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Bigger & Better

New Lakeland VA Clinic Increases Access to Care for Nearly 49,000 by PAUL CATALA For five years, Jeffrey Mann of Bartow has had to drive about 45 miles each way to Tampa for his medical needs. But now, Mann only has to drive about 11 miles to see his doctors and nurses and get medical…
Expanding Care

Central Florida Health Care Building New Lakeland Clinic by RYAN MILEJCZAK As healthcare organizations across the county aim to better serve our growing population, Central Florida Health Care is expanding access to health care by building a new center in Lakeland. Ann Claussen has been the CEO of Central Florida Health Care since 2014 and…
Recruiting the Future

Area Nursing Programs Tackling Nursing Shortage Head On by REBEKAH PIERCE With the rapid expansion of the healthcare sector in Central Florida, you’d think the number of nurses is booming right along with it. But it’s not, and that’s putting the pressure on nursing programs at area schools to recruit more students into the profession.…

What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD?

by NADER MOINFAR, M.D., M.P.H. Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In general, AMD is a disease that progresses in stages. Patients with advanced AMD experience vision loss from either excess ﬂuid and blood (wet AMD) or the death of cells (GA). It is estimated that 1.5 million…
Understanding Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a “weakening” or “dilatation” in a part of an artery. An estimated 15,000 people die of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) every year in the US. About 200,000 new cases of AAA are diagnosed every year. Most of these are diagnosed by tests that are done for unrelated reasons. The aorta is…
The Future Is Clear: The Shift to Daily Disposable Contact Lenses

by DANIEL SMITH, O.D. Contact lenses offer a wonderful alternative to traditional eyeglasses, providing wearers with a range of unique benefits that suit various lifestyles. They offer a natural, unobstructed field of vision, and the absence of frames on the face may be highly beneficial, especially during physical activities where glasses may pose a risk…