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March is Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month, and Chu Vision Institute encourages everyone to know the risk factors.
- March 6, 2012 // posted by chuvisionAdmin
Did you know? Having a close family relative with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) puts you at higher risk for developing the disease yourself.
Are You at Risk for AMD? Learn the Top 5 Risk Factors
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of severe vision loss among Americans ages 65 and over. Knowing your risk factors, being aware of your family history, and keeping regular appointments with your Eye M.D. can help reduce your risks for vision loss from macular degeneration. In its most severe form, known as wet AMD, the disease can lead to permanent loss of central vision, which is essential for driving, reading and recognizing faces.
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“The past few years have been marked by significant improvement in understanding the causes and the treatment of AMD,” says Dr. Chu. “New research and clinical advances are helping us to better treat both the ‘dry’ and ‘wet’ forms of AMD. One strong risk factor that people may not be aware of is family history. It’s important to find out whether your relatives have had AMD and to tell your family eye doctor if you have a history of AMD in your family. Knowing your risks can save your sight.”
Here are the top 5 risk factors for AMD:
Being over the age of 60
Having a family history of AMD
Cigarette smoking
Obesity
Hypertension
If you have any two of these risk factors, you should schedule an appointment with your family eye doctor for a complete evaluation. Your eye doctor may recommend certain preventive measures that can reduce your risk of vision loss from this disorder.
People who are at risk should know the symptoms of wet AMD, the form most likely to cause rapid and serious vision loss. These include sudden, noticeable loss or distortion of vision, such as seeing “wavy” lines. See an eye care professional right away if these symptoms occur. Current treatments for wet AMD provide an excellent chance of stopping vision loss and may actually restore some vision when macular degeneration develops. Earlier diagnosis of wet AMD gives a better chance of successful treatment.
There are some AMD risk factors that a person can change, such as smoking and diet, to reduce the risk of vision loss from AMD. Other risk factors, such as genetic factors, cannot be changed. However, knowing your family medical history is one way to learn whether you may be genetically predisposed to a disease. One way to reduce AMD risk is to quit smoking or never start. For patients at high risk for developing late-stage AMD, taking a dietary supplement of vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene, along with zinc, has been shown to lower the risk of AMD progressing to advanced stages by 25 percent. Patients should check with their family eye doctor before starting any dietary supplement.
About AMD
The disease takes two forms, termed “dry” and “wet.”
Early-stage AMD: Yellow deposits called “drusen” develop under the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that focuses images and relays them to the optic nerve. At this stage, most people would do not have reduced vision.
Intermediate AMD: Patients have more and larger drusen and more pigment changes in the macula (the part of the retina responsible for central vision); they are at higher risk for both advanced dry and wet AMD. The majority of those with intermediate AMD do not progress to an advanced stage, but should be followed by an Eye M.D. so they can be treated if needed.
Advanced “dry” AMD: Patients with more advanced dry AMD may have a blind spot in their central vision. Currently, there is no proven therapy to restore vision lost from advanced dry AMD. Low-vision technologies, including improved lighting and magnification, help people with advanced dry AMD maintain their quality of life.
Advanced “wet” AMD: In this stage, abnormal blood vessels form under the retina. These blood vessels can leak fluid or bleed and cause sudden and drastic loss of central vision.
Although only about 10 percent of the 10 to 15 million Americans with AMD have the “wet” form, it is responsible for most severe vision loss. New, highly effective treatments such as the injectable medications ranibizumab and bevacizumab are dramatically reducing damage from “wet” AMD and can stabilize vision in more than 90 percent of patients and actually improve vision in up to 30 to 40 percent of patients. A newly FDA-approved implantable miniature telescope (IMT) has the potential to improve the quality of life for select patients with AMD. Though this device is not for everyone, it does include people aged 75 years and older who have stable, severe to profound vision impairment in both eyes due to end-stage AMD. Also, to be eligible for the IMT, patients cannot have had surgery to remove cataracts. Patients also need to be fully informed of the risks of the procedure – most importantly, the risk of corneal endothelial cell loss, which may cause long-term problems with corneal clarity.
Eating Healthy Prevents Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
A new study confirms the importance of eating healthy to help protect our eyes from age-related macular degeneration (AMD.) Researchers found that people whose diets had higher levels of certain nutrients— vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA—and had high levels of low-glycemic index (low GI) foods, were less likely to develop early and advanced AMD. Although the researchers say clinical studies are needed before physicians can begin recommending specific nutrient doses or dietary patterns to AMD patients, there’s no need for people to delay adding healthy food to their shopping carts. Sources of AMD-protective nutrients include citrus fruits, vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables and cold water fish. The GI value is based on how fast a food’s carbohydrates raise the body’s blood sugar levels; low GI foods have less impact on blood sugar fluctuations.
AMD affects the retina, light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Advanced AMD can destroy the central, detailed vision that we need to read, drive, and enjoy daily life. Although the “wet” form of advanced AMD is often treatable, there’s no effective treatment for the much more common “dry” form. Eating well is a practical way to reduce AMD risk while enjoying better health.
This article reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart™ campaign (www.geteyesmart.org).
Intense Pulse Light Therapy offers Hope for Dry Eye Relief
- February 22, 2012 // posted by chuvisionAdmin
Chu Vision Institute becomes one of the first 15 sites in the country to offer IPL, Intense Pulse Light Therapy, a breakthrough technology for patients with dry eyes.
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Dr. Chu is featured in Women’s Day, Good Housekeeping and Redbook.
- January 23, 2012 // posted by chuvisionAdmin
Click on icon to read article.Featured in Pioneer Press
- January 11, 2012 // posted by chuvisionAdmin
Mover: Dr. Jessica Heckman
“At Chu Vision, we see patients who have worn glasses for decades and the joy on their face when they can see on their own is really amazing”…
Chu Vision Institute in Bloomington adds full-time optometrist to expanding team of eye care professionals
- December 9, 2011 // posted by chuvisionAdmin
Chu Vision Institute is proud to announce Dr. Jessica Heckman is now a full-time optometrist with the practice’s award-winning team. Chu Vision Institute was founded by Dr. Y. Ralph Chu in 1999. As a solo practitioner, Dr. Chu designed Chu Vision Institute to meet the expanding demand for specialized boutique services offering the latest technology and patient-specific treatments for a wide range of vision needs.
Dr. Heckman has been working part-time at Chu Vision Institute for a year and is excited about the opportunity to further expand her expertise and patient base. “Dr. Chu is recognized industry-wide as a leading expert and educator on all types of vision-related innovations,” says Dr. Heckman. “I am so thrilled to be able to offer more patients the cutting-edge technology and up-to-the-minute eye-care solutions that have made Dr. Chu and Chu Vision Institute a leader locally and nationally. I’m also very proud to be part of this team.” Heckman adds.
Dr. Heckman grew up in Minnesota. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and continued on to earn her Doctorate of Optometry from the Pacific University College of Optometry. Dr. Heckman joined Chu Vision Institute in November of 2010 as a part-time optometrist. She has experience in full-scope patient care with a special interest in the management of ocular diseases, pre- and post-op care of cataract and refractive surgeries.
Featured on FOX9
- November 28, 2011 // posted by chuvisionAdmin
Light Pulse Treatment Eases Dry Eye
by Scott Wasserman / FOX 9 NewsBLOOMINGTON, Minn. – As the autumn winds blow, many Minnesotans are dreading what that will soon mean for their vision. About 4 of every 10 people suffers from a dry eye condition, but a new treatment involving a pulsing light can help bring relief. At the Chu Vision Institute in Bloomington, Wanda Jackson is one-step closer to improving her quality of life.
Give the Gift of LASIK
- November 28, 2011 // posted by chuvisionAdmin
LASIK is the gift that makes life better every waking moment of every day!
Chu Vision Institute is offering LASIK gift certificates for this holiday season so you can give the most memorable gift of a lifetime.
Contact us now to receive TWO, five hundred dollar LASIK gift certificates. Use one for yourself and give one to someone you love! That’s two hundred, fifty dollars off per eye on Minnesota’s premier LASIK from the finest eye surgeon, Dr. Ralph Chu. And with 0 percent financing for up to 24 months, it is the perfect Christmas gift!
Call us to discuss all details and if any restrictions may apply. These $500 off gift certificates are limited so contact us today. 866.400.EYES (3937).
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Committed to Advancing the Field of Ophthalmology Through Research
- March 1, 2011 // posted by admin
Chu Vision Institute has been committed to vision research through clinical studies for years and has been a contributing force in advancing the field of ophthalmology. Our participation in these efforts has benefited patients with many of the new technologies and surgical options that are available today. Currently we at Chu Vision Institute are participating in a clinical study to evaluate a 15-minute outpatient procedure designed to improve near vision and reduce or eliminate the need for reading glasses. Learn more.