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Beyond Breast Cancer Awareness

A look at prevention 365 days a year It’s time to lavish your pink frocks, flaunt that cotton candy boa, showoff those fuchsia stilettos and sport your cherry blossom bustier! Call all your BFFs as it’s October and that means Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Affordable Care Act Update

Many Polk County residents are continuing to rely on free healthcare clinics, despite health insurance subsidies available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). As the nation nears its second open enrollment period for health insurance in November, it is business as usual at some area clinics.
Pop Quiz: What’s your Medicare IQ?

A Test that Will Help You Get Smarter About Your Coverage For youngsters, autumn means going back to school. For seniors and those who qualify, fall signals that it’s Medicare enrollment and renewal time. The Medicare Fall Open Enrollment Period is specially geared towards choosing Medicare Advantage Plans and Prescription Drug Plans, and it lasts…

There’s more than meets the (red) eye

by Anisa Patail, O.D. February is here, and Valentine’s Day is around the corner! We see red hearts everywhere as a sign for the holiday, but let’s talk about what red eyes are a sign for. There are several conditions that can cause this very common finding. Depending on the symptoms you’re experiencing, and the…
Treatment Options for Deep Venous Thrombosis

For a long time, treatment of deep venous thrombosis centered on anticoagulation alone. Depending on various factors — including provoked or unprovoked, location and whether new or recurrent episode, chances of causing a fatal pulmonary embolism or previous episodes of pulmonary embolism — the treating physician could decide the duration of the treatment from three…
Dry Eye Disease Not So Cut and Dry

by Julia King, O.D. Dry eye disease, or dry eye syndrome, is a condition that affects millions of people. Unfortunately, it often goes undiagnosed as many people don’t realize that their symptoms are caused by dry eye. Dry eye syndrome occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears, or the tears that are produced…