health department

From Consumer Reports : Glaucoma More than 2 million Americans have glaucoma, but 50% know it. Glaucoma often goes undiagnosed because it causes no symptoms until vision declines, at which point treatment no longer helps. People aged 40-60 should be examined by an optometrist every 3-5 years ; those older than 60 need an eye exam every 1-2 years. Many eye doctors screen for glaucoma with tonometry (measures eye pressure) but that’s not enough. Relying only on intraocular pressure (IOP) when screening for glaucoma could miss up to 50% of all cases. The exam should also include an ophthalmoscopy , which involves examining your optic nerve. The most common treatment for glaucoma is eye drops known as prostaglandin analogs (PGAs), which lower eye pressure. Generic versions of most of those drugs are much cheaper than the brand-name versions. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) There are two main forms of AMD: 1. Dry AMD , more common variety, which is treated mainly with dietary supplem...

How common are dye eyes? The prevalence of dry eyes has been estimated to be 5-30% percent in persons aged 50 years and older, 7% of US adult population has been diagnosed with dry eye disease. The prevalence increases with age (2.7% in those 18 to 34 years old vs. 19% in those aged 75 years and older). Prevalence is higher in women than men (9% versus 4%). What are the risk factors for dry eye disease? - Advanced age - Female gender - Hormonal changes (primarily due to decreased androgens) - Systemic diseases (eg, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson disease) - Contact lens wear - Systemic medications (antihistamines, anticholinergics, estrogens, isotretinoin, selective serotonin receptor antagonists, amiodarone, nicotinic acid) - Ocular medications (especially those containing preservatives) - Nutritional deficiencies (eg, vitamin A deficiency) - Decreased corneal sensation, for example, after Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) - Ophthalmic surgery (especially corneal refracti...