Eye Care & Surgery Center NJ Bladeless LASIK Laser Cataract Surgeon Blog

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Eye Exam Test for Risk of Stroke

There may be a valuable new eye exam test for evaluating the risk of stroke. “I was pleased to learn about a possible eye exam text for identifying patients at high risk of stroke,” said Ivan Jacobs, M.D. of The Eye Care & Surgery Center. Researchers from the University of Zurich reporting in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology outlined a results of a test called Ocular Pulse Amplitude (OPA) that can reliably detect carotid artery stenosis (CAS) or carotid artery narrowing, a condition that clogs or blocks the arteries that feed the front part of the brain which is a known risk factor for stroke. “I am hopeful that we will soon be able to perform this test as part of a routine eye exam,” commented Dr. Jacobs.

Each year, approximately 795,000 Americans suffer a new or recurrent stroke, and more than 137,000 of these people die as a result. People with severe CAS are much more likely to suffer stroke.”We would like to catch and treat CAS before that can happen, but because CAS has no symptoms and an efficient test is not currently available the disease often goes undetected,” explained Dr. Jacobs. 

"The results of the study show that ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) is a reliable, safe screening test for carotid artery stenosis," said Dr. Jacobs. “This is important as early detection of clinically significant CAS will go a long way to stroke prevention. At the moment there are some high-tech tests, such as magnetic resonance angiography and color duplex ultrasound, but they are expensive and not widely available-and certainly not part of a routine eye exam in our offices,” said Dr. Jacobs.

If you or someone you know has questions about eye exams, eye health and stroke prevention please feel free to call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment. 

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is staffed by a team of Board Certified NJ Ophthalmologists who are subspecialty Fellowship trained New Jersey eye surgeons, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, surgery for cataracts, intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration (AMD) and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, reconstructive and cosmetic facial surgery including eyelid surgery and facial and skin rejuvenation as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses, eyewear and optical services.

With locations in Westfield and Warren and Iselin, The Eye Care & Surgery Center is a leading NJ eye care practice serving the central and northern New Jersey including Old Bridge, East Brunswick, Sayreville, Milltown, North Brunswick, Kendall Park, Somerset, Dunellen, Bridgewater, Manville, Bound Brook, Raritan, Edison, Colonia, Woodbridge, Metuchen, Avenel, Carteret, Piscataway, Middlesex, Somerville, South Plainfield, North Plainfield, Roselle Park, Garwood, Clark, Kenilworth, Cranford, Gillette, Berkeley Heights, Stirling, Scotch Plains, Summit, Chatham, Watchung, Pluckemin, Rahway, Plainfield, Mountainside, Springfield, New Providence, Basking Ridge, Bedminster, Bernardsville, Millington, Union, Elizabeth, Linden, Jersey City, Irvington, Orange, West Orange, Livingston, Short Hills, Florham Park, Madison, Bloomfield, Montclair, Clifton, Garfield, Wayne, Parsippany, Troy Hills and Paramus, New Jersey.