Birmingham Eye Doctor on Glaucoma & Metabolic Syndrome

Birmingham eye doctor Marc Michelson, M.D. commented on glaucoma and metabolic syndrome. “Reporting in the July 2011 publication Ophthalmology, the official journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, researchers suggested that the risk of developing Open Angle Glaucoma (OAG) may be increased if you suffer from Metabolic Syndrome,” noted Dr. Michelson, Medical Director of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center. “Patients with diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension or high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol and triglycerides and obesity have elevated risks of developing Open Angle Glaucoma” he further emphasized. The researchers concluded that given that approximately one-fifth of the U.S. population has metabolic syndrome and that both metabolic syndrome and OAG increase in prevalence with age, the data suggest that as the U.S. population ages, the disease burden of OAG may increase in the coming years. The authors performed statistical analysis to determine patients' risk of developing OAG in conjunction with individual and combined types of metabolic syndrome. Data were adjusted for social and demographic factors, systemic medical conditions and other ocular diseases. The adjusted data showed that subjects with diabetes alone had a 35% increased risk of developing OAG, and those with hypertension alone had a 17% increased risk. Those with diabetes and hypertension combined had a 48% risk. Those with hyperlipidemia alone had a 5% decreased risk. Obese subjects had a 14% increased risk. Patients with diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension combined had a 26% increased risk and the risk of developing OAG were higher in African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans than in Caucasians, the authors reported.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about glaucoma please schedule and eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center by calling 205-930-0939, visiting www.michelsonlaser.com or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Birmingham Corneal Specialist on Herpes Simplex Eye Infections

Birmingham Corneal Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D. of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center commented on Herpes Simplex eye infections. “Most people would be quite surprised to learn that Herpes Simplex eye infections affect a meaningful number of people each year. Ocular Herpes or Herpes of the eye is caused by the Herpes Simplex virus and is the most common causes of corneal blindness in the United States today,” emphasized Dr. Michelson. “As many as 50% of the patients who have an initial Herpes Simplex viral infection of the eye will experience a flare up or recurrence and sometimes the virus can result in irreversible damage scarring of the cornea.”

Ocular Herpes may start as a painful sore on the eyelid or surface of the eye. If left untreated, it may multiply and begin to destroy epithelial cells and progress deeper into the cornea. If the Ocular Herpes penetrates the deeper layers of the cornea and causes a stromal keratitis it may cause corneal scarring-so prompt diagnosis and treatment of Ocular Herpes is important.

It is estimated that 400,000 people in the United States have had some type of Ocular Herpes, with more than 50,000 initial and recurring cases being diagnosed each year. Of these, it is believed that 25% are the more severe form of Herpes Stromal Keratitis. The recurrence of Herpes Simplex eye infections is significant in that it appears to recur in about 10% of patients with one year, 23% of patients within two years and 63% of patients within 20 years of their initial infection. Sometimes a recurrence can be prompted by sunlight, stress, fevers or an unrelated eye injury. Quick diagnosis and treatment is the key to avoiding corneal scarring, vision loss and the possible need for a corneal transplant.

If you or someone you know is experiencing any signs or symptoms of corneal infection-especially if they have had any trauma to their eyes-please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham-205-930-0930 and request an immediate appointment with Corneal Specialists Marc Michelson, M.D or Tyler Hall, M.D.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Birmingham Watery Eyes & Eye Watering

Birmingham Ophthalmologist & Corneal Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D. commented on watery eyes and eye watering. “Watery eyes are the common description for the eye condition called Epiphora. Watery eyes or excessive watering of the eyes can even result in tears running over your eyelids and down your cheeks. Having enough tears is important for your eye health and vision but having too many tears can be annoying and troubling,” said Dr. Michelson.

Watery eyes or Epiphora can be caused by either or both of two main eye problems. First, watery eyes can occur because you simply produce too many tears. Second, eye watering can occur because the tears you do produce just don’t drain properly. As odd as it may seem, one of the most common causes of producing too many tears is dry eyes. When you have a dry eye your eye can “overreact” and produce too much tear fluid due to the irritation. Then, normally when we blink the eyelids push the tears across the eye’s surface, causing them to collect in the lower inner corner of the eye and draining through a tiny opening called a “puncta” into the nasolacrimal canal and out through your nose. If the puncta are closed or the canal is blocked the tears will simply stay stagnant in the inner corners of your eyes making them seem very watery.

So why do we develop tear drainage problems or excessive tear production problems? There are many causes of watery eye and watering eyes are pretty common in people who have dry eye syndrome, clogged tear ducts from infection of inflammation, conjunctivitis or “pink eye”, exposure to irritation from smog, smoke, excessive dust and chemical vapors as well as foreign bodies, eyelid problems turning in or out and corneal abrasions.

If you or someone you know suffers from watery eyes or is bothered by watering eyes please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham-205-930-0930 to schedule an appointment for an examination.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Birmingham Cataract Surgery Complications

Birmingham Cataract Surgeon and Corneal Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D. commented on cataract surgery complications. “Although cataract surgery complications are generally pretty limited, everyone with a cataract who is thinking about having eye surgery always should become knowledgeable about what could go wrong,” commented Dr. Michelson of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham. Certainly there are things that could go wrong. “Basically in the hands of an experienced cataract surgeon using modern cataract surgery techniques we do everything possible to reduce the risk of complications, stated Dr. Michelson. “When you consider the huge benefit that patients receive in not only in terms of vision but also lifestyle, comfort, convenience and safety the risk of complications is really quite low”, said Dr. Michelson. For routine cataract surgery in healthy patients the complication rate is well under 5%. This might increase somewhat if you have diabetic eye disease, glaucoma or other types of health or eye problems.

So what kinds of things can go wrong? First there are a handful of things that can happen during or within the first 24-48 hours after a Cataract operation. These include the very unusual things like bleeding inside the eye which is really rare, a little bleeding on the surface of the eye or an inner eye infection which is quite rare. Sometimes, if we need to anesthetize the eye using an injection you may have a little “black and blue” eye or an eyelid bruise. This usually clears up pretty quickly. Sometimes the “capsule” around the crystalline lens that is removed as part of the operation might be broken during the surgery and we might need to do a “vitrectomy” as part of the surgery to get a good result. This too is pretty unusual. More common in very nearsighted patients, some patients who have Cataract Surgery can have a retinal detachment. Occasionally in patients who have had “no stitch” Cataract Surgery the actual incision may leak. If this happens it is sometimes necessary for us to put a stitch in place to tightly close the incision. Then there are a few types of complications that can occur over a longer period of time. Very rarely the intraocular lens implant can move off center or the center of the retina can swell. By far the most common complication is a clouding of the lens capsule that has been left in place to support the lens implant. Fortunately, this complication is pretty easily managed with a quick, painless procedure called a YAG Laser Capsulotomy that restores the vision almost immediately after the procedure.

Although it might sound like there are lots of possible complications of Cataract Surgery, rest assured they are quite unusual. This most common one of capsule opacity is easily treated. If you need cataract surgery it is important to have a little knowledge so you appreciate the degree of skill and experience required of your cataract surgeon to help you get the best result.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

If you or someone you know has Cataracts and has questions about Cataract Surgery and Lens Implant complications please feel free to call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham-205-930-0930.

Birmingham Eye Doctor on Makeup & Eye Health

Birmingham eye doctor Marc Michelson, M.D. commented on precautions for eye health and eye makeup use. “The proper use and care of eye makeup is important for helping to keep your eyes both healthy and beautiful”, noted Dr. Michelson, Medical Director of Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center. There are a number of steps and precautions to think about.

 First, throw away eye makeup after three months. Infection-causing bacteria grow easily in creamy or liquid eye makeup. If you develop an eye infection, immediately toss all of your eye makeup.

 Second, never share eye makeup, and when sampling makeup in stores use only fresh applicators and samples that have not been contaminated by multiple users. In fact the safest choice is to avoid using store samples at all.

 Third, if you tend to be allergic, introduce only one new eye makeup or care product at a time. If there is no reaction, add another new product, and so on. If you notice an allergic reaction, find out what the ingredients are and let your eye doctor know. Avoid products that contain untested or harmful chemicals.

 In general, before applying makeup, be sure your face and eyelids are very clean. Always apply makeup outside the lash line, away from the eye, to avoid blocking the oil glands of the upper or lower eyelid. These glands secrete oil that protects the eye’s surface.

 If you tend to have dry eyes, avoid metallic/glitter, powder or other makeup that flakes. Flakes can get into the tear film and increase your eyes’ irritation. Glitter eye makeup is a common cause of corneal irritation or infection, especially in contact lens users.

 Always remove all eye makeup at night before sleeping, especially mascara that can stick to the lashes. Brush a clean cotton swab along the base of the eyelashes to remove all makeup remnants. If you use eye makeup remover, avoid getting it in your eyes and thoroughly rinse remover off your eyelids.

If at any time you have eye surgery, do not wear makeup around the eye until your eye surgeon tells you it is safe to do so, and then use only fresh, new makeup.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading Alabama vision centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract care including cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Birmingham Doctors on Fuch’s Dystrophy

Birmingham Corneal Specialist Marc Michelson, M.D.  commented, "Fuch’s Dystrophy is a slowly progressive disease of the cornea that is typically bilateral and is slightly more common in women than men." While it is possible to observe Fuch’s Dystrophy in people in their 30’s and 40’s, it usually does not compromise vision until people are in their 50’s or 60’s. While a precise path of genetic transmission is unclear, a familial predisposition seems to exist among those who are first degree relatives.

Early in the course of Fuch’s Dystrophy patients typically awaken with blurry vision that gets progressively clearer as the day passes. This phenomenon occurs because the cornea normally swells during sleep.  A healthy endothelial pump is necessary in order to restore the cornea to a normal thickness. In Fuch’s Dystrophy, the endothelium removes fluid from the cornea less efficiently.  As the Fuch’s Dystrophy disease worsens, the vision does not clear. Usually we will attempt to help reduce the corneal swelling each day by prescribing hypertonic eye drops and ointments. However, when these measures fail to provide comfort and clear vision, it may be necessary to have a corneal transplant.

If you or someone you know would like to learn more about Fuch’s Corneal Dystrophy please schedule an appointment with Birmingham Corneal Specialists Marc Michelson, M.D. and Tyler Hall, M.D. at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center by calling 205-930-0930.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK Eye Surgery for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Birmingham Eye Doctors for Eyelid Lumps & Bumps

Birmingham eye doctor Marc Michelson, M.D. commented on eyelid lumps, bumps and swelling. “Eyelid Lumps, Bumps & Swelling are common eye problems many of us experience. The most common cause of acute lid swelling is an infection of the tiny sweat and oil glands emptying into the margin of the eyelids,” said Dr. Michelson. Patients who experience an infection of an eyelid sweat gland, commonly known as a “Stye”, usually exhibits diffuse swelling of the lid with a tiny raised nodule on the lid margin that indicates the actual site of involvement. Inflammation of the Meibomian or oil glands in the eyelid will result in what is referred to as an “Internal Hordeolum” that can also result in diffuse lid swelling. With time an Internal Hordeolum may result in the formation of a capsule in the tissue of the eye lid. The patient will then have a firm lump that can be felt through the skin surface of the eyelid. This lump, called a “Chalazion”, is an eruption of the contents of the Meibomian glands into the tissues that results in a granulomatous response with a cystic change. If the initial infection is minimal, a Chalazion may develop without any history of a swollen lid. If the lump does not resolve after treatment with warm compresses and possibly antibiotics we may need to remove it with excision or drainage. Of you or someone you know experiences eyelid lumps, bumps or swelling please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center at 205-930-0930 so that we can help.


Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.