News

Published in the Albuquerque Journal on January 5, 2021 Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of vision loss, affecting about 3 million people in the United States. But this potentially blinding eye disease does not affect all people equally. During Glaucoma Awareness Month in January, the New Mexico Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are urging people to be screened, especially if you are at an increased risk of glaucoma. Who is at risk? Black Americans are 6-to-8 times more likely to get glaucoma than white Americans. Blindness from glaucoma is 6-to-8 times more common in …

Published in the Albuquerque Journal on Nov. 10, 2020 People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing serious eye diseases, yet most do not have sight-saving, annual eye exams, according to a large study. The New Mexico Academy of Ophthalmology joins the American Academy of Ophthalmology in reiterating the importance of eye exams during the month of November, which is observed as Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month. Researchers at Wills Eye Hospital in Philadelphia have found that more than half of patients with the disease skip these exams. They also discovered that patients who smoke – and those with …

Published in the Albuquerque Journal on Tuesday, June 9th, 2020 We can’t tell you when the kids will return to school or when you can hug your grandparents, but we can say that your next trip to the ophthalmologist will be different. That’s because ophthalmologists are devising new office procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As all 50 states begin to reopen to some degree, the New Mexico Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology want to share how ophthalmologists are working to protect their patients and staff. In March, the American Academy of Ophthalmology urged ophthalmologists …

Published in Albuquerque Journal on Friday, March 27th, 2020 NMAO President Rachel Davis featured. Excerpt below. If you need to see your primary care physician, his or her office should be up and running. But if you were scheduled to have your teeth cleaned, your eyes checked, your spine adjusted, cataracts removed or were gearing up for a routine colonoscopy, you’re going to have to wait. Many medical providers ranging from dentists to eye surgeons to chiropractors have been restricting their practices for the past three weeks in an attempt to avoid spreading the COVID-19 virus. In some cases, certain …

Published in the Albuquerque Journal on Tuesday, February 4th, 2020  Age-related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness over age 50, affecting about 2.1 million people nationwide. Early diagnosis and treatment are the keys to preventing vision loss. During February, the New Mexico Academy of Ophthalmology joins the American Academy of Ophthalmology in educating the public about the facts on AMD. AMD is a degenerative disease that happens when part of the retina called the macula is damaged. It’s the part of the eye that delivers sharp, central vision needed to see objects straight ahead. Over time, …

Published in the Albuquerque Journal on Friday, April 24th, 2020 As information about COVID-19 comes at a furious pace, at times offering conflicting and confusing advice, the New Mexico Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology want to share what we know right now about protecting your vision and your health during the coronavirus pandemic. 1. AVOID TOUCHING YOUR EYES: By now you’ve heard about the importance of hand washing, coughing into your elbow, and keeping your hands away from your face and eyes. The last one is easier said than done, right? Here’s a suggestion, switch from …