Patient Education
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INFORMATION TO HELP YOU AVOID MIGRAINE AND OCULAR MIGRAINE HEADACHES WHAT CAUSES MIGRAINE AND OCULAR MIGRAINE HEADACHES? The cause of a migraine and ocular migraine headache is not yet fully understood, however, we do know that almost twice as many women as men suffer from migraine headaches, and that migraines can run in families While the exact cause remains unknown, many people are able to identify migraine "triggers" which tend to give them migraines. Avoiding migraine triggers seems to help reduce their risk of developing migraine and ocular migraine headaches. FOOD Dairy products with high fat content (butter, aged cheeses); Foods containing the artificial sweetener aspartame; Fruits such as avocado, bananas, figs, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes, plums, prunes and tomatoes; Legumes (fresh or dried beans and peas); Nuts, including peanut butter; Processed meats (cold cuts, bacon, weiners); Sauerkraut; Seafood; Spinach; Food additives: hydrolyzed plant protein, monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrites and nitrates, soy sauce, yeast extract. DRINKS Alcohol (especially red wine); Coffee and colas (other than caffeine-free); Chocolate; Dairy products with high fat content (cream, whole milk, buttermilk); Drinks containing the artificial sweetener aspartame. ENVIRONMENT Bright sunlight (especially glare from water or snow); Changing weather conditions; Cold wind; Excessive noise; Heat/humidity PERSONAL HEALTH Fatigue; Occasional, intense exercise (weekend sports, moving furniture); Monthly period (menstruation); Skipping meals; Stress; Taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy; Too little or too much sleep. HOW TO HELP REDUCE YOUR RISK FOR MIGRAINES You may be able to identify your own migraine triggers by keeping a "migraine diary". Each time you get a migraine, simply write down what you ate and what you were doing in the hours just before the migraine started. By avoiding your own migraine triggers, you may be able to reduce the number of migraine and ocular migraine headaches you get. D:\DATA\DOCUMNTS\FORMS\MIGRAINEnotes.doc Keratoconus What is Keratoconus? Keratoconus is an uncommon condition in which the cornea (the clear
front window of the eye) becomes thin and protrudes. Keratoconus
literally means a cone-shaped cornea. This abnormal shape can cause
serious distortion of vision. What Causes Keratoconus? Despite continuing research, the cause of keratoconus remains
unknown. Although keratoconus is not generally considered an inherited
disorder, the keratoconus is thought to be as high as one in ten. Vigorous eye rubbing, although not the cause of keratoconus, can
contribute to the disease process. Therefore, patients with keratoconus
are advised to avoid rubbing their eyes. What are the Symptoms of Keratoconus? Blurring and distortion of vision are the earliest symptoms of
keratoconus. Symptoms usually appear in the late teens or early
twenties. The disease will often progress slowly for 10 to 20 years,
then stop. In the early stages, vision may be only slightly affected, causing
glare, light sensitivity and irritation. Each eye may be affected
differently. As the disease progresses and the cornea steepens and
scars, vision may become distorted. A sudden decrease in vision can occur if the cornea swells. The
cornea swells when the elastic part of the cornea develops a tiny
crack, created by the strain of the cornea's protruded cone-like shape.
The swelling may persist for weeks or months as the crack heals and is
gradually replaced by scar tissue. How is Keratoconus Treated? Mild cases are successfully treated with glasses or specially
designed contact lenses. When vision is no longer satisfactory with
glasses or contact lenses, surgery, usually a corneal transplant is
recommended. Other surgeries such as special heating of the corneal
(thermokeratoplasty) or adding additional corneal tissue
(epikeratophakia) can also be done. If sudden corneal swelling occurs, your ophthalmologist may
prescribe eye drops for temporary relief. However there are no
medicines known which prevent progression of the disease. If a corneal transplant is necessary for advanced keratoconus,
vision normally improves. As in any eye surgery, complications such as
transplant rejection, infection and loss of vision can occur, so
results cannot be guaranteed. Why are Eye Examinations Important for Everyone? Eye disease can strike at any age. Many eye diseases do not cause
symptoms until the disease has done damage. Since most blindness is
preventable if diagnosed and treated early, regular medical
examinations by an ophthalmologist can provide total care for your
eyes: medical, surgical and optical. Strabismus What Is Strabismus? This is a condition in which the two eyes are not lined up together. Usually only one eye turns from its normal position but occasionally both eyes turn in an alternative fashion. The turning eye may point to the nose or to the side and may turn up or down. Strabismus is often called squint, cross-eyed, or wall-eyed. What Causes Strabismus? There may be different causes. A few are due to birth injuries, some to the need for spectacles, some to a muscle abnormality. Occasionally its presence indicates serious underlying conditions. Strabismus may follow an attack of an illness such as measles but usually the tendency is already present. Does Strabismus Run In Families? Yes it has occurred in older members of a family, the younger ones should be checked carefully, even right after birth. When Should Treatment Be Started? Since the child will not outgrow the condition, treatment should be started as soon as it is recognized, even if the child is only a few months old. What Are the Effects of Strabismus? Vision will eventually suffer. The child will bear the brunt of jeers and jibes from his playmates with unfortunate effects on his personality and behavior. Early treatment makes the difference. What Is the Treatment of Strabismus? The eyes must be examined thoroughly to rule out the presence of other conditions. a) Some cases may be straightened by wearing spectacles if started early. b) Special exercises may be needed to train the eyes to work together.
c) A turned eye not corrected before the teens can be straightened for appearance sake, but the vision will not be restored by the operation. Time is of the essence. BLEPHARITIS BLEPHARITIS = Inflammation of the lids The inflammation of the lids usually results from three (3) causes or any combination thereof. (i) INFECTION - called Staph Blepharitis caused by the bacterium (germ) Staphylococcus Aureus (ii) ECZEMA - (dandruff) - called Seborrheic Blepharitis (iii) ACNE - called Acne Rosacae In all three (3) types the inflammation is deep seated and involves the deep (meibomian) glands of the lid. The inflammation usually takes years to develop and therefore weeks to disappear. SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: crusting (sticky lids in A.M.) discharge burning light sensitivity (photophobia) red irritable eyes and lids loss of/or irregular eye lashes knobby eye lids Itching THE TREATMENT OF ALL TYPES OF BLEPHARITIS IS THE SAME WITH SMALL MODIFICATIONS (see page two (2)) CAUTION Symptoms may get WORSE during the first or second week of treatment Significant improvement may take up to 6-8 weeks Treatment at a reduced level may be required for the rest of your life If you wear CONTACT LENSES please omit use of ointment in a.m. The whole routine should be repeated TWICE DAILY EVERY DAY for approximately THREE MONTHS SCRUB ROUTINE – (10 minutes)
(b) Scrub eye lashes (not inside eye) upper and lower both eyes with a warm mixture of 5- 6 drops of Johnson's "NO MORE TEARS" baby shampoo and a 1/2 cup of warm tap water. Use Q-tips or cotton balls moistened (not wet) with mixture to perform. (Each lid minimum of 60 seconds - 4 minutes in all.) (c) Warm compresses to lids. Use face cloth, wet with HOT tap water, then squeeze out excess water let steam penetrate eye lid (NB - EYES are closed during this manoeuvre) (3 minutes)
(g) If your Blepharitis is severe the doctor may prescribe special medications, with instructions as to the daily dosage required and the schedule to follow for your treatment. SUMMARY OF DAILY ROUTINE MORNING - Scrub routine (3 first steps) - 1 eyedrop in each eye - 1 application of ointment to both eyes AFTERNOON - 1 eyedrop in each eye - 1 capsule (if prescribed) EVENING - 1 eyedrop in each eye BEDTIME - Scrub routine (3 first steps) - 1 eyedrop in each eye - 1 application of ointment BEST PRODUCTS TO USE - Aveeno Bar OR Neutrogena - Q-tips IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL |
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