Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Eyeball Tattoo Risks, Telehealth Privacy, and Alcohol Trends Across Generations

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Eyeball Tattoo Risks, Telehealth Privacy, and Alcohol Trends Across Generations · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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  Good morning and welcome to Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow, where we deliver the latest in medical and health news from around the world, powered
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  by artificial intelligence.
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  I'm your host, Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow, a family physician, general internist, and cardiologist based in Toronto,
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  Ontario, Canada.
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  Today, we're diving into some intriguing stories, starting with a fascinating and
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  cautionary tale about eyeball tattoos.
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  Eyeball tattoos might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but they have
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  become a real trend in recent years.
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  People are choosing to have their conjunctiva, the white part of the eye, tattooed to achieve
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  a dramatic look, often inspired by movie characters or comic heroes.
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  However, these procedures carry significant risks, as highlighted by a recent case reported
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  by Dr.
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  Zain Amir and his colleagues at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.
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  In this particular instance, a patient chose to have their eyes tattooed black.
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  For eight years, everything seemed fine, until a swim in the Mediterranean Sea triggered
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  irritation in the right eye.
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  The sensation was described as "like a scratch on the eye," and further examination revealed
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  uneven distribution of the tattoo pigment, which had accumulated in the nasal conjunctiva,
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  leading to a condition known as corneal dellen formation.
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  This case is the first documented instance of corneal dellen formation as a complication of
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  conjunctival tattooing.
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  The treatment involved a long-term course of topical lubricants, but the symptoms returned
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  when the patient discontinued use, highlighting the importance of adherence to prescribed
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  treatments.
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  Interestingly, the authors of the report noted that it is unclear why the symptoms emerged so
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  many years after the tattooing and how exposure to sea water might have contributed.
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  They suggest that this interaction could have caused a pro-inflammatory response, but more
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  research is needed to establish a definitive link.
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  Dr.
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  Natalie Afshari, an expert in cornea and refractive surgery at the University of
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  California San Diego's Shiley Eye Institute, weighed in on the matter.
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  She noted that while professional tattooing of the eye can have legitimate medical purposes,
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  such as in patients with corneal blindness, it carries risks.
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  These include potential infections, inflammation, and even glaucoma in rare cases.
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  Dr.
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  Afshari emphasized that tattoo ink is not intended to be placed under the conjunctiva and
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  that reversible alternatives, like contact lenses, should be considered instead.
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  The takeaway from this case is clear: patients considering conjunctival tattooing should be
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  fully informed of the potential for unexpected long-term complications.
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  While the allure of resembling a favorite character might be strong, the irreversible
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  nature of these procedures and their associated risks warrant careful consideration.
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  Telehealth has become an incredibly popular option for accessing medical care, especially
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  since the COVID-19 pandemic.
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  The convenience of logging onto an application or website to get a prescription in minutes has
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  led to a boom in online health services.
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  These services offer quick access to medications for conditions like attention
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  deficit-hyperactivity disorder, sexual dysfunction, anxiety, and weight loss.
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  However, this convenience comes with significant concerns regarding privacy and
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  ethical business practices.
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  Government regulators have raised alarms about deceptive and unethical practices by some
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  telehealth companies.
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  These include sharing customers' health data without consent, enrolling them in
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  hard-to-cancel subscriptions, and bypassing real-time consultations with healthcare
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  providers.
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  The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, has filed lawsuits against several companies, including
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  Hims & Hers, alleging these kinds of practices.
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  Hims has denied the allegations, suggesting that the claims are meant to generate
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  headlines.
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  A big part of the issue is that current federal laws governing health information do not always
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  apply to telehealth companies.
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  This gap allows many companies to collect and share consumer health data without the same
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  restrictions that apply to traditional healthcare entities.
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  Andrew Crawford from the Center for Democracy and Technology points out that there is a vast
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  array of companies handling health data that are not covered by existing health
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  sector-specific laws.
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  One of the major criticisms of telehealth services is the lack of real-time interaction
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  with physicians.
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  Many telehealth visits start with a questionnaire, and patients may receive
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  prescriptions with little opportunity to discuss their treatment with a healthcare
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  provider.
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  A study led by Dr.
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  Reshma Ramachandran at Yale University found that less than a third of telehealth companies
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  offering GLP-1 drugs required real-time consultations, which are recommended by medical
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  societies to ensure safe and effective use.
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  Another concern is the potential for personal health information to be shared with
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  advertisers and social media companies.
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  Many Americans believe that their health information is protected by the Health
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  Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA, but this law does not cover
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  telehealth companies in the same way it does traditional healthcare providers.
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  This legal gap means that sensitive health data can be shared with platforms like Meta and
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  Google without explicit consent.
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  Privacy experts suggest using tools like ad blockers and private web browsers to protect
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  personal information when using telehealth services.
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  These tools can make it more difficult for companies to track users' online activities and
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  personal data.
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  Reading user agreements carefully can also provide insight into how a company plans to use
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  personal information.
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  However, the most secure option might be to decline the terms of service if privacy
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  concerns outweigh the benefits.
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  Today, we're exploring an innovative approach being taken by the Menopaus'ull Support Network
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  in Hull, which aims to foster greater understanding of menopause symptoms,
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  particularly among men.
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  At an upcoming event hosted by the health group Over The Bloody Moon, participants will have
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  the opportunity to experience a hot flush, a common symptom associated with menopause,
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  through a device called the MenoVest.
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  Sarah Weichardt, who co-manages this project, emphasized the importance of involving men in
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  these experiences.
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  She noted, "We're particularly interested in getting men along to come and experience the
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  MenoVest, just so that they can understand what women go through." This event, set to take
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  place at the Princes Quay shopping centre on the seventeenth of October, aims to provide a
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  firsthand understanding of the physical and emotional sensations women often endure during
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  menopause.
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  Weichardt explained that experiencing a hot flush is not just about feeling heat.
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  "It's not just a hot flush, it's what the hot flush brings with it," she said.
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  "So it could be panic, it could be anxiety.
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  It's experiencing it all at the same time." By simulating these symptoms, the organizers hope
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  to foster empathy and understanding, which could lead to better support for women going
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  through menopause.
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  The menopause typically marks the end of a woman's reproductive years, occurring around
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  the age of fifty, though symptoms can begin earlier during a phase known as perimenopause.
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  This transitional period can bring about various changes, including mood swings, sleep
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  disturbances, and discomfort during sex.
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  Weichardt pointed out that many women are not aware of being perimenopausal until they
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  recognize their symptoms on a banner displaying nearly forty different signs associated with
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  menopause.
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  Once women identify and accept that they are experiencing menopause or perimenopause, they
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  can seek appropriate support and treatment.
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  The Menopaus'ull Support Network also plans to hold a similar event in Beverley on the tenth
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  of October, offering another chance for people to engage with the MenoVest and learn more
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  about menopause.
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  In an interesting turn of events, alcohol use among adults in the United States has declined
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  for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it's the younger
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  generations leading the charge.
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  According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, any alcohol use, including
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  heavy drinking, fell between 2022 and 2024, although these rates are still higher than they
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  were in 2018.
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  Dr.
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  Brian P.
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  Lee, a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist with Keck Medicine of the University
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  of Southern California in Los Angeles, noted this decline with cautious optimism.
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  During the pandemic, Dr.
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  Lee observed a worrying increase in liver-related diseases, even among young people
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  in their 20s needing liver transplants due to alcohol use—a situation he hadn't seen before
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  the pandemic.
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  The study used data from over 114,000 respondents to the National Health Interview
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  Survey, conducted by the United States Census Bureau.
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  It found that the proportion of adults who drank any alcohol in the past year fell by
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  nearly 2%, while the share of heavy drinkers dropped by more than 8% from 2022 to 2024.
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  Interestingly, the decline was noted across both genders, with men showing a larger
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  decrease in general alcohol use and women experiencing a more significant drop in heavy
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  drinking.
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  Dr.
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  Jagpreet Chhatwal from Massachusetts General Hospital commented on the trend, acknowledging
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  that while the decline is promising, it's not a complete victory, given the historically high
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  rates of alcohol consumption, even before the pandemic.
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  The study highlights a generational divide, with Gen Z adults, aged 18 to 29, showing the
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  largest decline in any alcohol use, while millennials, aged 30 to 49, saw a significant
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  17% drop in heavy drinking.
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  Although the reasons for this decline weren't directly examined, Dr.
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  Lee speculates that social dynamics such as the sober-curious movement and increased awareness
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  of alcohol's health risks may be contributing factors.
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  However, the situation is quite different for people aged 50 to 64, who continue to drink at
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  rates higher than before the pandemic.
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  This group, which includes Generation X and the younger Baby Boomers, is experiencing an
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  increase in heavy drinking by more than 36% and any drinking by 4% from 2018 to 2024.
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  This is concerning, as they are at a higher risk for alcohol-related conditions such as
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  liver disease, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.
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  Dr.
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  Lee emphasizes the need for interventions to address high-risk drinking in this older
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  cohort.
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  Behavioral interventions can be effective, but consistency is key, which many find
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  challenging.
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  He also suggests that those concerned about alcohol-related diseases should consult their
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  doctors about screening tests for the liver.
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  In conclusion, while the decline in alcohol use among younger adults is encouraging, there
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  remains a critical need to address the risks faced by older generations.
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  As always, understanding and awareness are crucial steps in managing health risks
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  associated with alcohol consumption.
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  That's all for today's episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow.
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  Thank you for joining me as we explored these important health stories.
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  Remember to stay informed, stay healthy, and I'll see you next time.