Eat Fruits to Reduce Risk of Diabetes

Did you know that eating fruit can be helpful in reducing your risk of Type 2 Diabetes? In fact according to researchers from Harvard School of Public Health by eating just 3 servings of fruit per week there is a beneficial effect of lowering the risk for Type 2 diabetes. Further, certain fruits were more closely associated with reduced risk of diabetes-especially blueberries, grapes and apples!

Research on Eating Fruit to Lower Risk of Diabetes

According to this report eating certain whole fruits may reduce the risk for Type 2 diabetes, even though fruit juice consumption may increase the risk for diabetes. Investigators combined data from 3 studies: the Nurses' Health Study of more than 66,000 patients, the Nurses' Health Study II of more than 85,000 patients and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with over 36,000 patients. The participants in all 3 studies completed questionnaires assessing health and lifestyle factors, including diet, every 2 years. The researchers excluded participants with a baseline diagnosis of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer, as well as those who had missing data for fruit or fruit juice consumption or an extremely high or low caloric intake, and those who had an unclear date of diabetes diagnosis. The analysis was adjusted for personal, lifestyle, and dietary risk factors for diabetes. The researchers concluded that every 3 servings of fruit per week were associated with a lower risk for Type 2 diabetes.

If you or someone you know is concerned about their risk of diabetes please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or http://www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

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

Cataracts Risk with Osteoporosis By Marc Michelson, M.D.

Most everyone knows that calcium is an important part of bone health and keeping bones strong. In fact calcium plays a key role in the development of osteoporosis, a disease in which bones lose their density, become fragile and are more likely to fracture. But did you know that calcium is also an important factor in cataract formation?

Research on Calcium, Osteoporosis & Cataract Risk

Researchers reporting in the journal Clinical Ophthalmology evaluated an association between cataracts, cataract surgery and osteoporosis. Their findings were interesting in that age, female sex, higher socioeconomic class, smoking, chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases are all associated with an increased prevalence of osteoporosis. Then, through careful statistical modeling they also found that these factors and osteoporosis are ALL associated with an increased prevalence of cataracts. Thus, they concluded that osteoporosis is associated with the presence of cataracts which may be related to calcium imbalance, hormonal abnormalities, and even a shared genetic predisposition.

If you or someone you know is concerned about osteoporosis and their risk of cataracts, please schedule an eye examination at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or http://www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center is located at UAB-Highlands in Birmingham, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205, and is staffed by UAB Medicine Cataract Surgeons Marc Michelson, M.D. and Tyler Hall, M.D.

Ocular Melanoma Information

Did you know that Ocular Melanoma (OM) is the most common form of cancer that occurs in the eye?  The facts and information may be surprising, but every year, approximately 2,500 American adults are diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma (OM), an aggressive malignant cancer that starts in the pigment cells that produce eye color. Most often it tends to occur in people with light skin pigmentation and with lighter blue or green eyes and who are over age 50. However, OM also can occur in individuals of every race and at any age.  OM is a silent killer because for about 50 percent of individuals diagnosed with OM, the cancer may is fatal as it quickly metastasizes and spreads to other parts of the body. There are no early warning signs and in many cases Ocular Melanoma is diagnosed during a routine eye exam-further supporting the need to have regular scheduled eye exams. Once OM has developed, some people may experience blurred vision, a change in the shape of the pupil, flashing lights in their vision, loss of vision in the affected eye or a dark spot on the iris.

Ocular Melanoma Causes & Risks

Researchers have found that people with OM tend to have certain gene mutations, which could suggest there is a strong genetic component to the disease. However, they have not concluded that these abnormalities are the cause or whether there is a clear mechanism of genetic transmission. They believe there may be a connection between the development of OM and prolonged exposure to sunlight or artificial light, such as from tanning beds, but there is not significant research confirming this link either.

If you or someone you know is concerned about the risk of Ocular melanoma (OM) please be sure to schedule an eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or http://www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

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

UAB Excellence Award to Marc Michelson, M.D.

The UAB National Alumni Society honored Marc Michelson, M.D. with the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 Class of 2015 Award. Dr. Michelson is the Founder and Medical Director of Michelson LaserVision, Inc. and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, P.C., located at UAB Highlands on the medical center campus.

“On behalf of myself and my staff who work to make every patient visit, every LASIK treatment, and every laser cataract surgery and lens implant procedure a pleasant experience with great clinical results, we want to say thank you,” shared Dr. Michelson. “UAB has been an integral part of the fabric and culture of the eye care we have provided in Birmingham for more than 30 years. Being part of the UAB community started with being educated and trained right here as a medical student, then an ophthalmology resident and continuing as an Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the UAB School of Medicine. I have thoroughly enjoyed not only the patient care, but also the opportunity to participate in resident teaching, research, and implementation of new and innovative technologies. These opportunities have motivated me to continually bring advanced eye surgery techniques and technology for vision correction, such as Bladeless LASIK and laser cataract surgery, right into our facilities at Alabama Eye and Cataract Center, P.C. and Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. at UAB Highlands,” explained Dr. Michelson.

The UAB National Alumni Society has chosen Dr. Michelson to receive the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 Class of 2015 award.  This award program is designed to identify, recognize, and celebrate the success of the top 25 UAB alumni-owned or UAB alumni-operated businesses.

To learn more please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center at 205-930-0930, or Michelson laser Vision at 205-969-8100 or visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or Michelson Laser Vision or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

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

Visors Help Avoid Hockey Eye Injury

Hockey is a popular sport among those who like to watch sports and is even more popular among middle school, high school and college athletes. Eye injury is a series risk among hockey players and it requires that parents and players take some precautions based on research presented at Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. The researchers found that wearing visors could cause a four-fold decrease in the risk of eye injuries. The researchers, based at the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School, examined data from The Sports Network (TSN) and The Hockey News annual visor survey over the last 10 seasons from 2002 to 2013 in the NHL. The data clearly demonstrated that the risk of eye injury is 4.23 times higher for players who do not wear a visor.

The study also found that the majority of eye injuries are caused by being hit by the puck (37%) or struck by a high stick (28%) or by a fight or scrum (18%), while the researchers could not identify the cause of injury for 17%. Interesting, players without visors had a more aggressive style of play, measured by penalty minutes, hits and fights in a case-control study. There was also a weak, but positive correlation between eye injuries and penalty minutes.

As hockey players develop, grow and get stronger their games and playing style become faster and more intense, and the risks continue to increase-thus it is important to maximize protection. Since the majority of hockey injuries are accidental in nature, it is not good enough for players to try to be more cautious. This study strongly supports the common sense notion that wearing visors goes a long way to decreasing injuries among hockey players.

If you or someone you know plays hockey please share this information with them to help them decrease their risk of hockey eye injury, or please feel free to contact  Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or http://www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham is a leading eye care center located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine Ophthalmologists & Corneal Specialists Marc Michelson, M.D. and Tyler Hall, M.D.

Eye Infection: What You Should Know!

Almost everyone has experienced red, itchy eyes and wondered what it was. It can be confusing because the symptom of allergies or dry eyes or a more serious condition, such as an eye infection can be similar. Here is an overview of allergies and dry eye as compared to an eye infection.

About Allergies & Dry Eyes

Symptoms of Allergies or Dry Eye

• If you work at a computer for an extended time or have allergies to products or airborne substances, you may experience dry, red or irritated eyes. 
• Generally allergies and dry eye affects both eyes.
• Treatment options usually include resting your eyes or using over-the-counter or prescription eye drops, as would be recommended by your eye doctor. 

About Eye Infections

Symptoms of Eye Infections

• Eye infections occur when bacteria, fungi or viruses attack any part of your eye, including the surface, the membrane lining of the outer eye and inner eyelid or interior portions or the soft tissue of the eyelid.
• Infections inside the eye or in the soft tissue of the eyelid are the most dangerous and if left untreated, the condition may spread throughout the eye.
• Symptoms usually include redness, pain, discharge, watering and sensitivity to light which usually occurs only in one eye. If you experience these symptoms you should immediately contact Alabama Eye & cataract Center at 205-930-0930 and schedule an appointment.

Types of Eye Infections

• Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis) is a common infection that is highly contagious.
• Viral Keratitis can be simply related to a respiratory virus or cold or more serious infection such as Ocular Herpes that occurs when exposed to the Herpes Simplex Virus.
• Fungal Keratitis is a corneal infection from a fungus commonly found in organic matter such as soil, leaves or branches of a tree.
• Acanthamoeba Keratitis is a corneal infection caused by a parasite that attacks the eye more often in individuals wearing contact lenses and swimming in pools, lakes, ponds, hot tubs or streams who are at increased risk for contracting this infection.
• Trachoma is not something we see in Birmingham but is found in underdeveloped countries. Typically Trachoma infects the inner eyelid along with eyelashes touching the area can infect the cornea and cause permanent blindness.
• Endophthalmitis is a serious infection inside the eye due to a penetrating eye injury or complication following eye surgery and if left untreated, may lead to blindness.

Preventing Eye Infections

• If you experience symptoms associated with an eye infection, contact Alabama Eye & Cataract Center immediately. Prompt treatment is necessary to reduce the risk of permanent blindness.
• To avoid eye infections, wash your hands throughout the day, especially if you are near an individual with a red eye or other signs of infection. Contact lens wearers should follow care and handling instructions provided by their eye doctor.

If you or someone you know is concerned about having an eye infection of any type of experiences symptoms of an eye infection schedule an appointment at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or http://www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham is a leading eye care center located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine Ophthalmologists Marc Michelson, M.D. and Tyler Hall, M.D.

Eye Safety to Prevent Injury

Being aware of some practical eye safety information can be very helpful in preventing eye injury. Prevent Blindness America reports that 2.4 million eye injuries occur each year, with nearly 1 million resulting in some degree of vision loss. About 90 percent of these injuries are avoidable, when the right eye protection is worn, reports the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

The most common eye injuries are:

• Cuts or scrapes from flying objects, such as metal and wood chips, that become embedded in the eye
• Burns from steam, infrared light or splashes of chemicals, grease or oil
• Infections from contaminated substances, such as splashes of blood or respiratory droplets or other products on fingers that are used to touch or rub the eyes

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires workers to use eye and face protection whenever there is a reasonable probability of injury that could be prevented with proper equipment, such as goggles, face shields or safety glasses. The best way to avoid eye injury in the workplace or from household chores, activities and tasks is to wear proper protective eyewear. If you have questions or need assistance with protective eyewear selection or fitting please call Alabama Eye & Cataract Center at 205-930-0930. Should you or someone you know have the misfortune of experiencing an eye injury please visit the nearest emergency room where the physician can call our office as we always have a doctor on call for emergencies.

If you or someone you know wishes to learn more about how to prevent eye injury, schedule an eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center in Birmingham by calling 205-930-0930, visiting Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or http://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