Treatments for glaucoma in diabetes

The Diabetic’s Nightmare: Glaucoma

Bad enough that diabetes is causing serious lifestyle changes in many Filipinos today. But with the added risk of permanent blindness, diabetics will surely live a nightmare. Among the many risk factors for potential glaucoma sufferers, diabetes may just be the worse.
Considered as the leading cause of permanent blindness in the Philippines, glaucoma gradually damages the eyes until only the darkness of blindness is left. It attacks the optic nerves, which connects the eyes to the brain, and causes shrinking of the visual field leading to permanent blindness. Common risk factors for glaucoma are eye pressure, age, previous family injury, chronic steroid use, diabetes mellitus and race – among these, eye pressure is the most worrisome.
But for diabetics who day-by-day starts experiencing blurred vision should not get new glasses yet. Instead, visit your ophthalmologist. Terrible eye diseases like glaucoma, cataract and retinopathy may be afoot.
Diabetes is a disease, which results from the inability of the body to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that delivers sugar from blood to cells, which will use it for energy. Sugar accumulates in the blood in the absence of insulin.
With Diabetes, high blood sugar levels cause the lens of the eye to swell and therefore changes your ability to see. It also affects the stability of blood vessels causing a derangement of blood supply to the retina (the processing film of the eye).
Primary open-angle glaucoma, a common type of glaucoma, may or may not show symptoms. But symptoms like headaches, eye aches or pain, blurred vision, watering eyes, halos around lights and, ultimately, loss of vision are common.
“There is an association between Diabetes and the development of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma because they basically affect the same age group. A particular type of glaucoma called Neovascular Glaucoma may be a direct consequence of Diabetic disease of the retina” said Dr. Biboy Martinez, one of the country’s leading experts in glaucoma and the vice president of the Philippine Glaucoma Society (PGS).

Diabetics must visit the doctor once they experience the following symptoms: black spots in vision, flashes of light, holes in vision and blurred vision.
However, whether or not diabetics are experiencing blurred vision, they should be wary that they are the most at risk of the dreaded glaucoma.
People with type 1 diabetes should visit their eye doctors at most three to five years after diagnosis. For patients with type 2 diabetes, the should pay a visit to their eye doctor immediately after diagnosis.
Annual eye exams are recommended for both types of diabetes. Pregnant women must be wary as well if they have a history of glaucoma. They should get eye exams prior and during pregnancy.
Treatments for glaucoma in diabetes can include special eye drops, laser procedures, medicine and even surgery.
The Philippine Glaucoma Society with Allergan has launched a series of programs, activities and awareness campaigns in local and online communities to spread the word on the adverse effects of glaucoma to its patients and to the country.
Philippine Glaucoma Society with Allergan brings scientific excellence and rigor in delivering leading products that addresses glaucoma. Allergan goes beyond providing education and information. With the highest level of integrity, Allergan helps patients understand the choices available to them and make well-informed treatment decisions with their doctors.
Life can be sweeter for diabetics without the nightmare of permanent blindness. Visit your eye doctor regularly.

Global Handwashing Day Educates Country Proper Handwashing

Top officials from various organizations demonstrate proper handwashing during the launch of the multi-sectoral “I Pledge My Hand to Save a Life” campaign spearheaded by Vaseline, which aims to educate 500,000 kids all over the country on proper handwashing in.

Present during the celebration in Shangri La Makati are the following VIPS:

Chito Macapagal, Vice President for Corporate Affairs, Unilever; Rina Lopez Bautista, President of Knowledge Channel; Gina Lorenzana, Vice President for Marketing, Unilever; Timothy Grieve, Chief of Water Sanitation and Hygiene Section, UNICEF; and Merlie Asprer, Operations Manager, Adopt A School.

Like millions of children around the world, the Filipino youth are exposed to harmful bacteria that cause diseases such as diarrhea and respiratory ailments. From getting their hands dirty while playing to touching objects that are contaminated by germs, kids unknowingly get in contact with elements that pose serious threats to their health. Each year, 3.5 million kids worldwide lose their lives due to these preventable diseases.

A clean hand saves lives and the simple act of handwashing with soap is the best and most cost-efficient way to rescue children from a gloomy fate. Thus, Unilever together with international partners UNICEF and the Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing (PPPHW), has been spearheading Global Handwashing Day, an advocacy that aims to create global awareness on the importance of handwashing. Building the momentum it has established over the last five years, Vaseline continues to champion the health of children as it celebrates this year’s Global Handwashing Day on October 15.

Reaching out to more kids
As part of Unilever’s advocacy to build a Billion Better Lives and in line with the 2012 Global Handwashing Day, Vaseline is launching the awareness campaign Pledge Hands to Save Lives.

The movement has mobilized various groups and organizations such as UNICEF, the Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Knowledge Channel, and the Philippine Public Health Association to be part of the cause. This year, the brand aims to educate 500,000 kids all over the country on proper handwashing, on top of the 350,000 kids it has helped for the previous four years.

On October 13, over 1,000 children from Paco Catholic School will be joined by Unilever employees and the Manila City government, as they pledge their handwashing commitment to kick off this year’s series of initiatives for the advocacy.
Through its partnership with Knowledge Channel, the Department of Education, and Department of Social Welfare and Development, Vaseline will also educate hundreds of thousands of children as it visits more than 300 schools nationwide.

Be part of the pledge to save lives
Influencing others to take part in the advocacy is as quick and easy as washing one’s hands. Through the “I Pledge My Hand to Save a Life” website (www.pledgeyourhands.com), Vaseline encourages everyone to make a pledge of teaching another kid on proper and regular washing of hands with soap. At the Vaseline Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Vaseline), users can share with their families and friends photos and videos about handwashing.

“As we celebrate the fifth year of Global Handwashing Day, we hope to make its impact bigger through our increasing number of partners,” expressed Unilever’s Vice-President for Corporate Affairs, Mr. Chito Macapagal. “Unilever products have become part of millions of people’s everyday lives, which only inspires us to strengthen our commitment to care for our consumers especially children.”

The Global Handwashing Day is part of Unilever’s global advocacy under its “Billion Better Lives” program, which seeks to help one billion people worldwide improve their health and well-being by 2012.

Body Health Care Redefines Men's Grooming

adidas Body Care Redefines Men's Grooming

 Your grooming line is stronger than ever in coaching athletic men in their everyday beauty training. With a line that is consistent, innovative and effective men now have the complete grooming equipment to help them tackle every day. Just like every athlete needs the perfect coach, every active man needs his perfect fragrance and personal care line to start his day.

 

Developed with athletes

adidas products are developed with and for athletes which makes the adidas brand unique in the market and will be prominently signalized with the mention “Developed with athletes” on all the redesigned packaging. Some products feature patented technologies for a superior performance, a great benefit for active athletic men who depend on performance both on and off the field.

Modern, masculine appeal

Modern and masculine, with maximum visual appeal, the new adidas packaging is as invigorating and innovative as the grooming products inside.

The adidas Eau de Toilette features X-design bottles that link visually to the brand’s high-performance TECHFIT® apparel technology, further strengthening brand continuity.

adidas Body Spray is packed in a premium aluminum can, with a unique cap-free actuator that is more convenient to use—there’s no need to remove a cap to apply. Printed dots on the can suggest the advanced technology of the adidas grooming range, while white text reinforces the idea of personal care.

Shower Gel packages are ergonomically designed to better fit the hand and feature raised dots for a comfortable, easier grip in the shower. Thanks to the new translucent plastic packs and vivid and striking colours, packs are now more impactful and evoke greater sensations.

The new packaging also has a greater focus on the specific technologies and benefits of each product in the grooming line, further differentiating them from competitors.

The risk of Glaucoma, Is it higher among older patients?

Darkness at the dusk of life: Glaucoma amongst the Aged

 A man on the verge of his senior age is more susceptible to many diseases that come with age. Among others is the incurable glaucoma, which occurs more often at the dusk of man’s life.

“Indeed, the risk of glaucoma is higher among older patients and is a cause of worry. Not only does age become accountable to a number of other illnesses, it also becomes the cause of permanent blindness at the dusk of life,” said Dr. Biboy Martinez, vice-president of the Philippine Glaucoma Society, the recognized association of glaucoma specialists in the country.

As the number one cause of permanent blindness in the Philippines, Glaucoma damages the optic nerve, which is the cable that links the eye to the brain.

Fluids in the brain maintain the constant eye pressure within the eyeball. When the fluids don’t drain properly, raised intraocular eye pressure ensues and gradually robs the elderly patient of sight.

Advancing age is a significant risk factor. Other risk factors include eye pressure, previous eye injury, diabetes mellitus, chronic steroid use and race.

Glaucoma treatment aims to preserve whatever vision remains through any or a combination of the following treatments: regular eye drops, laser surgery and conventional eye surgery.

A local study done in two Manila-based eye centers in 2001  by Dr. Patricia Khu showed that Filipinos have a high incidence of Angle Closure Glaucoma. Angle Closure Glaucoma is the deadlier kind of glaucoma compared to Open angle glaucoma, which is common among Caucasians and Europeans.

The elderly should regularly have eye exams to check if glaucoma is there. Since glaucoma affects the peripheral vision early on it would be good to be able to test this easily. You can try this easy test at home: Sit and look straight, extend your arms at your side parallel to the floor and wiggle your fingers. Can you see your fingers?

Try to pull your arms back and see how far you can see. Now, slowly move your arms toward the center. Most of people should be able to see their arms at right angles to our bodies but since people hardly check their peripheral visions, patients could gradually be losing it. (Visit www.aplaceformom.com/senior-care-resources/articles/glaucoma-in-seniors for more details.)

Early detection is very effective in preventing glaucoma damage. Patients are usually unaware of the onset of the dreaded disease until they lose vision. The elderly, being at the most risk, should frequently get an eye exam to stop glaucoma on its tracks.

“We cannot prevent the onset of glaucoma especially when a patient already has it. Early detection and treatment is possible by regularly paying your eye doctor a visit,” adds Doctor Martinez.

The Philippine Glaucoma Society partnered with the globally recognized Allergan in their fight to rid the country of glaucoma with the use of education, exchange of ideas, research and publication. PGS and Allergan launched a series of campaign, projects and activities to promote their vision That no Filipino will ever go blind from glaucoma.

Glaucoma may be incurable but it should not prevent life from going on. The elderly may be at the last chapters of their lives but with early detection, they may live it without fear of losing sight of it.

Join Adobo Run After Dark on October 20

 

Have you tried to run after dark? The Adobo Run After Dark is back! And for this year, there will be 5K, 10K and 15K night race categories

The much awaited run will be held on October 20, 2012 (Saturday) at SM Mall of Asia. It will start at 6 pm.

Assembly Time:

5K – 6:50PM
10K – 6:20PM
15K – 6:00PM

For More Information:

Visit Adobo Magazine's website: http://adobomagazine.com/adoborun/

 

Exercise enthusiasts share why they love Fitness First

 

 

With so much emphasis placed on healthy living in today’s world, more people have been making a conscious effort to improve their lifestyle through exercise. For many Filipinos, top global health club Fitness First is their first choice.

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