Trauma to the eye
What do you do when you get injured in the eye? In general:
- if you get scratched in the eye (like if debris flies in or someone accidentally pokes you 👈🏼), fight the urge to rub and instead force yourself to blink - this will produce tears 💧 to flush out any debris and moisten your eyes for protection. Thankfully, scratches heal pretty quickly, but you are susceptible to a superimposed bacterial or fungal infection, so see your eye doctor ASAP.
- if you get a chemical in the eye (like pepper spray or tear gas, I go into more detail about these in my post 2 days ago) find a water source and flush it out for at least 10-15 minutes. It may not get all the chemical out (like with pepper spray, you'll need soap or a special wipe to break up the oils), but it'll dilute enough to minimize damage and irritation. Sometimes you can get inflammation in the eye from these chemicals that can affect your vision, so seek medical attention ASAP.
- lastly, if you sustain direct trauma to the eye (i.e. a punch or projectile), again fight the urge to rub or touch it - you can make the injury worse. If there is something stuck in the eye or orbit (around the eye), do NOT remove it. The best thing to do is to keep the eye closed and loosely cover it with a pair of glasses or even a taped on cup🥤(I'm serious, this is in all our textbooks as a treatment!) and seek medical attention ASAP. 🏥
Eye injuries can range from a simple scratch (corneal abrasion) or a broken blood vessel on the surface like a bruise (subconjunctival hemorrhage) to more serious things like bleeding inside (hyphema) or a cut on the eye (laceration or ruptured globe) that can threaten your vision.
As an eye doctor👩🏻⚕️ (and parent), the best treatment for any injury is always prevention, so please please please wear eye protection if you think you will be at risk!
Click HERE for my YouTube explanation
“As a medical student, did you have time for anything else?”
To my surprise, premeds (including high school students!) have been hitting up my inbox 📨 to ask for advice and seek encouragement in their medical school journeys. I love it, but it also makes me feel ooooooold 😂)
One of the most common questions revolves around the amount of work and studying that is involved becoming a physician: “Will I have time for anything else?” 👩🏻⚕️
This is what I tell them: Yes, there will be lots of studying 📖 and late nights. 🌙 So you will have to MAKE the time for your extracurriculars and PROTECT your outside interests. ❤️
In high school and as an undergrad, I loved hanging out with my friends and sorority sisters. I was involved in student government and clubs (sports , dance, and cultural). I also loved tutoring and mentoring other students.
But everyone knew I was a premed, and so when it came time to study and/or head home early from a party, they supported (and some even joined) me. 📚
This balance will also be important in medical school and beyond, where it will be so easy to get caught up in work and the rat race (of grades, residencies, promotions, research, etc).
Don’t forget about YOU - your interests and your passions. Because a happy, fulfilled, and well rounded physician is truly the best kind (and honestly what medical schools, residencies, and fellowships are looking for!).
2 Types of COVID Testing
Peter and I got swabbed for coronavirus 🦠 last week before visiting my parents over the Memorial Day weekend. (As healthcare professionals 🥼 we didn't want to take any chances. We went to a drive thru site, and it took about 4 days for the results.) What exactly does this test tell you and how is it different from the blood test some people get? 🤷🏻♀️
A nasal swab (or mouth swab at some sites) tests for the presence of actual virus particles and can tell you if you have an ACTIVE infection. 🤒 This test is just a moment in time, and even though we were negative, we can still contract the virus in the future. (If the test had been positive, we would have quarantined and expected to develop symptoms in the next few days. 🤧)
The antibody test requires a blood draw 🩸and can tell you if you've had the infection in the PAST (beyond 1-3 weeks). In most cases, having antibodies would grant you immunity to an infection (since your body knows how to fight it), but with COVID19 it is still unclear if that is indeed the case or how long that immunity lasts.
Lastly, if you think you are sick with COVID19 (fevers, coughing, shortness of breath), please call your doctor for instructions and recommendations. The jury is still out whether asymptomatic, low risk people should be tested - while the data would be extremely helpful to figure out how much of the population are/were asymptomatic carriers, many areas/states do not have the capability to test everyone. 🧪
“What are floaters?”
I am asked almost everyday - What are floaters? (by patients, friends, parents... 😉)
Your eyes 👀 are filled with a clear gel called the vitreous. Sometimes, you can get opacities in this gel, which you will see as floaters. People usually describe them as bugs 🐝 or webs 🕸, but they can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. (I had one patient describe his to me as a "UFO marshmallow" ☁️)
Most of the time, these floaters are benign, caused by age related proteins. But once in a while, they can be caused by blood or other issues inside the eye, so definitely let your eye doctor 👩🏻⚕️ know if you develop any!
Coronavirus 101
I might “just” be an ophthalmologist with some fun fashion content, but as a physician, I do feel I should at least address some of the major medical issues... (just wait until tomorrow! #doctorsspeakup@zdoggmd)
Today let’s talk Corinavirus. For the most updated accurate information, please visit @cdcgov. But here’s a quick summary as of 3/4/20:
- #COVID19 is a novel virus that can cause fever, cough, and shortness of breath 2-14 days after exposure
- “novel” means “new” - which is why we don’t have too much information about this disease, nor do we have immunity or vaccines available (yet)
- the majority of patients experience mild symptoms, while the ones who experience more severe ones typically have had comorbidities
- the virus is believed to spread person to person through close contact (defined as within 6 feet, mainly through droplets)
- the best prevention is to wash your hands properly with soap and water (alcohol based sanitizers are only recommend if you DON’T have access to soap and water), disinfect frequently touched surfaces, and avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose
- masks DO NOT protect you from the virus. You can still get sick if you fail to wash your hands or touch your face (which may be more likely if you are fussing with a mask! Facemasks ARE recommended if YOU are sick so you aren’t coughing or sneezing droplets all over)
- all US cases reported thus far have been people who have traveled to affected areas and/or had close contact with people who have. There have been no confirmed community acquired cases - which means, you are very unlikely to just “catch coronavirus.”
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Some interesting additional information I found:
- the majority of cases have been reported in adults. Whether this means children are less affected is still unclear but as a mother, this is reassuring - because this virus may have originated from animals in China, there are suggestions that you could give the virus to your pets! No human or puppy kisses if you’re sick! 🐶
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My takeaway? WASH. YOUR. HANDS. There is a lot we do not know and cannot control - but washing your hands not one of them.
That time we went viral…
It’s truly crazy the response that my husband and I have gotten from this little #realdoctorlovestory Tiktok video. Students and trainees have reached out to say it makes them hopeful; other couples have made their own fun versions; strangers have commented on how it just makes them happy...
I think my ultimate take away here is that - despite hardships, difficulties, and pain - LOVE is the answer and always finds a way. ❤️ And it’s amazing to see that over 6 million people would agree. 😉
Hug your loved ones close. Cherish them. Tomorrow is not promised so have fun and love hard today!