If you are visiting your ophthalmologist’s office for routine eye care or for an urgent need, we understand you may feel nervous about going to your appointment during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Rest assured that ophthalmologists, like all medical professionals, follow strict hygiene and disinfection guidelines.
Eye Exams May Help Identify Seniors at Risk of Dementia
Eye exams in aging adults may catch more than just vision problems. A new study bolsters evidence that certain types of vision problems may point to an elevated risk of dementia.
Most People Don’t Use Marijuana for Glaucoma, Study Shows
A survey of people with glaucoma, ophthalmologists and marijuana dispensaries revealed that few patients rely on marijuana to treat glaucoma and ophthalmologists are hesitant to recommend it.
20 Ways Aging Changes Your Eyes
Sure, aging can affect the eyes – but vision loss is not the norm. Encourage your aging patients to watch for these 20 common changes to vision and eye health.
Promising New Treatments for Retinitis Pigmentosa
Current treatments help only a fraction of the estimated 100,000 Americans with this condition. But advances in gene therapy may soon improve vision in a greater number of people.
Free Infographics: Healthy Eyes, Happy Lives
The risk of eye disease increases with age, yet many seniors are reluctant to visit the doctor. Share these infographics on social media or display them in your office.
Cigna uses an automated system that allows “medical directors” (doctors employed by @Cigna) to deny a claim in 1.2 seconds without opening the patient’s file.
Please read this, share it, and help us (metaphorically) burn these companies to the ground. https://twitter.com/propublica/status/1639586525825441792
Doctors at a major US insurance company deny tens of thousands of claims a month without even looking at patients’ files.
“We literally click & submit,” a former Cigna doctor told @ProPublica & @Capitol_Forum. “It takes all of 10 seconds to do 50 at a time.”
The inside story 🧵
Are you holding reading materials farther away than you used to? Here's what ophthalmologists want you to know: http://ow.ly/UYke50NigA6 #healthtips #healthfacts #eyeexam #presbyopia
Health bills adding up? Thank you @WomansWorldUS for this guide on health freebies, including Eyecare America: http://ow.ly/cR5U50Nih1f #healthtips #eyehealth #eyeexam #glaucoma #cataracts #medicalbill #healthfreebies #healthsavings
Over 20 million Americans have dry eye. Academy spokesperson Arvind Saini, MD, tells @forbeshealth what you need to know: http://ow.ly/3Vm550NigWa #dryeye #dryeyetreatment #eyedrops #treatment #medicine #eyehealth #healthtips
This simple precaution could prevent 90% of workplace eye injuries: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries-work #WorkplaceEyeWellnessMonth #safetyglasses #eyewear #eyeglasses #eyehealth #healthtips
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Unsung Heroes: Martin Spencer, MD
In 1986, when Martin Spencer, MD, signed up as a volunteer to bring eye care to people in remote areas of the world, he was unsure what he, an ophthalmologist from Canada, had to offer. Over the next 35 years, he would give so much and with such humility that a Tibetan monk called him the “true embodiment of Buddha.” -
How to Wear a Face Mask Correctly
Face masks can help protect you and others from the spread of coronavirus, but only if you wear them properly. Ophthalmologists Andrea Tooley, MD, a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, shows you the proper way to put on and take off a mask. Wearing a mask when you leave the house is not the only way to help slow the spread of coronavirus. To protect yourself and others, follow social distancing guidelines and wash your hands. -
Chasidy Singleton, MD, Closing the Health Care Gap
Many talk about the need to reduce disparities in health care. Ophthalmologist Chasidy Singleton, MD, shows how the gap can be closed, one physician at a time. Whether the patient in front of her is an enrollee in a fully insured health plan, a shackled prisoner or a bedridden senior, she provides the same level of care. -
I’m an Ophthalmologist and This is When you Should get Your Eyes Checked
Many people skip regular eye exams, thinking, “I can see fine, I don’t need to see an ophthalmologist.” Dr. Andrea Tooley tells you why that’s not true.
About 37 million people aged 40 and older have eye disease. Some of these eye diseases don’t always have early warning signs, and you can lose vision even before you know you have a problem, says Dr. Tooley, spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
That’s why everyone needs a baseline exam at age 40. If your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, go back every 2 to 4 years. By age 55, get an exam every 1 to 3 years and by 65, every 1 to 2 years. If you have risk factors, you need to be seen more often. For more ophthalmologist-reviewed tips, visit aao.org/eyesmart -
2020 is a Year for Challenge
Anne L Coleman, M.D., Ph.D., president of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, has issued a challenge to her fellow ophthalmologists in 2020: Get more involved in providing access to quality eye care for everyone who needs it in your community. One easy way is to become an EyeCare America volunteer. Go to aao.org/volunteer. Make 2020 the year to truly honor our mission to protect sight and empower lives. -
Dr. Judith Kirby Grateful to Help Texans See Their Best
Meet ophthalmologist, Judith Kirby, MD. She’s one of more than 5,000 ophthalmologists nationwide who volunteer through the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeCare America® program to provide eye exams for people in her community who generally don’t have health insurance.
During this symbolic year of 2020, the Academy is shining a light on some of ophthalmology’s many unsung heroes; those who quietly serve the underserved, who mentor the next generation, who share their skills with the world; heroes like Dr. Kirby.
For Dr. Kirby, ophthalmology is not just her profession, it’s her privilege. “Every day I go to work, and I love everything that I do, and I am just so grateful for the capacity to powerfully impact people's lives every day,” Dr. Kirby said. -
What You Don’t Know About AMD Can Blind You
Even though Marlene Klein was having trouble recognizing familiar faces and began to mistake her fingers for carrots as she chopped vegetables, she had no idea she was slowly losing her vision to a leading cause of blindness, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Marlene has managed to maintain her sight and her independence thanks to regular visits with her ophthalmologist. For more information on AMD, visit EyeSmart from the American Academy of Ophthalmology: https://www.aao.org/eyesmart -
Vision Rehabilitation Revitalizes 103-Year-Old Woman
At 103, Ida Wheeler thought nothing could be done to help her be more independent since age-related macular degeneration had taken most of her vision. But ophthalmologist and low vision rehabilitation specialist Donald C. Fletcher, MD, helped her make the most of the vision she has left. Get more information about vision rehabilitation and how it can help you live independently, visit EyeSmart from the American Academy of Ophthalmology: https://www.aao.org/vision-rehab -
Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Tips for Eye Doctor Visits
If you provide care for a loved one who has dementia or Alzheimer’s, you probably have lots of questions for their physician and not a lot of time. To get the most out of medical appointments and time with the eye doctor, consider these tips from ophthalmologist, Hilary A. Beaver, MD.
For more information, visit EyeSmart from the American Academy of Ophthalmology: https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/alzheimers-dementia-tips-eye-doctor-visits
