Father’s Day note: For Men’s health(June)month take care of your eyes and see to life
By Dr. Lawrence Jones II
Father’s Day as part of Men’s Health (June) month, is a great reminder to tell the man in your life to go get those eyes checked.
The eye is a doorway to our health evaluation. An optometrist or an ophthalmologist can look into a person’s eye with an ophthalmoscope and the latest medical equipment to view the back of the eyes and detect veins, arteries, and nerves.
Either doctor can tell if a person has diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol), glaucoma, cataracts, and other vision impairments that can lead to blindness. Finding a good doctor that you feel comfortable with is very important.
Optometrists and ophthalmologists often mention that catching and diagnosing certain eye conditions can lead to more favorable outcomes.
People who typically wear prescription glasses often have their eyes examined more than people who do not wear prescription glasses. Having eyes checked annually is not necessarily a goal for people with no prescription eyewear.
Unfortunately, later in life, the majority of people over 60 years old realize that their eye muscles have begun to weaken, and prescription eyeglasse
s are inevitable. I know that this may sound very simplistic; however, getting in the habit of having regular eye checkups and exams starting at least by the time person brings in their 40’s can provide significant benefit and health literacy in our eyes.
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor (physician)that trained in surgical sight and medical care. Ophthalmologists provide vision services, eye exams, entails correcting cataracts surgically and plastic surgery on eyelids. An optometrist, a doctor of optometry, provides vision services, eye exams, and eyeglass fitting.
Several commercial eyeglass chains provide an eye exam. I would encourage everyone who can take advantage of those eye examinations to do so sooner than later. The exam may catch something you were unaware of, such as having any of the illnesses or conditions that may be silent.
If you’re in that job or profession that requires spending a lot of time driving or in front of a computer screen, it would be good to get an eye exam and the right glasses fitted for you.
On a historical note, in 1838, David K. McDonogh, a 19-year-old slave from New Orleans, enrolled in the College of Physicians and Surgeons (later Columbia University Medical School). Dr. David McDonogh lived to 72 years of age and died in 1893. The McDonough Memorial Hospital opened on West 41st Street in New York City in 1898. Dr. McDonogh was the first African-American eye specialist.
References:
Irisvision(2022). A List of Best Eye Care Tips for Men .A List of Best Eye Care Tips for Men | IrisVision
Jones, A (October 15, 2020).Influential Black Ophthalmologists :A series of firsts: we explore the Black figures who shaped the field. Influential Black Ophthalmologists (theophthalmologist.com)
Koplin, R.S. (October 6, 2016). America’s First African-American Eye Specialist: David K. McDonogh, MD. America’s First African-American Eye Specialist: David K. McDonogh, MD – American Academy of Ophthalmology (aao.org)
Maryland Vision Institute (June 2022). Glaucoma Treatment | Glaucoma Specialist | Glaucoma Surgeon | Ophthalmologist | Prince Frederick MD | Annapolis MD (marylandvisioninstitute.com)
Maryland Vision Institute (June 2022).Cataract Surgery | Cataract Surgeon | Premium Cataract Lens | ORA | LenSx | IOL | Ophthalmologist | Eye Doctor | Hagerstown MD | Frederick MD | Hancock MD (marylandvisioninstitute.com)
Seltman, W. (October 27, 2020). Eye Doctors: Optometrists and Ophthalmologists. Eye Doctors: Optometrist vs Ophthalmologist vs Optician (webmd.com)