Losing even part of your vision can be devastating. It’s common for anger, grief, and depression to accompany any loss of sight. However, with determination and persistence you can make the most of your remaining vision and continue to find much happiness and fulfillment in your life. Following these eight tips can go a long way toward refocusing your outlook.

1. Take ownership of your condition. Know that much of what must be done to maintain your independence and quality of life must be done by you.
2. Learn all you can about your eye condition. The more you understand, the less fear you may experience. Educating yourself helps pinpoint your concerns and assists you in talking to your eye doctor and others about your vision problems.
3. Write down questions for your eye doctor before your next visit. Ask a family member or close friend to go with you into the examining room, and feel free to express your questions and concerns.
4. Enlist the experts. Along with your team of professionals at Takle Eye Group, there are many agencies and organizations across the country where you can find information on support and rehabilitation services, as well as other resources. Call us for recommendations on where to get started.
5. Get devices working for you. Prescription magnifiers, telescopic aids, closed-circuit TV, and other products can help you make the most of your limited vision. Let us know what your specific challenges are, and we’ll do our best to help you meet them successfully.
6. Find support in others who are dealing with low vision. Learn how others have coped with their vision loss. They can explain how they learned to do old things in new ways and provide empathy, encouragement, and hope.
7. Stay realistic and positive. Unfortunately, some eye conditions can worsen despite the best of care. If your condition means that you could lose more of your vision, prepare yourself for the potential changes and stay positive about the challenges. You may need to develop new skills for daily living. Learn as much as you can about resources and rehabilitation services that are available. It will make adjusting easier if you are prepared ahead of time.
8. Stay hopeful about the future. Many exciting advances are continually being made through medical research. A cure may be found in the future for many eye conditions and diseases. But, whatever the future holds, be assured that you are getting the best in knowledgeable and compassionate care with your team of professionals at Takle Eye Group.

 

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These days, few smokers could claim that they don’t know about the dangers to their health. Lung cancer, emphysema, and other smoking-related diseases are well known. But, aside from these potentially life-threatening illnesses, can smoking affect your vision? And, if so, how?

In 2014, the Surgeon General published an extensive report on The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress. The report highlighted the progress and new data available on the known effects of smoking and discussed opportunities to bring the smoking epidemic in the United States to an end.

First, the big picture: Since the Surgeon General’s first report on smoking and health in 1964, more than 20 million Americans have died of smoking-related illness, and it’s projected that nearly 500,000 will continue to die prematurely each year as a result of smoking. The annual economic costs of tobacco use are nearly $300 billion annually.

According to the Report:

• Smoking causes cataracts.
• Smoking causes Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
• Smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to develop dry eye syndrome
• Smoking can increase the risk of developing diabetes, make diabetes management more difficult, and can lead to more diabetes complications.
• Smoking may also increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy (if you are already diabetic).

Many employers now offer smoking cessation programs to their employees. If you don’t have access to those, there is plenty of free support available from various organizations. Also, enlist the help of family and friends. Living longer and healthier for our loved ones can be a powerful incentive to overcome the addiction.

The good news from the report is that quitting smoking now may reduce your risk of ever developing AMD, cataracts, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy, along with many other ailments. The professionals at Takle Eye Group are excited to monitor your eye health throughout your smoking cessation journey. Call us to make an appointment!

For more information from the 2014 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, click here.

 

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Takle Eye Group is thrilled to announce that Dr. Benjamin Baumrind is now a full-time member of our retinal surgery team!

Dr. Baumrind began with Takle Eye Group as his primary practice location in July 2016. As a surgical retina specialist, he brings his expertise in treating such conditions as diabetic retinopathy, retinal tears and detachment, macular degeneration, vein occlusions, hereditary retinal issues, and more. With board certification from the American Board of Ophthalmology

and a focused clinical interest in the treatment and management of diabetic retinal issues and macular degeneration, Dr. Baumrind has proven to be an invaluable addition to our practice.

From the outset, Dr. Baumrind, an Atlanta native, has been eager to use his skills and training to serve the needs of our local community. Get to know Dr. Baumrind better and learn what life-changing experience caused him to break from his family line of dentists and become an eye surgeon. Read Dr. Baumrind’s full bio here.

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