Eye Doctor Georgia

Health care providers vie for state House District 139 seat

James Beverly, an eye doctor, says he has an idea to offset the cost of education by bringing in corporate partners.

Anissa M. Jones, a chiropractor, says she is going to make sure her constituents aren’t taxed money they don’t have.

One of the two Democrats will win their first public office in their bids for the state House 139 district. There’s no GOP competition.

The winner will have to help deal with a budget deficit, a new scheme to tax consumption and the prospect of Macon-Bibb government consolidation.

Beverly

Optometrist James Beverly runs his own practice, Midtowne Vision Center.

He’s collected several diplomas, the latest a master’s of public administration from Harvard University, where he concentrated on complex budgeting and health care policy. But he said as a small-business owner he’s also used to competition and rivalry, something that can come in handy when dealing with the sharp elbows under the Gold Dome.

In Boston, Beverly also saw a program that puts private professionals in public schools. He thinks it makes sense for the private sector to share the cost of education.

Using rough numbers for Bibb County this year, he said, for “early childhood education there is state funding for 750 kids. But there’s a need of 1,200 kids. What happens to the other 450 kids?”

The private sector should and would do well to actually send some of their own staff, such as attorneys, into after-school, summer and pre-K classrooms, he thinks. For one, companies would be able to crow about their good works. But more bottom-line-related, “it makes sense for corporations to make sure people are educated.”

That would work best if Macon begins to think of itself as an industry cluster. Health care is a natural, Beverly reckons, because of the concentration already in Macon.

“If we look at ourselves like that, we attract like-minded businesses,” Beverly said. “That is how you begin to bring corporations to a region. ... If we have people spring up around the idea of health care, they educate our people.”

He emphasized that his strategy is cross-aisle cooperation with Republicans. “I look at what we can agree on,” he said.

The Legislature ended its last session with a plan to restart its inconclusive fight about state taxes: a blue-ribbon panel filled with businesspeople and economists advised Georgia to tax consumption rather than income. That would mean a state levy on things such as groceries, haircuts, attorney services and satellite TV, in exchange for lower income taxes.

Swimming pools may give chemical conjunctivitis and chemical ...

As millions of Georgians beat the heat by enjoying their swimming pools, eye care experts are urging them to take simple steps to protect the health of their eyes and avoid chemical conjunctivitis and chemical keratitis.

Experiencing burning or itchy eyes after spending time in the water is a common problem experienced by those who swim in chlorinated pools. Caused by irritants such as chlorine, air pollution or chemical exposure, chemical conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the thin layer of transparent tissue that covers the white of the eye. When the symptoms include blurriness or haloes around lights, the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) may be involved. Corneal irritation from the irritants in pool water would be termed chemical keratitis.

According to experts with the Georgia Optometric Association, people who experience chemical conjunctivitis and/or chemical keratitis from swimming are likely to display symptoms in both eyes. These symptoms can be manifested as a combination of gritty sensation, itching, burning and excessive tearing of the eyes. Discharge from one or both eyes is a common symptom, as are swollen eyelids, redness, light sensitivity and blurred vision.

“If you experience severe eye irritation for more than a few hours after swimming you should be evaluated by an eye care professional,” said Dr. Tom Spetalnick, president of the Georgia Optometric Association. “Chlorine irritation can result in the temporary redness and clouding of vision, but the symptoms are usually not long-lasting. But there is also the possibility of infection. You should definitely consult your eye doctor if vision changes persist for more than an hour or two, or if there is a combination of redness and discharge, which are frequent signs of infection.”

To prevent chemical conjunctivitis, Dr. Spetalnick, who was a pool maintenance professional while in college and optometry school, suggests testing a home pool’s pH level more frequently. “A pH level between 7.2 and 7.8 is the ideal range for eye comfort and for pool disinfection,” says Dr. Spetalnick. “Goggles and swim masks are a great way to protect against eye irritation by providing a barrier between the eyes and the potentially irritating chemical in pool water,” he added.

For more information about the Georgia Optometric Association, or to a find a local doctor of optometry when you experience conjunctivitis, please visit www.GOAeyes.com .

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