Increased Risk of AMD in Irish Families

Macular degeneration or AMD may have an even stronger family predisposition among Irish family members according to a report cited by Birmingham Alabama Ophthalmologist Marc Michelson, M.D. “We certainly are aware of the strong familial predisposition toward an increased risk of macular degeneration. Now, we are aware of additional research showing that Irish people are more genetically predisposed to develop age-related macular degeneration (AMD) than other Caucasian populations,” relayed Dr. Michelson.

The study conducted by the Department of Genetics at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital Research Foundation, evaluated blood samples from more than 200 patients with AMD and compared them with samples from participants without the disease to identify genetic risk factors. The study shows that Irish people are at an elevated risk of developing AMD. It is also known that smokers are four times more likely to suffer from the disease.

If you are over 50 years old or even earlier if you have a family history of AMD or are of Irish descent you should please schedule an appointment by calling Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision, 327 Summit Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama 35243 and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 are leading eye care centers in Birmingham. 

Eye Exam Test for Stroke Can Predict Risk

Birmingham Ophthalmologist Marc Michelson, M.D. explained that an eye exam test might help predict the risk of stroke. “Information about a new eye test that may help identify patients who are at high risk for stroke was published by researchers from the University of Zurich. The test called Ocular Pulse Amplitude (OPA) is able to detect carotid artery stenosis (CAS) or carotid artery narrowing, a condition that clogs or blocks the arteries that feed the front part of the brain which is a known risk factor for stroke. I am hopeful that we will soon be able to perform this test as part of a routine eye exam.”

Each year, approximately 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke, and more than 137,000 of these people die as a result. People with severe CAS are much more likely to suffer stroke.”We would like to catch and treat CAS before that can happen, but because CAS has no symptoms and an efficient test is not currently available the disease often goes undetected.

If you or someone you know has questions about eye exams, eye health and stroke prevention please feel free to call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision is a leading Birmingham eye care practice with offices at 327 Summit Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama 35243, and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, 1201 11th Avenue S., Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.

Avoid Smoking for Best Eye Health

“Helping my Birmingham patients maintain and preserve the best eye health means encouraging them to quit and avoid smoking,” said Marc Michelson, M.D. of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center. Dr. Michelson emphasized, “It can be really tough for younger patients to understand the increased eye health risks later in life that smoking exposes them to.”

Smoking-even in your teens or twenties when your senior years seem far away, increases your future risks for cataract and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The more a person smokes, the higher the risks. The good news is that after people quit smoking, their risks for these eye diseases become almost as low as for people who never smoked at all.

Smoking also raises the risks for cardiovascular diseases that indirectly influence your eyes’ health. And tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke, is an irritant that worsens dry eye, a very uncomfortable eye condition that is most common in women after menopause. Smoking increases the risk of serious vision loss in people with other eye diseases. And when women smoke during pregnancy they are more likely to give birth prematurely, putting their babies at higher risk for a potentially blinding disease called retinopathy of prematurity as well as other health problems.

If you or someone you know want to quit smoking and would like help the American Cancer Society has a resource at www.cancer.org. If you would like to learn more about smoking and eye health problems please feel free to call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision is a leading Birmingham eye care practice with offices at 327 Summit Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama 35243, and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, 1201 11th Avenue S., Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.