Drinking & Macular Degeneration Risk

Excessive drinking of alcohol may predispose patients to an increased risk of macular degeneration. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology drinking more than the recommended daily amount of alcohol may increase the risk of age related macular degeneration (AMD). A standard glass of wine or beer each contains about 15g of alcohol. “It appears from this study that consuming more than 20g of alcohol a day was associated with an increase in early age-related macular degeneration of about 20 per cent in men and women compared with non-drinkers,” commented Andreas Wolter, M.D., a NY eye specialist in the Hudson Valley at Seeta Eye Centers. “A number of earlier studies highlighted the risk of heavy drinking on overall eye health but there was little evidence until now about the association between moderate drinking and age-related macular degeneration,” said Dr. Wolter.

If you or someone you know has questions about eye health, macular degeneration and drinking alcohol please feel free to call Seeta Eye Centers and schedule an eye examination at 845-454-1025, visiting Seeta Eye Centers or facebook.com/seetaeyecenters.

Seeta Eye Centers is conveniently located for patients from Westchester County, Rockland County and throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and Orange County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Middletown, Kingston, New Paltz, Newburgh, Beacon, Bedford, Catskill, Cornwall, Eastchester, Ellenville, Florida, Goshen, Harriman, Harrison, Highland, Highland Falls, Kerhonkson, Mahopac, Monroe, Montgomery, Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, New City, Scarsdale, Saugerties, Spring Valley, Tarrytown, West Point, White Plains, Woodstock, Yorktown Heights and Yonkers, NY.

NY Dry Eye Help Center Accreditation at Seeta Eye Centers

NY dry eye sufferers will be pleased to learn that help for dry eyes is available from Drs. Alterman, Modi & Wolter at Seeta Eye Centers in Poughkeepsie, New York. Seeta Eye Centers offers an advanced technological approach in the diagnosis and treatment of dry eyes and was recently certified as an “Accredited Dry Eye Center” in NY by TearLab™. “We have refining our approach to the diagnosis and treatment of dry eye problems so we can get dry eye patients help for their symptoms and discomfort,” shared NY Ophthalmologist Andreas Wolter, M.D. “To get our patients the most beneficial results we have been using the TearLab™ technology whereby we measure the tear osmolarity-or how salty the tears actually are-to refine our diagnosis and treatment options. Using the TearLab™ results we can target the best prescription regimen which might include Omega-3 supplements, prescription strength artificial tears, punctal plugs, anti- inflammatory eye drops, oral antibiotics and even eye drops to help patients make more of their own natural tears,” Dr. Wolter explained.

The diagnosis and treatment of dry eyes is complex and requires patience and persistence on the part of the eye doctor and the patient. With careful diagnosis and a systematic therapeutic approach, sufferers of dry eye can most often experience considerable improvement.

Drs. Alterman, Modi & Wolter at Seeta Eye Centers are conveniently located for Hudson Valley eye care patients from throughout Dutchess County and Orange County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Middletown, Kingston, New Paltz, Newburgh, Accord, Beacon, Campbell Hall, Catskill, Cornwall, Castle Point, Cottekill, Ellenville, Goshen, High Falls, Highland, Highland Falls, Kerhonkson, Monroe, Montgomery, Napanoch, Port Ewen, Rosendale, Harriman, Saugerties, Woodstock, Cold Spring, Milton, Vails Gate, New Windsor, Walden, Amenia, Hopewell Junction, Hyde Park, Marlboro, Amenia, Millerton, Pleasant Valley, Poughquag, Red Hook, Salisbury Mills, Walden, Walkill, Washingtonville, Warwick, West Point and Wappinger Falls NY. Please call Seeta Eye Centers at 845-454-1025 to schedule an appointment for a dry eye consultation.

Eye Drops for Dry Macular Degeneration

The prescription of eye drops for the treatment of dry macular degeneration may be something that is possible in the future. Satish Modi, M.D. of Seeta Eye Centers with offices in Poughkeepsie, Fishkill and Carmel, New York shared some thoughts and information about some possible eye drop treatments for dry macular degeneration. “Our recent experiences seeing patients with “wet” macular degeneration treated with vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGF) injections such as Lucentis® has been very rewarding. With regular eye exams and early detection and diagnosis this has made a huge impact on so many people and their quality of life,” commented Dr. Modi. “However, 85% or so of the cases of macular degeneration that we diagnose are “dry” macular degeneration and thus it would be great if we could find some form of treatment for this type as well. Although we don’t fully understand the exact cause of “dry” AMD, we know that it tends to progress more slowly than the “wet” type and is characterized by the appearance of small white or yellowish deposits, called drusen, form on the retina, beneath the macula, causing it to deteriorate or degenerate over time. The most likely cause is a diminished blood flow in the blood vessels of choroid-a tissue beneath the retina that supplies it with oxygen and nutrients,” Dr. Modi explained.

The FDA has facilitated a “fast track” approach and testing of an experimental eye drop that has an active ingredient that has been approved and used in an oral formulation to treat hypertension. It is thought that these new eye drops may act to increase choroidal blood flow and circulation and thus slow or stop the progression of AMD from the early stage (dry AMD) to the later stage (wet AMD) by increasing the blood flow in the eye's choroidal vessels. Thus far the early clinical studies show that the drug is safe for use in human subjects and is now being tested to determine if it can be an effective treatment for dry AMD by increasing choroidal blood flow.

“We are continually reviewing the research, the publications and the FDA clinical trials to find better ways to take care of our patients-it’s just part of being a good physician and our patients depend on us. More to come regarding “dry” macular eye drop treatment as soon as we have the data and information,” said Dr. Modi.

Patients who wish to learn more about eye drops for dry macular degeneration treatment should feel free to call Seeta Eye Centers and schedule an eye examination by calling 845-454-1025, visiting Seeta Eye Centers or facebook.com/seetaeyecenters.

Seeta Eye Centers is conveniently located for patients from Westchester County, Rockland County and throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and Orange County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Middletown, Kingston, New Paltz, Newburgh, Beacon, Bedford, Catskill, Cornwall, Eastchester, Ellenville, Florida, Goshen, Harriman, Harrison, Highland, Highland Falls, Kerhonkson, Mahopac, Monroe, Montgomery, Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, New City, Scarsdale, Saugerties, Spring Valley, Tarrytown, West Point, White Plains, Woodstock, Yorktown Heights and Yonkers, NY.

Lucentis® Injections Results for AMD Treatment

Getting the best results with Lucentis® injections for age related macular degeneration (AMD) depends on a number of predictive factors as there can be considerable variation in responses between patients. This information has been quite useful in establishing a number of diagnostic and treatment parameters that can be used use to optimize treatment and monitoring regimens in order to help patients get the best possible results.

Here are some important factors and considerations that we know today:

• The initial visual acuity is not a good indicator for patients treated with monthly injections of Lucentis®. But, a poorer initial visual acuity seems to predict greater overall improvement.
• Smaller areas of blood vessel growth seem to respond better to treatment.
• If treatment begins BEFORE any hemorrhage has occurred there is usually a more favorable result.
• The visual acuity found between the 3 and 5 month visit seems to predict about where the 12 month visit acuity will end up.
• If there is a recurrence of subretinal fluid there is usually a negative effect on the long term visual recovery and functioning.

While there can be no guarantees, by using this information we can work to hopefully avoid the catastrophic vision loss from Wet Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). YOUR role is to be consistent in scheduling routine eye exams if you are over 50 years old or even earlier if you have a family history of AMD-and should you notice symptoms including distortion of your vision, waviness or curving of lines or straight surfaces or a sudden change or spots of any kind, please call Seeta Eye Centers at 845-454-1025 for an immediate appointment. The key to maintaining eye health and vision is early detection, diagnosis and treatment.

 

If you or someone you know has a family history of macular degeneration or is concerned about macular degeneration it is important to schedule regular eye exams by calling Seeta Eye Centers at 845-454-1025, visiting Seeta Eye Centers or facebook.com/seetaeyecenters.

 

Seeta Eye Centers is conveniently located for patients from Westchester County, Rockland County and throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and Orange County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Middletown, Kingston, New Paltz, Newburgh, Beacon, Bedford, Catskill, Cornwall, Eastchester, Ellenville, Florida, Goshen, Harriman, Harrison, Highland, Highland Falls, Kerhonkson, Mahopac, Monroe, Montgomery, Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, New City, Scarsdale, Saugerties, Spring Valley, Tarrytown, West Point, White Plains, Woodstock, Yorktown Heights and Yonkers, NY.

Story of Cataract Surgery Hope & Thanks

My cataract surgery story is really about hope and being thankful. In a world which many times appears to be driven by self absorption, corporate greed and an insatiable desire to have more, it is so hopeful to know someone like Dr. Modi and his staff. This is the remarkable story of what happened.

I first met Dennis when he was a guest at Winterhaven, a homeless shelter run by the Newburgh Ministry. I found him sitting in the dining room at 6am, reading his bible. He was holding the book so close to his face that it was nearly touching his nose. He told me that his glasses had been broken. I had recently heard of a program called “The Gift of Sight” sponsored by LensCrafters®. An eye exam and glasses would be provided at no cost to people in need. With great hope, Dennis and I traveled to see Dr. Ketan Kutlerywala at the LensCrafters® in Poughkeepsie. On the way he shared his story.

Dennis had worked all his life, but was recently laid off and like many others, was one paycheck away from having nothing. He had been sharing an apartment with a friend, but when the friend moved, Dennis couldn’t afford the entire rent, necessitating his move to our shelter. Each day he searched for work but there were two strikes against him- his age, being almost 60, and his poor vision. Yet this tall lanky man with an infectious laugh, sang up and down the corridors, helped with whatever we needed, and insisted that God was with him.

That faith was sorely tested by Dr. Ketan’s report- there were no glasses that could help Dennis. He had cataracts that were so dense and thick that he would soon be blind unless they were surgically removed-an impossibility for someone who has no medical insurance. An application for Medicaid had been denied. The gross amount of Dennis’ small unemployment check put him just dollars over the limit, even though most of it went for child support to help put his daughter through college. The ironic fact was that if Dennis did lose his sight he would qualify for many benefits, but there was no help to save his vision. I was filled with the darkness of frustration. Dennis still sang the songs of faith.

It must have been that faith that inspired me to call Dr. Modi and speak to Stacey, his office manager. I would have understood if the answer had been, “I’m sorry, but the Doctor can’t help” instead I heard, “We’ll get back to you.” A tiny flicker of light started to grow in my heart. And then the miracle happened! Dr. Modi would perform two surgeries at no cost and provide medications and follow-up care. Stacey said, “This is what we do.” Dr. Modi said, “We have to give back.” Dennis’ joy is unprintable.

I have one more thing to share with you: On the drive home from Dennis’ first cataract surgery, as we crossed over the Mid-Hudson Bridge, I had the profound experience of witnessing the joy of someone who sees the beauty of creation as if for the first time. It was like driving through the Garden of Eden with Adam sitting next to me. The holy gifts of wonder and awe were celebrated as Dennis rejoiced in hills and orchards, ponds and sky and the bounty that surrounds us.

The goodness continues--Dennis has found work at West Point, and his life will continue and I now have the clear vision of knowing that there is more goodness in our world than there is evil; it just doesn’t make the six o’clock news.

THANK YOU, DR. MODI! - “I once was blind but now I see!”

If you or someone you know has questions or concerns about cataract surgery please feel free to call Seeta Eye Centers and schedule an eye examination by calling 845-454-1025, visiting Seeta Eye Centers or facebook.com/seetaeyecenters.

Seeta Eye Centers is conveniently located for patients from Westchester County, Rockland County and throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and Orange County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Middletown, Kingston, New Paltz, Newburgh, Beacon, Bedford, Catskill, Cornwall, Eastchester, Ellenville, Florida, Goshen, Harriman, Harrison, Highland, Highland Falls, Kerhonkson, Mahopac, Monroe, Montgomery, Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, New City, Scarsdale, Saugerties, Spring Valley, Tarrytown, West Point, White Plains, Woodstock, Yorktown Heights and Yonkers, NY.

NY Macular Degeneration Awareness

“For NY seniors and those over 50, becoming knowledgeable about macular degeneration and working to prevent vision loss is more important than ever as the number of people affected by macular degeneration is continuing to climb due to the aging baby boomer population,” said Andreas Wolter, M.D., a NY eye specialist at Seeta Eye Centers with offices in Poughkeepsie, Fishkill and Carmel, New York. It is estimated that more than 2 million people age 50 and older have late age related macular degeneration (AMD) which represents a 25 percent increase between 200 and 2012.  “Years ago the prognosis for patients with age related macular degeneration being able to maintain eye health and vision was relatively poor. Today, for most patients, with early detection, diagnosis and treatment, at a minimum we can prevent further vision loss from the disease and in many cases we can actually help recover lost vision,” said Dr. Wolter.

February marks the 2013 National Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Awareness Month. Our patients over 50, those with a family history of age related macular degeneration and especially seniors should take a moment to learn about AMD. AMD causes central vision to blur, but leaves peripheral vision intact. It is progressive and painless. There are two types of AMD, a “Dry” form and a “Wet” form. It is estimated that 85-90% of people with AMD have the Dry form which results in a gradual vision loss. Fortunately, only 10 percent of people with AMD have the Wet form which progresses much quicker and can cause catastrophic vision loss. Wet AMD is characterized by the growth of abnormal retinal blood vessels that leak blood or fluid causing visual distortions or decreased vision. Over time, this can lead to scarring in the Macula and create damage that may result in the loss of central vision.

Patients can often reduce their risk of developing AMD by not smoking as well as working to eat a heart-healthy diet rich in fish, fruit and green leafy vegetables, avoiding foods with Trans fats, exercising and controlling blood pressure and weight.

“What patients need to be aware of is that once you are over 50, it becomes increasingly important to have a thorough, comprehensive dilated eye exam every one to two years-and even more often if you have any family history of AMD or at the recommendation of your eye doctor. The key to preventing vision loss from AMD is clearly early detection, quick diagnosis and then immediate access to treatment with vascular endothelial growth inhibitor (VEGF) injections such as Lucentis®”, summarized Dr. Wolter.

Patients who wish to learn more about age related macular degeneration or are concerned about their macular degeneration risk should feel free to call Seeta Eye Centers and schedule an eye examination by calling 845-454-1025, visiting Seeta Eye Centers or facebook.com/seetaeyecenters.

Seeta Eye Centers is conveniently located for patients from Westchester County, Rockland County and throughout the Hudson Valley, Dutchess County and Orange County including Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, Middletown, Kingston, New Paltz, Newburgh, Beacon, Bedford, Catskill, Cornwall, Eastchester, Ellenville, Florida, Goshen, Harriman, Harrison, Highland, Highland Falls, Kerhonkson, Mahopac, Monroe, Montgomery, Mount Kisco, New Rochelle, New City, Scarsdale, Saugerties, Spring Valley, Tarrytown, West Point, White Plains, Woodstock, Yorktown Heights and Yonkers, NY.