The program begins with Jerald Wood, an 84-year-old who was diagnosed with conjunctival melanoma four years ago during a routine eye exam. He was immediately referred to M. D. Anderson where he met Dr. Esmaeli. Dr. Esmaeli was able to perform surgery and successfully treat Jerald’s cancer. Read or listen to this program to learn more about Jerald’s story.

Dr. Esmaeli goes on to help listeners understand the different types of eye cancer, how it’s diagnosed and the risk factors for the disease. She explains the various treatment options, and the how vision could be jeopardized. Dr. Esmaeli talks about her hope for the future and her confidence in the team at M. D. Anderson. To quote her “I think the overwhelming majority of our patients indeed are cured if diagnosed early and if treated appropriately. And I think the overwhelming majority of them also keep their eye.” This program is an educational and hopeful look into a rare cancer.

Dr. Van Gelder begins his discussion with a basic overview of how the eye functions. This allows him to offer a more in-depth description of what is actually happening to an eye with macular degeneration, which comes in both a dry and wet form. Together, Andrew and Dr. Van Gelder define the differences between the two forms. About 90 percent of cases are dry macular degeneration, for which there is no specific treatment. Dr. Van Gelder discusses how to manage the disease and keep it from progressing to the more serious form, wet macular degeneration. Experts still do not understand what causes this degenerative eye disease on the most basic level, but there has been tremendous progress in recent years in the area of treatment. Dr. Van Gelder describes some of the older therapies used in the past and the newer drug and surgical treatments that replace them today, as well as preventative measures to preserve the vision you have for as long as possible. This includes a discussion of the three recently FDA approved treatments– Lucentis, Macugen and Photodynamic Therapy – for the wet form of macular degeneration, as well as vitamin regimens that have been shown to help in the management of the disease.

Patient John McMannus, a vibrant grandfather and former pilot, shares his story of developing macular degeneration and receiving Lucentis, which involves an injection in the eye. Dr. Van Gelder contends it is imperative for patients to monitor their eyes and see an eye care professional if they sense any changes in their vision. Learn how Mr. McMannus uses an Amsler grid to help him do this. Dr. Van Gelder goes on to answer questions from Patient Power listeners, which leads to a discussion on clinical trials and new drug combinations that may improve treatment and outcomes for patients in the future. With all of the recent progress in treatment, macular degeneration patients can have hope of restored vision and an improved quality of life. With people living longer, the incidence of eye problems is increasing, and Dr. Van Gelder stresses the importance of on-going support in eye care research to ensure better treatments can be developed. Overall, an informative and inspiring program with a wealth of information for maintaining eye health as you age.

Dr. Walker begins by telling listeners about the history of vision correction surgery and how it has evolved. He discusses the different types of surgical techniques used, such as LASIK with an "I", LASEK with an "E", PRK, wavefront and custom LASIK. He explains what these procedures are and the benefits to the recipient. Dr. Walker also addresses important points when choosing a surgeon. With so many advertisements about this surgery, patients must consider a surgeon?s experience, complication rates and the type of technology being used. He says ? I would just encourage patients to look at this surgery as they would any other surgery and treat it, how would you react if you were having heart surgery or an appendectomy, and would you solely base it on price? Do your research.?

Complications in surgery are often a fear for many patients. Dr. Walker speaks about the possibility of infection and dry eye but also stresses that these are minor complications. You will hear about the latest advances in laser surgery and the many benefits available in the future. If you or someone you know is considering a vision correction procedure, this program provides the answers to many of the most common questions.

]]> http://cdn.patientpower.info/p2audio/dailydose/HR041707.mp3 http://cdn.patientpower.info/p2audio/dailydose/HR041707.mp3 Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:00 PDT 60:00 no Health, Radio, Patient, Medical, Patient, Power, radio, show, replays, podcasts, listen, now, medical, specialties, medical, experts, medical, help, archived, radio, programs, Acupuncture