Health News

Features

Taking Action

State Mandate Calls for Mental Health Education in Florida Schools by MARY TOOTHMAN The State Board of Education has voted to approve a new mandate that calls for specific mental health lessons to be given to students in grades six through 12. The focus will be on awareness, prevention, and reducing stigma. At least…
Pop Quiz: Facts and Stats about Glaucoma

1.) Which of the following defines glaucoma? A medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision. A complex disease in which damage to the optic nerve leads to progressive, irreversible vision loss. The inability to perceive differences in various shades of colors. The loss of vision after…
Talking Skin Cancer Care and Prevention

by TERESA SCHIFFER Here in Central Florida, we are bathed in sunlight most days of the year. People love living in Florida because of the sunny weather, but all that sunlight comes with some risks. One risk that people need to be aware of is the risk of skin cancer. In fact, new research shows…

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Diagnosis and Treatment

Last month, we learned what an aortic aneurysm is, how it can be detected, its presentation, and risk factors. This month, we’ll discuss diagnosis and treatment. How Can It Be Diagnosed This can be done with the help of an ultrasound, a painless, safe test that does not involve any radiation. If confirmed and found…
Eye Damage From Your Halloween Costume? Now That’s Scary!

by DAVID LOEWY, MD While October is well known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month it is also known as “Halloween Eye Safety Month” as observed by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Since we specialize in eyes, we felt it was best to discuss this important issue involving eye health this month. It is vital to…
Understanding Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a weakening or dilatation in a part of an artery. About 15,000 people die of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) every year in the U.S. 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…