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How a life-saving transplant transformed my life

| Annemarie Ward shares her journey of keeping hope alive amidst heart disease | NEARLY 15 YEARS AGO, Annemarie Ward was walking the family’s three dogs with her mother Polly and sister Emily when she collapsed. At age seven, Annemarie had suffered a heart attack. She was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or enlargement of the…
Pop Quiz: Maintaining optimal optical health

| Understanding the causes of low vision and taking precautions as you age | EYESIGHT is a precious thing, and unfortunately there are many threats to optimal optical health. One common eye problem is low vision, and it affects seniors the most. Low vision, in its simplest terms, is any vision loss that interferes with…
Celebrating Black History Month with a look at local African-Americans in medicine

ALEX ALEXANDER Registered Nurse Bartow Regional Medical Center As a black registered nurse from North Carolina, 56-year-old Alex Alexander has had his run-ins with prejudice. But he’s learned to remember who he is, treat others like his brothers and sisters, forgive, and … not believe everything he hears. “You earn things by your merit and…

Why Examine a 20/20 Eye?

by THOMAS HEGLAND, O.D. I have friends and strangers state, “I have perfect 20/20 vision without glasses or contacts, why do I need a regular eye exam?” Our exams can discover other issues besides the condition of your vision. Beginning, from front to back, with the eyelids. Florida sunshine can have a very detrimental effect…
April Is Sports Eye Safety Month – Protect Your Vision on the Field & Court

by the Eye Specialists of Mid-Florida Eye Care Team Did you know that 30,000 people are treated for sports-related eye injuries each year? According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, these injuries are becoming more common, making eye protection more important than ever. Which Sports Cause the Most Eye Injuries?While many sports pose a risk,…
Medical Management and Treatment of Carotid Stenosis

Let’s talk about medical management of carotid stenosis. Risk factors for carotid artery stenosis are advanced age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol levels, obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, and family history of strokes. Most of these factors can be managed by medications and lifestyle changes that include active exercise for 30 minutes or so on…