Page 3 - Healthbeat Jan 2015

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How to prevent eye injuries
Q:
Sight is something many people take for granted. Powerful organs, the eyes absorb im- agery, and the brain converts that information into data the body uses to maneuver through the world.
Risks of eye injury present themselves every day. Free-flying particles are everywhere, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that dust, metal particles, falling or shifting debris, smoke and chemicals are some of the most common eye hazards on the job and at home. Injuries can run the gamut from corneal abrasions and irritation to loss of vision.
Millions of eye injuries that impair vision oc- cur each year. Prevention is a person’s best de- fense against eye injury. Wearing safety glasses or goggles is the easiest way to protect the eyes and can prevent 90 percent of eye injuries. In ad- dition, Prevent Blindness suggests these meth- ods to reduce your risk of suffering eye trauma.
• Provide lights and handrails to improve safety on walkways and stairs, as well as to make surroundings more visible.
• Wear appropriate eye protection when particles of any kind are falling, flying or moving through the air.
• Always use chemical safety goggles when handling hazardous solvents or detergents.
• Read and follow all instructions and warn- ings on manufacturer labels.
• Understand that regular eyeglasses do not provide adequate protection.
• Keep kids away from flying toys or any that use projectiles.
• Never mix chemicals, as mixed chemicals can damage your eyes and cause additional injuries.
• Wear adequate eye protection to prevent overexposure to UV rays when outside. Sun- glasses that guard against UV-A and UV-B rays are recommended.
• Keep dangerous household products, like detergents, paints, glues and solvents, stored out of reach or behind locked doors.
• Exercise caution with everyday items and tools. For example, do not run with pointy items in hand.
• Store loose belongings in the trunk of a car or cargo bed, as loose objects can become pro- jectiles in an automobile accident.
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getting the flu shot earlier this fall.
Should I still get one,
even though I’ve heard
this year’s shot is less effective?
Though it’s always best to get the
shot in fall, it can still offer you some protection against the flu if you don’t receive the shot until later. Each year’s flu season usually peaks in January or February but can last as long as May.
Because of genetic changes in the H3N2 viruses, the vaccine’s ability to protect against those viruses may be diminished. Influenza viruses are continually mutating. Despite that, vaccinated people may have a milder illness if they do become infected by an H3N2 strain.
Flu vaccines protect against three or four different flu viruses, depending on how the vaccines are formulated. A vaccine that is only partly protective against a single flu virus can still offer some protection against other viruses.
Will vitamin C help cure the com- mon cold?
The evidence for this is somewhat contradictory, but probably not. Al-
though it may not prevent or cure the common cold, some think taking large doses of vitamin C may shorten the length of time you have a cold and lessen its severity, especially if you have low levels of the vitamin to begin with. However, there is no evidence that it does.
While no cure for the common cold, vitamin C is an important part of healthy nutrition and maintaining a strong immune system in general. The minimum daily re- quirement for vitamin C is 75 milligrams. Consuming any more than 500 milligrams gives you no health advantage because any amount greater than that isn’t absorbed and is excreted. People with kidney disease
FAMILY MEDICINE • UAMS
should avoid vitamin C supplements. Foods that are good sources of vitamin C are not hard to find. They include citrus fruits, berries, melons, peas, peppers, potatoes and
salad greens.
I’m 46. Should I get tested for colon cancer?
Colorectal cancer, or colon cancer, is the third-most-common cancer
for men and women in the United States and is most often found in people 50 or older. It is also the second-leading killer among cancers in the U.S.
Colorectal-cancer screenings help find precancerous abnormal growths in the co- lon or rectum, called polyps, so they can be removed before they turn into cancer, a process that saves lives.
Those who are 45 with no family history of colorectal cancer have an average risk of developing this cancer. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, you should start prevention exams at age 50. Those who believe they have a higher risk of developing cancer should speak to their doctor about getting screened early. Most people should be screened regularly until age 75.
If someone has a family history of col- orectal polyps or cancer, or has inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, he or she is considered to be at higher risk for developing colorectal cancer. Lifestyle risk factors that could increase a person’s risk for cancer include a lack of regular physical activity, low fruit and vegetable intake, a low- er-fiber and high-fat diet, being overweight or obese, alcohol consumption and tobacco use.
SHASHANK KRALETI, M.D.
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