What do they have in common? Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) happens to be the common denominator between cancer, diabetic retinopathy and "wet" macular degeneration. Surprising that the latest treatments for the the eye are the same chemotherapy treatments for a variety of cancers? Does it seem to you that Avastin is used to treat diabetic macular edema, … [Read more...]
Standard of Care vs. FDA Approved – How We Choose a Treatment
January 13, 2010 By 11 Comments
Avastin® is not FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved for treating wet macular degeneration, but it is the standard of care for treating the disease. The FDA has given approval for Avastin to be used to treat a variety of cancers, but nothing about eyes. What is Standard of Care? Standard of care is the treatment that another prudent healthcare professional, … [Read more...]
Evidence Based Medicine – Where’s the Beef?
January 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I believe that doctors should base their medical decisions and recommendations based upon evidence based medicine. Evidence based medicine is the "proof" that a given treatment is worthwhile. It is the process through which a new procedure, or drug, must pass to gain acceptance. In the U.S., in order for a new drug to acceptable, it must be proven to be safe and … [Read more...]
Blood in the Eye: You Make the Call
January 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Last week another long time patient of mine (as most are with diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration) returned with complaints of the sudden onset of floaters in the left eye. The floaters had been present for about one month, they hadn't cleared and he made an appointment. I've added this illustration that resembles what I saw after dilating his pupils. … [Read more...]
Blood in the Retina: You Make the Call
January 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
A patient of mine returned this morning with complaints of decreased vision in the right eye. She is 84 years old, has a history of smoking and noted some "blurriness" in the right eye for the past few months. With both eyes open, however, she sees pretty well. The first thing we did was examine her. This is a retinal photograph of the right eye. What do you … [Read more...]
Smoking Causes Macular Degeneration?
January 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
There is a recent study that concludes that smokers 80 and older increase their risk of developing macular degeneration. There was a correlation between increased risk of developing macular degeneration and alcohol consumption as well. Both smoking and alcohol were related to an increased risk of developing macular degeneration above the normal rate associated with … [Read more...]
I Promise To…Tips for Seeing Well in 2010
January 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Happy New Year and welcome back to the first full week of 2010. To Bring in the New Year, I have a few suggestions; 1. Patients with Diabetes - make sure to get an eye exam at least once this year. This should be with your pupils dilated and not an examination for just glasses. Remember, even if your sugar is controlled and you are happy with your vision, get … [Read more...]
