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Prepare Your Kids for a Happy, Healthy School Year

by RYAN MILEJCZAK Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care Soon, kids across Central Florida will be going back to school, and that means it’s time to start preparing. In addition to loading up on school supplies, it’s also important to make sure kids are prepared to stay healthy so they can get the most out…
Pop Quiz! How Serotonin Savvy Are You?

From Mood to Memory, This Chemical Is a Mighty Messenger If you were told that there is a chemical in your body that plays a role in nearly every part of your life, would you believe it? It’s serotonin, and while you may have heard of it in relation to feeling happy, it actually plays…
Bartow Regional Plans $110 Million Expansion

Hospital President Sites Booming Population as Driving Force by PAUL CATALA On June 4, the BayCare Board of Trustees approved a $110 million plan to expand the hospital from 72 to 90 beds and enhance its emergency, catheterization lab and surgical services departments. “I think that’s amazing,” says Bailey Caustic, a Bartow native who was…

Are You At Risk for Peripheral Arterial Disease?

September is Peripheral Arterial Disease awareness month. PAD is a chronic condition affecting 20 million people in the U.S. If left untreated, it can result in unnecessary limb amputations. This has been seen disproportionately in people from minority communities. It involves a buildup of plaque in the arteries— much like how your kitchen sink builds…
Diagnosed With Astigmatism? You’ve Got Options

by TINCY THOMAS, O.D. You were told that you have astigmatism—a seemingly scary term! Luckily, it’s not usually a cause for concern. What is astigmatism? Astigmatism is a condition that causes blurry vision, much like nearsightedness (myopia) or farsightedness (hyperopia). However, with astigmatism, your cornea or lens inside the eye may be irregularly shaped, similar…
Protect Your Vision With Multiple Pairs of Glasses

by Julia King, O.D. Nowadays, when we use our eyes for so many different activities, one pair of eyeglasses is rarely sufficient. Multiple pairs of eyeglasses provide different levels of correction or features to enhance your vision for varying daily activities. Most people have an everyday pair of glasses that they use on a regular…