Kirby Puckett: Eye Problem Forecast Tragedy
Baseball fans are still reeling from the sudden death of Hall of Fame Minnesota Twins' legend Kirby Puckett. Puckett's playing career ended prematurely after he developed a blinding eye condition caused by occlusion of a retinal blood vessel. The eye condition occurred in 1996 and wiped out the vision in his right eye. This was a circulatory disorder that was present throughout his entire body - not just the eye. It was an 'eye problem' because of the vision loss and because his eye doctors could see the problem.
That is how it often is. An eye problem is representative of a much larger condition affecting the entire body, a systemic condition. In this situation high blood pressure is usually discovered. Eye doctors know about this dangerous combination and refer the patient to an internist for further evaluation. Retinal vascular occlusions have a disastrous reputation. Eye doctors know that the long-term overall prognosis is grim unless affected individuals act quickly to regain their good health: stop smoking, lose weight, control their blood pressure and lower their cholesterol.
Poor bloodflow in Puckett's right eye led to a special kind of glaucoma. Game over. No more playing baseball. Batters need crisp vision in both eyes to consistently gauge the path of a 95mph baseball thrown at them.
Celebrity deaths often alert the public to preventable health tragedies. Kirby Puckett's situation is no different. If your eye doctor finds hemorrhages in your eye and warns you about blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol it may be the only advance warning you get to protect yourself from permanent disability or death.
Related Topics: Take the Hypertension Quiz, Lower Your Stroke Risk
Technorati Tags: Kirby Puckett, highbloodpressure, stroke, diabetes
That is how it often is. An eye problem is representative of a much larger condition affecting the entire body, a systemic condition. In this situation high blood pressure is usually discovered. Eye doctors know about this dangerous combination and refer the patient to an internist for further evaluation. Retinal vascular occlusions have a disastrous reputation. Eye doctors know that the long-term overall prognosis is grim unless affected individuals act quickly to regain their good health: stop smoking, lose weight, control their blood pressure and lower their cholesterol.
Poor bloodflow in Puckett's right eye led to a special kind of glaucoma. Game over. No more playing baseball. Batters need crisp vision in both eyes to consistently gauge the path of a 95mph baseball thrown at them.
Celebrity deaths often alert the public to preventable health tragedies. Kirby Puckett's situation is no different. If your eye doctor finds hemorrhages in your eye and warns you about blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol it may be the only advance warning you get to protect yourself from permanent disability or death.
Related Topics: Take the Hypertension Quiz, Lower Your Stroke Risk
Technorati Tags: Kirby Puckett, highbloodpressure, stroke, diabetes
5 Comments:
My 3 year old son was diagnosised with Esotropia, and Hyperopia.He has to now wear glasses. His vision is 40/40, with correction. I don't have a lot of faith in the doctors he is seeing. One doctor acts like this is pretty serious, and the other one that he sees more often thinks it's no big deal. He will start vision therapy soon. Can you please explain this condition to me, and tell me how serious this is. I appreciate your time.
tracymears1@peoplepc.com
Thanks,
Tracy Mears
To those of you asking specific questions about a condition or concern, try visiting our Eye and Vision Disorders board for more information.
Thank you.
The reason that Kirby Puckett lost sight in his right eye was because he was hit in that eye by a pitch, which caused the condition you are referring to. True, he may have had the condition to begin with, but getting hit in the head/eye with a pitch going 80 mph is more likely what caused him to go blind in that eye.
Can your vision be restored after you have been diagnosed with Retina Occlusion? Since I have poor circulation and was told this was resposible for the occlusion, is there any way to reverse the occlusion? Elaine Prendergast
Ruth, ask your doctor about Avastin injections.
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