Rheumatoid Arthritis and your Eyes

Rheumatoid arthritis is primarily a bone and joint disease that can affect other parts of the body, including the eyes. Eye conditions associated with rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (now referred to as juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA) include dry eyes and inflammation. If inflammation is not detected and treated early, scarring and vision problems can occur. Glaucoma, cataracts and permanent vision damage (including blindness) are all complications that could result from severe inflammation.

Uveitis, a form of inflammation inside the eye, is the most common eye problem that can develop in children with JIA. Because eye inflammation may not be painful or cause redness, many children do not have any symptoms. Rarely, children might complain of light bothering their eyes or blurred vision. Frequent eye exams are necessary in other to detect and treat any potential problems associated with rheumatoid arthritis and JIA.  (references: www.mayoclinic.com and www.clevelandclinic.org)

Request an Appointment or Prescription Refill Online

The Eye Care Institute is proud to announce that you can now fill out your paperwork, request an appointment, request a prescription refill, check your balance and make a payment, and e-mail questions to the doctors online from the comfort of your own home.

The process is quite simple. You log onto our website at www.EyeCareInstitute.com. From there you click on the box at the bottom that is labeled “My Eye Care Institute.” It will ask you to either enter your existing log-in info or to create an account if you are a new user. Once you have created your account you have several different options to choose from. (see chart to the right).

To fill out your paperwork you would click on “Health Forms” and it would take you to another screen as you begin filling out insurance info and emergency contact info. This saves time before your appointment allowing you to arrive 5 minutes before your scheduled exam as opposed to arriving 15 minutes prior to your scheduled exam.

We hope that you will take advantage of this great new program in an effort to ease the registration process and give you access to your account 24 hours a day.

A Healthier You This Spring

A few minor adjustments to your lifestyle can make a big difference in your overall health. Here are a few suggestions to get started:

• Park the car away from the store or office and walk
• Drink plenty of water or other low-calorie beverages
• Eat a healthy breakfast. It fuels your body and gives you energy for the day.
• Get enough rest. The average adult gets between 5-6 hours of sleep per night. Studies show that your body needs an average of 8-10 hours of sleep per night.
• Add more fruits and vegetables to your daily food intake
• Bake, broil or grill foods to reduce fat
• Do your grocery shopping on a full stomach. This will help you make healthier food choices. High calorie foods can be hard to resist when your stomach is empty.

One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to discuss your health and diet options with your doctor. Your doctor can help you set goals based on your physical health and, therefore, make reaching your goal more successful.