Take a look at our April newsletter!
The
3700 Joseph Siewick Dr., Suite 400 • Fairfax, VA 22033 (703) 620-4300 • EyePlasticMD.com
APRIL 2025
We all know diet and exercise are good for us, but how much we laugh is just as crucial to our overall health as what we eat and how many walks around the neighborhood we take. April is National Humor Month. It’s an odd concept in some ways: You can have humor one month out of the year, but then you have to cut it off? Anyway, it dates back to 1976, when a comedian named Larry Wilde started it to promote the benefits of humor and laughter in our daily lives. Appropriately, it kicks off on April Fool’s Day. In my practice, I’ve always tried to add a little levity when appropriate to every patient visit, especially when the matter at hand could be a little scary for them. It helps me connect better with them, and patients often leave feeling more relaxed. Many years ago, when I saw pediatric patients, an adorable 5-year-old boy came in with super-droopy upper eyelids. As I talked with his parents about surgery to fix his eyelids, I apparently said things he found humorous. I’ll never forget it … he tipped his head way back and said, “Hey! You’re a funny guy!” Remembering that moment has always made me smile. My sister, who was working with me at the time before she went to grad school, still jokes about it to this day. If I say something humorous when we’re together, she’ll say, “Hey! You’re a funny guy!” On the other hand, the operating room can be a pressure cooker. I always try to keep things a little light so everybody’s relaxed and at their best because nobody does good work when tense. There are considerable health benefits to humor. Laughter helps boost the immune system and reduce cortisol levels, stress, and anxiety. It can also boost your mood by releasing endorphins and enhance your creativity and problem- solving. It provides an element of resilience that helps people cope when they normally might feel overwhelmed. If you make a joke at the right time, it can even diffuse a conflict or disagreement. Laugh Your Way to Wellness Humor’s Healing Touch
“If you want to maintain the best health possible, get a good belly laugh going to enjoy April and beyond.”
Laughter also releases natural painkillers into the body and tones down discomfort. It may even improve your heart by increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure. The next time you have 15 minutes free, do yourself a favor and check out Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk, “How You Make Stress Your Friend,” on YouTube. Ms. McGonigal is a health psychologist who shares some intriguing insight into how stress affects our well-being. She reveals how a groundbreaking study that monitored 30,000 adults over eight years showed that people who experienced a lot of stress in the previous year had a 43 percent higher risk of dying — but only if they believed that stress was harmful to their health. Put simply, if you believe the stress in your life is dangerous, it will be. It’s not a stretch to suggest that those folks who don’t let stress get the best of them incorporate plenty of humor into their lives.
As a medical provider, my best advice to anyone I encounter is to laugh more often. If you want to maintain the best health possible, get a good belly laugh going to enjoy April and beyond.
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EUROPE’S MOST EXCLUSIVE ESCAPES
Find an Exercise Routine You Can Stick To The Hidden Benefits of Loving Your Daily Workout
When getting in shape and sticking to an exercise routine can feel like an uphill battle, it doesn’t have to. Current studies show that we should strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. Moderate being defined as walking 2 miles in 30 minutes or biking 5 miles in the same amount of time at a rate that requires some effort to hold a conversation.
out hiking or playing a competitive sport. The important thing is to do what you enjoy. If it’s easier to exercise with friends, ask at your gym for groups that meet there or find other people who want to work out with a group on social media. BREAK THE 150-MINUTE GOAL INTO SMALLER, ACHIEVABLE INCREMENTS. If you like jogging, rather than running for 30 minutes five days a week, substitute cycling — either outdoors or inside on a stationary bike — every other day to take the pressure off your feet and joints. Three 10-minute workouts rather than one long session is also fine. Whatever feels good for you and keeps you giving your best effort each workout. TRACK YOUR SESSIONS AND REWARD YOURSELF. Keeping a calendar of your successes helps make your good habits tangible. If you need a boost, look for different yoga, dance, or martial arts classes to incorporate into your schedule. After 30 days of success, give yourself a treat, whatever may be motivational. The bottom line is that exercise should be enjoyable if you’re going to stick with it. Don’t beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon. The voice in your head should be encouraging, the way you would speak to a friend who’s struggling. Give yourself time to establish your new routine. If you choose activities you enjoy, taking time for yourself will be a pleasure. You’ll start looking forward to your exercise routine and be more likely to stick with it over the long term.
With these guidelines in mind, it’s time to reset your workout expectations with these three tips to help you find a program you can stick with.
CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU ENJOY. It’s okay if lining up at dawn to enter a CrossFit gym isn’t your thing. There’s nothing worse than dreading daily trips to a weight room when you’d rather be
KIM’S REFRESHED FLAIR A Lower Lid Revival
“For nearly a decade, I was bothered by how my lower eyelids looked. I had talked to dermatologists about ways to help the skin under the eyes and make the sagginess less noticeable, but nothing seemed to work. One day, my primary eye doctor referred me to Dr. Scott for a fresh opinion. “I wasn’t familiar with Dr. Scott at first, so I did some research before deciding to see him. I already trusted my eye doctor’s recommendation, but the outstanding reviews of Eye Plastic Associates I read online made me feel more at ease about visiting Dr. Scott. From the moment I met him, he knew exactly what to do to make me look better and help me feel more confident about my appearance. He explained his thoughts on my options and detailed what I could expect. I left our first meeting with a good feeling about going with him.
procedure. I had faith, confidence, and trust in him — I knew everything would be fine. The surgery was successful, and Dr. Scott and his staff were accessible throughout my recovery. Whenever I had a concern, I knew I could call or text Dr. Scott, and someone would get back to me. “I’m thrilled with the results! Friends and family have noticed the change; some have even said I look 10 years younger! The laser tightening alone made such a difference to the outcome. From my first meeting until my last, Dr. Scott and his staff were incredibly kind, comforting, and professional. I would recommend Eye Plastic Associates to anyone.
“Dr. Scott is an artist at what he does, and I couldn’t be happier with my experience with him.”
–Kim Clendenin
“Last Halloween, Dr. Scott performed blepharoplasty and laser tightening on both my lower eyelids. I wasn’t worried at all about undergoing the
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How to Manage Styes and Recurring Chalazions
THE “E” WORDS OF EYELID HEALTH
Ectropion and Entropion Explained
As we age, it’s essential to be familiar with two common and treatable conditions that may affect our eyelids: ectropion and entropion . These diagnoses are important because people can suffer from them for extended periods but not recognize the symptoms. An ectropion occurs when the lower eyelid begins to drop away from the eye and bows out. When an eyelid bends away from the eye, it tends to make the eye tear more, and this fluid runs over the eyelid. Think of it like bending the wall of your bathtub to allow the water to flow onto the floor. When the eyelid’s lining no longer touches the eye, it separates to the point where air gets in. Exposure to air causes the area to get red and raw. Common causes of ectropion include Bell’s palsy, normal aging, and overly aggressive eyelid surgery in which too much skin was removed. It is usually
managed first through lubricating drops, but surgery may be required to the outside corner of the eye to pull the eyelid tight. A skin graft may be necessary in rare cases where there’s not enough skin on the lower eyelid. The more insidious of the two conditions, an entropion occurs when the lower eyelid rolls in on itself, and the lashes are aimed inward against the eye. Sometimes, the issue can be felt intermittently but this condition will likely worsen over time. Alternative short-term solutions to surgery include applying special tape to hold down the eyelid, administering a small amount of Botox across the lower eyelid, or using sutures to stop it from rolling in. People with either eyelid condition can also have floppy eyelid syndrome, where the eyelid essentially becomes an eternal rubberband that keeps stretching due to the loss of rigidity it once
Ectropion
Entropion
had. This eyelid condition is frequently associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Patients diagnosed with floppy eyelid syndrome are encouraged to fill out a sleep apnea questionnaire, and if positive, we strongly recommend they go for a sleep study. If you are experiencing new and unexplained irritation to one or more eyes, consult your regular eye doctor, who can detect an ectropion or an entropion, and then potentially seek our help to fix either problem.
LOW-SUGAR, NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
INGREDIENTS •
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 3 tbsp butter, melted 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 8 oz cream cheese, softened
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1 1/2 cup milk
1 (1 oz package) sugar-free cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix 2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
A referral is the highest compliment we can receive! Thank you for sending us five referrals this month!
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DIRECTIONS 1.
The body heals with play, the mind heals with laughter, and the spirit heals with joy.
In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Press evenly into an 8-inch pie pan. Refrigerate until set. 2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, then add milk and blend until smooth. 3. Add pudding mixture to cream mixture and blend on low speed until completely mixed. 4. Spoon half the filling over the crust, add a layer of strawberries, then spread the rest of the filling over them and top with remaining strawberries. 5. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
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3700 Joseph Siewick Dr., Suite 400 • Fairfax, VA 22033 (703) 620-4300 • EyePlasticMD.com
Inside This Issue
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Smiles and Strength
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Make Exercise Fun and Effective
A Serene Surgery Experience
Solutions to Lazy Lids
Low-Sugar, No-Bake Cheesecake
Naval Combat Inside the Roman Colosseum?
ROME’S AWESOME AQUATIC BATTLES
The Colosseum’s Wildest Spectacle
The Roman Colosseum is famous for its gladiator combat, but did you know it was once flooded with water for full-scale naval battles? While this might sound like Hollywood fiction, it actually took place and is one of the more epic tales from Roman history. Known as naumachiae, a Greek term that translates to “naval combat,” these battles were a feat of ancient engineering and showcased Rome’s appetite for over-the-top entertainment. For a society captivated by lions and gladiators, transforming the iconic Colosseum into an aquatic battlefield was the ultimate flex — a bizarre yet undeniably brilliant display of Roman ingenuity and excess. THE SPECTACLE OF NAUMACHIAE Imagine thousands of spectators cheering as tiny warships clashed in a flooded arena. Dating back to the third century B.C., these mock sea battles weren’t small staged skirmishes; they were elaborate naval reenactments complete with ships, soldiers, and condemned criminals and prisoners of war forced to play the role of combatants. In some cases, these spectacles recreated historical battles or mythological scenes. One naumachiae held by Nero in 57 A.D. even included seals and hippos. So, why did Romans go to such lengths? More than entertainment, naumachiae was a statement of imperial power. Such Roman spectacles
entertained the masses while reinforcing the empire’s might.
THE CHALLENGE OF ARENA BATTLES Of course, flooding the Colosseum was not easy. It’s believed the same aqueducts used to
supply the city with water were also used to fill up the arena, and special flat- bottomed ships capable of navigating shallow waters made the events possible. The discovery of an ancient drainage system also provided new insights into how Roman engineers may have efficiently removed water from the arena to prepare it for other events. WHY IT’S MORE THAN JUST A WEIRD STORY The logistical challenges of flooding an arena to a depth sufficient for floating ships eventually led them to abandon the naumachiae after only a handful of events. Yet, these extravagant displays reveal much about Roman culture. They highlight the empire’s unmatched ability to combine practicality and imagination to create spectacles that continue to captivate and inspire us centuries later.
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