Patient care

Exercise may help deter Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). Regular exercise can help slim your waistline and lift your mood; now new research suggests that regular exercise may help prevent serious eye disease such as AMD and Diabetic Retinopathy. In the study researchers studied two groups of mice, one that had access to an exercise wheel, and another that did not. After 4 weeks the physically active mice had up to 45% less eye damage than the non-active mice. The study suggests that exercise may protect against the overgrowth of blood vessels, and boost the eye’s resilience. Learn more at https://bit.ly/37GBEWI

November is Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month. People with diabetes are more likely to develop blinding eye conditions and diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, the fourth leading cause of blindness in the world. Yet recent studies have revealed low awareness of the issue, particularly among ethnicities at higher risk for diabetes. Early detection, timely treatment, and appropriate follow-up care can reduce the risk of severe vision loss by 95%. To raise awareness that Americans may not be defending themselves against diabetes-related vision loss, this November the American Academy of Ophthalmology encourages those with diabetes to take proactive steps to protect their vision. Learn more about the diabetic eye diseases and the importance of frequent vision screenings and Retinal health checks at https://bit.ly/3kunCuO

Eye injuries from falls are increasing as the population ages. A new study found that hospitalizations of people who had eye trauma has risen by 18 percent, and most of the increase was due to falls among people over age 65. The most common eye injury from a fall was orbital fracture, typically the result of blunt force trauma to the eye socket. Anyone with decreased vision is at increased danger of falling. Learn steps to reduce your risk at http://bit.ly/2U3gQ2E.

As Covid-19 touches more of our lives, High Country Macula is adjusting our “flu-like illness” patient protocols to be more inline with changes to CDC COVID-19 recommendations. We’ll ask everyone who enters our care centers to wear masks with two or more layers that cover the nose and mouth, and secure under the chin (please bring your own mask), and we’ll enforce social distancing in our waiting rooms. We have eased scheduling restrictions to allow all patients in need to be seen, allowing one family member or guardian to accompany the patient into our care centers, if necessary. The purpose of this update is to protect our patients and staff, ease patient burden, and streamline the evaluation and management for those people with a flu-like illness. We have posted these new procedures to our website at http://hcm.mobiussites.com/we-are-hcm/our-practice/flu-like-illness-protocols

We do hope that all of our patients will be understanding of the extraordinary circumstances we are operating under to bring the most efficacious Retinal care possible to those in need. We wish you and all of our patients the best of health, free of Covid-19.

For information on COVID-19 please visit the following links:

“We Need to Get the Facts Straight” https://bit.ly/3diqTZw

“What You Should Know” https://bit.ly/2BoVfwc

A vaccine that is used to reverse Leder congenital amaurosis (LCA), an incurable type of blindness that affects over 100,000 Americans, may prove effective as a coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine AAACOVID leverages a unique strategy, adeno-associated viral vector (AAV), to eradicate a virus before it can establish a foothold in the body. Administered through a single injection, it works by exposing genetic sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike antigen to the body’s immune system. The body then quickly learns to recognize and defend against it. AAACOVID’s delivery system is what makes it unique, and it has a distinct advantage in the race for a coronavirus vaccine because it’s proven safe, effective, and quickly adaptable for use in a wide variety of indications over the past 25 years. It is also the only vaccine in development that’s already approved by the FDA for clinical use. Learn more at https://bit.ly/36qXSvh

After part of your world disappears as a result of Age-related Macular Degeneration or other eye disease, what’s next? Although people suffering from low vision or visual impairment have vision that can’t be fixed or improved with glasses, contacts, or surgery, it doesn’t mean that they are completely blind. Learn how Vision Rehabilitation is helping people with low vision make the most of their sight at http://bit.ly/2EuiDHt

In an exciting new advancement, scientists have created functional human Retinas in a lab environment. These cultured retina, called organoids, are derived from stem cells organized into the five layers of light sensitive cells and nerves that send signals to the brain so that people can see. This development addresses a fundamental unmet need – the creation of Retina models that accurately replicate the real organ. Doctors can now map a disease to the model cells that they can grow and study in a dish, then use to tailor a treatment to meet a patient’s individual needs. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3jbxrx2

Do you suffer from itching, burning eyes during the Fall? If so, you’re not alone. More than 35 million people in the U.S. are affected by seasonal allergies. Most Fall eye allergies are caused by ragweed and other pollens, or by mold spores. If you’re sensitive to Fall allergies, some precautions you can take are to stay indoors during early morning hours and to avoid yard chores that can stir up mold and pollen. Don’t hesitate to contact your Retinologist at High Country Macula if you’re experiencing Fall eye allergies.