Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Cranberries – Healthy for the Eyes



 








Don’t give up those cranberry products just because Thanksgiving is over. For the past decade, the consumption of cranberries has increased due to the health-promoting effects. Maintaining urinary tract health is the most commonly known health benefit of cranberries and cranberry products. Even dried cranberries are healthy. What do these do for the eye?

Introducing cranberries into your meals is a tasty way to boost your health. Cranberries are a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, beta-carotene, and fiber.

Another potential benefit is the natural anti-inflammatory, your Folic acid, carrot noise, such as Lutein which promotes eye health.

Vitamins and minerals do have health benefits, but too much can also cause harm.

  • Vitamin C helps to protect the eye against UV light damage.
  • Vitamin A to nourish other parts of your eye, including the cornea. Without vitamin A, your eyes cannot produce enough moisture.
  • Calcium regulates how light-sensitive cells in the retina recover after being exposed to light. There is such a thing as too much calcium in the body so consults with your physician to watch your calcium levels.
  • Beta carotene is a provitamin, a carotenoid, that the body converts to vitamin A. It supports our health and prevents eye disease.
  • Fiber helps protect the retina and lowers the risk of developing cataracts.

Cranberry products have healthy benefits you should be indulging in throughout the year not just at Thanksgiving. Add dried cranberries to a salad, or an ice cold cranberry juice to drink. Try to find cranberry products with as few additives as possible to get the most from the cranberry products you choose.


#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Thanksgiving Themed Movies

 


Some of these movies may be turkeys, give it a try see how many you can get.


Match the Title with the Star 


1. Home for the Holidays

2. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

3. Freebirds

4. Soul Food

5. Black Friday

6. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving



1. B

2. D

3. E

4. C

5. A

6. F



Answers

A. Bruce Campbell

B. Holly Hunter

C. Vivica A. Fox

D. Steve Martin

E. Owen Wilson

F. Charlie Brown


#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

#HappyThanksgiving

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

It’s that time again

 






Yes, it is that time of the year, how many guests are coming to Thanksgiving dinner? What is Santa going to bring? What are we going to serve at our New Year's Eve party? Have you thought about those healthcare dollars that will disappear faster than the ball dropping in the Big Apple on December 31st?

Most companies have a policy of "use it or lose it" if you have a remaining balance in your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) on December 31 at 11:59 PM. You will give up that money if your healthcare expenses during the year are lower than what you have accumulated in your FSA over the year.

Some accounts will allow a short grace period and reimbursement until March 31. You should check with your employer or insurance company for details.

Some vision-related expenses are not covered by health insurance, so you can save money by using a tax-exempt FSA to cover some of those costs.

When it comes to vision care, FSA-eligible expenses include:

• The cost of an eye exam

• Prescription eyeglasses

• Prescription sunglasses

• over-the-counter reading glasses

• Contact lenses

• Eye care accessories

• Eye drops

• Eye surgery

Utilizing your FSA money to pay for vision-related expenses makes it easier to take care of your eyes and vision. Schedule an eye exam today and put your contributions to good use.

Sources:

www.CNBC.com

www.metlife.com

www.allaboutvision.com

www.healthequity.com


#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Commonly prescribed medications that may have visual side effects.







People do not always connect vision changes to their medications. Medication people take specifically for other medical conditions can affect vision and eye health. There are some medications that can cause blurred vision, eye pain, redness, or double vision.

If you develop eye symptoms from medications, your healthcare provider may need to adjust the dose or recommend a new drug. Adverse reactions to prescriptions are rare, but they do occur, especially when these drugs are taken for extended periods.

It is sometimes a tough decision to change, especially if it is a life-saving drug and works well for the condition it is prescribed.

A sampling of medications that are often associated with having visual side effects.

• Alendronate (Fosamax)

• Topiramate (Topamax)

• Isotretinoin (Accutane)

• Amiodarone (Cordarone)

• Tamsulosin (Flomax)

• Sildenafil (Viagra)

• Tamoxifen

• Chlorpromazine (Thorazine)

• Ethambutol (Myambutol)

• Prednisone or other steroids

• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or other allergy medications

• Cidofovir (Vistide)

• Digoxin (Lanoxin)

• Fingolimod (Gilenya)

• Rifampin (Rifadin)

• Doxycycline, Tetracycline, and Minocycline

• NSAIDs like ibuprofen

• Plaquenil

Some of the side effects are minor, and others can be more problematic. Some of those side effects are experienced right away, while others may present with long-term use.

Sometimes it is not a single medication, but a combination of medications causing problems.

Side effects that are connected to certain medications that can affect eye health:

• inflammation in parts of the eye

• Blurred vision

• Light sensitivity

• eye pain

• eye redness

• Damage to the optic nerve

• dry eye

• Vortex keratopathy (A golden-brown swirl-like pattern to appear on the cornea)

• Halo effect

• Changes in color perception

• Retinal deposits

• Cornea clouding

• Swelling of the macula

• Pigment changes

• Retinal degeneration

• Decreasing peripheral vision

• Elevated eye pressure

• Headache

• Shadows in vision

• Blank spots in vision

If you develop vision changes, contact your prescribing physician and eye doctor at once. Prompt treatment can protect your vision from harm. In many cases the problem will reverse as soon as the drug clears the body with early recognition of the problem. 

Sources:

www.goodrx.com

www.focusclinics.com

www.Allaboutvision.com

www.webmd.com


#visionsourcesouthhills

#DrClaudiaWendel

#PittsburghOptometrist

#PittsburghEyeCare

 

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