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Phillip Williams Helping to Light the Way for the Blind

By LENORE DEVORE Phillip Williams was almost 15 years old when the juvenile version of macular degeneration – Stargardt disease – began to take his eyesight. What starts out robbing people of their central vision eventually leaves its sufferers blind or legally blind. “I went through the rest of high school coping with (the transition…
Feel Good 5K Set to Support Local Mental Health Initiatives

By Teresa Schiffer The Feel Good 5k is a great way to get out and show your support for one of our most valuable resources – the mental health professionals at Peace River Center. Make an impact in the lives of vulnerable children by participating in this fun event! It’s no secret that mental…
New Therapy Method Being Studied for PTSD Patients

A type of grief experts call prolonged and complicated causes some 10 million Americans to suffer, experts say. But a fairly new type of therapy is believed to offer help for many of them. Often felt by seniors who have lost their longtime spouse, this grief is characterized by an ongoing, daily yearning for the…

Understanding Cataract Surgery

Cataracts are the most treatable form of blindness worldwide. Millions of cataract surgeries are performed each year, restoring patients to functional visual status. Cataract surgery was once the most common surgical procedure performed in the United States until about 6-11 years ago when intraocular anti-VEGF injections were developed to treat macular degeneration. This has…
Treatments That Help Lower Cholesterol

Last month I discussed the role of lipids in atherosclerosis. This month, I’ll talk about treatment. For patients at high risk or those who have had a cardiovascular event (prior heart attack, stroke, stent, bypass, etc.), pharmacological treatment may be needed. Cholesterol production and accumulation in the body involves three processes. First, intake from food…
The Role of Lipids in Atherosclerosis

Last time we spoke of the various factors that play a part in plaque buildup and rupture causing a heart attack/stroke. We discussed the role of inflammation. This time, we will discuss the role of lipids. We know these are important and these numbers can be impacted by various treatments. So the question to be…