National Diabetes Month: A Perfect Time to Schedule Your Annual Eye Exam

November is National Diabetes Month and a perfect reminder for individuals with diabetes to schedule their annual eye exam. It’s not just about controlling glucose and blood sugar levels - an annual screening for diabetic retinopathy is also incredibly important in keeping you healthy. 

Diabetes is the most common cause of blindness in adults under the age of 70, and diabetic retinopathy affects roughly 25% of diabetics. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by the deterioration of blood vessels that nourish the retina. When this happens, the vessels weaken and leak fluid that would have otherwise provided healthy nourishment for the retina. 

The early stages of the disease are quite subtle and most patients don’t notice a change in vision until a much later stage when they experience blurred vision or floaters in the eye. The longer the individual has had diabetes and the level of the individual’s diabetic control are both factors that can lead to a greater chance of developing diabetic retinopathy. 

If the disease is caught and monitored in an early stage, more of the sight-damaging effects can be slowed or stopped completely. 

Ophthalmologist Clayton Falknor, M.D. explained, “If a person with diabetes waits until they notice vision problems to have their eyes examined, they run a much greater chance of having more severe retinal disease which may require laser treatments, injectable medications, and possibly even surgery. Their primary care physician also needs to know the extent of retinopathy present to guide the aggressiveness of blood sugar management on a day-to-day basis.”

A comprehensive annual exam is one of the best ways to keep diabetic retinopathy in check. Make an appointment with one of our skilled ophthalmologists at the Eye Clinic of Austin to ensure early diagnosis and treatment.

Source: http://www.emaxhealth.com/1020/national-diabetes-month-good-time-focus-eye-health

What to Do at What Age for Your Eyes

August is National Eye Exam month and although each individual’s eyes are different, there are recommended times in your life in which to receive an eye exam. Here’s a summary of what to do at what age for your eye care:

INFANTS: All babies should receive an eye exam soon after birth. It’s also recommended to receive another exam between ages 6 to 12 months.

PRESCHOOL: At age 3, it’s important for children to receive a visual acuity test. The test results can show lazy eye or refractive errors, like nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism.

SCHOOL AGE: Upon entering the 1st grade, another eye exam should be performed. As your child gets older, if any suspected vision issues or problems come up, then another exam should be performed. In this age group, nearsightedness is most common which can be corrected with eyeglasses or contact lenses, depending on the child’s age.

TEENAGERS & EARLY 20s: Teenagers with corrective lenses should receive an annual eye exam in order to determine changes in prescription and to detect any other issues. By the time people reach their early 20’s, vision development will typically remain steady. For this age group it’s also important to remember to protect eyes during activities and playing sports.

ADULTS 25 to 40: Vision changes little at this age, so this is the recommended time for LASIK eye surgery. For those without prescription lenses or a family history of eye disease, it’s best to receive at least one complete eye exam in your 20s and two complete exams in your 30s. During pregnancy, women may have vision fluctuations.

ADULTS 40 to 65: This is a time when many eye diseases may begin to emerge. At age 40, a comprehensive eye exam should be scheduled to check for any signs of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and other problems. You should continue to schedule exams every two years or more often based on feedback from your ophthalmologist about any problems your eyes have.

65 AND UP: By age 65, 1 in 3 Americans will have a vision-impairing eye disease such as glaucoma and cataracts. Preventive eye exams should be an important annual appointment to help find any issues or continue treatment of any known problems as your ophthalmologist recommends. Vision may be saved or prolonged if eye disease is detected early on.

Source: American Academy of Ophthalmology

Women – More Susceptible to Vision Problems than Men

According to Prevent Blindness America, “Every year, more women than men are diagnosed with eye diseases and conditions such as cataracts, dry eye, Fuchs’ dystrophy, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and Sjögren’s syndrome.  The “Vision Problems in the U.S.” study from Prevent Blindness America (PBA) and the National Eye Institute (NEI) shows that of the more than 3.6 million Americans age 40 and older who suffer from visual impairment, including blindness, 2.3 million are women” (Women Must Take Steps to Avoid Vision Loss, March 27, 2012).

Hereditary diseases aside, these problems are often caused by hormones, or the fluctuations in hormones like pregnancy or menopause. Sometimes they can even be triggered by birth control, which is a hormone regulating medication. Even keeping your eye makeup for too long can cause problems with your eyes.

At the Eye Clinic of Austin, we recommend to our female patients that they pay close attention to their eyesight while pregnant, when changing prescription pills or going on new medication, and to switch out their makeup every six months to a year. If you feel that your glasses or contacts are not helping as much as they used to, make sure to have an eye exam. Mention to your doctor any new prescription changes so that he may accurately diagnose the underlying issue.

Your eyes are how you see the world. Keep them in great health.

Press Release - QuantifEye - June 20, 2012

June 20, 2012

Eye Clinic of Austin Implements QuantifEye - Key New Technology for Macular Pigment Measurement

The Importance of Macular Health

 

A growing number of baby boomers understand the potential effects of aging on their eyesight and are therefore motivated to take action to maintain their independence.  Studies show that today’s “older” Americans are far more active for much longer than previous generations. They stay in the workforce longer and have more hobbies and interests.  Some studies among this group report that loss of independence is actually feared more than death.  So, when older patients are able to drive safely and more confidently, handle bright light easier, read with less strain, and reduce the risk of age related macular degeneration – that is big news.

MACULAR PIGMENT AND MACULAR HEALTH

 

Macular pigment is composed of photo-protectants and antioxidants.  An apple provides a great example of how antioxidants provide protection. The skin of the apple protects the inside until it is sliced open and exposed to oxygen.  When this occurs, the inside turns brown via a process known as oxidation.  A similar process occurs in our eyes over time as we age.

Dr. Thomas Henderson says, “Macular pigments are like the eye’s ʽinternal sunglassesʼ. Thick, dense, ʽinternal sunglassesʼ block the harmful blue part of the light spectrum that damages one’s eyes across their lifetime. We are pleased to be the first ophthalmology practice in Austin to introduce the QuantifEye non-invasive system for measuring macular pigment optical density.”

INTERVIEW/SEGMENT OP:

 

Dr. Henderson is available for in-studio talks about this advanced new technology and how it works, as well as all topics related to healthy vision. Please contact Jonna Kieler at 303.447.9192 for further information or scheduling.

Eye Clinic of Austin

 

Eye Clinic of Austin was founded in January, 1982 by Dr. Thomas Henderson. Dr. Henderson has been involved in all aspects of optical, medical, and surgical patient care, community service through twenty-five years of emergency call at University Medical Center (Brackenridge), drug research and medical lecturing. Dr. Henderson has personally performed over 11,500 cataract and refractive surgery procedures.

Eye Clinic of Austin offers refractive procedures such as blade-free, all-laser LASIK and Intraocular Lens-based procedures such as cataract surgery. Eye Clinic of Austin also provides general eye care such as medical, laser and surgical glaucoma management, diabetic eye care, dry eye relief, as well as a full-service optical shop, and routine and specialty contact lens care and fitting. The doctors at Eye Clinic of Austin include Thomas T. Henderson, MD, FACS, Clayton L. Falknor, MD, and Melanie Prosise, OD.