Health News
Features
-
Caring for your mental health
How to stay sane and make the most of your genetic heritage When a couple has been married 50 years, their lives are so intertwined they may be able to finish one another’s sentences. When one of them dies, the loss can be devastating. Normal grief can turn into depression—with life-threatening consequences.
-
Pop Quiz: How to alleviate mobility issues
Test your knowledge of mobility precautions to help keep your senior loved one active and safe As we age, our ability to move changes as well, going from one extreme to the other. However, we realize how precious our mobility is when seeing an older relative dealing with difficulties in movement. Be part of the…
-
Long-term health: Considering your BMI
The importance of discussing your Body Mass Index with your physician Since 2003, Polk Vision has been bringing together community partners to work toward Polk County’s collective vision. Going a step further, several Polk Vision members are working towards reducing the obesity rate in our communities with our Building a Healthier Polk Initiative. Of course,…
Columns
-
LASIK and Other Popular Refractive Procedures
Refractive surgery is designed to correct myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), and astigmatism to effectively reduce dependency on eyeglasses and contacts. The most popular refractive procedure is LASIK, which stands for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It involves shaping the cornea using a laser. Other refractive procedures include photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and refractive lens exchange (RLE). Those…
-
Bridging the Gap Between a Healthy and Unhealthy Smile
Bridges and crowns are both great tools to help improve your smile if you have cracked, chipped, missing, or damaged teeth. While new techniques like dental veneers and bonding are available, traditional methods such as bridges and crowns offer stronger, more efficient results. Bridges and crowns are fixed prosthetic devices that are fixed onto existing…
-
Diabetes Mellitus: Not Just About Controlling Your Blood Sugar
Ever too often, I encounter patient who are diabetic and practice blood sugar monitoring only. Diabetes mellitus is a condition that affects all organ systems. It is important that patients also monitor their eyes, kidney, nerves and heart. Some conditions directly associated with poor diabetic control are: Diabetic retinopathy: an eye condition that affects your…
