Eyecare
Discovery Center
Discovery Center
A stress-free appointment with a trusted doctor showed the way to a longer, healthier life.
It’s true. Meet 60-something Linda Butcher-Cline. Like a lot of us, the Athens, Ohio almost-retiree put off some routine tasks, including a yearly eye exam.
Linda actually waited three years between exams. When she made it in to see her optometrist, Dr. Littler, the timing was nothing short of life changing.
Our eyes provide a clear and unequaled view into our bodies and overall health. And Dr. Littler saw some troubling things in Linda’s eyes. He noticed the telltale signs of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
A yellowish tint in her blood vessels, typical of high cholesterol, wasn’t the only problem. The good doctor was shocked to see a blocked blood vessel in Linda’s eyes too.
“Linda thought she was very healthy, and she had no obvious symptoms of these problems,” says Dr. Littler. “I’m so glad she came in when she did. I told her to get to her primary care doctor ASAP to confirm my suspicions and get treatment.”
Hurry she did, and good thing too. Linda’s medical doctor found cholesterol levels above 260 and high blood pressure on top of that, an unfortunate recipe for heart disease and stroke. A good treatment plan in place, and Linda’s future looks bright – and long.
Later, Linda also was treated for other problems – a blocked carotid artery and a blocked blood vessel in her heart.
It’s hard to believe Linda once waited three years between eye exams. “I keep track of my calendar by Linda now,” jokes Dr. Littler. “She’s in here every year, and her eyes say ‘healthy’ again.”
Source: VSP
