Medical Briefs

Published: December 2, 2007

When people think of areas of the body affected by cancer, the eyes may be at the bottom of their list. While somewhat rare, cancers of the eye can result in loss of vision, removal of an eye and even death.

The primary cancer of the eye is called ocular melanoma. Ocular melanoma affects only six people out of every 1 million, said Dr. Scott Sigler, an Edmond ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

Symptoms are often painless and may go unnoticed. Kowing the warning signs can help lead to early diagnosis, which may prevent the spread of the cancer to other organs such as the liver — a common complication. Early warning signs for cancers of the eye include:

• Decreased peripheral vision

• An area in the eye that looks red

• Blurred vision

• Seeing shadows or flashing lights

Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact their eye doctor as soon as possible.

Treatments for ocular melanoma vary, Sigler said. If the mass is small, it can be treated with radiation.

For larger tumors, the eye may have to be removed. Early detection is important because currently there are no effective treatments for the cancer once it has spread.

Sigler said doctors don't know what causes ocular melanoma, but ultraviolet radiation does play a role. He recommended everyone get a pair of sunglasses with UV protection — not only to prevent ocular melanoma but to avoid skin cancers of the eyelids and cataracts.

The Oklahoma Youth Center/Norman Adolescent Center in Norman is beginning its annual holiday gift-giving program and is looking for volunteers to provide gifts.

Gifts help make sure children at these youth and adolescent centers feel special, said Rick Gutierrez, OYC director of therapeutic recreation and chairperson of the Holiday Helpers campaign.

Gutierrez said the campaign needs money or specific gifts. If someone wishes to buy gifts, they will receive a letter to Santa which the child has written, that includes size, age and other information.

Donor and children remain anonymous.

Gutierrez said the two facilities have about 60 children, many of whom are in Department of Human Services custody.

"We receive children coming from all diverse backgrounds, with multiple, unimaginable, negative experiences and our goal is to give them something positive in his or her journey through life,” he said. "Any help is greatly appreciated.”

All gifts and donations are tax deductible.

For more information, call 573-3814 or e-mail rsgutier��@odmhsas.org.

The security department at Integris Southwest Medical Center is evaluating the effectiveness of the Segway Personal Transporter.

It is a two-wheeled, self-balancing electronic transportation device that could help officers perform a variety of tasks.

The Segway can be used indoors and outdoors, allowing security personnel to patrol more area than they can on foot. They also can cover great distances quickly, which can be important in emergency situations.

When using the device in the parking lot, the security officer is elevated, permitting a birds-eye view of any activity. The Segway is quiet and allows an officer to maneuver up to suspicious people without being heard.

Officers at Integris Southwest have been testing the device for a few weeks and have found it to be user-friendly.

They say it responds to the officers' reflexes, so it is easy to control.

Officers say it also has improved their customer relations.

"It is not only very visible, it is an attention- getter,” says Byron "Bo” Boshell, director of security at Integris. "People are fascinated by the device and approach security officers just to talk to them about it. This further enhances the security officers' profiles in the parking lots.”

More Segways may be ordered. Each Segway costs $5,600.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson presented Oklahoma's first guide on planning end-of-life health care during a bioethics conference at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

The free guide, titled "Your Right to Decide,” outlines medical choices, planning options and steps for choosing a guardian, and includes a four-page form for the state's Advance Directive for Health Care.

"This is the first comprehensive guide for Oklahoma consumers for how to plan — in advance — their health care for a time when they can't plan for themselves. We are very excited about it,” said Annette Prince, director of the Oklahoma Palliative Care Resource Center at the OU College of Nursing.

Edmondson, who wrote the introductory letter, said the guide was created so every Oklahoman could understand the laws and their rights surrounding health care at the end of life.

The Palliative Care Center worked with the Attorney General's Task Force to Improve End-of-Life Care in Oklahoma and other groups to create the handbook.

Through a grant from the American Bar Association, the handbook is available free on the OU College of Nursing Web site.

To download or order a copy of the guide, go to okpalliative.nursing.ouhsc.edu or call 271-1491, ext. 49194.

"We want everyone, consumers and health providers, to download it. The whole purpose is to get information out to health-care consumers, their families and health providers,” Prince said.

"The beauty of this document is it gets away from the legalese and presents information clearly in terms people can understand. It is a very helpful and useful tool for families in Oklahoma,” Edmondson said.

Compiled by Jeff Raymond and Jim Killackey, Staff Writers

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