#eyecare

Jan 10
3 min

Is LASIK Safe? Yes!

I was recently interviewed by Buzzfeed News for an article about LASIK. The article was reporting on the FDA's updated guidelines regarding LASIK and Laser Vision Correction safety. This past summer, an early draft was released and, unfortunately, it did not provide a balanced perspective of the risks/benefits of the generally safe surgery. In fact, I believe it was unnecessarily alarmist in tone and had multiple inaccuracies. Since this draft has come out, many ophthalmologi

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Nov 10, 2022
1 min

What Can Your Newborn Baby See?

What’s the most interesting part of a newborn baby’s development? Their vision, of course! OK, so I may be a bit biased, but it IS cool! I’ve thought a lot about babies' eyes since I’ve become a new dad. But what can they actually see? Here's what you need to know: 🍼 Newborn to 1 Month Newborns can see things in their peripheral vision, but their central vision needs time to develop. After birth, the retinas take several weeks to develop. In the first month of life, they st

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Jan 23, 2020
1 min

Dr. Tsong Named Top Doctor 2020

I am humbled to be named one of the top ophthalmologists in Fairfield County, CT. Of the hundreds of physicians in the area, just 32 ophthalmologists made the cut. You can see the feature article here in Greenwich Magazine. The selection process starts with nominations by one's peers, fellow physicians. A dedicated committee reviews the credentials of each nominee. They give special scrutiny to medical education, board certification, professional achievements, years in practi

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Jan 9, 2020
1 min

School Recess May Prevent Myopia

As a kid, the best part of my day was playing outside during recess. Did you know that recess may help prevent myopia? Myopia (nearsightedness) is a problem which is becoming increasingly common. 50% of the world’s population will be myopic by 2050. When people are very nearsighted, they can develop serious eye problems such as retinal detachment and bleeding in the macula. So how can playing outside prevent myopia? A randomized, controlled trial of 693 Taiwanese first-grader

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Favorite Part of My Job: Getting to Know My Patients ❤️

Jerry Tsong, MD

Nov 8, 2019
1 min

Favorite Part of My Job: Getting to Know My Patients ❤️

At first glance, Elva is an unassuming 85 year old woman. But dig deeper and you’ll find out that she worked closely with Cyrus Vance, Secretary of State during the Carter administration. She was part of history (see below). #thankful for the opportunity to care for patients like Elva. #grateful to call her my friend 😊 While the system can make it challenging, health care professionals need to try our best to get to know our patients. #positivevibes #positivevibesonly #green

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We can't cure every eye disease. How can we help patients who can't see?

Jerry Tsong, MD

Oct 21, 2019
1 min

We can't cure every eye disease. How can we help patients who can't see?

Unfortunately, modern medicine has not invented cures for everything. Patients can have poor vision despite receiving the latest, greatest treatments. So then what? Here is my approach for patients with “low vision”: ➡ Talk with patients and their families *together*. What is important for quality of life? TV? Reading? What is the desired level of independence? ➡ Try simple tools like ebook readers and iPads. ➡ Referral to an optometrist to optimize glasses. This consultatio

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Oct 5, 2019
1 min

Jerry Tsong, MD: What’s in My Bag?

If you run into me this week, you'll see me with a backpack full of gear. It’s because I’m on call for @greenwichhospital and available 24/7 for the emergency department or for inpatient consults. Since @usweekly (for some strange reason) hasn’t approached me yet for a feature in their column, I have decided to self-publish: What’s in my bag? (Clockwise starting from the bottom) Visual Acuity Chart - Essential for any eye exam. Magnifying Lenses - For looking into the eye.

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For Healthy Eyes, Nothing Beats Fresh Summer Berries!

Jerry Tsong, MD

Aug 21, 2019
1 min

For Healthy Eyes, Nothing Beats Fresh Summer Berries!

Vitamin C is an antioxidant has been associated with good eye health. Fortunately, in the summertime, foods high in Vitamin C are readily available - and delicious! Here is a pic of my home-grown raspberries. For a bonus, raspberries also contain beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin - all great anti-oxidants which make your eyes happy! No raspberries around? No problem! High levels of vitamin C can be found in citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, brussel sprouts and both re

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Who Dat? New York Magazine’s Top Doctor!

Jerry Tsong, MD

Jun 29, 2019
1 min

Who Dat? New York Magazine’s Top Doctor!

I am honored to be named one of New York Magazine's Best Doctors 2019. The New York Magazine's Best Doctors list is based on a peer-reviewed survey of licensed physicians. This year's list includes 1390 physicians in all specialties. Only 51 ophthalmologists are named - and I am one of them! It's such an honour to be recognized publicly. I even bought extra copies to give to my mother! Most importantly, I am eternally grateful to my patients for trusting their eyes to me. #to

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Jun 5, 2019
1 min

Why Did I Choose Ophthalmology?

When I entered Harvard Medical School, I thought I would go into emergency medicine. It was 1997, George Clooney was a doctor on TV, and it looked so cool. But when I did my Emergency Department rotation, I immediately discovered that I was irritated by all the random beeping noises in the ER. And for some reason, the ER’s bright fluorescent lights bothered me (is it just me, but aren’t they brighter than at other places in the hospital?). Emergency medicine was just not righ

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Apr 2, 2019
1 min

When My Team Succeeds, I Succeed!

Josh, my medical technician, recently got accepted to medical school. Congrats, Josh! At work, I purposely surround myself with staff who are in health care for the right reason - to help others. I tend to hire awesome people like Josh: someone just out of college, in transition, and hungry to make an impact. They have positive attitudes and learn quickly. When medical assistants eventually move on, I am delighted to see them rise to the next stage of their careers. It makes

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Here’s Another Tip on AMD Prevention - Keep Moving!

Jerry Tsong, MD

Mar 2, 2019
1 min

Here’s Another Tip on AMD Prevention - Keep Moving!

Want more advice on how to protect your eyes from macular degeneration? Well, you're in the right place! A few days ago I created an Instagram post which summarized a very interesting research study on macular degeneration prevention. I often discuss this study with my patients. I feel so strongly about the benefits of preventive medicine that I am reposting it here. Enjoy! Originally posted on Feb 28, 2019 on Instagram @drjerrytsong: Today is the last day of AMD (Age-relat

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How do you Reduce Your Risk of Developing Macular Degeneration?

Jerry Tsong, MD

Feb 21, 2019
1 min

How do you Reduce Your Risk of Developing Macular Degeneration?

February is AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) Awareness Month. Let’s talk about prevention. Every day, my patients ask me how to protect their eyes from AMD. Here’s what I tell them: Your eyes love the Mediterranean Diet! It’s associated with 41% reduced risk of developing advanced AMD.* The Mediterranean diet, traditionally observed in countries bordering the Mediterranean sea, is characterized by high consumption of plant foods and fish and low consumption of meat and

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February is AMD Awareness Month. This is My Jam.

Jerry Tsong, MD

Feb 18, 2019
1 min

February is AMD Awareness Month. This is My Jam.

AMD (Age-related Macular Degeneration) is the leading cause of vision loss in people over 50. As a fellowship-trained retinal specialist, I treat AMD every day. It’s a frightening disease, but there are amazing treatments available today. AMD is a disease which damages the macula, the center-back portion of the eye. At first, it sneaks up on people because there is no pain and no visual symptoms. In advanced cases, people suddenly lose vision and go blind from bleeding insid

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Feb 6, 2019
2 min

Happy Lunar New Year!

Growing up in suburban New Jersey among only a few Asian families, I didn’t know much about Lunar (Chinese) New Year. I didn’t speak Chinese and had never been to Asia. All I knew was that once a year, sometime in February, I would get a few crisp $20 bills tucked in a red envelope. As a kid, I looked forward to the cash and didn’t ask any questions. Only later in college did I learn more about the Lunar New Year. Here’s what I’ve learned: It’s the biggest holiday of the year

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Dec 31, 2018
2 min

What are Your New Year's Resolutions?

As 2019 approaches, it’s time to make our New Year’s resolutions. Rather than setting overly-ambitious short-term goals (daily workouts? Unfortunately, not happening 😋), I like the idea of taking a step back and considering long-term goals #ResolutionsforLife. Here are mine: * Prioritize personal connections. By nature, I derive energy and happiness by being among friends and family ☺️ Now, finished with medical training, I often find myself so busy with work that weeks or

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You are Perfectly Imperfect - and So Am I!

Jerry Tsong, MD

Dec 11, 2018
2 min

You are Perfectly Imperfect - and So Am I!

Instagram and social media has a strange way of making you feel insecure about yourself. Instagram has no shortage of people who are better-looking, more fit or simply cooler than you. The reality is that no one is perfect and everybody has their own flaws. As part of the #perfectlyimperfectdocs campaign (started by my colleagues @dzeyemd and @dr.audreyxsue - nice, guys! 👍), I want to share some things you may not know about me: I am tone deaf and a terrible singer 🎤 But

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Jerry Tsong, MD

Dec 8, 2018
2 min

Want to "Shadow" Me for a Day?

In medical training, students or trainees often "shadow" a senior doctor to learn from them. Shadowing simply means following a doctor around and not typically participating in the work #shadowadoc. Here's a taste of my typical day (last Wednesday, to be precise! 7:30AM - Arrive at work. Coffee and say hi to staff ☕ 7:45AM - A referring primary care doctor texts me - can I fit in his patient with an eye problem? Sure, of course! 👍 8AM - 12 PM See patients. I have 5 exam

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Google your medical conditions? What your doctor really thinks about you...

Jerry Tsong, MD

Jul 6, 2018
3 min

Google your medical conditions? What your doctor really thinks about you...

Are you one of those people who always googles their health problems and tries to diagnose yourself? Ever wonder what your doctor really thinks of you? We live in a time of remarkable access to information. When I want to find a new restaurant to try, I search Yelp and check reviews. When students conduct research for a school paper, they will often start with Wikipedia. If I’m shopping for something, I will often start with Amazon. These are all great resources. In a simila

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Everything You Need to Know about Flashes and Floaters

Jerry Tsong, MD

Jul 3, 2018
4 min

Everything You Need to Know about Flashes and Floaters

What are Floaters? Floaters are the visual sensation of seeing “cobwebs” of “debris” in one’s vision. People sometimes initially believe they are seeing a small, annoying insect flying around near them, but there is no actual insect. When one looks to the right, the “spot” may move to the right, as if it’s “floating” in that direction. When one looks to the left, it may move to the left in a similar manner. Often, the floater will not precisely follow one’s eye movements. It

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