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Drugs for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Are They Too Expensive?
The effectiveness of treatments for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an important issue, but so, too, is their cost. In a study reported in the journal Retina (volume 30, page 212) three widely used therapies for age-related macular degeneration -- pegaptanib (Macugen), ranibizumab (Lucentis) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin (Visudyne) -- were investigated for their treatment outcomes as well as their Medicare-associated costs. More...
How Diabetic Retinopathy Affects Vision
It's estimated that more than four million Americans with diabetes age 40 and over suffer from diabetic retinopathy a serious condition that can lead to vision loss. What is diabetic retinopathy and how does it affect the eye? Read on for a brief explanation. More...
New Technologies to Brighten Low Vision
Assistive devices for people with low vision have come a long way since the days of clunky magnifying lamps and magnifying glasses. New technologies can help you see better, increase your independence and help you conduct transactions online from the comfort of your home. Here are several devices you might want to try. More...
Lowering IOP Through Exercise
If you've just been diagnosed with glaucoma, youll want to do everything you can to remain as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Can exercise help you achieve this goal? While the mainstay of glaucoma therapy remains lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) with medication, laser treatment or surgery, some evidence suggests that a regular exercise program can help support your medical therapy. More...
A Look at Two Alternative Treatments for AMD
Are you thinking about trying an alternative therapy to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD)? Like anyone with a serious illness, you might be tempted to try something that sounds like a miracle cure. But beware, snake-oil salesmen abound. More...
How to Make the Most of Limited Vision and Mobility
Taking a brisk walk is tough to do when you can't see well. Even a short stroll can become a dangerous obstacle course as you swerve to maneuver curbs, check traffic and avoid bumping passersby. Still, some people with limited vision clip along quite well, and researchers at Johns Hopkins are trying to understand why some fare better than others -- and which of their lessons can be passed along. More...
Staying on Track With Your Glaucoma Regimen
If you've ever taken any medication for more than a few weeks, you know how difficult it can be to stick to a strict drug regimen. If you have glaucoma, following the prescribed regimen may be an even greater challenge. Not only might you need to use glaucoma eyedrops multiple times each day, but you also need to get them into your eye -- a more complicated task than swallowing a pill. More...
Focus on the Intraocular Lens Implant (IOL)
Cataract surgery involves removing all or part of the lens and replacing it with an intraocular lens implant (IOL). The quarter-inch plastic lens implant is typically inserted into the lens capsule behind the iris (posterior chamber intraocular lens). However, when the lens capsule is absent, a different kind of intraocular lens may be inserted in front of the iris (anterior chamber intraocular lens). More...
How Early Should You Treat People at Risk for Glaucoma?
Eye pressure that is higher than the normal range is an important risk factor for primary open-angle glaucoma the most common form of glaucoma. Early treatment reduces the risk of developing open-angle glaucoma, according to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study, but should all ocular hypertensives be treated, and if not, is there harm in waiting on treatment for those at lower risk? More...
How Hypertension Can Put Your Vision at Risk
If you have ever experienced love at first sight, you know that the heart and the eyes share an intimate connection. Unfortunately, the eyes and the heart are also linked in a less romantic way: through hypertension, or high blood pressure. More...
Blue-Blocking Intraocular Lenses and Insomnia: Is There a Link?
During cataract surgery the patients lens is removed and a plastic intraocular lens (IOL) implant is inserted. Once inserted, lens implants require no care. As with any device, however, complications can occur. Recently a reader asked us: "After my husband's cataract surgery, he started having trouble sleeping. Could his blue-blocking intraocular lenses be responsible?" Heres what the research suggests. More...
3 Key Surgical Procedures to Repair Retinal Detachment
Retinal detachment is a vision-threatening condition in which the retina becomes separated from the underlying layers of the eye. The greatest risk of retinal detachment occurs after cataract surgery among people who are also very nearsighted. Even in the absence of cataract surgery, being very nearsighted is the principal risk factor for retinal detachment. More...
How Cataracts Affect Your Vision
Sooner or later many of us will develop a cataract. Here in brief is an explanation of how cataracts affect vision. More...
Focus on Diet and Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Ten years ago, researchers involved in the landmark Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) demonstrated that high doses of selected antioxidants and zinc slowed the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by a factor of 25 percent and reduced the risk of related vision loss by a factor of 19 percent. However, there was a slight catch: Only people with intermediate or unilateral advanced disease benefited from taking the high-dose cocktail, which consisted of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene and zinc. More...
5 Common Causes of Cataracts
Currently, no effective drug therapy exists to prevent cataracts from forming. However, cigarette smoking, certain medications, eye injuries, sunlight, diabetes and even obesity can increase the risk of cataracts. More...
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Health Topic Pages
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Arthritis
- Xarelto: A New Drug for New Joints
- Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia: Should You Try It?
- Tackling B Cells to Fight Lupus
- Does Complementary Medicine Work for Osteoarthritis? Heres What We Know
- Research Report: Aquatic Exercise Aids Recovery After Knee Replacement
- Advice to Help You Sleep Better with Fibromyalgia
- In the Pipeline: DMOADs for Osteoarthritis
- More Alerts...
- Arthritis in Your Ankle? You've Got Choices!
- Gentle Workouts Relieve Arthritis Pain
- Whats the Link Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cancer?
- Gout and Soda: Whats the Connection?
- Joint Replacement: It's Not Just Knees and Hips
- Fibromyalgia: Understanding a Mysterious Ailment
- Chronic Lyme Disease vs. Post-Lyme Disease
- More Special Reports...
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Back Pain
- Research Update: Manual Mobilization Improves Kyphosis
- 5 Tips to Help You Maintain a Healthy Back
- The Alexander Technique: An Alternative Therapy for Chronic Back Pain
- Improving Posture to Prevent Back Pain
- Neck Strength Training: How It Can Help
- Yoga for Low Back Pain Relief: Alternative No Longer
- Adult Scoliosis: Could It Be the Cause of Your Back Pain?
- More Alerts...
- 9 Exercises to Strengthen Your Back
- Back Pain Is It All in Your Head?
- Advice To Help You Get a Good Night's Sleep With an Aching Back
- A Back-Strengthening Program
- An Imaging Arsenal for Diagnosing Back Pain
- Corticosteroid Spinal Injections for Back Pain Relief
- Back Pain and Osteoporosis Glossary
- More Special Reports...
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Cancer
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Caregivers | Caregiving
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Colon Cancer
- Colonoscopy Prep Advice
- Do Colon Polyps Always Lead to Colon Cancer?
- Preventing Colorectal Cancer Recurrence with Aspirin Therapy: Yea or Nay?
- Many Reasons for Optimism in the Fight Against Colorectal Cancer
- Follow-Up After Colorectal Surgery: What to Expect
- Interpreting the Signs and Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer
- The Virtues of Virtual Colonoscopy
- More Alerts...
- The Promise of Personalized Colon Cancer Therapy
- How Old Is Too Old for Colorectal Cancer Surgery?
- In the Pipeline: Biomarkers for Detection of Colorectal Cancer
- Flat Colon Lesions: Cause for Concern?
- Making Your Colonoscopy Count
- Coping With the Mental Side Effects of Chemotherapy
- Surviving the Emotional Aftershock of Colorectal Cancer
- More Special Reports...
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Complementary Medicine
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Depression and Anxiety
- Bipolar Disorder Type 1 or 2: How to Tell the Difference
- Research on Bright-Light Therapy for SAD and Bipolar Disorder
- Research on Vitamins B6 and B12 and Depression
- Weight Gain: An Unwelcomed Side Effect of Psychiatric Medications
- When Electroconvulsive Therapy Is the Right Choice
- When Anxiety Spins Out of Control
- What Causes Dysthymia?
- More Alerts...
- Treating Mood Disorders With Hallucinogenic Drugs
- Facing Your Fears With Exposure Therapy
- Why Older Women Have Eating Disorders
- What Happens When Stress Doesn't Go Away
- The Pain-Mood Connection
- Report on Substance Abuse and Aging
- Anxiety and Your Physical Health
- More Special Reports...
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Diabetes
- Which Comes First: Diabetes or Depression?
- Sugars and Sugar Alcohols: Whats the Difference?
- Diabetes and the Glycemic Index
- Diabetes and Sex: Dont Give Up Hope
- Carbohydrates: How Low Should You Go?
- How to Recognize the Symptoms of Hypoglycemia
- Going on the Offensive to Protect Yourself Against Heart Disease
- More Alerts...
- Prediabetes: Meeting an Epidemic With New Treatment Goals
- Looking Out for Number One: Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
- Traveling Safely With Diabetes
- Understanding How Insulin Regulates Blood Glucose
- The Role of Insulin in Blood Glucose Control
- Getting a Better Look at Blood Sugar Levels
- Making Sense of Type 2 Diabetes Medications
- More Special Reports...
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Digestive Health
- Ask the Doctor About GERD
- Depression & Celiac Disease: A Growing Problem
- Signs and Symptoms of Gallstones
- Six Strategies to Protect Against Esophageal Cancer
- Primer on Hiatal Hernia
- Whats So Great About Fiber?
- Diagnosing Pancreatic Cancer: What to Expect
- More Alerts...
- On the Horizon: Two New Surgical Treatments for GERD
- Focus on Peptic Ulcers
- Life Without a Gallbladder
- 7 Tips to Help You Reduce Bloating
- How Your Gut Can Affect Your Bones
- What to Expect From Your Endoscopy
- Four Relaxation Techniques to Soothe Your Digestive Discomfort
- More Special Reports...
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Enlarged Prostate
- Should You Try Saw Palmetto for Your BPH Symptoms? What We Recommend
- Should You Have a PSA Screening Test? Johns Hopkins Responds to Recent USPSTF Recommendations
- How Severe Is Your BPH? Take This Prostate Symptom Questionnaire to Find Out
- Which Is It: Prostatitis or Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS)?
- Keeping Enlarged Prostate in Check
- A Look at the UPOINT System
- Should You Try an ED Drug for BPH?
- More Alerts...
- Two-Drug Options for BPH
- Do You Have BPH? Take This Prostate Symptom Questionnaire to Find Out
- PVP or TURP for BPH?
- In the Pipeline: New Treatments for BPH
- BPH: New Discoveries May Lead to Better Treatment
- What Does It Mean? PSA Terminology Explained
- More Special Reports...
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Exercise and Fitness
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Healthy Living
- Research on Compression Stockings to Prevent Blood Clots
- Advice to Help You Stay Healthy When You Travel
- Guidelines on Alcohol Consumption: How Much Is Too Much?
- Male Stoicism: Bad for the Health
- Fluzone High-Dose: A Flu Vaccine for Older Adults
- Fighting Pancreatic Cancer: Treatments on the Horizon
- 9 Dos and Donts for Older Drivers
- More Alerts...
- Do You Have a Thyroid Disorder?
- Impulse Control: The Link Between Parkinson's and Gambling
- The Pain-Mood Connection
- Your Cosmetic Dentisty Options
- How the FDA Approval Process Works
- Are You At Risk For Gallstones?
- Breathe Easier With An Air Purifier
- More Special Reports...
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Heart Health
- 10 Steps to Lower Triglycerides
- Migraines Linked to Risk of Heart Attacks
- Grapefruit Interactions: Advice to Help You Stay Safe
- After a Heart Attack: Nine Important Steps to Follow
- Angina Basics
- Gum Disease and Heart Disease: Whats the Link?
- Heart Attacks Decreasing Survival Increasing
- More Alerts...
- The Research on Psoriasis and Cardiovascular Disease
- Cardiac Rehab Works: Heres How
- Protecting Your Heart With Whole Grains
- What You Should Know About C-Reactive Protein
- Zapping Abnormal Heart Rhythms
- Ways to Boost Your HDL Cholesterol
- The Best Screening Tests for People Without Symptoms of Heart Disease
- More Special Reports...
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Hypertension and Stroke
- Understanding the Two Types of Stroke
- Sleep Apnea Linked to Increased Stroke Risk
- Another Reason to Rev Up Your Exercise Regimen
- Where Do Migraines Come From?
- Research: Blood Pressure Fluctuations Linked to Stroke Signs
- How Worried Should You Be About a Stroke?
- Can Moderate Alcohol Consumption Prevent Hypertension?
- More Alerts...
- Hypertension and Your Sex Life
- Are You At Risk For Vascular Dementia?
- Can You Pass the Stroke Symptom Test?
- Controlling Difficult-to-Control Hypertension
- When Your Heart Feels Like It's Skipping a Beat
- Guidelines on Controlling Pain Without Raising Your Blood Pressure
- Get Moving To Lower Your Blood Pressure
- More Special Reports...
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Knee Replacement Surgery
- Is Age an Obstacle to Knee Replacement Surgery?
- Weighing the Pros and Cons of Knee Replacement Surgery
- Resuming Physical Activities After Your Knee Replacement
- Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement Surgery
- Female Knee Replacements
- After Knee Replacement Surgery: Rehab and Recovery
- What Happens During Knee Replacement
- More Special Reports...
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Lung Disorders
- Lung Cancer: When Nonsmokers Are Affected
- Sleep Apnea Linked to Increased Stroke Risk
- Fluzone High-Dose: A Flu Vaccine for Older Adults
- Research on Smoking and Prostate Cancer
- Asthma in Older Adults: Misdiagnosed and Undertreated
- E-cigarettes: Another Option to Help You Quit Smoking?
- COPD and Sleep Disorders: Common and Serious
- More Alerts...
- Bronchoscopy: Taking a Closer Look
- Planning Ahead: The Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney
- On the Horizon: A New Treatment for COPD
- Four Steps to Better Asthma Control
- COPD: Catching the Silent Killer
- Home Monitoring for Sleep Apnea
- Looking At How The Lungs Work
- More Special Reports...
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Memory
- Research Shows That Having a Purpose in Life May Lower Alzheimer's Risk
- Advice to Keep Dementia at Bay
- Mild Cognitive Impairment: Is It a Sign of Alzheimers?
- How Dr. Folstein Created the MMSE
- Unraveling the Mystery of Cognitive Impairment in Parkinsons Disease Patients
- Research Update: Dementia Linked to Atrial Fibrillation
- Does Namenda Work? Dr. Rabins Addresses a Difficult Question
- More Alerts...
- Food for Thought
- Your Aging Brain: Whats Normal, Whats Not
- Does Light Therapy Help Alzheimers Patients Sleep?
- Habilitation: A Better Caregiving Approach
- Guarding Your Memory
- Activities to Engage the Dementia Patient
- Caregivers -- The Hidden Patients
- More Special Reports...
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Men's Health
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Nutrition and Weight Control
- BMI Isnt the Only Way To Evaluate Your Weight: Here Are Others
- Gaining Weight? It Could Be Your Medication
- Advice to Help You Kick-Start Your Metabolism
- Research: Exercise Plus DASH Diet Lowers Blood Pressure More
- Understanding Why Metabolism Matters
- Research on Vitamins B6 and B12 and Depression
- Fight Disease With Phytochemicals
- More Alerts...
- Making Sense of Health Claims
- 7 Easy and Effective Weight-Loss Strategies
- The Wisdom of Cutting Back on Salt
- The Psychology of Mindless Eating
- 7 Strategies to Rev Up Your Aging Metabolism
- Changing Behavior to Lose Weight
- Dietary Supplements: Yea or Nay?
- More Special Reports...
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Osteoporosis
- Recovering From a Hip Fracture: What to Expect
- Personalizing Your Fracture Risk with FRAX
- The Sobering Facts About Hip Fracture
- Rethinking the Role of Protein-Rich Diets in Osteoporosis Prevention
- Osteoporosis Screening: When Should You Start?
- What Does Osteopenia Really Mean?
- How Long Can You Safely Take Bisphosphonate Medication for Osteoporosis?
- More Alerts...
- Talking About Hip Fractures with Dr. Bellantoni
- Osteoporosis: Not Just a Womans Disease
- Osteopenia: To Treat or Not to Treat?
- Osteoporosis and Digestive Disorders
- Is it Ever Okay To Discontinue Your Osteoporosis Medication?
- 6 Exercises To Help Build Bone Strength and Help Prevent Osteoporosis
- Calcium Supplements Still Count
- More Special Reports...
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Prescription Drugs
- In the Trash? Down the Drain? Whats the Safest Way to Dispose of Unused Meds?
- Straight Talk on the Health Risks of Herbal Supplements
- Why Is Prescription Medication So Costly?
- Your Pharmacist: An Underutilized Resource
- Safely Disposing of Unused Medications: Advice from the FDA
- Antibiotics: How They Can Cause Diarrhea
- How Oral Drugs Are Metabolized in the Body
- More Alerts...
- How a New Healthcare Initiative Could Lead to Better Treatment
- Drug Abuse and the Elderly
- The Wait for Generic Biologic Drugs
- How Antibiotics and Other Drugs Work
- What Is Pharmacogenics and Can It Help You?
- The Life Cycle of a Pill
- Will This Medication Work? Look to Your Genes
- More Special Reports...
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Prostate Disorders
- Urinary Incontinence: A Common Side Effect of Prostate Cancer Treatment
- Understanding the TNM Prostate Cancer Staging System
- True or False: Prostate Cancer Growth Is Faster in Black Men?
- Using Nomograms to Predict Prostate Cancer Risk
- Research on Smoking and Prostate Cancer
- "Plan B: Cryotherapy as Salvage Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- Weighing the Risks and Benefits of Hormone Therapy Before Brachytherapy
- More Alerts...
- A New Look at Cryosurgery
- Planning Ahead: The Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney
- Should You Take Proscar to Prevent Prostate Cancer?
- Proton Beam Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- Vitamin D and Prostate Cancer
- Taxotere: Chemotherapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer
- Testosterone-Replacement Therapy: Does It Increase Prostate Cancer Risk?
- More Special Reports...
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Sexual Health
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Vision
- Drugs for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Are They Too Expensive?
- How Diabetic Retinopathy Affects Vision
- New Technologies to Brighten Low Vision
- Lowering IOP Through Exercise
- A Look at Two Alternative Treatments for AMD
- How to Make the Most of Limited Vision and Mobility
- Staying on Track With Your Glaucoma Regimen
- More Alerts...
- Glaucoma and Your Genes
- Your Glaucoma Treatment Options
- What You Should Expect After Cataract Surgery
- 4 Promising Treatments for AMD
- Glaucoma: A Family Matter
- How the Eye Works
- Advice To Help You See Better When You Drive
- More Special Reports...
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Womens Health
- Health Alert
- Special Report