Category Archives: Weight Loss Surgery

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According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology about 22 million people in the United States over the age of 40 have cataracts. About half of all people over the age of 80 have this condition that clouds the lens of the eye and progressively leads to a decrease in vision. With the only cure found in cataract surgery, learning more about cataracts and their treatment can help you to answer questions for family members.

First, it is important to realize that despite the claims of some supplement manufacturers, there is no scientific evidence that any supplements can reduce the risk of developing cataracts. There is also no treatment except for cataract surgery at this time, but the type of surgery has changed dramatically providing patients with options for very fast healing with reduced risk of complications.

No-Stitch Surgery

Now, most cataract surgery is classified as “no-stitch surgery” because the entire process is done using an extremely fine tube that is inserted into the eye. This tube contains an ultrasound instrument that creates a safe vibration in the eye that breaks up the cataract into small pieces.

The pieces of the cataract are gently suctioned out of the eye and an artificial lens put in place. When the tube is removed the eye tissue simply seals over, without the need for any type of stitches. This entire process is actually known as phacoemulsification and has an extremely high success rate with very few complications.

Local Anesthesia Only

The entire process of no-stitch cataract surgery is done under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis. This anesthesia of the eye is usually done with drops, meaning no injections for those that are a bit nervous about the idea of a needle.

Patients typically do not require patching of the eye and there is minimal healing time required. Some patients, but not all, may experience mild discomfort in the eye for a day or two after the procedure. Most people do not need to drastically change their typical lifestyle during the healing process which can last up to eight weeks.

The benefits of no-stitch cataract surgery make this a good option for a wide range of different patients. You and your doctor can discuss the options, any possible risks, and any concerns that you may have before you decide if this is the right choice for your eye health.

Submitted by: Adrianna Notton

One thing about wearing glasses that is much easier than wearing contacts is the fitting process. Since the contact lens sits directly on your cornea, it s very important that the correct measurements are taken and that it fits properly. If the fit of contacts is even a little off, you may experience problems while you wear them. Clear vision and comfort are the two most important elements of wearing contact lenses, and both are affected by the fit of the lenses in your eyes. Whether you seek out cheap contacts or the most expensive ones in the store, the correct fit is crucial. All contact lens fitting consist of a few basic elements.

Before the fitting for contacts even begins your eye doctor will test your eyes to determine the strength of corrective lens you need. Then, they will help you decide on the right type of contact lenses for you. They will ask you several lifestyle questions and your preferences regarding the wearing and hygiene schedules. After the testing is done and decision about which type of contacts to wear is complete, you ll need corneal measurements taken. Contact lenses are not a one-size-fits all kind of product, and the size and curvature of the lens must be correct. The doctor will likely use a device called a keratometer to measure your cornea during the fitting. This takes pictures of your eye to determine the curvature and size of contacts you ll need for a proper fit.

The doctor will also measure the size of your pupils to help ensure properly fitting contact lenses. The diameter of your iris is also recorded and in some cases a tear film evaluation is taken. This helps to determine if you have dry eyes, and the result may cause you to rethink the choice for contacts. If you have a problem with dry eyes, wearing contact lenses can be quite uncomfortable as the day rolls along. At the least, you will be given eye drops and instructions on how to keep your eyes and contacts moist.

Your eye doctor may also use a biomicroscope to get a highly magnified view of your cornea, so they can watch how a trial contact lens fits in your eye. If the doctor chooses to go with trial contacts, you ll probably have to wear them for at least 15 minutes to get a true sense of how they fit. They can then give your eyes a detailed examination and determine if the contact lenses fit properly or not. It s common for contact lens fittings to take at least two office visits, to ensure the right size and style has been selected. Once the fit is good, you ll get your prescription and you can go get it filled. Cheap contacts are usually available through specials or promotions at many optical stores. Whether you find cheap contacts or not, make sure you give your prescription details to the retailer preparing them for you, and double check at the end that it s the right one.

About the Author: Find the perfect

contact lenses

at discount prices, whether you have astigmatism, dry eyes, or poor vision.

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Submitted by: Robert Moongrave

Gastric bypass surgery is the latest medical technique in the field of controlling obesity and obesity related diseases. Weight loss procedures are either restrictive which reduce the size of your stomach or malabsorptive which lessen the flow of food from stomach to the intestine thus reducing the absorption of fat and other essential vitamins and minerals. These techniques are used in combination in gastric bypass surgery which creates a small pouch in your stomach making a larger area of your stomach not participate in retaining the food. Also, a bypass is created in the small intestine which allows partial absorption of food leading to weight reduction.

Laparoscopic procedures are used to create small incisions through which instruments and a camera is inserted into the body which enables the surgeon to perform the surgery which is done under general anesthesia.

The more pertinent question is of the recovery after the operation. The good news is though it is an operation taking several hours and a lot of precision, the recovery is relatively fast. The patient is discharged from the hospital within two to seven days depending upon individual condition. Doctors generally allow discharge once you are able to eat liquid or pureed food without vomiting, walk without major discomfort and are not taking injections for pain. This implies that the main discomforting symptoms are over by the first week. The vomiting results because the patient is not in-sync with the amount of food his newly created smaller stomach would be able to take and also because the new system created within the body takes a little time to assume smooth activity.

The overall recovery however takes several weeks and it s suggested to strictly follow the guidelines and resume normal activity gradually. Doctors send patients home encouraging them to do small chores around the house. Stairs and normal bath routine is resumed only after a few days. You may need pain killers at home as well. It s important to keep a track of fever, pain which should not escalate and proper healing of the wounds. There small incisions should not feel warm or look red and swollen and there should not be any fluids leaking from the cuts. Any such symptoms should be immediately reported.

Another serious condition during first two months of recovery can be dumping syndrome the indications of which are nausea, vomiting, sweating and fatigue. These conditions however would not appear if the diet guidelines are being followed carefully. Most importantly, you would have to be prepared for frequent doctor visits at least in the first whole year to keep a check on your diet, lifestyle, proper healing of the incisions, general recovery and progress and if there are any further surgical requirements.

With the recovery, it s important to know the risks as well. There may be infections, nutrient deficiencies like B12 and iron leading to anemia, calcium deficiencies creating possibilities for early osteoporosis and inflammation of stomach lining called gastritis. The more serious issues can be hernia, blood clots in lungs, gallstones due to immediate loss of a lot of weight and ulcers. These are generally well explained before an individual agrees for gastric bypass procedures. Also, they are not frequently reported and there are various success stories that favor the procedure. It needs to be realized that risks run with almost all surgeries in medicine. Gastric bypass is meant for people generally crossing the BMI of 40 or a BMI of 35 with diseases like type 2 diabetes or heart diseases which have been controlled with weight loss in many cases.

So, what should be the general expectations of a person considering Gastric Bypass Surgery? The expectations should be good overall. On health front, you lose about sixty to eighty percent of excess weight with this operation. A person after this operation loses ten pounds a month on an average, the loss being higher in the initial months when liquid diets are part of the health maintenance and recovery regime. Your body reaches a stable weight within eighteen to twenty four months. Another good news is diseases like sleeping apnea, heart diseases, diabetes, pains in the lower back, knees and other joints reduces significantly and may even disappear with the weight loss. The good news however comes with various changes in lifestyle and food habits.

Thus, on nutritional front, utmost care needs to be taken to prevent any deficiencies and maintain the weight loss. The diet guidelines in this care are strict and should be necessarily adhered to. Post-operation you need to gradually shift from liquid to pureed and then small quantities of soft and further normal solid food. This is because your stomach is initially very small and expands with time thus increasing its capability to take in solids and larger amounts of food. Protein should be your major calorie provider accounting for about 70-75% of the total 800 calories that you should be consuming approximately. Carbohydrates should amount to 10-15% and fats about 5-15% in your diet. Sugar intake should be avoided or reduced especially in the initial months as it can cause dumping syndrome explained earlier. This is because a smaller stomach and reduces absorption makes it difficult to digest sugar thus causing convulsions and other symptoms. Vitamin B12, calcium, iron and other nutritional supplements would become a part of your life depending upon the doctor s evaluation of your personal needs.

On physical front, you would look good with the weight loss but there may be issues of skin sagging due to sudden weight loss. At relatively younger ages, skin can recover and get back to adjust with the new weight but at later ages further surgery for correction may have to be considered. These include face lifts, tummy tuck, breast reduction, eye lid corrections, neck lifts and more.

On general well being after the operation, you should expect and be prepared for lifestyle changes which would require incorporating regular exercise and food constraints which would mean eating cautiously the amounts that your stomach can accommodate giving you the best nutrition and energy with it. Also, regular check ups for mental and physical health are suggested to make sure you get optimum benefits from the surgery.

Overall, it can prove to be a blessing for an excessively overweight person who would benefit from weight loss, reduced chances of diseases associated with weight gain and a surge in confidence.

About the Author: Robert Moongrave maintains a website dedicated to helping people make decisions about

weight loss surgeries

.

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