Diseases of the Eye
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of blindness in American adults. Nearly half of all people with diabetes will develop some degree of diabetic eye disease during their lifetime. If your blood sugar is not controlled, it can damage the blood vessels in your eyes, which leads to diabetic retinopathy.
With diabetic retinopathy, over time new blood vessels may grow and cause scar tissue to develop. As a result, the retina can pull away from the back of the eye.
People with diabetes are 25 times more likely to lose their vision than those who are not diabetic. If you have diabetes, it is important to see your ophthalmologist for a yearly dilated-eye exam. Early detection is the best way to prevent vision loss.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disease that if caught early can be controlled, but can cause blindness. It often has no symptoms, so eye exams should be a part of your regular medical plan. Glaucoma begins when pressure builds up in the eye, causing damage to the optic nerve. There are two main types of glaucoma: open-angle and narrow-angle glaucoma. Open angle, the most common kind, is caused when not enough fluid drains from the eye and pressure builds up. This slow build up causes loss of side vision that may not be noticeable because it is so gradual. Narrow-angle glaucoma comes on more quickly and occurs when the drainage from the eye is completely blocked. The pressure in the eye builds rapidly and blurred vision and rainbow halos around lights may be present. This type of glaucoma may cause blindness.
While anyone can get glaucoma, some patients are at a higher risk. They include: patients increasing in age, patients from African ancestry, those with a family history of the disease, those with previous eye injury or people with health problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure are most at risk.
Treating Glaucoma
There is no cure for glaucoma. Treating glaucoma involves lowering eye pressure which can prevent or limit vision loss. Treatments include more frequent eye exams, medicines and procedures. Medicines to treat glaucoma include eyedrops and pills to lower eye pressure or reduce the amount of fluid the eye makes.
A surgical laser procedure is also an option. This new technology has been clinically proven to help reduce intra-ocular pressure in many patients with glaucoma. This laser treatment can also help reduce the need and expense of medication in some patients.
Keratoconus
Keratoconus is a condition in which a round-shaped cornea thins, causing the cornea to become cone shaped. Because the cornea is responsible for deflecting light, the result is distorted and impaired vision, and can cause increased sensitivity to light and glare. Keratonconus affects even the simplest tasks, from reading a book and watching TV to driving.
Symptoms of Keratoconus typically appear in the teens or early twenties. In the early stages of Keratoconus, soft contact lenses or eyeglasses may be prescribed. As the condition progresses, rigid gas permeable contact lenses are prescribed to help correct vision.
Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is a disease that affects the area where your sharpest central vision occurs, known as the macula. It destroys the clear central or “straight ahead” vision that we use for everyday tasks such as reading, watching TV, driving, threading a needle or identifying people’s faces, making ordinary activities challenging.
The fastest growing form of macular degeneration is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over the age of 65. While there is no cure for age-related macular degeneration, treatments as well as training and special devices are available.
