glaucoma-related stories
An alternative to medicinal marijuana on the horizon
While some debate its efficacy, marijuana has been sparingly prescribed for certain conditions for many years now. It has exhibited some ability to help manage pain, reduce ocular pressure for glaucoma patients, reduce nausea from chemotherapy, and help with AIDS-related wasting syndrome. But, besides the potential addictive qualities, medical marijuana also can cause some loss of memory.Scientists may have found a way to harness the medical benefits of marijuana without some of the side effects. The psychoactive compound in marijuana is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC has positive benefits such as relieving pain and anxiety but can result in cognitive problems. In fact, patients on marijuana therapy are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety in the long run. In a lab study on mice, scientists have found that organophosphorus agents (OP) had the same positive effects as THC without the downsides. Much more research is needed before this finding could be applied to humans.
Women have twice the risk of eye disease
Macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy are just some of the eye diseases we can all face as we age. A recent study from Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute shows that the numbers of vision-threatening disease is on the rise. More than 3 million Americans over age 40 suffer from visual impairment. More than half of those are women; some vision-threatening conditions strike women nearly twice as much as men. Another eye condition that strikes more women than men is dry eye syndrome. Postmenopausal and pregnant women are at an increased risk due to hormonal changes.
See your eye doctor at least once a year -- even if you don't need vision correction -- to care for your eyes and detect any issues sooner rather than later.
Oven cleaner: an unlikely eye treatment that works
Many people would be amazed at all the different uses someone can squeeze out of various household items. Vinegar and microwaves are one example. But what if your doctor told you that these drops of oven cleaner he's about to put into your eyes will help your condition? I would say no thanks, I'll keep the glaucoma.It should come as no surprise that the same substance which is used to clean grime out of ovens also moonlights as a superior eye treatment. The stuff is called nanoceria, and it can really help people with glaucoma. But before they could start using this on humans, lab rats and rabbits would need to break it in. Don't worry: not only was the oven cleaner harmless to their eyes, but it even fortified the cells against light damage!
Nanoparticles like these are the perfect size for penetrating the cornea. This allows doctors to pair it up with a compound that will successfully get inside the eye and treat glaucoma. So if your doctor asks about putting a few drops of cerium oxide nanoparticles in your eye, don't freak out. Medical applications come in all shapes and sizes, why not oven cleaner?
Steroids, lupus, and cancer
Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Men's Health
After being diagnosed with cancer I read everything that I could about the disease and what contributes to it. The word "steroid" was implanted in my mind as a big "No No" that contributed to certain cancers. Six years later one of my medical doctors studied all of my medical reports even as far back as childhood, when I had a high ANA reading on a blood test. She immediately referred me to a Rheumatoid specialist to determine if I had lupus. Sure enough I was diagnosed with lupus and one of the first things he mentioned was steroids for the inflammation. I threw up my arms in an "X" as if to ward off the medications that could bring more cancer back into my life. He set me at ease a little bit on the various types of steroids and why I needed them to control the inflammation in my joints, pleurisy (inflammation around lungs), and pericarditis (inflammation around heart).Both alone and in combination, the powerful steroids estrogen and progesterone and their synthetic equivalents (estrogen derivatives and progestins) can cause breast cancer. The dangerous performance enhancing steroids taken by athletes are male steroid hormonal drugs that build muscle. One of their risks is liver cancer. Corticosteroids are different from the "anabolic steroids" that weightlifters and other athletes sometimes take illegally to increase strength and do not cause cancer. Prednisone is the synthetic corticosteroid preparation most often used in the treatment of lupus. And in some instances to help with inflammation in cancer patients to control pain. Those individuals with organ-threatening diseases like heart, lung, brain, kidney, and liver, usually need corticosteroids in order to prevent loss of function in the organ. In addition to prednisone, some other cortisone derivatives include hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone (Medrol), and dexamethasone (Decadron).
Some of the more common side effects of steroids include changes in appearance such as acne, development of a round or moon-shaped face, and an increased appetite leading to weight gain. Steroids may also cause a redistribution of fat, leading to a swollen face and abdomen, but thin arms and legs. The skin becomes more fragile, which leads to easy bruising. An increase in susceptibility to infections may occur with high doses of steroids. Prednisone may also aggravate diabetes, glaucoma, and high blood pressure, and often increases cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Steroids also can suppress growth in children.
