THE VILLAGES - A man or woman clad in shorts, a tropical-print shirt, sunglasses and a straw hat, sipping a drink beneath a palm tree: That is the stereotypical view of a Florida retiree.
Many groups in this community are squashing that notion, among them the Village Nurses Club. Retired or not, Nurses Club members gather monthly to update themselves on healthcare issues.
The nurses listened to a presentation about eye care - presented by Dr. Ethiraj Ramchander, who is board certified and fellowship trained in retinal surgery - Tuesday at Chatham Center.
Purpura's comment was proven true that day, as a number of nurses throughout the Secretariat room scribbled notes that would undoubtedly come in handy some day.
Ramchander focused his presentation on eye care for the elderly, since that was the primary group of individuals the nurses would interface with. Ramchander treats patients in The Villages and Leesburg and is versed with treating the eye ailments of the age 65-and-older population.
According to Ramchander, most people experience some sort of visual loss by age 65. Macular degeneration is the No. 1 cause of blindness in the elderly, and diabetes, cataracts and glaucoma are also major causes of elderly eye issues.
The group was astounded to learn of the improvements to cataract surgery in the last 25 years. Modern day incisions are essentially self-sealing and require no sutures - a combination that typically yields excellent results.
Cataract surgery must not be done in the early stages. It is Ramchander's practice not to recommend cataract surgery unless vision has decreased enough to interfere with a patient's lifestyle.
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