Residency Programs
West Los Angeles VA Health Care Center
Demographic Information
Some demographic information from patients recently examined in the general optometry clinic in the Eyecare Center in Bldg. 304 are as follows:
- Average age: 64 years
- Age range: 39-86
- 97% male; 3% female
- Average number of systemic medications/pharmaceuticals: 10 per patient
- Range of systemic medications/pharmaceuticals: 1-22
- 57% have HTN
- 34% have hyperlipidemia/hypertriglyceridemia
- 34% have a history of alcohol, cocaine, amphetamine, opioid, or polysubstance abuse
- 31% have depressive, bipolar, mood, or anxiety disorder
- 20% are diabetic
- 20% have hepatitis C
- 20% have neoplastic disease
- 17% are homeless
- 14% have coronary artery disease or are S/P CABG
- 14% are obese
- 14% have COPD, asthma or bronchitis
- 11% are smokers
- 11% have post-traumatic stress disorder
- 11% have atrial fibrillation/cardiac arrhythmia
- 9% have h/o CVA/TIA/carotid occlusive disease
- 9% are on anticoagulation
- 9% have sleep apnea
- 9% have colon polyps
- 6% have pacemakers
- 6% have irritable bowel syndrome
Other interesting systemic problems from this sample include:
- Aortic abdominal aneurysm
- Abnormality of gait
- Cerebral aneurysm
- Chronic pancreatitis
- Chronic renal failure
- Cirrhosis of liver
- Cognitive disorder
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Hypothyroidism
- Paget’s disease
- Mitral valve, aortic valve insufficiency
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver
- Organic brain syndrome
- Rosacea
- Seizure disorder
- Tremor
# of medications does include OTC items such as aspirin and multivitamins, but excludes such items as syringes, lancets, tablet cutters, chem strips, alcohol prep pads, etc., that are normally included in the patient’s medication list.
Systemic problems in this list are the major, long-standing problems from the cover sheet in the Computerized patient record system (CPRS). Not included are relatively minor or transient problems (e.g., ingrown toenail).
The demographics of patients seen at GRECC Inpatient ward recently are as follows:
- Average age: 82 years
- Age range: 70-97 years
- 97% male; 3% female
- Average number of systemic medications/pharmaceuticals: 11
- Range of systemic medications/pharmaceuticals: 1-26
The most common systemic conditions among patients seen recently at GRECC Inpatient are as follows:
- 67% are hypertensive
- 50% have dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, or hypertriglyceridemia
- 47% have prostate cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, or urinary retention
- 43% are diabetic
- 37% have a history of cancer
- 37% are anemic
- 37% have coronary artery disease or coronary arteriosclerosis
- 33% have a history of falls, abnormal gait, or are s/p hip fracture or amputation
- 33% have COPD, asthma, or have been smokers
- 33% suffer from chronic kidney disease or renal failure
- 30% have dysphagia
- 20% suffer from gout or gouty arthritis
- 20% have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter
- 20% have a history of TIAs, stroke; carotid, cerebral, or vertebral artery occlusion
- 17% suffer from venous stasis, stasis ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, or peripheral vascular disease
- 17% have mood disorder, depression, schizophrenia, or psychosis
- 13% have cardiac pacemakers or implanted defibrillators
- 13% have congenstive cardiomyopathy or congestive heart failure
- 13% have peripheral neuropathy or peripheral nerve disease
- 13% have a history of alcoholism or drug addiction
- 10% suffer from malnutrition, iron deficiency, or vitamin deficiency
- 10% are noted to have failure to thrive
- 7% are on anticoagulation
- 7% have hepatitis B or C
- 7% are hypothyroid
- 7% have monoclonal gammaglobulinopathy
Ophthalmic diagnoses among patients recently seen at GRECC Inpatient are as follows:
- 44% had cataracts
- 22% had glaucoma
- 13% had AMD or drusen
- 12% had a vitreous disorder
- 8% were pseudophakic
- 7% were glaucoma suspects
- 6% had macular pucker or a macular hole
- 5% had low vision
Other ophthalmic diagnoses of GRECC inpatients include:
- Optic atrophy
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Hypertensive retinopathy
- Ptosis
- Orbital fracture
- Ectropion
The following are some demographics for a sampling of patients seen in the Nursing Homes (Community Living Centers):
- Average age: 72 years
- Age range: 47-95 years
- 93% male; 7% female
- Average number of systemic medications/pharmaceuticals: 16
- Range of systemic medications/pharmaceuticals: 6-26
Most common systemic conditions among patients seen in the Nursing Homes (Community Living Centers):
- 73% are hypertensive
- 57% are bipolar or schizophrenic, or have mood disorder, depression, or anxiety
- 43% have dyslipidemia, hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, or hypercholesterolemia
- 40% have a history of cancer
- 37% have coronary artery disease, ischemic cardiomyopathy, or coronary atherosclerosis, or are s/p CABG or MI
- 33% are smokers or have COPD or asthma
- 30% are diabetic
- 30% have prostate cancer, urinary retention, or benign prostatic hypertrophy
- 27% have dementia
- 27% have PTSD
- 23% have atrial fibrillation, other arrhythmia, or are s/p pacemaker
- 23% have congestive heart failure or congestive cardiomyopathy
- 20% have a history of CVA or carotid occlusion
- 17% are obese or morbidly obese
- 17% have a history of falls or abnormal gait
- 17% have venous insufficiency, venous thrombosis, or peripheral vascular disease
- 13% are s/p lower limb amputation
- 13% have seizure disorder
- 13% have treatment compliance problem
- 10% have hepatitis C
- 10% are hyper- or hypo-thyroid
- 10% have a history of alcoholism
- 10% have peripheral neuropathy
- 10% have a (+) PPD
- 7% have Parkinson’s disease
Other interesting systemic diagnoses among the same group of patients at the Nursing Homes (Community Living Centers):
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Organic brain syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
- Malingering
- Pulmonary embolism
- Gastroparesis
- Osteomyelitis
- Acute pancreatitis
Most common ophthalmic diagnoses among recent patient encounters at the Community Living Centers:
- 53% refractive disorder
- 34% have blepharitis, hordeolum
- 31% have cataracts
- 31% have lid position anomalies (ectropion, entropion, trichiasis, epiphora
- 14% have dry eyes
- 11% Conjunctivitis
- 11% have some type of glaucoma
- 10% have punctate keratitis, filamentary keratitis, corneal degenerations, corneal opacities
- 9% are glaucoma suspects
- 7% are pseudophakes
- 5% have AMD, macular scars, drusen
- 4% are visually impaired
- 3% have diabetic retinopathy
Some other interesting ophthalmic diagnoses for patients seen recently at the Communitiy Living Centers:
- S/P PKP
- Phthisis
- Orbital cellulitis
- Retinal embolus
- Solar retinopathy
- Ischemic optic neuropathy
- Aphakia
- Band keratopathy
- HZV
- Malignant orbital neoplasm
- Neoplasim of meninges
- Scleritis
The following are some demographics for a sampling of patients seen in the Vision Rehabilitation (Low Vision) Clinic:
- Average age of patient: 80 years
- Range of patient age: 48-96
Most common ophthalmic diagnoses among recent Low Vision Clinic patients (may have more than one contributor to vision loss):
- 34% have age-related macular degeneration
- 21% have cataracts
- 33% have glaucoma
- 8% have dry eyes
- 8% are pseudophakic
- 5% have diabetic retinopathy
Other interesting ophthalmic diagnoses among recent low vision patients:
- Aphakia
- S/P PKP
- Optic atrophy
- CN VII palsy
- Phthisis
- Retinal detachment
- CRAO
- CRVO
- CME, macular pucker, macular pseudohole
- Retinal dystrophy
- Scleral ectasia
The most common diagnoses of patients recently seen in the Therapeutic Contact Lens clinic are as follows:
- 24% had cataracts
- 26% were Keratoconic
- 18% were S/P PKP
- 18% had corneal scarring/opacification
- 12% were anisometropic
- 12% had glaucoma
- 20% had blepharitis and/or conjunctivitis
- 10% had iris or pupillary anomalies
- 8% had dry eyes
- Other interesting ophthalmic diagnoses among recent Therapeutic Contact Lens Clinic patients:
- Corneal pannus
- Vitreous opacities
- corneal dystrophy/ectasia
- HZV
- HSV
- Pathological myopia