Health r News Briefs Sinai Hospital SUMMER 1993 ISSUE: OPHTHALMOLOGY OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY ir.,•.;1 p t almology Obstetrics and Gynecology Women's Health Series Sinai Hospital offers a free health series just for women featuring important topics such as premenstrual syn- drome, stress management, pregnancy after age 30, menopause and genetic testing. A panel of Sinai health professionals provides the latest information on these is- sues and answers your questions. Programs are held from 7 to 9 p.m., the first and third Wednesday of the month. The first Wednesday program is held at Sinai Hospital, Zuckerman Auditorium, 6767 West Outer Drive, Detroit, between Greenfield and Hubbell. The third Wednesday program is held at the Bloomfield Town- ship Library (BTL), L.H. Green Room, 1099 Lone Pine Road, at the southeast corner of Telegraph. Upcoming programs are: DATE TOPIC July 21 Breast Cancer. Prevention and Treatment Dedication to Ophthalmic Research Helps Department hairman Lead by Example hairman of the Department of Ophthalmology Hugh Beckman, M.D., is a busy man. And he's a man who wears plenty of hats. Department Chairman. A member of Sinai Board of Directors. Researcher. Since Dr. Beckman became Chairman in 1977, he has set the pace for ophthalmic research at Sinai. Dr. Beckman believes that research "stimulates intellectual curiosity." And it is this curiosity which often leads to a cure. LOCATION BTL Aug 4 Menopause and Hormonal Replacement Sinai Aug 18 Women and Stress: Why am I So Tired? BTL Sept 1 Pregnancy After 30 Sinai Sept 15 Is Premenstrual Syndrome Really BTL All in My Head? Oct 6 At Risk: Women and Heart Disease Sinai Oct 20 Genetic Testing: What Can it Tell Me? tients, 40 of whom come to Sinai for treatment and follow-up. Future Looks Promising BTL To reserve a seat for any of these free programs, please call 1-800-248-3627. Sinai Au Pair Care Sinai Hospital introduces an innovative program for new mothers called Sinai Au Pair Care. For a fee, new moth- ers can enjoy the comfort of having a health professional on hand to assist with the new baby and to make the transition home with the newborn a little easier. From an afternoon of dia- per changes to six weeks of live-in care, Sinai Au Pair Care offers flexible schedul- ing for new mothers. Au Pair Care gift certificates are also available. For more information call Sinai's Peri- natal Home Care Coordinator at 493-5680. Ophthalmology 493-LOOK Do you have a vision problem but are uncertain which division can meet your needs? Call Sinai Eye Care at 493-LOOK and you will be directed to the proper area of the Department of Ophthalmology to meet your visions needs. Sinai PHO Sinai Hospital announces the formation of the Sinai Physician Hospital Organization (PHO). Through the Sinai PHO, some 250 physicians throughout southeast- ern Michigan offer high-quality, cost-effective health ser- vices to the community. Watch for more information on the PHO from your employer's benefits department or your health plan. Sinai's Department of Ophthalmology Chairman Hugh Beckman, M.D., is a pioneer in using the laser to treat glaucoma. Innovative Ways of Treating Glaucoma over a period of years. Pri- mary open-angle glauco- ma has been called a ver the last several "silent" disease because it years, Dr. Beckman usually occurs after the has conducted research to age of 40 and often causes determine if the argon no symptoms. Left undi- laser is as effective as eye agnosed and untreated, drop medications used to POA glaucoma slowly treat primary open-angle raises pressure on the eye glaucoma (POA). which can result in blind- POA glaucoma is the ness. most common form of Dr. Beckman's research glaucoma in the United is sponsored by the Na- States. It results from a tional Eye Institute. He is gradual blockage of the also the national study outflow of fluid in the front chairman. The long-term compartment of the eye study involves 271 pa- O rtirtai As Sinai now enters the second year of the glauco- ma laser trial follow-up, study (GLTFS), early re- sults are showing that the laser is at least as effective and safe as eye drops. Pressure in eyes treated with the laser is 10 per- cent lower than in eyes treated with medication only. One advantage of laser treatments over medica- tion, explains Dr. Beck- man, is that patients don't need to remember to take their medication. In fact, in some people, the argon laser can reduce or elimi- nate the need for daily eye drops which can cause side effects. Advanced Glaucoma Research Sinai is also a leader in the evaluation of advanced glaucoma. Since 1988, Marshall Cyrlin, M.D., has conducted the Ad- vanced Glaucoma Inter- vention Study (AGIS). Sinai is one of just 11 cen- ters taking part in this Na- tional Eye Institute study which includes 800 par- ticipants, 35 of whom come to Sinai. The study is helping to determine whether the Argon laser or traditional trabeculec- tomy is more effective for treating advanced glauco- ma. "The Argon laser is a perfect tool for treating ad- vanced glaucoma because the laser is well absorbed by the eye pigment in the natural drainage canals," explains Dr. Cyrlin. "The laser helps to 'stretch' open the pores in the eye to re- move pressure on the eye." As the study enters its five-year patient follow-up, Dr. Cyrlin is confident that the study is meeting its in- tended goal. 'We are find- ing that the best treatment for one patient may not be the best for the other. The study will help us to determine which treatment will be best for each patient on an indi- vidual basis and will ben- efit all advanced glaucoma patients in the future." Research has Positive Side Effects for Sinai Not only is research im- proving the quality of life for patients but it is also attracting other top-notch physicians to Sinai. "Our strong commitment to re- search is appealing to oph- thalmologists who want to be part of a hospital where state-of-the-art medicine is practiced," says Dr. Beckman. Continued on next page