Tag Archives: eye diseases

How Diabetes Affects Your Eyes

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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).

What’s That Ring Around My Eye?

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What’s That Ring Around My Eye?

One frequently asked question Dr. Dennis hears from his patients is, “what’s that ring around my eye?” What patients are referring to is a white, grey, or blue opaque ring that overlies the colored part of the eye just about where it meets the sclera, or white of the eye. The ring is actually in the cornea, a clear dome-like covering over the front of the eye, which acts likes much like the crystal of a watch.

what's that ring around my eye

The cloudiness commonly appears after age 60 and is called arcus senilis, or just arcus. This cloudiness typically starts at the top and bottom of the cornea, but can eventually fill in to create a full ring around the eye.

This ring is created from a gradual deposition of cholesterol and lipid (fat) in this layer of the cornea. A study shows that it does not indicate high cholesterol levels when it occurs in the middle aged and elderly population. People younger than 40 with the onset of arcus should have their cholesterol and blood lipids checked as studies do show that if this ring can be predictive of heart disease. 

The white ring or Arcus does not interfere with vision and does not require treatment of the eye.  If the ring is more pronounced on one eye, it can indicate that blood flow to that eye is decreased.

If your asking yourself “what’s that ring around my eye” or would like to make an appointment to have your questions answered call (480) 994-1872 today!

Click here for more info on corneal arcus!

Eating Healthy Prevents AMD

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Eating Healthy Prevents AMD

Eating healthy is the starting point for a healthy lifestyle and a better quality of life.  We all know our diet can affect everything from our weight to our heart but recently it’s been discovered that eating healthy can have a major impact on your vision and preventing Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

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5 Tips for Preventing Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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5 Tips for Preventing Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Love Your Eyes: Ophthalmologists Remind Older Americans to Protect Themselves from Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Seniors are at heightened risk for age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness among older Americans. The disease damages central vision, limiting a person’s ability to read and recognize faces. Approximately 2.1 million Americans had AMD as of 2010. This number is expected to double to more than 5.4 million by 2050. Meanwhile, fewer people are aware of the disease compared to other eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.

To help raise awareness of age-related macular degeneration, the Scottsdale Eye Physicians and Surgeons, PC and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are reminding seniors that their eyes need love, too. There are steps they can take to take better care of their eyes and protect themselves from AMD-related blindness.

 

Here are five eye-loving tips from the Academy and the facts behind the advice:

 

  • Get regular comprehensive medical eye exams. AMD often has no early warning signs, so getting regular comprehensive eye exams is critical to diagnosing and treating AMD in its early stages. The Academy recommends that people over age 65 get an exam every one to two years, even if they have no signs or symptoms of eye problems.

 

  • Quit smoking. Numerous studies have shown smoking to increase the risk of developing AMD and the speed at which it progresses. If you smoke, you are twice as likely to develop macular degeneration compared with a nonsmoker.

 

  • Know your family’s eye health history. If you have a close relative with AMD, you have a 50 percent chance of developing the condition. Before you go in for your next eye exam, speak with your family about their eye health history. Sharing this information with your eye doctor may prompt him or her to recommend more frequent eye exams. The earlier AMD is caught, the better chances you may have of saving your vision.

 

  • Eat a diet rich in omega-3s and low in cholesterol and saturated fat. A number of studies have shown that people who had a reduced risk of AMD had diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish. In one study of patients who were at moderate risk for AMD progression, those who reported the highest omega-3 intake (not in the form of a supplement) were 30 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD after 12 years. In another study, an increased risk of AMD was found in individuals who had a higher intake of saturated fats and cholesterol and in those with a higher body mass index.

 

 

“There is still a worrying lack of awareness when it comes to AMD, despite it being the number one cause of blindness in seniors,” said Rahul N. Khurana, M.D., a clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “Older Americans who are unaware of the disease may be putting themselves at risk by not taking early steps to care for their vision. The good news is that they protect their sight from AMD-related blindness by showing their eyes some TLC with regular eye exams and lifestyle changes.”

 

Age-related Macular Degeneration is a very serious eye disease and the proper steps should be taken to protect your vision. Make sure to be seen by an eye doctor often for a comprehensive eye exam!   To make an appointment call us at 480-994-1872 or visit our website to book online!

 

 

 

 

Understanding Diabetic Retinopathy

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Understanding Diabetic Retinopathy

If you suffer from diabetes, the possibility of diabetic retinopathy is a real thing. To keep your vision from harm, you should be in the know about the facts of diabetic retinopathy and how to get yourself checked and treated. If you think you could be affected by diabetic retinopathy now or in the future, you may be asking yourself these questions:

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Statins show continued potential as treatment for dry AMD

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Statins show continued potential as treatment for dry AMD

High doses of statins, known for lowering blood cholesterol, may someday prove to be a viable treatment for the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study.

“As the population ages, finding safe and inexpensive strategies for the treatment and management of AMD is paramount.”

 

The results of the relatively small study were published Feb. 4 in the online journal, EBioMedicine.

 

In the study, high doses of Lipitor (80 mg) were given daily over a 12- to 18-month period to 23 people who suffered from dry AMD, which occurs when high deposits of lipid and fatty proteins form under the retina. In the pilot study, 10 patients experienced a regression in drusen deposits and their sight improved slightly. None of the subjects saw their sight worsen.

 

Researchers have been looking at the potential of statins for years as a treatment for AMD, says Steven G. Ferrucci, O.D., chief of optometry at Sepulveda VA Medical Center and professor at Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University. But the results have been mixed.

 

Dr. Ferrucci has written and lectured extensively on AMD. “For many years, researchers have postulated that statins may be protective for AMD,” Dr. Ferrucci says. “One study from 2001 looked at the incidence of AMD in patients using statins. Those who took statins had significantly decreased risk of being diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration compared with those who were not taking statins.”

 

Dr. Ferrucci noted the size of the new study—only 23 patients participated.  So it’s important to keep the results in perspective.

 

He agreed with the study’s authors, a team of researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School and the University of Crete, that more study is needed.

 

“These patients represent a specific subset of AMD patients—those with soft lipid deposits—which not all dry [AMD] patients have,” he says. “So obviously more research with a larger study must be done, and even then, it seems it may only benefit a percentage of AMD patients.”

 

What the study means for eye doctors and patients

Dr. Ferrucci says, “We should stay alert to these studies so we can properly inform our patients of new developments that may be of help, as well as temper those stories that might send false hope.”

 

And for patients? A leading cause of severe vision loss in adults over age 50, AMD affects 1.8 million Americans with millions more at risk for the condition.

 

“If statins turn out to be a successful treatment, that’s great for patients,” Dr. Ferrucci says. “Repurposing current FDA-approved medications, such as statins, which are very accessible and well-studied, would be huge. It would represent a huge cost and time savings versus discovering a novel drug.”

 

He adds, “Statins are already well studied. They have a good safety profile and there’s lots of clinical experience regarding dosing and side effects. As the population ages, finding safe and inexpensive strategies for the treatment and management of AMD is paramount.”

 

The AOA follows all research closely, including potential dry AMD treatments. Although statins are an interesting treatment possibility for patients, more research is needed regarding their influence on visual health. For more information or help for better vision, please visit the AOA website.