Pink Eye Conjunctivitis & COVID-19 Coronavirus

Pink eye, known medically as conjunctivitis is an inflammation or infection of the outer membrane of the eyeball and the inner eyelid that causes redness and irritation in and around the eyes. It can be caused by allergies or a bacterial or viral infection. Conjunctivitis can be extremely contagious and is spread by contact with eye secretions from someone who is infected. The American Academy of Ophthalmology alerted us that COVID-19 Coronavirus might cause a pink eye conjunctivitis that looks like any other viral conjunctivitis. Viral conjunctivitis is common in patients who have colds, the flu and other types of viral infection. However, our patients should keep in mind that careful evaluation of the reported information suggests that only between 1-3% of those infected with COVID-19 actually develop pink eye conjunctivitis. We are here to help!

If you, someone you know, a friend, or a relative develops eye redness and thinks they might have pink eye conjunctivitis-PLEASE CALL US-205-930-0930 and we can advise you whether to schedule a TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visit &Consultation, schedule a visit to our office where we use using socialdistancing and sanitary hygienic disinfecting procedures or even ask you to schedule a visit with your primary care physician if you also have a fever, cough or shortness of breath.

We look forward to seeing you soon for your regular eye exams for eye health & vision! In the meantime if you, a friend or relative should need help for a contact lens irritation, red eye or contact lens, PLEASE CALL 205-930-0930 and we can provide you with either a TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visit & Consultation or schedule an appointment for a personal visit at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center.

Visit us at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, our Eye Care Blog or on Facebook. Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visits for Eye Problems

TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visits

At Alabama Eye & Cataract Center we are often able to provide help for certain eye problems & conditions through the use of TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visits & Consultation without having to come to our office. TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visits use electronic & digital communications and software to provide clinical services to patients without an in-person visit. By using your home computer and webcam, or even your phone, we are able to visualize and evaluate urgent eye problems such as a minor eye accident, red eyes, eye pain, irritation, sensitivity to light, eye discharge, matter in eyes, eyelid redness, crusting, eyelids stuck together, excessive tearing, eyes burning, watering, feeling gritty, eyes itching, allergy eyes, eyelid swelling, eyelid lumps or eyelid bumps-and then help you, or if needed, schedule you to come in for an actual office visit. TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visits are covered by almost all insurance plans and help avoid an unnecessary trip to the emergency room or our office.

COVID Guidelines You Should Remember!

We are all dealing with the day to day issues and safety concerns created by the COVID-19 virus. As time goes on, and it appears as if we may have reached the peak, sometimes there can be a degree of relaxation of the necessary guidelines and good practices to stop the spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers these general guidelines for preventing the spread of corona virus and protecting your health:

·        Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

·        You should especially wash your hands before eating, after using the restroom, sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose.

·        If you can’t get to a sink, use a hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.

·        Avoid touching your face-particularly your eyes, nose, and mouth.

·        If you cough or sneeze, cover your face with your elbow or a tissue. If you use a tissue, throw it away promptly. Then go wash your hands.

·        Avoid close contact with sick people. If you think someone has a respiratory infection, it’s safest to stay 6 feet away.

·        Stay home when you are sick.

·        Regularly disinfect commonly touched surfaces and items in your house, such as doorknobs and counter tops.

We look forward to seeing you soon for your regular eye exams for eye health & vision! In the meantime if you, a friend or relative should need help for an urgent eye problem such as an eye accident, red eyes, eye pain, irritation, sensitivity to light, eye discharge, matter in eyes, eyelid redness, crusting, eyelids stuck together, excessive tearing, eyes burning, watering, feeling gritty, eyes itching, allergy eyes, eyelid swelling, eyelid lumps or eyelid bumps, PLEASE CALL 205-930-0930 and we can provide you with either a TeleEyeHealth Virtual Visit & Consultation or schedule an appointment for a personal visit at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center.

Visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyecataractcenter. Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Eye Exams & Diagnosing Alzheimer’s

A recent study published by Duke University researchers in the journal Retina suggests that an observed loss of blood vessels in the retina may reflect changes in brain health and could signal Alzheimer’s disease. In people with healthy brains, microscopic blood vessels form a dense web at the back of the eye inside the retina. In the eyes of people with Alzheimer’s disease, that web was less dense and even sparse in places. The differences in density were statistically significant after researchers controlled for factors including age, sex, and level of education. The study measured blood vessels that can’t be seen during a regular eye exam using noninvasive technology that takes high-resolution images of very small blood vessels within the retina in just a few minutes, called Optical Coherence Tomography-Angiography (OCT-A). They concluded that it’s possible that these changes in blood vessel density in the retina could mirror what’s going on in the tiny blood vessels in the brain, perhaps before we are able to detect any changes in cognition. 

With nearly 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and no viable treatments or noninvasive tools for early diagnosis, its burden on families and the economy is heavy. Scientists at have studied other changes in the retina that could signal trouble upstream in the brain, such as thinning of some of the retinal nerve layers. The goal would be to use this technology to detect Alzheimer’s early, before symptoms of memory loss are evident, and be able to monitor these changes over time in participants of clinical trials studying new Alzheimer’s treatments.

Please mention any concerns you have about Alzheimer’s during your regular eye exam. To learn more about new technology and examination techniques we are using, please just ask us at your scheduled appointment.

If you or someone you know has not had a recent eye exam please schedule an appointment at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyecataractcenter.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is a leading eye care center in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Sleep Problems & Glaucoma

A study of more than 6,700 people in the United States over age 40 who were previously diagnosed with glaucoma based on their optic nerve damage and visual field loss, responded to a survey about their sleep that revealed possible connections between glaucoma and sleep problems. Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve. Damage to this nerve-which is responsible for sending signals from the eye to the brain so you can see-often goes unnoticed until an eye exam reveals the nerve damage and related vision loss caused by glaucoma.

Patients were asked and responded to questions about a) amount of time slept, b) difficulties falling asleep, c) sleep disturbances specifically waking up during sleep, d) having diagnosed sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, e) use of sleep medication and f) problems with sleepiness during the day. 

The results revealed the following interesting information:

• People who slept for 10 or more hours a night were three times more likely to have glaucoma-related optic nerve damage than those who slept 7 hours a night.
• People who fell asleep in 9 minutes or less, or those who needed 30 minutes or more to fall asleep, were twice as likely to have glaucoma than those who took 10-29 minutes to fall asleep.
• The odds of having missing vision were three times higher among people who got 3 or fewer or 10 or more hours of sleep per night, compared with those who got 7 hours a night.
• People who said they had trouble remembering things because of daytime sleepiness were twice as likely to have visual field loss than those who said they were not sleepy during the day and did not notice memory problems.
• People who said they had difficulty working on a hobby because they were sleepy during the day were three times more likely to have vision loss than people who reported no problems working on hobbies and no daytime sleepiness.

While it is unclear whether the sleep problems are a result of some glaucoma related phenomenon or perhaps whether these sleep problems might be early risk factors for glaucoma, it is important to mention to your eye doctor whether you experience sleep problems. Schedule an eye health exam beginning at age 40 at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyecataractcenter.