Tag Archives: glaucoma

January Is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is a very misunderstood disease. Often, people don’t realize the severity or who is affected.

Key Facts About Glaucoma

  • Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness
    Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
  • There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma
    Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since open-angle glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life. Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision.
  • Everyone is at risk for glaucoma
    Everyone is at risk for glaucoma from babies to senior citizens. Older people are at a higher risk for glaucoma but babies can be born with glaucoma (approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States). Young adults can get glaucoma, too. African Americans in particular are susceptible at a younger age.
  • There may be no symptoms to warn you
    With open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms. Usually, no pain is associated with increased eye pressure. Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision. You may compensate for this unconsciously by turning your head to the side, and may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get tested. If you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately.

Some Statistics About Glaucoma

  • It is estimated that over 2.2 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it.
  • In the U.S., more than 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness.
  • Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
  • After cataracts, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African Americans.
  • Blindness from glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than Caucasians.
  • African Americans are 15 times more likely to be visually impaired from glaucoma than Caucasians.
  • The most common form, open-angle glaucoma, accounts for 19% of all blindness among African Americans compared to 6% in Caucasians.
  • Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.
  • Estimates put the total number of suspected cases of glaucoma at over 60 million worldwide.

Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease

What is Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease?
Muscle-eye-brain disease (MEB) is an inherited condition causing a number of symptoms including muscle weakness, vision abnormalities, brain structure abnormalities, and severe mental disability.MEB causes congenital muscular dystrophy, a form of muscle weakness that is present from birth or develops shortly after birth. It causes an infant to feel floppy in all of his or her muscles, including those of the face. He or she may also exhibit involuntary muscle jerks or twitches.Eye problems associated with MEB include severe near-sightedness and glaucoma, among others.Another hallmark of MEB is a brain abnormality known as cobblestone lissencephaly (or type II lissencephaly). The brain develops a bumpy “cobblestone” appearance and lacks the normal folding structure. Other structural changes in the brain are also present. Children with MEB may have a buildup of fluid around the brain that can create a dangerous amount of pressure.The severity of symptoms can vary among people with MEB.

How Common is Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease?
MEB is very rare, although its exact prevalence is unknown.

How is Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease Treated?
There is no successful treatment or cure for MEB. Medical specialists can help treat specific symptoms, such as using medication to control seizures, physical and occupational therapy to aid in movement, and special eye glasses to help make the most of the child’s vision.

What is the Prognosis for a Person With Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease?
The prognosis for a person with MEB varies depending on the severity of the symptoms, but is generally poor. Studies have shown people with MEB typically die between the ages of 6 and 16.

Resources
Muscular Dystrophy Association
A non-profit organization that supports research into and education about neuromuscular diseases. It is best known for its annual telethon led by entertainer Jerry Lewis.

  • 3300 East Sunrise Drive
    Tucson, AZ 85718
  • Phone: (800) 572-1717
  • Secondary Phone: (520) 529-2000
  • mda@mdausa.org

January Is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is a very misunderstood disease. Often, people don’t realize the severity or who is affected.

Key Facts About Glaucoma

  • Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness
    Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
  • There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma
    Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since open-angle glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life. Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision.
  • Everyone is at risk for glaucoma
    Everyone is at risk for glaucoma from babies to senior citizens. Older people are at a higher risk for glaucoma but babies can be born with glaucoma (approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States). Young adults can get glaucoma, too. African Americans in particular are susceptible at a younger age.
  • There may be no symptoms to warn you
    With open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms. Usually, no pain is associated with increased eye pressure. Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision. You may compensate for this unconsciously by turning your head to the side, and may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get tested. If you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately.

Some Statistics About Glaucoma

  • It is estimated that over 2.2 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it.
  • In the U.S., more than 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness.
  • Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
  • After cataracts, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African Americans.
  • Blindness from glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than Caucasians.
  • African Americans are 15 times more likely to be visually impaired from glaucoma than Caucasians.
  • The most common form, open-angle glaucoma, accounts for 19% of all blindness among African Americans compared to 6% in Caucasians.
  • Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.
  • Estimates put the total number of suspected cases of glaucoma at over 60 million worldwide.

 

Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease

What is Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease?
Muscle-eye-brain disease (MEB) is an inherited condition causing a number of symptoms including muscle weakness, vision abnormalities, brain structure abnormalities, and severe mental disability.MEB causes congenital muscular dystrophy, a form of muscle weakness that is present from birth or develops shortly after birth. It causes an infant to feel floppy in all of his or her muscles, including those of the face. He or she may also exhibit involuntary muscle jerks or twitches.Eye problems associated with MEB include severe near-sightedness and glaucoma, among others.Another hallmark of MEB is a brain abnormality known as cobblestone lissencephaly (or type II lissencephaly). The brain develops a bumpy “cobblestone” appearance and lacks the normal folding structure. Other structural changes in the brain are also present. Children with MEB may have a buildup of fluid around the brain that can create a dangerous amount of pressure.The severity of symptoms can vary among people with MEB.

How Common is Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease?
MEB is very rare, although its exact prevalence is unknown.

How is Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease Treated?
There is no successful treatment or cure for MEB. Medical specialists can help treat specific symptoms, such as using medication to control seizures, physical and occupational therapy to aid in movement, and special eye glasses to help make the most of the child’s vision.

What is the Prognosis for a Person With Muscle-Eye-Brain Disease?
The prognosis for a person with MEB varies depending on the severity of the symptoms, but is generally poor. Studies have shown people with MEB typically die between the ages of 6 and 16.

Resources
Muscular Dystrophy Association
A non-profit organization that supports research into and education about neuromuscular diseases. It is best known for its annual telethon led by entertainer Jerry Lewis.

  • 3300 East Sunrise Drive
    Tucson, AZ 85718
  • Phone: (800) 572-1717
  • Secondary Phone: (520) 529-2000
  • mda@mdausa.org

Driving Assessment Program: Spaulding Outpatient Centers

Driving Assessment Program

Man driving with evaluator New EnglandThrough their Driving Assessment Program, Spaulding Outpatient Centers offer evaluations for people experiencing functional changes due to trauma, surgery, a neurologic incident, or the aging process. It is an essential part of the assessment to address any deficits that may influence your safety and independence behind the wheel and as a licensed driver.
Medical conditions that may affect driving skills include stroke, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, acquired or traumatic brain injury, macular degeneration, glaucoma, neuropathy, cardiac disease, arthritis and cerebral palsy. These conditions may affect your vision, memory, attention, and ability to problem solve and react quickly.
If you are unsure if your condition affects your driving abilities, or if you need a doctor’s order to medically clear you to drive, you may benefit from a driving evaluation. If you are concerned about the driving abilities of a family member or friend, you may want to recommend that they participate in a driving assessment.
We will assess your vision, spatial awareness, ability to shift attention, problem solving, sequencing, and awareness of others on the road. We also will assess your own strengths and weaknesses, ability to read traffic signs, ability to identify and safely respond to hazards, gas/brake/steering reaction time, and other physical and cognitive abilities. This evaluation may also examine the need for adaptive equipment to make driving easier for you. 

Our approach is to assess all of the abilities of a person who is driving – physical, cognitive, visual, perceptual, as well as driving behaviors. We start with a clinical assessment that takes one to two hours.  Following this, a person may be recommended for an in-vehicle assessment coordinated between the patient, their family/support, the occupational therapist, and one of our partner driving schools.
Following both assessments, recommendations are made to resume driving safely, pursue retraining on the road, pursue modifications/training for vehicles, pursue additional therapy to address areas of concerns, or refrain from driving. Alternative transportation options may be discussed as well. Reports are sent to the referring physician and may be sent to the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

A Driving Assessment is conducted by an occupational therapist at one of our six centers specializing in this evaluation. The occupational therapist has the opportunity to participate in training in the most advanced assessment tools and methods to ensure competent decision making both clinically and on the road.
The Spaulding occupational therapists who perform driving assessments have a unique benefit of being able to consult with each other as part of a team to allow the best quality of service for their patients. Our Spaulding occupational therapists are skilled in the assessment of vision, perception, cognition and mobility, as well as the complex interaction of all of these components during driving.

The Spaulding Rehabilitation Network is dedicated to researching innovative treatments for our patients who may need assistance with driving evaluations.

 

Program
In-Vehicle Assessment

Description
An on-the-road evaluation may be performed to determine your ability to drive safely in a closely supervised environment. This involves an in-traffic evaluation, helping to correlate the findings from the clinical tests with your on-the-road performance. This evaluation is performed in a vehicle that has an instructor’s brake, an occupational therapy, and a certified driving instructor. Results of both the clinical and road evaluations are sent to the referring physician along with specific recommendations, such as medical follow-up, outpatient therapy, driving lessons, or adaptations to your car to allow for safe driving. The evaluation is given on a self-pay basis and takes between two and three hours to complete.


Clinical Assessment
The clinical assessment utilizes evidence-based testing correlated to the skills required for driving. This includes vision, cognitive, and physical/reaction time testing.

 

Driving Assessments are offered at these Spaulding Outpatient Centers:

Outpatient
Spaulding Outpatient Center Sandwich
Spaulding Outpatient Center Wellesley
Spaulding Outpatient Center Braintree
Spaulding Outpatient Center Boston


Inpatient
Spaulding Hospital North Shore
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod

 

Assistive Technology Services

Image Goes HereIn the past decade, advances in computer technology and materials science have revolutionized the field of assistive and adaptive technologies. Assistive technologies can open new worlds for individuals with physical, communication, and cognitive limitations.
Technologies can help someone who is learning to live with a new disability compensate for his or her limitations. A new technology may also help someone with a chronic or progressive disabling condition maintain or improve his or her independence.
At Spaulding Rehabilitation Network’s (SRN) Assistive Technology Center in Boston, dedicated and experienced clinicians in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology provide assessments and training with different types of assistive technologies.
Alternative Computer Access
 – People who are unable to use a standard keyboard or mouse due to physical, visual, or cognitive limitations may be able to operate a computer with alternative computer access technologies such as voice recognition, adaptive keyboards, a specialized mouse, or assistive software.


Assisted Memory and Information Processing
 – Electronic memory aids can benefit outpatients following brain injury, as well as individuals with dementia or other forms of memory loss. Small portable computing devices such as PDAs and smart phones can successfully aid individuals with memory loss.


Communication
 –  Spaulding’s Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) program provides comprehensive evaluations and interventional strategies for those needing alternative or augmentative means of communication through use of a variety of different communication devices.  Augmentative and Alternative Communication is a set of strategies and methods to assist people who are unable to meet their communication needs through speech or writing. AAC strategies may include low-tech options (such as letter boards or communication books) or high technology devices that produce speech. These devices can be customized to meet the individual’s communication needs at home, at school, at work, and in the community. The goal is to provide communication skills that extend beyond simply conveying of basic wants and needs, and provides the means to allow each individual to be heard, and to express emotions.


Electronic Aids to Daily Living
 – People who have difficulty using their arms and hands to control objects during everyday activities can gain control through remote switches to operate household appliances and devices such as TV, stereo, lights, call bell devices, door openers, and thermostats.


Ergonomics
 – Repetitive Strain Injury can make it difficult to use a standard computer set-up. Many people with wrist, shoulder, or neck pain may benefit from using ergonomic keyboards and mice, and from workstation modifications and body mechanics education.


Mobility, Seating, and Positioning
 – Wheelchair users may gain further independence through advanced wheelchair technologies. Some people may require modifications to a manual wheelchair; others may need a power wheelchair controlled by a joystick or a specialized switch, activated by sip and puff, or head movement.
Wheelchair users who have difficulty sitting upright, or who have postural abnormalities, may also benefit from customized seating and positioning systems. The systems use modified back supports, seating components, and tilt or recline features to meet an individual’s needs. The systems are designed so that users can achieve the best possible posture and can improve their performance of everyday activities.