Recent media coverage has brought attention to a report claiming that 18 soft contact lenses from three major companies in the industry were found to contain PFAS or toxic "forever chemicals". Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals used in a variety of consumer products for their ability to resist heat, stains, and water. They are referred to as "forever chemicals" because they break down very slowly and can accumulate in people, animals, and the environment over time. This has prompted concern about potential long-term health effects - studies have shown that high levels of exposure to some PFAS may be linked to increased risk of cancer and other adverse health issues. In contact lenses, PFAS are used to soften the material and enhance oxygen permeability. So, you might be wondering, are my soft contact lenses safe to be wearing? Currently, there is no scientific litera...
Diabetes and the Eyes If you didn’t get a chance to watch Dr. Jason on the WHO-13 Hello Iowa segment – check it out below! Eye exams are an essential part of the care plan for diabetic patients, and 46% of people with diabetes are not getting their eyes checked regularly. Dr. Jason reviews how diabetes can impact the eyes and why early detection of these complications is important. Of the US population: · 11.3% (37.3 million people) are diabetic · 8.5% are undiagnosed · 38.0% (96 million people) are pre-diabetic across all age groups · 1 in 3 over the age of 65 is diabetic and 50% are pre-diabetic · The average medical expenditure for someone with diabetes is $16,000 per year, with $9,000 of that being tied di...
I hope everyone is having a nice weekend. I wanted to take a moment and talk about the recalled artificial tears that you may have heard about on the news. I have had a few calls from patients over the last couple of weeks about these. They are Ezricare non-preserved artificial tears and were recalled on February 2nd. There have been 55 reported infections with 5 people losing vision and one person dying. How can you die from an eye drop you ask... Eye drops, like all medications, are absorbed into the body as well as the eye. In this case the bacteria got into the blood stream and the patient most likely became septic, which is an infection in the blood. These particular drops are not any I have ever heard of and I have never seen them locally. They are manufactured in India. The particular issue with these is that they are non-preserved so any bacteria that is in the bottle has nothing to stop it from growing. The photos of the drop seem to show a large bottle. The non-pr...
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