How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes

Posted on by
How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes

Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce and/or use insulin in amounts sufficient to control blood sugar levels.

People with any type of diabetes can develop hyperglycemia, which is an excess of blood sugar, or serum glucose.

Although glucose is a vital source of energy for the body’s cells, a chronic elevation of serum glucose causes damage throughout the body, including the small blood vessels in the eyes.

As a result, if you have diabetes you run the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, in which damage occurs to the delicate blood vessels inside the retina lining at the back of the eye.

You are also at increased risk for developing cataracts (clouding of the normally clear lens in the eye), or glaucoma (a disease that results in damage to the optic nerve).

Diabetic retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease, is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina. The vessel walls thicken as they absorb excess sugar. This narrows the opening in the middle of the vessel so it can’t flow as much blood, oxygen, and nutrients needed for the eye tissues.

Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) is the earliest stage of diabetic retinopathy. With this condition, damaged blood vessels in the retina begin to leak extra fluid and small amounts of blood into the eye. Sometimes, deposits of cholesterol or other fats from the blood may leak into the retina.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) occurs when abnormal new blood vessels begin to sprout on the surface of the retina or optic nerve.

The new blood vessels are very fragile and sometimes break, leading to blindness. The new vessels are also often accompanied by scar tissue that may cause the retina to wrinkle or detach.

The good news is that tight control of the blood sugar level in diabetics can often reverse the damage and restore vision. There are several other treatments that can also help.

This article reprinted with permission from the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart® program (www.geteyesmart.org).

8 Things to Start Today to Protect Your Vision!

Posted on by
8 Things to Start Today to Protect Your Vision!

As we age so do our eyes, but there are a few things we can do along the way to help keep our eyes in good shape!

  1. Find the right Eye Doctor

First thing to start with is finding an Eye Doctor you can trust! Getting in for regular eye exams is key to maintaining good eye health. Many eye diseases are only detectible with an eye exam.

2. Have a dilated eye exam often!

Find out from your Eye Doctors how often you should be having a dilated eye exam. When the eyes are dilated it allows for more light to enter which gives Doctors the ability to check for eye diseases like Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

3. Get Exercising

Lots of studies show that exercise and movement can be very healthy for the eyes it can even lower your risk for certain eye diseases. Finding time to get moving is always the challenge so start small by adding in a few more steps to your day and getting up from your desk for a quick stretch!

4. Choose a Balanced Diet!

Eating healthy is the building blocks of good health, we all know this, but it actually is really beneficial to your eye health! Studies have shown that foods like leafy greens, fish, nuts and legumes, citrus foods are just a few foods that are good for your vision!

5. Know your Family History!

Family history can help to determine eye diseases that you can be more susepitble to. Diseases like Glaucoma and Age-Related Macular Degeneration often times run in families.

6. Always Wear Sunglasses

Even when it is cloudy you should still wear sunglasses to block harmful UV rays. Wearing sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation can protect your eyes and lower your risk for cataracts.

7. Keep an Eye on Health Conditions like Diabetes and High Blood Pressure

Health conditions like diabetes can increase your risk for eye diseases such as Glaucoma. Work with your Doctor to help manage your condition.

8. Quit Smoking

Smoking increases your risk of eye diseases and is just bad for the body! Make a plan to quit it could just save your vision!

Taking care of your vision doesn’t have to be hard! With a few extra tips you can help to keep your eyes in tip top shape!

Aging: Did You Know That It Affects Your Eyes Too?

Posted on by
Aging: Did You Know That It Affects Your Eyes Too?

Ophthalmologists Encourage Making Your Eyes Part of a Healthy Aging Strategy

In observance of Healthy Aging Month, Scottsdale Eye Physicians & Surgeons joins the American Academy of Ophthalmology in emphasizing the importance of having regular eye exams to maintain healthy eyes and vision.

aging eye

According to a national survey released by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, nearly two out of three American adults report having eye or vision problems as a result to aging. A significant percentage of them, however, fail to seek medical attention in the form of regular, sight-saving eye exams.

Some of the more common age-related eye diseases include age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

With early detection and treatment vision loss can be prevented[1]. Ophthalmologists recommend a dilated comprehensive eye exam as the best way to prevent these conditions from becoming debilitating.

U.S. Adults Do Not Get Eye Exams as Often as They Should!
The survey results emphasize a need for more education about the importance of medical eye exams.

Survey results show that most adults are unaware and uneducated on the importance of medical eye exams.

Results showed that over 64 percent of adults had at least one or more of the following issues with their eyes or vision:

  • difficulty seeing at night;
  • blurry vision;
  • reading up close;
  • flashes of light;
  • red, watery eyes; and,
  • double vision.

Despite experiencing some level of impairment, only 13 percent admitted they had been seen by an ophthalmologist.

When Do I Need An Eye Exams?
The Academy recommends that a healthy adult get a baseline eye exam at age 40, even if they have no history of eye problems or eye disease.

Those who have chronic conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, may require more frequent exams.

If you are in need of a comprehensive eye exam call 480-994-1872 or click here to make an appointment online! Don’t wait save your eyesight may be counting on it!

[1] https://nei.nih.gov/healthyeyes/aging_eye

 

What You Need to Know about Glaucoma

Posted on by
What You Need to Know about Glaucoma

What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma occurs when there is damage to the optic nerve, usually from high intraocular pressure (fluid pressure) and it results in visual field loss. Glaucoma is called the “sneak thief of sight” because patients may not notice any change in vision until significant loss has occurred, which is why regular monitoring is essential. When caught early, it is easily treatable.

Continue reading →

Presbyopia, breaking down the problems associated with the aging eye

Posted on by
Presbyopia, breaking down the problems associated with the aging eye

presbyopia

Presbyopia is an age-related eye condition that makes it more difficult to see up close.

 

When we are young, the lens in our eyes is soft and flexible and changes easily, allowing you to focus on objects both close up and far away. After the age of 40, and as we continue to age, the lens becomes more stiff, which makes it difficult to change shape and focus on objects that are close up.

 

Causes & symptoms of Presbyopia

 

Unlike nearsightedness and farsightedness, presbyopia is caused by the aging of the eye. It is generally believed that, as we age, changes in the lens protein make up trigger the lens to become less flexible. This is why it is common for people over the age of 40 to hold reading material farther away in order to see it more clearly. Other symptoms include eyestrain, headaches, or feeling tired after doing up close work.

 

Diagnosing and treating Presbyopia

 

A routine eye exam performed by your doctor will diagnose and determine the degree of presbyopia. Once diagnosed, reading glasses are the most common and simplest ways to correct presbyopia. If you wear contact lenses, your doctor can prescribe reading glasses that can be worn with your regular contacts. Eyeglasses with bifocal or progressive lenses are another common method of correcting presbyopia. There are other simple methods of correcting presbyopia, such as multifocal contact lenses, or monovision, which is using two different contact lenses, one for distance and one for close up vision.

 

If you would like more information about presbyopia or wish to make an appointment, please call our office, 480 994-1872 or visit our website at ScottsdaleEye.com. We also carry a large selection of reading glasses in our optical boutique, which is conveniently located in our office.

 

Source: GetEyeSmart.org

 

Kids Eye Exam: When Should They Be Getting Checked?

Posted on by
Kids Eye Exam: When Should They Be Getting Checked?

Kids Eye Exam: When Should They Be Getting Checked?

kids eye exam

As parents we are always worried about what our child’s eating, how much rest they are getting and if they are behaving properly but we often forget that we need to be keeping an eye on their vision!

Good vision is very important to a child’s physical development, success in school and overall well-being!

 

Did you know that the vision system is not fully formed in babies and young children? Equal input from both eyes is necessary for the brain’s vision centers to develop normally.

Continue reading →

Do I have Pink Eye?

Posted on by
Do I have Pink Eye?

We have all heard of or had pink eye! Its never fun and can be highly contagious! With the kids back in school and cold and flu season upon us it’s always good to know the warning signs of pink eye!

Red, watery and itchy eyes may be a sign of conjunctivitis or pink eye.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the top symptoms of pink eye include:

•           Redness or swelling of the white of the eye

•           Increase amounts of tears

•           White, yellow or green discharge

•           Itchy or burning eyes

•           Increased sensitivity to light

Viruses and bacteria can cause pink eye. It’s important that you see your physician. While it can get better on its own, sometimes an antibiotic is prescribed to clear it up.

Don’t hesitate if you think you might have pink eye.  Call our office at 480-994-18972 to make an appointment!

Learn more: http://www.cdc.gov/features/conjunctivitis/

Four Tips to Make Sure Your Kids Vision is ‘Grade A’ This School Year

Posted on by
Four Tips to Make Sure Your Kids Vision is ‘Grade A’ This School Year

Four Tips to Make Sure Your Kids Vision is ‘Grade A’ This School Year

A Kids Vision is the best asset they can have for school With back-to-school upon us, parents will be scrambling to buy new school supplies and clothes. As they tick off their long list of school to-dos, ophthalmologists are reminding moms and dads not to neglect one of the most important learning tools: their children’s eyes!  

Good vision and overall eye health are vital to learning. Scottsdale Eye Physicians & Surgeons, PC joins the American Academy of Ophthalmology in emphasizing the importance of healthy vision to academic success during Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month in August.

 

Because children are still growing, being vigilant about eye health is important. The earlier problems are identified; the sooner they can be addressed. For healthy eyes and vision throughout the school year, here at Scottsdale Eye Physicians we recommend the following four tips:

 

1. Get regular childhood vision screenings – Kids vision changes rapidly, making regular vision screenings an important step in detecting and correcting eye problems early. In addition to screenings for infants, the Academy recommends further vision screening for children when they are:

 

  • Pre-school age, between age 3 and 3 and a half
  • Entering school
  • Experiencing a possible vision problem

 

For school-age children, a vision screening, which is less comprehensive than a dilated eye examination by an ophthalmologist, can be performed by a pediatrician, family physician, nurse or trained technician during regular checkups. If the screening detects a problem, the child may need to see an ophthalmologist — an eye physician and surgeon – or other eye care professional.

 

2. Know and share your family eye health history – Everyone should find out whether eye conditions or diseases run in their family. Parents should share that information with the person performing the screening when possible. Examples of common eye conditions include nearsightedness, crossed eye, known as strabismus, and lazy eye, known as amblyopia. If these are not treated in childhood, they can cause permanent vision loss in one eye.

3. Watch for signals of eye problems – Parents should be alert to symptoms that could indicate an eye or vision problem, such as complaints of eyestrain, headaches and squinting when reading or performing other common activities. Other symptoms to look for include a white or grayish-white coloring in the pupil, one eye that turns in or out, or eyes that do not track in sync together.

4. Wear protective eyewear when playing sports – Eye injuries while playing sports can cause serious damage to your kids vision, whether by getting smacked with an elbow during basketball or hit with a hockey stick. If your child plays racket sports, hockey, field hockey, baseball or basketball, consider having them wear goggles or other certified protective eyewear.

 

Good vision is your child’s best asset for going back to school, make sure and be scheduling regular exams and taking the best steps to ensuring good vision!

 

At Scottsdale Eye our doctors are trained to offer care for children of all ages! Call 480-994-1872 today to make an appointment!

 

Visit the Academy’s website to learn more about common childhood eye conditions and how to care for your kids vision!

 

 

Where Do you Dispose of Your Old Contact Lenses?

Posted on by
Where Do you Dispose of Your Old Contact Lenses?

Could old contacts be contributing to micro-plastic waste?

What do you do with your old contact lenses? Scientists are hoping the answer isn’t flush them down the toilet or wash them down the sink.  

A new study shows that contact lenses could be contributing to micro-plastic waste that is creating pollution in our waters. 

These tiny pieces of plastic measuring no bigger than a sesame seed are considered micro-plastic waste.  The study has found that these small pollutants are ending up at the bottom of lakes and in our oceans which could be harming sea life.  

The idea to study the fate of contact lenses came when senior study author Rolf Halden, a professor and director of the Center for Environmental Health Engineering at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute, started to wonder whether there was existing research on what happened to contact lenses after use. There was none.

After finding no info on contact lens waste the professor decided to survey both contact lens wearers and non-wearers to find out how they were discarding lenses.  After surveying 139 individuals they found that roughly 15-20% of people were discarding them in the toilet or sink.  

Lead study author Charlie Rolsky, a doctoral student in biology at the same institution, said in a statement. “This is a pretty large number, considering roughly 45 million people in the U.S. alone wear contact lenses.”

After the lenses are flushed they end up in water treatment plants which are known to filter out waste, but since these filters are used for larger items contact lenses which can be flexible are slipping through the filters.  They also found that bacteria used to breakdown biological waste was ultimately breaking down the contacts into smaller pieces making them a contributor to micro-plastic waste.  

Moral of the story is when discarding contact lenses be sure to toss them in the waste basket instead of down the toilet or sink.  Taking this small step in how you dispose of your lenses could be helping the planet with micro-plastic waste. It could also be one small change that could help aquatic life along the way. 

More info on contact lens waste: https://www.livescience.com/63376-contact-lens-sewage-microplastics.html