Make a commitment to yourself, a family member, or a friend for better eye health. When was your last routine eye exam?
The National Eye Institute (NEI) recommends a dilated eye exam from an ophthalmologist once a year for anyone with diabetes so diabetic eye disease can be detected, monitored, and treated.
What is Diabetic Eye Disease?
It is a complication of diabetes that has no warning signs and can lead to vision loss or blindness if left untreated.
Diabetes and the Eye
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss in middle-aged adults. It results from diabetes and high blood sugar that can cause damage to the retinal blood vessels in the back of the eye. Left untreated for an extended period, it can lead to permanent blindness. Your risk rises if you also smoke, have high blood pressure, or are pregnant.
Read: What is the Difference Between a Routine Eye Exam and a Medical Eye Exam?
Are There Different Kinds of Diabetic Retinopathy?
There are two different stages of diabetic retinopathy. The first is non-proliferative, in which the blood vessels in the retina become enlarged and blocked. The second more advanced stage is called proliferative and can lead to the breaking of the blood vessels and can cause considerable vision loss.
Read: Why You Should Wear Sunglasses During The Summer & Important Tips on How to Choose Them
How Is Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosed?
The most common way to diagnose diabetic retinopathy in the early stages is by a dilated eye exam. The other most common way to detect diabetic retinopathy is Optical Coherence Tomography for mild cases. For more serious cases, a fluorescein angiogram will be necessary to detect the severity.
Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms
You might not have symptoms in the early stages. As the condition progresses, you may notice spots or dark strings floating in your vision (floaters), fluctuating vision from blurry to clear, dark or blank areas in your field of vision, fading or washed-out colors, poor night vision, or vision loss.
What should I do?
Pay attention to vision changes. Early detection and proper treatment are important when it comes to saving your vision. If you believe you are experiencing diabetic retinopathy symptoms, call your eye doctor or call our office and visit one of our retina specialists.
December is Safe Toys Month
The American Academy of Ophthalmology reminds parents and grandparents to buy toys with an eye on safety.
About a quarter of a million children are seen in hospital emergency departments each year due to toy-related injuries ranging from a minor scratch to the front surface of the eye (corneal abrasion) to serious, sight-threatening injuries such as a traumatic cataract, bleeding inside the eye, retinal detachment, and permanent vision loss.
Tips To Prevent Toy-Related Eye Injuries
- Avoid toys that shoot objects. Dart, pellet, airsoft, and BB guns; arrows, slingshots, and water balloon launchers; toy swords, sabers, and wands.
- Avoid drones with spinning rotors. They move at high speed posing a danger to eyes, fingers, and hair.
- Avoid high-powered laser pointers. Used to play laser tag or flashlight tag, high-powered lasers between 1500 and 6000 milliwatts can cause permanent eye damage.
- Don’t just give presents. Be present. Closely supervise any child playing with potentially hazardous toys.
- Buy toys that meet the safety standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
- Buy age-related toys and follow the instructions about proper assembly and use.
- Have children wear proper protective eyewear for play and sports.
- Seek immediate medical attention from an ophthalmologist, if someone experiences an eye injury.
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