M E N T A L I T Y :: Olympian Steve Holcomb & Keratoconus + Student Health
As an optometry student, anything pertaining to the eyes always peaks your interest. From a cute glasses print on pillowcases to little bunnies with glasses on socks.
This morning I was reading the news and was reading how a young 3 time American Olympic gold medalist passed away at the young age of 37. The article I read mentioned that Steve Holcomb was combatting a degenerative eye disease and I went into full onGoogle searching optometry-detective mode.
The results of my recon yielded that Holcomb had keratoconus (KC). He was diagnosed with it and attempted suicide, but failed. Which brings up a lot of interesting points about KC.
KC is a condition in which the the cornea of the eye bulges out in a cone like fashion. Hence, kera (cornea) + conus (cone) = keratoconus.
Onset of KC is usually in the teens to 20s and affects both eyes. Condition is usually really asymmetrical by the time patients are around their sweet 16th. It's genetically passed down in ~10% of cases (autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance). It's also associated with other conditions like sleep apnea, floppy eyelid syndrome, Down's syndrome, Marfan's, Ehlers-Danols, and ocular allergies. It's also noted that eye rubbing (yup, don't do it!) is one of the risk factors of KC.
The biggest problem with KC is that it decreases the quality of life for the patient significantly and it impacts their general vision, independence (like driving), creates a lot of ocular pain, and in some cases impacts their mental health (due to worrying, frustration, and embarrassment).
What I'd like to discuss more about this case is the mental aspect of KC. A lot of people just don't understand it and how it can progress insanely fast. In class, my professor talked about a case where a student went off to study at college and by his second semester had an almost failing GPA since he was in so much pain and unable to get out of bed to attend classes/examinations. Unfortunately, despite having medical treatment and the files to prove his situation, the school didn't accept it and no excuses or make-ups were made for this patient.
That sucks! For example, if this patient had cancer, I'm sure the school would have been or attempted to be more accommodating. Goes to show how much KC has an impact on those it affects and how awareness of it should be advocated. This lack of awareness is the main reason (in my opinion) why KC patient's have mental health problems since no one really understands what they are going through (with decreasing vision) and how much pain that they are in, which leads to the frustrating aspect of the disease for KC patients.
Aside from KC patients, I'd like to just talk about the overall health & metal health of optometry students - mainly from a personal stand point. Since starting optometry, my health has gone down noticeably.
Since starting first year, I've gained 20lbs, had a stomach biopsy, and mentally & physically drained all the time. Aside from the stomach biopsy, I feel like my health experience in optometry school is pretty much similar to my classmates and all grad students for that matter (dentistry, med, etc).
Despite studying all the time so then I can provide a better quality of life for my future patients, my own personal quality of health has taken a toll. Since noticing these symptoms, I've made small attempts to improve it, but realistically nothing large enough to make a good impact as I think my health is noticeably getting worse.
I don't exercise anymore, in fact I spend 95% of my time sitting or lying down. The only time I ever walk is to school from my house and walking from the patient waiting room with my patient to my exam room to the conference room to discuss my findings. I attempt to take the stairs to the 3rd floor of my school where the labs are, but usually with all my equipment or because I'm exhausted, I opt to take the elevator.
Also, in first year, that's when I gained most of my weight since I was on the school's meal plan... and cafeteria food isn't really the best for you. Since moving off campus in 2nd year, my weight has gone down but is still at a surplus than when I entered school. My 'meal' diet is relatively healthy - I eat a lot of vegetables (salads, spinach, beans, edamame, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, etc - I know tomatoes aren't technically vegetables but bear with me), tofu, and salmon and not a lot of carbohydrates. However, I am a snacking studier - I mean, I need snacks (particularly crunchy, salty snacks) and flavoured drinks (read: not water) to keep me from being distracted and to help me fuel for the study session.
Lastly, I can feel my brain slowly burn out. Started school fresh on the track and it was easy to buckle down and study for 8 hours at a time. Now that I'm going to be entering my 3rd year in the next week, the motivation isn't as strong anymore and it's getting harder and harder to focus. Also due to the lack of focus (and being a paranoid test taker who can't sleep until I have all the material reviewed before I sleep before a test), I stay up later and sleep less.
I recognize that this has to change. I tried to set up a workout session with my little once a week this quarter and we've met up twice. Mainly my fault - she's much better than I am, as she goes everyday. I felt (in a good way) terrible after the gym but I stopped going because I was too worried that arm day was going to mess me up when I took my clinical for BIO and 78/90D because my arm would be shaky from being worked out. My next attempt will be after finals, my roommate and I purchased a Groupon to try out aerial fitness. We figured something different might be a great way to engage in exercise. The exercise goes in hand with the weight loss, but in terms of diet, I've been trying to curb off the snacking - though it's extremely hard during finals. I'll post an update on that once finals is over... (not that I should be letting finals be my excuse, but I am).
Sleep? I don't think that's going to change anytime soon.
Anyways the first step of turning things around is recognizing that there's a problem right?
Gotta study for my pharm final. Until next time.
- S
This morning I was reading the news and was reading how a young 3 time American Olympic gold medalist passed away at the young age of 37. The article I read mentioned that Steve Holcomb was combatting a degenerative eye disease and I went into full on
The results of my recon yielded that Holcomb had keratoconus (KC). He was diagnosed with it and attempted suicide, but failed. Which brings up a lot of interesting points about KC.
KC is a condition in which the the cornea of the eye bulges out in a cone like fashion. Hence, kera (cornea) + conus (cone) = keratoconus.
Onset of KC is usually in the teens to 20s and affects both eyes. Condition is usually really asymmetrical by the time patients are around their sweet 16th. It's genetically passed down in ~10% of cases (autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance). It's also associated with other conditions like sleep apnea, floppy eyelid syndrome, Down's syndrome, Marfan's, Ehlers-Danols, and ocular allergies. It's also noted that eye rubbing (yup, don't do it!) is one of the risk factors of KC.
The biggest problem with KC is that it decreases the quality of life for the patient significantly and it impacts their general vision, independence (like driving), creates a lot of ocular pain, and in some cases impacts their mental health (due to worrying, frustration, and embarrassment).
What I'd like to discuss more about this case is the mental aspect of KC. A lot of people just don't understand it and how it can progress insanely fast. In class, my professor talked about a case where a student went off to study at college and by his second semester had an almost failing GPA since he was in so much pain and unable to get out of bed to attend classes/examinations. Unfortunately, despite having medical treatment and the files to prove his situation, the school didn't accept it and no excuses or make-ups were made for this patient.
That sucks! For example, if this patient had cancer, I'm sure the school would have been or attempted to be more accommodating. Goes to show how much KC has an impact on those it affects and how awareness of it should be advocated. This lack of awareness is the main reason (in my opinion) why KC patient's have mental health problems since no one really understands what they are going through (with decreasing vision) and how much pain that they are in, which leads to the frustrating aspect of the disease for KC patients.
---
Aside from KC patients, I'd like to just talk about the overall health & metal health of optometry students - mainly from a personal stand point. Since starting optometry, my health has gone down noticeably.
Since starting first year, I've gained 20lbs, had a stomach biopsy, and mentally & physically drained all the time. Aside from the stomach biopsy, I feel like my health experience in optometry school is pretty much similar to my classmates and all grad students for that matter (dentistry, med, etc).
Despite studying all the time so then I can provide a better quality of life for my future patients, my own personal quality of health has taken a toll. Since noticing these symptoms, I've made small attempts to improve it, but realistically nothing large enough to make a good impact as I think my health is noticeably getting worse.
I don't exercise anymore, in fact I spend 95% of my time sitting or lying down. The only time I ever walk is to school from my house and walking from the patient waiting room with my patient to my exam room to the conference room to discuss my findings. I attempt to take the stairs to the 3rd floor of my school where the labs are, but usually with all my equipment or because I'm exhausted, I opt to take the elevator.
Also, in first year, that's when I gained most of my weight since I was on the school's meal plan... and cafeteria food isn't really the best for you. Since moving off campus in 2nd year, my weight has gone down but is still at a surplus than when I entered school. My 'meal' diet is relatively healthy - I eat a lot of vegetables (salads, spinach, beans, edamame, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, etc - I know tomatoes aren't technically vegetables but bear with me), tofu, and salmon and not a lot of carbohydrates. However, I am a snacking studier - I mean, I need snacks (particularly crunchy, salty snacks) and flavoured drinks (read: not water) to keep me from being distracted and to help me fuel for the study session.
Lastly, I can feel my brain slowly burn out. Started school fresh on the track and it was easy to buckle down and study for 8 hours at a time. Now that I'm going to be entering my 3rd year in the next week, the motivation isn't as strong anymore and it's getting harder and harder to focus. Also due to the lack of focus (and being a paranoid test taker who can't sleep until I have all the material reviewed before I sleep before a test), I stay up later and sleep less.
I recognize that this has to change. I tried to set up a workout session with my little once a week this quarter and we've met up twice. Mainly my fault - she's much better than I am, as she goes everyday. I felt (in a good way) terrible after the gym but I stopped going because I was too worried that arm day was going to mess me up when I took my clinical for BIO and 78/90D because my arm would be shaky from being worked out. My next attempt will be after finals, my roommate and I purchased a Groupon to try out aerial fitness. We figured something different might be a great way to engage in exercise. The exercise goes in hand with the weight loss, but in terms of diet, I've been trying to curb off the snacking - though it's extremely hard during finals. I'll post an update on that once finals is over... (not that I should be letting finals be my excuse, but I am).
Sleep? I don't think that's going to change anytime soon.
Anyways the first step of turning things around is recognizing that there's a problem right?
Gotta study for my pharm final. Until next time.
- S
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