Protect Childrens’ Eyelids from Dog Bites

Dog Bites on Childrens’ Eyelids

Eyelid lacerations in children can be caused by all types of accidental occurrences. Parents should be aware of the increased risks of eyelid lacerations caused by dog bites. According to researchers from Boston Childrens Hospital eyelid lacerations caused by dog bites are much more likely to cause damage to the delicate tear gland-the lacrimal gland-and the tear drainage structures. For this reason, if your child is accidentally bitten on the eyelid by a dog, be sure to tell the eye doctor so that a very careful examination and evaluation of the eyelid tissue and tear ducts can be performed. In about 1/3 of eyelid dog bites in children, we will find some damage that needs to be treated or repaired.

If you or someone you know has a child who is bitten on the eyelid or face by a dog please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.

Welcome Dipal Shah, M.D.!

Please join all of us at The Eye Care & Surgery Center in welcoming Dr. Dipal Shah to our practice.  

Dr. Shah will be available to patients requiring routine, medical and surgical eye care specializing in patients suffering from diseases of the cornea and external eye including dry eye, inflammatory conditions of the cornea and infectious disease and conditions of the cornea, as well as those needing surgical management of corneal disease including corneal transplants and corneal collagen cross linking to treat thinning and bulging problems of the cornea called ectasias such as Keratoconus. Dr. Shah has a special interest in both routine and complex laser cataract surgery with multifocal lens implants to provide a range of far, arm’s length and near vision as well as astigmatism correcting lens implants.

About Dipal Shah, M.D

Dr. Shah is a New Jersey native and earned her undergraduate degree at Brown University in providence, Rhode Island and Medical Degree at Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School. She completed a Residency in Ophthalmology at North Shore-Long Island Jewish Hospital (Northwell Health, Great Neck, N.Y.) where she served as Chief Resident, followed by a Fellowship in Cornea and External Disease at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF)-The Proctor Foundation. She has had the privilege of providing laser vision correction for our military service as part of the team at The USAF Warfighter Laser Surgery Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Cataracts & Vitamin D

Cataracts continue to be a leading cause of vision decline in seniors as well as aging baby boomers. Those patients who do not yet have a cataract often ask if it is possible to reduce their risk or avoid cataracts with vitamins or diet supplement. Since Vitamin D has been shown to have an antioxidant effect it might seem like a good bet to reduce cataracts. But, the data continues to be confusing with regard to Vitamin D and cataract prevention. Researchers reporting in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery studied the impact and relationship between serum levels of Vitamin D and the risk of age related cataracts. They were able to eliminate the effect of other cataract risk factors such as age, sex, smoking status, diabetes, hypertension, and sunlight exposure. The results showed that in men, but not in women, the odds of developing age-related cataracts decreased with statistical significance when the serum Vitamin D levels were in the highest 10%  as compared to the when they were in the lowest 10%. But, it wasn’t a uniform trend throughout the range-only in comparison of the top to the bottom levels of serum Vitamin D levels. This, along with no real benefit for women makes the results warrant more study for now. Fortunately cataract surgery and lens implants offer a safe, effective and predictable treatment method with excellent results.

If you or some you know is concerned about their cataract risk or needs a cataract eye exam please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.

Increased Risk Factors for Cataract Surgery in Postmenopausal Women

According to a recent study reported in the journal Ophthalmology, smoking, diabetes and obesity may increase the risk of cataract surgery in postmenopausal women. The results of the “UK Million Women Study” included more than 1.3 million postmenopausal women who had not previously had cataract surgery. The women were followed for cataracts treated surgically and studies with powerful statistics to calculate the adjusted relative risks for cataract surgery in terms of use of hormonal therapies, reproductive history, lifestyle factors and diabetes treatment. Two percent of women had diabetes, which was the strongest risk factor for cataract surgery. Additionally, both past and current smoking was found to elevate the risk for cataract surgery. Obesity, with a Body Mass Index of 30 kg/m² or greater, was also found to have a small increase in risk of cataracts treated surgically.

If you or someone you know has been told they have a cataract or is concerned about cataract symptoms of cloudy vision, glare sensitivity or night driving problems and wishes to schedule a cataract & lens implant exam please call The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.

Cataract Story from Mal D

“When I went to see Dr. Confino for the first time I was wearing glasses for distance, glasses for reading, glasses for my computer. I also had a lovely pair that I wore to drive that had distance on top and the bottom so I could see the dash board. My vision was getting worse and I thought I might have the beginning of cataracts like some of my friends. After a thorough examination of my eyes and explanation of my situation by Dr. Confino and his staff, I learned I did not have cataracts yet. I was offered an alternative to my current eye glass situation after complaining how miserable it was to have to always be searching for a pair to take care of the right task. Dr. Confino suggested a clear lens extraction, which as explained to me, was the same as cataract surgery but without the cataract and I would never develop cataracts. He went on to tell me my eyes were healthy enough to have a multifocal lens so I wouldn’t need glasses for reading or far away. I thought he was kidding, could it be true? Done with glasses? I went on to speak with Jerette Lerner who works closely with Dr. Confino. She explained everything to me, what steps I need to take, answered all my questions and held my hand through the process. Fast forward, it has now been several months since my surgery which was painless and I have never been happier or felt more liberated. After struggling with glasses all my life then reading glasses too, I felt young again. My eyes will now see everything as I enjoy all the world has to show me. Thank you Dr. Confino and Jerette for all your amazing help and guidance and to their staff for making the process seamless.”

If you or someone you know experiences cloudy, blurry vision and difficulty with night driving and faded colors you might wish to learn more about cataracts, laser cataract surgery and lens implants by scheduling a cataract eye exam at The Eye Care & Surgery Center by calling The Eye Care & Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visiting The Eye Care & Surgery Center, Google+ or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.

The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey 07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout central and northern New Jersey.