Genetic Testing for AMD Macular Degeneration

How much health information is too much and when? Many eye disorders, like age related macular degeneration (AMD) are now detectable with genetic testing prior to their causing symptoms, problems and complaints about vision.  So, should you get genetic testing in order to be aware of your likelihood of developing AMD? Or, should you avoid the genetic testing as it can cause anxiety and potentially impact your insurability and/or employability? Consider the fact that while your genes may reflect a greater chance of developing macular degeneration, your genes can’t predict how you will respond to Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Inhibitor injections, which treat AMD.

If you or someone you know wishes to learn more about genetic testing for age related macular degeneration (AMD) they are encouraged to  schedule an eye examination at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205

Glaucoma Risk with Early Menopause

The ophthalmologists at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center want women to know that unfortunately, early menopause can also expose them to a greater risk of developing glaucoma. This is according to a study of more than 3,000 women at the Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute in Amsterdam that identified women who go through menopause early to be at greater risk of developing. Going through menopause is considered early if it occurs before the age of 45 and those women were two times more likely to develop open-angle glaucoma as those who experienced menopause at age 50 or later. What does this mean for women? The findings reveal that female hormones may be protective against open-angle glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness.  Interestingly, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is thought to reduce fluid pressure inside the eye due to the fact that as hormone levels rise during pregnancy, fluid pressure inside the eye decreases significantly, the researchers noted. This is the first study to examine the relationship between female sex hormones, as indicated by age of menopause, and open-angle glaucoma.

Please schedule an eye examination with us if you, or someone you know, is concerned about the risk of glaucoma and need a glaucoma eye exam. You can reach us at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, or visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or http://www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision is a leading Birmingham eye care practice with offices located with Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, at the UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S., Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.

Sleep Apnea & Glaucoma Risk

Did you know that there is a significant relationship between glaucoma and sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that blocks breathing during sleep for more than 100 million people worldwide. In obstructive sleep apnea, the airway becomes blocked, causing breathing to stop for up to two minutes. Symptoms include loud snoring and persistent daytime sleepiness. Glaucoma affects nearly 60 million worldwide.  If untreated, glaucoma reduces peripheral vision and eventually may cause blindness by damaging the optic nerve. Only half of the people who have glaucoma are aware of it because the disease is painless and vision loss is typically gradual.

Researchers, reporting in the journal Ophthalmology, the official publication of the American Academy of Ophthalmology found that obstructive sleep apnea is not simply a marker for poor health, but is actually an independent risk factor for open-angle glaucoma. Based on this finding, we want to alert obstructive sleep apnea patients of the associations between obstructive sleep apnea and open-angle glaucoma to raise the issue and encouraging treatment of those who need it.

If you or someone you know has sleep apnea and they are concerned about the risk of glaucoma and need a glaucoma eye exam they are encouraged to  schedule an eye examination at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision is a leading Birmingham eye care practice with offices located with Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, at the UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S., Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.

Aspirin & Macular Degeneration (AMD) Risk

Regular use of aspirin may increase your risk of developing age related macular degeneration (AMD). Aspirin is an often used over-the-counter medication due to its anticoagulant properties, it is effectiveness for headaches, body aches, fever, and reducing high risk of heart attack.  

However, in a 20 year long study of 5,000 patients published in December 2012 (Beaver Dam Eye Study), researchers gave participants eye examinations every five years. Results showed:

·         512 cases of early age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

·         117 cases of late AMD

Researchers found that regular aspirin-2 or more times per week-use 10 years prior to eye examination was associated with late AMD, with estimated incidence of 1.76 percent, compared to 1.03 percent in non-aspirin users. Researchers concluded that these associations, though small, were statistically significant. Interestingly, regular aspirin use 10 years prior to eye examination was significantly associated with the “wet” form of AMD, which accounts for the majority of functional blindness attributed to the disease. Further, in a more recent Australian study 24.5 percent, regular aspirin users developed wet AMD—even after adjusting for other risk factors like age, sex, smoking, history of heart disease and body mass index, regular aspirin users still had a higher risk of developing wet AMD. Researchers concluded, “Regular aspirin use is associated with increased risk of incident neovascular [Wet] AMD, independent of history of cardiovascular disease and smoking.”

Alternatives to Aspirin

You should determine your AMD status as soon as possible through a complete eye exam, particularly if you are a regular aspirin user. To schedule an eye examination at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by call 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision is a leading Birmingham eye care practice with offices located with Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, at the UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S., Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205.