Health Tips ... from UPI

TOP 10 LIST FOR HEALTHY EYES

Eye specialists recommend screening children's vision to catch such problems as amblyopia and strabismus early to prevent future vision loss. Other tips include for healthy vision include: Wear sunglasses and hats to help protect eyes from ultraviolet light, which can cause cataracts and, perhaps, retinal disease; eat fruits and vegetables, good sources of antioxidants, to prevent several eye diseases; keep away from potentially injurious fireworks; wear eye protection at home, work and play during sports or when handling chemicals or yard debris; clean and treat contact lenses properly to prevent infections and even blindness; do not smoke, a risk factor in retinal eye diseases; avoid using old mascara, a harbinger of bacteria that can lead to eye infections; and give children safe toys without sharp or protruding parts. People with diabetes also should undergo dilated medical eye exams because early detection and treatment can help prevent vision loss from diabetic retinopathy.

INGREDIENT, NOT BRAND NAME, MATTERS

A pharmacist says consumers looking for allergy relief should check the active ingredient, rather than the brand name of medications. Fred Eckel of the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy, and editor in chief of Pharmacy Times, notes most consumers are confused by the wide array of available products and, even with new drug labeling, fail to understand they should match ingredients to symptoms. Picking an anti-allergy medication based on brand name alone serves neither your nose nor your pocketbook, he says. Eckel notes brand-name, over-the-counter drugs usually cost more than generic types. Loratadine and pseudoephedrine, for example, are the active ingredients in Claritin-D, a nationally advertised allergy medicine. Loratadine, an antihistamine, treats the symptoms of hay fever and other allergies -- watery or itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing. Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant, can decrease inflammation in the nose and sinus area to ease breathing. As a comparison, a package of 24 tablets of Claritin-D sells can cost over 20 percent more than a store or generic brand.

ALZHEIMER'S DRUG MAY HELP MS PATIENTS

Scientists say donepezil, used to treat Alzheimer's dementia, also can help multiple sclerosis patients with mild to moderate memory loss. They told a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology most MS patients and their doctors focus on managing the physical manifestations of the disease, yet new studies show some 50 percent of the patients also may face cognitive impairment, including difficulties with problem-solving, attention, learning and memory. The researchers from State University of New York, Stony Brook, showed in a 24-week study of 69 MS patients, those given donepezil improved on verbal memory tests and in other cognitive functions, said Dr. Lauren Krupp, director of neuropsychology research.

BLOOD PRESSURE DRUG MAY AID STROKE PATIENTS

A drug used to lower blood pressure also may help prevent certain brain damage in stroke patients, a study shows. The research was presented at the American Academy of Neurology 56th Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The researchers surveyed 226 patients who had suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack. The participants received either the ACE inhibitor perindopril or a therapeutically neutral placebo. They had an MRI scan of the brain at the beginning and end of the study and three years later to measure white matter lesions. The prevalence of such lesions increases with age, is linked to hypertension and has been shown to increase the risk of dementia, severe cognitive impairment or gait disturbances. The group receiving the medication had five times less of the troublesome lesions than the control group, said study co-author Carole Dufouil of INSERM in Paris.

(Editors: For more information about EYES, contact Michael Coogan at (301) 496-5248 or mjc@nei.nih.gov. For BRAND, Alyson O'Mahoney at (914) 241-0086, ext. 13. For MEMORY, Kathy Stone at (651) 695-2763 or kstone@aan.com. For STROKE,

Kathy Stone at (651) 695-2763 or kstone@aan.com)