going very, very fast and I didn't know where the exit doors were and I didn't have any idea what I'd do in the event of an emergency,” she said. “I was totally by myself. I didn't know anybody on either side and nobody offered to help. I was by myself and just praying that I'd get there.”

Doctors did what they could. There were long hospital stays. Ruschell had multiple surgeries. Hopes for a recovery soared.

“Then one day the doctor squeezed my hand and said, ‘I'm sorry. We can't save your eyesight.' ”

So Ruschell went home.

And she studied.

She could not read Braille yet, so her mother read to her every morning. After lunch, her father, sister or a friend took over until supper.

When the day came to take the bar, she went to Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum in Oakland. Proctors gave Ruschell extra time; they let her mother accompany her to read aloud the questions. Ruschell dictated her answers.

Weeks later when the envelope arrived, Ruschell wondered: What if I failed?

“Then we'll try again,” her mother said, and she opened the letter.

Her mother began to scream, You passed, you passed!

“I was weak,” Ruschell recalled. “I just started to cry.”

Today, Ruschell, a lawyer, is the founding member of Ruschell & Associates LLC, which has law offices in Midway and the South Side. She is licensed to practice in Ohio and West Virginia as well.

Sitting in her office recently, she considered the things she once saw.

“At least I had the opportunity to see the beauty of a day.”

And she recalled a boy she met in a hospital. He had leukemia and had gone blind from chemotherapy. They were playing bingo in a room full of sick children. The boy won. But when staff handed him his award, he broke into tears.

He said he wanted to see what he had won. But he never would.

“I used to pray, please don't let me lose my vision,” Ruschell said. “I didn't. I lost my eyesight. ... I knew what I wanted to do, I knew how to do it, and I knew I could do it. I realized that I would always have the vision to see what I was winning.”

Receive up-to-date information about the latest in eye health by liking this Dr. Hitesh K. Patel Facebook page.

REPOST: Superman contact lenses will help pensioners with bad eyesight see like Clark Kent

Initially developed for military use,  prototype contact lenses could give wearers a superhero-like vision. This article gives us more insight about this revolutionary lenses.

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Telescopic contact lenses made to help elite military forces could give the elderly superhero vision.

Scientists have been developing ­miniature binoculars that soldiers can pop on in the blink of an eye. Experts now say this technology can be adapted to aid OAPs with fading sight.

Dr Eric Tremblay of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, said yesterday the lenses “hold a lot of promise” for people suffering age-related macular degeneration and could help pensioners with tasks such as driving.

The super-lenses have an inner area that offers normal vision and an outer zone which magnifies by three times. They use sensors and polarised light to switch from normal to magnified vision with the aid of electronic glasses.

Dr Tremblay, who led the research, said: “People with AMD use their ­peripheral vision to see to the side of their blind spot. When they try to read it’s difficult because your visual acuity falls off away from the centre.”

The lenses could be rolled out to help the elderly within two years.

Trials have taken place with funding from the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Scientists are now trying to make the lenses more comfortable to wear.

Dr. Hitesh K. Patel is an ophthalmologist specializing in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cataracts. Visit this Facebook page for more discussion on eye care.

Different ways pregnancy can cause eyesight problems

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When a woman is pregnant, it’s not just her belly and feet that undergo changes. Shifting hormones and fluid retention may also affect the eyes, resulting in temporary vision impairment.

Water retention is thought to be the main cause of this slight change in eyesight; the body is holding so much water during pregnancy that it causes an increase in the thickness and curvature of the cornea and changes the shape of the eyeball. This results in blurred vision, double vision, and sensitivity to light. In some cases, women could see spots or flashes of light, or even temporary vision loss.

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Those with existing eye conditions may also experience changes – for better or for worse. Women with diabetes may experience diabetic retinopathy which worsens eyesight, while those with glaucoma may see notice an improvement in their condition. It is not recommended though that pregnant women get new eyeglasses or contacts, since the change is only temporary and will go back to normal after a few months after delivery.

Vision is not the only thing affected by pregnancy and breastfeeding. Some women experience dry eyes (caused by lack of lubrication and moisture), causing their eyes to become red and have that itchy and burning sensation. Applying artificial tears usually helps relieve dry eyes as long as their physicians deemed it is safe for pregnant women to use.

However, changes in vision during pregnancy should not be ignored. Even if it’s just a slight change, it may be an indication of problems like high blood pressure or preeclampsia. A trip to the doctor when any changes in eyesight become evident is highly recommended.

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Dr. Hitesh K. Patel of Edison, New Jersey, is the founder of Patel Eye Associates and Patel Eye Care and Rehabilitation Foundation. Follow this Twitter account for more eye care tips and articles.