Letters to the Editor

The 10th Annual Retina Report published in the June 15, 2019, issue includes another excellent medical article on age-related macular degeneration, “How to Stay One Step Ahead of AMD.” However, it is another example of how far optometry has strayed from its original foundation in vision care. 

A Recipe for Behavior Change

Those of us old enough to have lived through the 1970s can probably remember a novelty song called “Junk Food Junkie” from 1976. It was a sly commentary on the health food craze of the time, as Baby Boomers channeled their idealism into health-conscious, planet-friendly lifestyles. This bit of pop culture ephemera wafted through my mind earlier this month when the news broke of a 17-year-old boy whose junk food diet left him blind from optic neuropathy. It was a story tailor-made for viral success on social media: a human tragedy, a cautionary tale and a medical oddity all in one.

It’ll Grow on Her

A 53-year-old Caucasian female was referred for a suspicious retinal lesion in her right eye. Her ocular history was significant for a radial keratotomy (RK) performed in her right eye more than 20 years earlier with an excellent visual result. The left eye has always been worse.

Don’t Let Debilitation Progress

A 38-year-old Caucasian female presented for a second opinion regarding progressive blurred vision (OU) and possible optic nerve pallor with moderate cup-to-disc ratio.  Investigative historical findings elicited chronic malaise and progressive, bilateral visual decline over the course of 12 months. Further questioning revealed pronounced muscular fatigue, unsteady gait and visual decline following exercise.