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HEALTHCARE NEWS YOU CAN USE FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY
APRIL 2015
IN THIS ISSUE | 3 Dental implants | 3-4 Top events and support groups
Understanding cataracts
Effective treatment often restores vision to what was enjoyed during a patient’s younger years
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By Meghann Finn Sepulveda
cataract is often described as cloudiness in the lens of the eye that develops over time. This very common condition is experienced by half of all Americans by the time they reach age 80, according to the National Eye Institute. However, through advanced screenings and new surgical technologies, cataracts can often be treated effectively so that vision can be restored.
Understanding cataracts
A cataract is when the lens of the eye, used to focus and adjust light, becomes cloudy and affects eyesight. Symptoms include blurred vision, haziness, glare and eye strain. Patients may also report trouble seeing at night. “Age-related cataracts are the most common [eye problem] for people over 50,” said Neil Atodaria, M.D., ophthalmologist and cataract and glaucoma surgeon at Barnet Dulaney Perkins Eye Center. “Poor nutrition, medication and UV (ultraviolet light) exposure are also thought to be contributing factors.”
Joseph Mittel, M.D., an allergist who is in private practice and is also part of the Banner Health Network, runs an allergen scratch test on Nicole Masnada of Phoenix (below, right). Later, he measures her reactions to various food and environmental allergens (above).
NOTHING TO SNEEZE AT
A normal view of an image (left) and how the same image might be viewed by a person with cataracts. | National Institutes of Health A traumatic cataract can develop following an eye injury. Congenital and secondary cataracts (from medication or inflammation), while less common, do occasionally occur. An ophthalmologist can detect a cataract during a comprehensive eye exam. “The lens in the eye starts to turn slightly yellow,” Atodaria said. “If vision begins to decrease, a cataract is the first thing we try to rule out.” CATARACTS, continued on page 2
a-z H E A LT H C A R E B R I E F S UA Valley Fever Center for Excellence The Valley Fever Center for Excellence at The University of Arizona has developed a Valley Fever reference booklet for physicians and other healthcare professionals. Valley Fever, which is endemic to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, results in an estimated 150,000 infections annually. The first printing of the booklet was enough to give a free copy to every medical student and medical resident in Arizona. Copies also are available through the Arizona Medical Association, the medical societies of Pima and Maricopa Counties, the Arizona Department of Health Services and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An electronic copy of the booklet is posted on the Valley Fever Center for Excellence website at vfce.arizona.edu (602-406-8253; 520-626-6517).
Seasonal, environmental, food and more: allergies appear to be on the rise
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ASU Speech and Hearing Clinic The ASU Speech and Hearing Clinic is open to the public and offers comprehensive research-based services to patients of all ages using a wide range of diagnostic audiological services to assess hearing ability and balance. The clinic also offers rehabilitative services to provide hearing aids, cochlear implant mapping, FM systems, other assistive devices and aural rehabilitation. Insurance is accepted with appropriate prior authorization and a sliding fee scale is available for those meeting financial eligibility requirements. Upcoming free class: Living with Hearing Loss. The next sevenweek session starts April 18. MORE INFO: 480-965-2373; chs.asu.edu/shs/clinic
STORY BY DEBRA GELBART | PHOTOS BY RICK D’ELIA
n Arizona, Bermuda grass, ragweed, olive trees and ash trees are the primary causes of seasonal allergies, said Jeannine Hinds, M.D., a family medicine physician with the John C. Lincoln Health Network. The most problematic months are typically February through May, but some weeds, such as western ragweed, can appear in the fall, said Phoenix allergist Joseph Mittel, M.D. Typical symptoms are sneezing, itchy nose, eyes and throat, and stuffy or runny nose, said Mittel, who is in private practice and is also part of the Banner Health Network. “Itchiness is a hallmark of allergy compared with a cold,” he said. Hinds added that a cold often will come on gradually but an allergy will strike suddenly. Treatments for seasonal and indoor allergies, Mittel said, include medications such as nasal sprays, antihistamines and eye drops, minimizing exposure by keeping windows closed, and ‘immunotherapy’ or allergy shots. Ideally, he said, your doctor will place you on the lowest amount of medication needed to control your symptoms. Allergies can get worse without treatment, he said, so if you suspect you may be allergic to something in the environment, it might be a good idea to seek treatment before the allergy season to get ahead of reacting to allergens.
Food allergies
Most true food allergies start in childhood, said Cindy Salm Bauer, M.D., an allergist on staff at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. About 90 percent of food allergies, Bauer said, are linked to just “Even if you’re not allergic to cat or six foods: cow’s milk, eggs, soy, wheat, fish and nuts. dog dander, but are allergic to say, With food, it’s important to know the difference between an allergy, a sensitivity and an intolerance, Bauer said. A blood or Bermuda grass, pets can bring that skin test can show what’s called IgE cell-mediated sensitivity allergen into the house on their to any of these six (or other) foods, but patients would only be diagnosed with an allergy if they exhibit allergic symptoms, hair. It’s best in that situation not such as hives or breathing difficulties after consuming troubleto let pets sleep in bedrooms.” some foods. Meanwhile, an intolerance to say, lactose, may be charac—Joseph Mittel, M.D. terized by gastrointestinal symptoms, Bauer said. The ideal treatment for these issues is avoidance of the foods that trigger a response, Mittel said. ALLERGIES, continued on page 2
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