New York Vision Associates

Retinal artery emboli have been linked to facial cosmetic procedures. According to an article published in "The Review of Optometry", researchers at Seoul National University discovered that emboli may be caused by filler injections into peoples faces.

The patients had no underlying systemic diseases and suspect that the emboli reached the brain and thus eyes via the anterior communicating artery and the cutaneous collaterals in the midline. The researchers also found that there was retrograde spreading of the emboli materials resulting in retinal artery occlusions.

While these events are extremely rare, they must be considered when retinal vascular occlusions occur.

COVID-19 Can result in corneal changes that resemble patients with Dry Eye Disease and Diabetes. While there are no published studies on this topic, researchers in Spain have discovered sensory alterations in the cornea after being infected with COVID-19.

These appear as morphological changes causing functional loss and decrease in corneal sensitivity. In some cases there appears to be neuroma-like structures in the subbasal nerve fibers. This small fiber neuropathy can result in decreased corneal sensitivity that can result in neuropathic pain and keratitis.

Fortunately, treatment with Prokera, )amniotic tissue), can help heal and reverse this pathology. If you have had COVID-19, a comprehensive eye exam is recommended to evaluate among other conditions, this corneal disorder.

New research discussed in " The Review of Optometry" has proven the ocular benefits of certain foods including Broccoli, Saffron and nuts. Patients with Cataracts, Glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration as well as other eye disorders can benefit from the addition of certain foods.

Broccoli is an important source of micronutrients and fiber, carotenes, beta carotene, lutein, vitamins A, B, C and E, isothiocyanates, fatty acids and minerals. A daily intake of 375g of broccoli can help protect and heal the eye from many retinal disorders.

Saffron contains crocin isomers, zeaxanthin, lycopene and vitamin B12. It can help in the early stages of macular degeneration improving visual function by reversing damage to the photoreceptors.

Tiger nuts help reduce the signs and symptoms of Dry Eye Disease while Walnuts contain polyphenols which the oxidation process reducing inflammation.

As with all foods a careful balance is always important and must be considered when taking certain medications. Consulting with your doctor before increasing anything in volume in a must.

Recent studies conducted on COVID patients discovered retinal microvascular abnormalities and impaired blood flow in people that had recovered from COVID. Frequently, these retinal abnormalities were asymptomatic and devoid of any other clinical signs.

The findings included microhemorrhages, retinal vascular tortuosity, cotton wool spots and hyper reflective plaques in the ganglion layer of the retina, These retinal signs were more significant in patients that suffered from hypertension.

While these clinical signs were clinically relevant, the only treatment rendered was observation unless there were secondary or visual changes. Further studies need to be conducted to determine the correlation between COVID and these findings and potential therapies. This study was performed in Singapore and now additional research is being done in Italy.