Editing
All About Eyes - #1
The “All About Eyes” Q&A series ran in the Battle Creek Enquirer. Dr. Keller would write them, I would research and edit them.
Dr. James L. Keller - Cataracts Question and Answer
Q: I was told two or three years ago that I had cataracts. How will I know when these cataracts are ready to be removed?
A: The decision to have cataract surgery is a very personal one. The choice depends upon many factors. For some people, cataracts may develop slowly and never reach the point where they interfere with a person's job or lifestyle. Others may find that the lens clouding is disruptive to activities such as reading, driving, or recreational activities. While the choice is most often a personal decision, surgery does become essential when lens clouding is responsible for a loss of visual acuity to 20/50 or worse, even with a best-corrected glasses prescription.
With newer technology, physicians have a better understanding of cataracts and more options for dealing with the problem. If cataract surgery is required, the most common procedure performed on patients today is small-incision or no-stitch cataract removal with lens implantation. At our offices, patients are given a thorough exam to determine the necessity of cataract removal. The results of the exam are fully detailed with various options explained, and a course of action established to try to best preserve vision.
James L. Keller, MD, P.C.
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All About Eyes - #2
Dr. James L. Keller - Interocular Pressure Question
Q: I have glaucoma and I am on several eye drops to control the interocular pressure in my eyes. The pressure measurement has been running in the high teens. My wife has eye pressure that measures in the low twenties, and nobody has ever been concerned about it. How can that be?
A: The optic nerve is the area of the eye which is damaged by the increased interocular pressure associated with glaucoma. The optic nerve is made differently in all people. The progressive, slow and relentless destruction of the optic nerve can lead to blindness.
The ability of the nerve to resist damage depends greatly on blood flow to the optic nerve. New studies are revealing the importance of blood flow to the optic nerve head and its relationship to damage from pressures that may not be high for most individuals. In fact, a more recently diagnosed subgroup of glaucoma is referred to as "normal tension" or "normal pressure glaucoma". While a patient with glaucoma who falls in this subgroup may have normal interocular pressure, evidence of glaucomatous nerve damage and vision loss still exist.
To answer your question in simple terms, your wife simply has optic nerves that are made to withstand higher pressures than can be withstood by your own optic nerves. Interocular pressure is just one measure of how successful our treatment of glaucoma is. If there is a concern about glaucoma in your family, or a family history of glaucoma, please don't hesitate to see an eye professional for further evaluation.
James L. Keller, MD, P.C.
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Pastor J.R. Pittman
Pastor Pittman is a blogger whose posts I have edited.
Changes and Transitions
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5
Change and transition is never easy, and at times it’s very painful. However, both change and transition are inevitable. Change, when it comes down the pike and into our lives, demands something out of us. It demands - - courage. Courage is the needed ingredient when change begins, because change infringes upon, and often robs us of, two things every human being desires: security and comfort.
We tend to put our security and comfort in our homes, jobs, finances, education and relationships. This is a natural tendency. It can also be why many people don’t like change and transition because change and transition have the ability to threaten all of those areas of security and comfort. What’s even worse is when fear creeps in. When fear creeps in all hell seems to break loose…..but remember to take courage. Courage is facing your fears.
Do you remember what Jesus constantly told his disciples? He told them to take courage. God frequently puts us to the test to truly see if He is our God. Of course, none of us like being tested, but testing is part of His great plan and purpose. Change and transition are also a blessing because we get to experience God’s
promises, His covenants. I must remind myself when I am facing my fears while taking courage, I can trust that Someone is there with me; I know I am not abandoned by God.
When, as an act of our will, we take courage and stand of God’s promises to us, we become witnesses of His covenants within Scripture. This kind of standing is "faith." It is "walking by faith and not by sight." As a result of this kind of faith, His Word begins to take action in our hearts and minds. And we….we are able to endure even the most unwelcome change and transition.
So in the midst of change and transitions, take faith steps knowing God will keep His Word, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Even in through change and transition. Because these dreaded places – change and transition – are the testing arena where we are strengthened, but also tested to see who the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is of our hearts.
I trust this will ignite you today.
JR Pittman
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