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Paralympian initiates advocacy for eye care

Healio Optometry1d ago1 min read

As an athlete, Amy Dixon is used to overcoming adversity.She is a member of the U.S. Paratriathlon team and has competed in eight world championships and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. When she was 22 years old, she was diagnosed with multifocal choroiditis with panuveitis. Twelve years later, she received a diagnosis of neovascular glaucoma and steroid-induced glaucoma due to the years of steroid use to treat uveitis.“My doctors think the onset of my disease was probably when I was 10 years old,” she said. “I had rheumatic fever, a type of illness called erythema nodosum. At that time, I

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AI Summary

Quick Take

Paralympian Amy Dixon, a member of the U.S. Paratriathlon team, is leveraging her platform to advocate for eye care following a complex clinical journey involving multifocal choroiditis and panuveitis. After years of steroid treatment for her uveitis, Dixon developed both neovascular and steroid-induced glaucoma, highlighting the challenging trade-offs in managing chronic ocular inflammation.

Why It Matters

Dixon’s case is a poignant reminder of the 'double-edged sword' of corticosteroid therapy in chronic uveitis management. While essential for controlling inflammation, long-term use carries a high risk of secondary glaucoma, which can be as sight-threatening as the primary disease. Her story also emphasizes the importance of taking a thorough systemic history, as her ocular issues likely stemmed from systemic illnesses—rheumatic fever and erythema nodosum—experienced over a decade before her formal ophthalmic diagnosis.

Key Details

Amy Dixon was diagnosed with multifocal choroiditis with panuveitis at age 22, though clinical history suggests onset may have occurred at age 10.
The patient experienced rheumatic fever and erythema nodosum in childhood, which clinicians believe may have been the catalyst for her ocular disease.
Twelve years after her initial uveitis diagnosis, she was diagnosed with neovascular glaucoma and steroid-induced glaucoma.
Dixon has competed in eight world championships and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, using her status as an elite athlete to drive eye care advocacy.
Her secondary glaucoma was a direct complication of the long-term steroid regimens required to manage her chronic panuveitis.

Practice Implications

Clinicians should prioritize frequent intraocular pressure monitoring and optic nerve assessment in uveitis patients on long-term steroid therapy. Additionally, Dixon’s history suggests that pediatric systemic inflammatory events warrant long-term vigilance for delayed-onset ocular manifestations, even if the patient is asymptomatic for years.

Who's Affected

Uveitis SpecialistsGlaucoma SpecialistsComprehensive OphthalmologistsOptometristsPediatric Optometrists

What's Next

As Dixon continues her advocacy, the focus remains on the patient experience of navigating vision loss and the necessity of early intervention. Her story may serve as a catalyst for improved patient education regarding the long-term risks of steroid-based treatment plans.

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