INSIGHT ON EYESIGHT WWW.WEHELPCHICAGOSEE.COM / (773) 788-6974 / OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
How Primary Eye Care Does Thanksgiving COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND TURKEY:
Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year. For one day, no one has to worry about giving and receiving gifts, and you don’t have to fight crowds or spend money. It’s just a meal with the ones you love. Or in my world, it’s two meals. Many people go to multiple locations each Thanksgiving, but in my case, I actually celebrate two holidays. Canadian Thanksgiving this year is on Oct. 8. It’s always the second Monday in October, but outside of that, there’s nothing drastically different from the American traditions. Turkey, pilgrims, and good, old-fashioned tryptophan hangovers are all common in Canada. While we usually don’t travel to Canada to see my parents in October, we still celebrate Thanksgiving with them in November. Family plays a vital role in all our lives, so I close down the practice on Thursday and celebrate our traditional American holiday at home. Then my family and I pack up and travel to Canada to have dinner with my parents that Saturday. The twins are in the college selection process, and Shaun is coming back for Thanksgiving in his first semester, so I know everyone is looking forward to the holiday this year.
surging before the running even started.
Who we choose to donate our time to is completely based on what the staff decides. We focus a lot of attention on St. Jude’s, but we got
a suggestion from one of our team members that we haven’t done much to serve those with special needs. The whole team immediately agreed and even brought their kids along for the run. We went out to eat afterward and spent some time enjoying each other’s companionship.
Whether you’re American or Canadian, Thanksgiving is a time to invest in the aspects of life that truly matter. I’m so fortunate to have a great team to work with who is willing to sacrifice their precious free time to help others. It’s easy to be thankful for what you do when you surround yourself with people as amazing and talented as they are. They enrich my life and help me be a
“
WHETHER YOU’RE AMERICAN OR CANADIAN, THANKSGIVING IS A TIME TO INVEST IN THE ASPECTS OF LIFE THAT TRULY MATTER.
With the kids getting older, our Thanksgiving morning traditions have changed a little bit. I’ll get a round of golf in, but we don’t do much football or a 5K. However, our staff does a lot of charity work throughout the year, and that is definitely something I’m thankful for. We did a 5K for the Special Olympics just a few weeks ago, which was a blast. We went to Midway Airport on a Sunday morning, and the energy at the event was palpable. The dopamine was
better father and human being. When you combine that with my wonderful family, the overwhelming realization comes over me that my life will always have a wellspring of joy. Take a walk down the streets of Chicago, and the faces of our fair city tell a story that is different than mine. Not everyone has the beauty that my life brings me, and that perspective certainly helps me look at life through a different lens. I’m genuinely thankful for that and for everyone who makes my dream life a reality.
Until next time; Eye’ll see ya then!
–Steven Chander
(773) 788-6974 | 1
EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES Do You or Someone You Love Need to Schedule a Mammogram?
ANNUAL MAMMOGRAMS ARE FREE. Early detection is the biggest factor in breast cancer survival. There’s some debate among researchers and insurance companies over the “right” age to begin screening, but most sources agree that women should begin to get regular mammograms in their 40s (and earlier if they have a family history of the disease). The Affordable Care Act (ADA) requires all health insurance plans to cover the cost of annual mammograms for women age 40 and older , and there are many organizations devoted to providing free mammograms to uninsured individuals. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Visit Donate.nationalbreastcancer.org/ to learn how to help. The NBCF funds cancer research, works to provide free mammograms to low-income women, and serves as a resource for patients and their families. Many cities also have local organizations in need of donations and volunteers.
WHAT CAUSES BREAST CANCER? Breast cancer is caused by damage to cells’ DNA. It’s most common in women over the age of 40, though approximately 2,500 men in the U.S. are diagnosed each year as well. The risk of breast cancer increases with age. Most risk factors, such as age, gender, and family history, cannot be changed. However, research shows that exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and weight, and minimizing alcohol consumption may reduce your chance of being diagnosed with the disease. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may also place you at higher risk. Contrary to popular myths, breast cancer is not caused by milk, microwave ovens, cellphones, caffeine, plastic cutlery, or deodorants.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Organized, in the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s words, to “honor those at every step of the breast cancer journey,” the annual observance has also served to educate the public and raise funds for research. Learn more about this deadly but survivable disease, and find out how you can help. BREAST CANCER IS EXTREMELY COMMON. According to the NBCF, 1 in 8 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. It is the second leading cause of death in women (behind heart disease). A breast cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence, however. Thanks to research and ongoing education, there are over 3.3 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. today.
LONG AGO IN ANCIENT TIMES The First Vision-Correcting Eyewear
Many people who wear glasses are legally blind without them — they simply cannot function until they’ve slipped them on first thing in the morning. It makes you think — what happened before there were glasses? Surely, some people’s eyesight was just as lousy as mine? Well, you’re right. Human beings suffered from poor eyesight for centuries before vision-correcting lenses were invented in the late 13th century. If you had poor eyesight before then, you either sucked it up or used what materials were around to craft some sort of vision-correction device. CORRECTING VISION THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS The Romans created one of the first assistive devices to help people with poor vision continue writing and reading. A curved glass disc was placed on top of the reading material and passed over the text, increasing its size and allowing the reader to see what was on the page. Using this small magnifying glass helped many Romans and scholars continue their work. THE FIRST EYEGLASSES Italy was the first country to develop corrective eyewear. The first glasses were used mostly by monks, who had to hold the lenses
to their faces or otherwise balance them on their noses. The glass was blown and then set into leather, wooden, or animal-horn frames. These crude designs were improved during the Renaissance era as they became more and more popular, spreading throughout all of Europe. In the 1700s, the spectacles became hands-free; the most notable type of which were called “Martin’s Margins,” created by Benjamin Martin. These spectacles led the way to better lens and frame development and are sold today as collector’s items. THE FIRST SUNGLASSES To block the sun’s rays from their eyes, prehistoric Inuits used flattened walrus tusks and held them in front of their faces. In 12th-century China, people used flat panes of smoky quartz crystals to block glare, and Chinese courts used them to hide their expressions when interrogating witnesses. Later, during the 19th and 20th centuries, people with syphilis were given yellow or brown tinted glasses to help them cope with their sensitivity to light. Sunglasses didn’t become super popular until the 1900s, when Hollywood movie stars made them famous.
2 | WWW.WEHELPCHICAGOSEE.COM
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
What Your Eyes Can Tell You About Love
Here at Primary Eye Care, our doctors strive to learn as much as they can about the human eye. One facet of optometry (the study of the eyeball) they find particularly intriguing is its association with feelings of affection. Take a moment and imagine that you are gazing deep into the eyes of a person you love. As you stare longingly, you take note of the color of their eyes, the overall shape, and even the length of their lashes. You also notice that the longer you affectionately gaze, the wider their pupils become. There is a scientific reason their pupils grow as they stare back at you. — it’s the stuff of heroic epics and fanciful fairy tales. But while old idioms claim that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” evidence has increasingly shown that our brains are hard-wired to both display and notice visual clues when gazing at a potential love interest. Larger pupils are one such clue. When you survey a person or object you are interested in, your brain releases a surge of dopamine (a chemical that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers), which causes your pupils to dilate. The connection between eyes and love has been well- documented in poetry and prose since time immemorial
In the last decade, researchers have determined that from a romantic and reproductive standpoint, both men and women are attracted to partners with bigger pupils. Studies demonstrate that when women are at their peak of fertility, they might subconsciously be more inclined to seek out a partner with sizable pupils because that would indicate a partner’s attraction to them. Likewise, researchers have reported that men seek out women with dilated pupils due to the idea that eyes are associated with youth and longevity. While the connection between our eyes and our love lives has inspired some of Shakespeare’s most iconic sonnets, the science behind the human eyeball validates some of the Bard of Avon’s romantic claims. If nothing else, it certainly gives “love at first sight” a whole new meaning.
HAVE A LAUGH
Homemade MARSHMALLOWS
INGREDIENTS • 3 packages unflavored gelatin • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar • 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract • Powdered sugar, to coat
DIRECTIONS 1. In a mixing bowl, combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water. Let sit while you make the syrup. 2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water until the sugar dissolves. 3. Raise heat to high and bring syrup up to 240 F, using a candy thermometer to check for temperature. 4. With an electric whisk on low speed, slowly whisk syrup into gelatin mixture. Switch speed to high and whip for 15 minutes, until very thick. Fold in vanilla after whipping. 5. Dust a nonmetal baking dish with powdered sugar and spoon mixture into dish. Smooth mixture, top with more powdered
sugar, and let stand uncovered overnight. 6. Cut into squares, decorate, and serve.
Inspired by foodnetwork.com
(773) 788-6974 | 3
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
(773) 788-6974 www.wehelpchicagosee.com
5460 S. Archer Ave. Chicago, IL 60638
Inside This Issue Giving Thanks Knows No Country PAGE 1
October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month PAGE 2 History’s First Vision-Correcting Devices PAGE 2 What Your Eyes Can Tell You About Love PAGE 3
Homemade Marshmallows PAGE 3
Cop Lip-Sync Challenges Go Viral PAGE 4
POLICE OFFICERS SING THEIR HEARTS OUT Check Out These Lip-Sync Challenges Across the U.S.
When you think of viral videos of police officers, you may not imagine your local police department lip-syncing pop songs. But this new online trend is taking the internet by storm. To show a more positive side of their departments, many stations all over the country have participated in a lip-sync challenge. While these challenges were created to make viewers laugh, their driving purpose was to create a connection between officers and their communities. They hope to remind civilians that behind every badge is a person who isn’t all that different from you. The challenge started when Alexander Mena, a deputy in the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, posted a video of himself lip-syncing “Fuiste Mala” by the Kumbia Kings on June 19 of this year. His video, which gained over 1.5 million views, encouraged other officers to follow suit. Mena, a recruiting- team deputy with Bexar County for three years, has been making lip-sync videos since he downloaded Snapchat on his phone. The day he recorded this particular video, he sent it
to his sergeant, who passed it along to the officers who handle social media for their office. Then it went viral.
Several of the other individual officers responded with their own videos of mainstream hits like ‘N Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye” and One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.” The popularity
of these initial challenges inspired other stations to create their own videos featuring entire departments singing and dancing in unison. Some of the videos with the most views are the Norfolk Police Department lip-syncing Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk,” the Apple Valley Police Department lip-syncing The Tokens’ “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and the San Francisco Police Department lip-syncing Too Short’s “Blow the Whistle.” Keep checking your social media to see who gets challenged next!
4 | WWW.WEHELPCHICAGOSEE.COM
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker