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What Vision Benefits Does Medicare Allow?

by Trish



Many American elderly citizens rely on Medicare for their healthcare coverage. Vision care becomes more and more important as we age; therefore, it is important to have a thorough knowledge of what vision care services are and are not covered by Medicare. Unfortunately, the details of Medicare vision coverage can be difficult for many to understand. What vision benefits does Medicare allow? Here is a simple breakdown:


Routine eye examinations. A routine eye exam is basically a yearly screening. Some eye care professionals recommend routine eye exams once every year, especially for elderly patients. Other reasons for a routine eye screening may be if the patient needs new contacts or glasses. Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover routine eye examinations. Therefore, if you present to an eye doctor for a vision check or “just to see” if anything is wrong, you can be sure that Medicare won’t cover the expense.

Medically necessary eye examinations. Medicare does cover eye exams that are deemed as medically necessary. There are many medical reasons that may necessitate a visit to the eye doctor, including glaucoma (or diabetes, which can lead to glaucoma), advancing cataracts, previous eye surgery, or trauma. However, medical reasons don’t include things like needing new glasses or contacts. It may be that your primary care physician must refer you to an eye doctor for a medical reason in order for Medicare to pay for the exam; it is a good idea to check with a Medicare representative first before going in to the doctor. However, Medicare will cover eye examinations for preexisting medical conditions that are already proven (such as chronic dry eye syndrome and blepharitis, for example).

Vision correction. You may wonder if, under any circumstances, your Medicare coverage might include vision correction (eye glasses and/or contact lenses, for example). The answer is that, yes, Medicare will cover new eye glasses – but only once in a lifetime, directly following (and as necessitated by) cataract surgery.

Where to find more information. If you have any specific questions about your vision coverage, then you can explore the Medicare website (Medicare.gov) to find answers to many commonly asked questions. If you cannot find what you are looking for on the website, or simple prefer to speak to a person, you can also call the 1-800 number found on the Medicare website to speak with a live Medicare representative.

As you can see, Medicare vision benefits are very limited. If you require extended vision care (for regular eyeglass and contact exams, for example), then you should explore your supplemental insurance options to find coverage that will meet all of your needs.

About the Author: Annita Lahue is currently covered under Medicare and pays for her eye care out of pocket. She tries to see discount vision specialists and purchases her eyeglasses online at discounted rates.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With: american, benefits, citizens, coverage, eye examinations, information, medicare, vision, vision correction

What Could Sherlock Holmes Tell About You From Your Room?

by Trish

Our rooms are an outward projection of our personalities and our mental states. Just as we choose what clothes we wear based on what they say about us, so too do we choose our ornaments and our general decorating based on what we think will tell people something about who we are.

However, while we might choose our decorations to tell people something we want to broadcast about ourselves, what we might be less aware of is the fact that we’ll also be broadcasting a lot of other information about ourselves that perhaps we don’t want people to know, or that perhaps just wasn’t the kind of image we were hoping to give off.

When we choose items for our property you see, we don’t just do it based on the kind of thing we want to see, we also do it based on our gut feelings and our personalities – on generally things that we aren’t consciously controlling but that influence our decisions and tastes. Likewise the way we look after our property can offer an insight into our mental state both in the short term and over time. Here we will look at some things your property might be communicating about you…

Your Sense of Humour: When someone looks at your DVD and CD collection this doesn’t just tell them which films you like, it also tells them a bit about what kind of person you are in order to have those tastes. In other words people can see what makes you smile, what kind of action you like, and whether you prefer films to be intellectual or bombastic – which all tells them a lot about you.

Your Stress Levels: If your home is looking tidy and perfectly formed then chances are that this is a sign you’re on top of everything and you have lots of spare time. If it’s all over the place and you have piles of paper everywhere, this tells visitors that you’re just about too busy to keep up with your various commitments and have as such allowed things to literally pile up. There’s a reason for the prevailing image of the ‘scatterbrained’ professor.

Hobbies: If you have a hobby like weight lifting or like martial arts, then chances are that you’re going to have lots of related paraphernalia lying around the place. This then tells people something about how you spend your time, in this case it tells then about your physical fitness, and of course it also tells them again a little about your personality.

Colours: The colours we choose for our room can tell people a lot about us, right down to whether we prefer open feeling spaces with lots of light colours, or whether we prefer cosier dark spaces (and this is particularly telling when employed in the bedroom). There’s a good chance that someone who tries to create a more ‘closed’ and darker space in their room with deep browns and other darker colours is more likely to be introverted.

OCD: The anal personality is known for straightening pictures and lining up coasters and for not tolerating any mess. If your home is perfectly spotless and completely spick and span, then chances are that you will fulfil this description and are likely to be more anal in other areas of your life too.

Max Cavan is the author of the above guest post. He is fond of writing home improvement articles and provides interesting content to his readers. Visit www.magazinesubscriptions.com for browsing over 1700 magazines.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Home Improvement Tagged With: colors, decision, hobbies, humor, mental states, ocd, personalities, personality, Property, room, sense, stress levels, tastes

Is Nicotine Physically Addictive?

by Trish

There is no doubt that nicotine is extremely physically addictive. Some people consider it just as addictive as heroin or opiates. No one will argue that once you’re hooked on nicotine from smoking that you won’t suffer physical withdrawal symptoms, however unlike with drugs, the withdrawal symptoms are much, much less severe.

How it Works

Once you introduce nicotine into your system, it immediately starts affecting certain chemical processes that send signals to your brain. As smoke carries the nicotine further into your body, you body begins to rely on it. What is even worse is that once your body adjusts to a certain level of nicotine being in your system, it begins to want more of it, which increases your physical and psychological dependence. This is the reason why many people may start out smoking on a few cigarettes a day and turn into two to three packs a day chain smokers. Nicotine addiction escalates the longer you use the drug.

The Vicious Circle

Your lungs, your brain, your circulatory system and even your hormones are all affected by nicotine. Even though you know you’re damaging your body, and you can likely feel the effects, the longer you use nicotine the harder it becomes to quit. Nicotine causes the brain to release endorphins that make you feel good just like exercise does. In fact, your brain comes to rely on nicotine-related endorphins and the severe mood swings people go through when they try to quit smoking usually drives them to light up again. The fact that your body is so used to “getting high” makes it that much harder for you to quit.

Withdrawal

Quitting smoking is especially difficult because there are physical and psychological components to the withdrawal. Even after you crush out your last cigarette, nicotine resides in your system for up to a week. Most people say the first three to four days of withdrawal are the worst. Symptoms vary from person to person, but common complaints are restlessness, headaches, and bad mood swings. Additionally, you have to break habits like having a cigarette after meals and get used to not having a cigarette in your hand. Many people find lollipops or chewing gum helpful for the psychological withdrawal to help with that “missing something feeling” they get from not smoking. Unfortunately, the only cure for the physical withdrawal is time.

Breaking the nicotine cycle is a challenge, but it is not impossible. Millions of people quit smoking every year. You may have to try several times before you finally quit, but that is a part of the process. Keep trying and eventually you can break the cycle of addiction for good.

About the Author: Loralee Anable works in a healthcare clinic and counsels people who want to quit smoking on a regular basis. She is currently looking into moving into diagnostic medicine and is reading sites like http://www.ultrasoundtechnician.info to find out if a career in ultrasound is right for her!

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With: brain, chemical processes, heart, hormones, lungs, mood swings, nicotine, physical dependence, physically addictive, psychological dependence, smoking, system, withdrawal

The ABCs of Nutrients for Healthier Skin and Nails

by Trish

You lead a busy life – going to work, juggling schedules, caring for family, attending sporting events and usually fixing fast meals. With little time to pamper or pay attention to yourself, you wake up one morning and find yourself staring at a lined, furrowed and spotted person in the mirror. Is that really your face? When did your nails turn into ogre appendages?

Suddenly feeling as old as you look, you try desperately to cover up these telltale signs using cosmetics, a temporary fix that will mask reality until you wash it off. While reaching out frantically for wonder creams may be your first temptation, it may be wiser to address your dietary habits instead. Check your daily intake of vitamins and minerals. Check the fluids – are you drinking enough water? Are you including antioxidants in your routine? Once you’ve performed all these checks, you are ready to stock up on the missing elements and begin your journey to a fresh and youthful you.

Vitamins C, E, A, K and B-complex are fundamental nutrients for the vitality of your skin, and by extension your nails. The nails receive their vitality from the nutrients found in the skin. Exposure to the sun, smoke and pollution – known as free radicals – drains your skin of its moisture content, leading to age spots and wrinkles.

Know Your “A”

Vitamin A compounds containing beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, and Beta-Cryptoxanthin are found in vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and pumpkins. Meats, dairy and fish contain fat-soluble retinoids that promote healing and repair of skin tissue, and are used in many topical creams.

Know Your “B” Family

Biotin is the “B” that you need for the health of your hair, skin and nails. Eggs, rice, oatmeal are rich sources of this vitamin. Niacin helps your skin retain moisture levels. Lack of it can cause severe scaling and dryness of the skin. Vitamin B12, with powerful regenerative properties, is found exclusively in animal products – meat, poultry, eggs and dairy.

Know Your “C”

Vitamin C helps minimize ultraviolet damage; citrus fruits, strawberries, papaya, kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli, leafy greens and tomatoes are excellent sources. To speed up the process of reversing existing damage, you can use topical Vitamin C enriched creams that have collagen-renewal benefits.

Know Your “E”

A fat-soluble vitamin, rich in antioxidant properties, it is your defense against skin ailments and disorders. Found in spinach, liver, eggs, nuts and avocados, you can also buy this vitamin in supplement form, or in creams for topical use.
Know Your “K”Topical application of this vitamin, especially for the treatment of dark under eye circles, bruises and prevention of scars, produces remarkable results.

Other Important Nutrients

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish and flax seeds help lock in hydration, and lycopene contained in tomatoes reduces your chances of sunburn. By consuming foods containing these, and supplementing if necessary, your body receives adequate supplies of food for the skin.

Houston Nail Clinic sees the importance of good nutrition for healthy skin and nails every day. Providing laser toenail fungus treatments, the clinic finds that those who eat healthier are also less likely to develop toenail fungus and other skin conditions.  To pay proper attention to your skin and nails, you must pay proper attention to your diet.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Skin Care Tagged With: diet, fluids, healthy, minerals, nails, pollution, skin, sleep, smoke, sun, vitamins, water

Why Tea Tree Oil is Great for Your Face

by Trish

Tee Tree Oil is well known for its fabulous range of uses and is known for being a natural antiseptic. Part of what makes this sought-after product so appealing is its wide range of uses. It can be used for aromatherapy in the treatment of alleviating headaches and colds, fungal infections, bacterial infections, cleaning, relief for a dry and itchy scalp, lice, acne, and minor cuts. It has also has found its niche in the use of facial cleansers, soaps and topical treatment. Its natural purifying characteristics make it a smart choice in using it as a daily skin regime. It is gentle in getting rid of impurities and takes care of excess oil without drying out the skin leaving it looking clear of skin flaws. Getting control over excess oil is crucial to preventing future breakouts and luckily you have the power to take such control in your skin routine.

Tee Tree Oil comes from leaves that grow on a tea tree in Australia. As an anti-fungal agent, it keeps bacteria from penetrating skin. No bacteria means no acne, no fungal infections, no athlete’s foot and that’s good news for anyone. There is also a softer side to Tea Tree Oil as it works to soothe existing acne conditions. If looking to treat blemishes, oily skin, bacteria or fungal infections, look for Tea Tree Oil with terpinen-4-ol which contains antiseptic characteristics that treat those skin ailments.

Available in health care stores, online and beauty-supply stores, Tea Tree Oil can be used to calm other existing skin conditions such as boils, psoriasis, eczema, rashes, insect bites, sunburns, and heal minor wounds. We could mention more, but don’t want to run out of space.  It plays a large role in skin rejuvenation, which means healthy skin and healthy skin makes you smile. In addition to ingredients, packaging is important to take into consideration as well. Tea Tree Oil that comes in brown glass is not affected by sunlight which can break down the working elements of Tea Tree Oil. Be somewhat wary if it comes mixed with eucalyptus or peppermint oil which makes the powerful action of Tea Tree Oil less effective.

More and more, the use of Tea Tree Oil is taking precedence in uses for treatment over benzoyl peroxide, especially in the treatment for blemishes, simply because Tea Tree Oil is a more sensitive solution when it comes to side effects. It doesn’t over dry the skin, creating irritation and itchiness (that you can do without) and won’t leave a stinging or burning sensation that benzoyl peroxide can sometimes cause (because no one enjoys that feeling).

Tea Tree’s bacteria fighting elements eradicates can and is applicable in healing a long list of skin imperfections. Doubling as a toner, Tea Tree Oil evens out skin tone to achieve a smooth, bright complexion. It’s all natural ingredients is not only good for your face, its results will leave you feeling good about yourself and your skin.

This article was brought to you by the skin care experts at DorMauri.com.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness, Skin Care Tagged With: acne, aromatherapy, australia, bacteral infections, cleaning, colds, dry itchy scalp, eczema, escess oil, facial cleanser, fungal infections, headaches, lice, minor cuts, natural antiseptic, psoriasis, skin, skin care, tea tree oil, topical treatment, uses

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