According to David A. Quillen, M.D. Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, In the American Family Physician newsletter, “vision loss among older people is a major healthcare problem. The four most common causes of age-related vision loss are macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy.

“The elderly population in the United States is increasing rapidly. By the year 2030, approximately 70 million Americans will be over 65 years of age. Loss of vision among the elderly is a major health care problem: approximately one in three elderly persons has some form of vision-reducing eye disease by the age of 65. Vision impairment is associated with a decreased ability to perform activities of daily living and an increased risk for depression.”

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In an American Optometric Association study, it was reported that 67% of Americans think glaucoma is avoidable. Actually, this eye disease is unpreventable. It can be treated if recognized early to the onset of the disease, making early detection critical. Early detection and treatment are also critical for preventing the damaging symptoms of additional diseases including macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

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This special presentation is open to the public

Do you have questions? Please join Sanatoga Ridge Community and HomeSight Eye Care’s Dr. Shana Barrett Zeitlin for a short presentation on common eye conditions that can affect the older population. Not only will you learn about causes of vision loss, you can ask questions about the importance of early detection.

You will also learn how you can schedule to have your eye examinations performed in the comfort of your own home. The presentation will be held Tuesday, October 16 at 1 p.m. at the Sanatoga Ridge Community Center, 2461 E. High St., Sanatoga, PA 19464. To secure your seat, please RSVP to Sanatoga Ridge, 610-326-6282 no later than Friday, October 12.

Dr. Zeitlin, the Medical Director of HomeSight Eye Care, provides house calls for medical optometric services to patients in skilled nursing, assisted, and independent living facilities, as well as to homebound patients. Prior to starting the company in 2018, she worked as an optometrist both in these alternative settings and in the traditional office setting. She continues to care for office patients at various locations in the Delaware Valley.

Dr. Zeitlin has a particular interest in medical optometry, especially geriatric and diabetic eye care Having worked closely with the Department of Ophthalmology at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Dr. Zeitlin has extensive experience in the field of ocular disease, including the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and visually significant cataracts, and the treatment of multiple types of glaucoma.

Licensed in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey to the highest therapeutic level, she is a current member of the American Academy of Home Care Medicine, the American Optometric Association, and the Pennsylvania Optometric Association (POA). She served as chair of the POA Student Membership Committee and is a current member of the POA Legislative Action Committee. She is a board member and the immediate past president of the Bucks-Montgomery Optometric Society. Dr. Zeitlin lectures nationally to allied health personnel, including ophthalmic technicians and opticians, and she is an adjunct professor in the Ophthalmic Technician Program at the Community College of Philadelphia.

Dr. Zeitlin is a 2013 graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University, where she was her class president and was active in multiple student advisory boards.

If this is your first visit to Sanatoga Ridge, you can also take the opportunity to take a tour of our spacious apartments and cottages. Sanatoga Ridge is a 55+ active adult community. We would be pleased to show you around following the seminar.

Note: Sanatoga Ridge Community has no relationship with HomeSight Eye Care and our posting of this blog does not indicate an endorsement of the company or its services. The content of the article is presented as a public service to our subscribers.