Health News

Features

Local Behavioral Health Recovery Programs Offers Support

By Brenda Eggert Brader The Mental Health Recovery Program at Winter Haven Hospital, started in 2008, has grown into a popular peer-led program providing education, socialization and support. The program offers ready help to keep those with mental health issues out of crisis and out of the hospital. “When you talk about recovery, there are…
Pop Quiz: Test Your Knowledge on Improving Your Eye Care

They say the eyes are the windows into the soul, and they are also the sense we rely upon the most. Ensuring your eyes stay in tip-top shape includes getting regular eye care. Test your knowledge of the ins and outs of better eye care by taking our quiz, and learn how to make sure…
Local Medical Academies Preparing Students for Health Careers

by CHERYL ROGERS Eighteen public schools in Polk County train students for future careers in healthcare through medical or health science programs. Here’s a look at how some of them have fared. Katya Viegas and Janet Hernandez are heading to medical school. Jesus Jimenez, or J.J., is glad he found an incentive to finish high…

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…