What to Consider for Sleep Apnea Treatment

Last year almost 250,000 people in the United States underwent eyelid surgery, or blepharoplasty. Because aging causes the skin around the eye to sag, blepharoplasty has risen to become one of the most sought-after plastic surgery procedures for patients over the age of 35. The extremely thin skin making up the eyelids starts to lose its elasticity and stretch, and it�s largely a hereditary condition. If your siblings and parents have saggy eyelids, you probably do as well.

Usually the removal of excess skin and fat from the eyelids is performed for cosmetic reasons. However, upper blepharoplasty can be medically necessary when the excess skin covers the eyelid margin or deflects the eyelashes downward, impairing the patient�s vision.

To ensure that upper eyelid surgery is a medical necessity rather than a cosmetic condition, case managers should consider having the patient take good, high resolution photographs of the eye region. If the upper eyelid margin of the eye crosses the plain of pupil in the photo, then further testing can be done. An ophthalmologist can run a visual field mapping test on the patient. If the patient�s visual interference with upper case letters is at 20 percent above horizon, and if taping the patient�s eyelids back improves his or her vision 20 degrees above the horizon, then the treatment probably is required.

This, along with a documented patient medical chart showing a long standing visual issue, are strong indicators to the case manager that upper eyelid surgery is a medical necessity.

AllMed Healthcare Management Founded in 1995, AllMed (http://www.allmedmd.com, http://www.allmedmd.com/blog/index.htm) is a URAC-accredited Independent Review Organization (IRO) serving insurance payers, providers, TPAs and claims managers nationwide. Reviews are conducted by board-certified physicians in active practice. AllMed's growing customer base includes premier organizations, such as Educator's Mutual Life, IMS Managed Care, Tenet Healthcare Corporation, HealthGuard, several Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Allianz and many other leading healthcare payers.

Latest Sleep Apnea News

Sleep apnea to be topic at health fair in St. Cloud
Troy Payne, medical director of the Sleep Center in St. Cloud, will discuss options for treating sleep apnea during the annual health fair organized by A.W.A.K.E.

Restless zzz for sleep apnea sufferers
Doctors say the process of diagnosing sleep apnea usually starts with the complaints of the bed partners of people who snore.

Veterans Sleep Apnea
Could the smoke and dust of war be responsible for dramatic increase in sleep disorder?

VALLEY SLEEP CENTER EXPANDING IN SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA
PHOENIX, Ariz.- Valley Oximetry Sleep Disorders Center Valley Sleep Center announces the opening of their fourth sleep clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona.The new clinic is located at 9767 N 91st Street Suite B104, Scottsdale, AZ 85258, and is accepting new patients. Valley Sleep Center recently opened their third location in Glendale this past April. They also have facilities located in Mesa and...

Sleep apnea cuts oxygen supply
Sleep apnea cuts oxygen supply

Soy may ease sleep problems in older women
(Reuters Health) - The estrogen-like compounds found in soy could help postmenopausal women get a better night's sleep, according to a small study.

More and more vets suffering sleep disorder
The veterans administration says about 20 percent of all vets suffer from sleep apnea and according to statistics the number of vets receiving benefits to treat the disorder jumped 61 percent between 2008 and this year.

Could war be responsible for a dramatic increase in sleep disorder?
The sound of sleep disturbed is a common symptom of sleep apnea.

Child s death leads to Drowsy Driving Prevention Week
Two years ago, Tallahassee third grader RonShay Dugans was on her way to an after school program at The Boys and Girls Club when a drowsy driver reportedly crashed his cement truck into the back of her school bus. RonShay, 8, died of head trauma.

To Not Sleep, Perchance to Shorten Your Life
Title: To Not Sleep, Perchance to Shorten Your Life Category: Health News Created: 9/1/2010 12:10:00 PM Last Editorial Review: 9/2/2010