National Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month
(Retina of diabetic retinophaty)
November is National Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month. This month may be coming to an end, but the importance of maintaining your diabetic healthcare continues.
You are diagnosed with Diabetes, now what? There is not cure yet, but a healthy lifestyle makes a difference: eating a healthy diet, being physically active, taking medications prescribed and keeping health care appointments to stay on track.
Part of your health care appointments should involve a yearly diabetic eye exam. This exam is highly recommended by Dr. Garcia. It is necessary to evaluate your diabetic health by your ophthalmologist yearly to detect, prevent, and treat any concerns.
All forms of diabetic eye disease have the potential to cause severe vision loss and blindness. Early diagnosis of diabetes and maintaining strict control of blood sugar and hypertension through diet, exercise and medication, can help reduce your risk of developing eye disease associated with diabetes. Help your eyes stay healthy and get your comprehensive eye examination by Dr. Garcia.
Six Common Eye Diseases That You Should Know
Our eyesight is extremely valuable. It allows us to experience the world and take in our surroundings. Because of this, maintaining eye health should be one of our top priorities. Below is a list of six of the most common issues patients experience with their eyes, and some educational tips for each one.
- Cataracts: Most cataracts are age-related and are more common in people aged 50 years and older. Cataracts are a clouding of the lens in the eye. If left untreated, cataracts can cause severe vision loss. Cataracts are one of the only common eye problems that can be completely cured through routine surgery.
- Keratoconus. Refers to weakening of the collagen fibers inside the cornea, leading to structure changes and decreased vision. In advanced cases, the cornea bulges out and can cause extreme astigmatism and severe loss of vision. Treatment options include use of a rigid contact lens, collagen crosslinking, and corneal transplant.
- Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetes can cause both obstruction of and leakage from retinal blood vessels. The high blood sugar can cause severe damage to various structures in the eye, with the most common being intraocular bleeding caused by the rupture or blockage of tiny blood vessels.
- Macular Degeneration: This cause of blindness consists of damage to the central area of the retina that processes 90% of our vision: the macula. Risk factors include: age, smoking, female gender, and family history. Current treatments can slow the progression of the disease.
- Refractive Errors: Refractive errors are the most common cause of vision problems. Refraction in the eye occurs when light passes through the cornea and the lens. Nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism are types of refractive errors.
- Glaucoma: It is associated with a higher-than-normal pressure inside the eye. This condition causes damage to the eye’s optic nerve. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause peripheral vision loss and can eventually lead to blindness. Once detected, this disorder can be treated with either surgery, lasers or prescribed eye drops.
Underlying eye disease is best detected by annual visits with an Ophthalmologist. Call the offices of MD EyeCare today to schedule a complete eye examination.
