Celebrating American Heart Month

Celebrating American Heart Month

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths is caused by heart disease. To help prevent heart disease and increase awareness of its effects, Memphis Family Vision & SEE Main Street are proudly participating in American Heart Month. 

This project is especially meaningful to our office this year.  In December of 2013 right before Christmas, Dr. Leonard Hampton discovered that he had serious heart disease and immediately had quadruple by-pass surgery.  After just 3 1/2 weeks of recuperation, Dr. Hampton made a joyful return to his practice, has slowly been gaining his strength through rehabilitation, and looks forward to seeing more patients as he builds up to his full schedule.  

The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. Dr. Hampton advises, "Be aware of what's going on in your body and if you're having a problem to get it checked out.  It is very important to lead a heart healthy lifestyle, with lots of exercise, fruits and vegetables!"

You can make healthy changes to lower your risk of developing heart disease. Controlling and preventing risk factors is also important for people who already have heart disease. To lower your risk:

• Watch your weight.
• Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
• Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
• If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
• Get active and eat healthy.

For more information, visit 

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Affiliate/Memphis/Tennessee/Home_UCM_GSA040_AffiliatePage.jsp

.

Ocular Signs of Heart Disease

Ocular Signs of Heart Disease

It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul, but they can also show signs of certain health issues. One of these health issues is heart disease.  The following manifestations are signs that you might have heart disease:

• Small yellow or flesh-colored spots around the eyes called xanthalasmas are not necessarily harmful but may collect around the eyelids. Many people just want them removed because they are unsightly, but they don’t understand that they may be a sign of high cholesterol. 
• A whitish gray ring, called arcus senilis, around the iris of the eye can also indicate elevated blood lipid levels and cholesterol. 
• Changes in the retinal blood vessels can indicate high blood pressure. The blood vessels can narrow and damage the retina. This is called hypertensive retinopathy and can progress to cause significant vision problems.

A comprehensive eye examination along with the Optomap retinal evaluation can detect many of these potential heart problems.  Leading a heart healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart disease and the eye problems that result.