Retinal Diagnostic Center

Different treatments for wet age-related macular degeneration Various types of treatments for wet AMD include injections of anti-VEGF medication (most common), laser procedures, and photodynamic therapy. Treatments for wet AMD are designed to help slow disease progression, preserve existing vision, and if started early, recover lost vision. The objective of these treatments are to stop the growth of new blood vessels or to seal off the leaking vessels. In addition to treatments for wet AMD, it is also highly recommended to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which includes healthy eating habits and exercise, manage other medical conditions, and getting routine eye exams. So let's be healthy and proactive to maintain good vision!

AREDS 2 Eye Vitamin Supplements Studies have shown that a specific mix of vitamins and minerals may be beneficial for people who have dry age-related macular degeneration. People who have dry AMD can take these nutritional supplements to slow and stabilize the progression of the eye disease. By taking AREDS 2, it can also prevent people with dry AMD from progressing into wet AMD. But before you consider taking these vitamin supplements, it is recommended that you consult with your ophthalmologist. It is always best to ensure that what you are taking will benefit your condition. Next time you see your ophthalmologist, ask them about if whether taking AREDS 2 vitamin supplements will help your AMD!

Happy World Sight Day! World Sight Day aims to raise global awareness on vision impairment and blindness. This year's theme for World Vision Day is "Hope in Sight". The idea is to bring awareness to preventable eye blindness and preserving vision. Studies show that over 1 billion people around the world have preventable vision impairment. Reduced or lost eye sight can have long lasting effects on your quality of life. So the incentive for this day is to bring awareness to how important it is to keep your eyes healthy. That starts with maintaining good health and getting routine eye exams! So go go go!

What is WET Age-Related Macular Degeneration? Wet AMD is the less common form of age-related macular degeneration, but it is the much more serious version. Typically a person will have dry AMD for years (some may not realize) and it suddenly progresses into wet AMD. This is when new, abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the retina. These new vessels may leak blood or fluid, causing swelling of the macula, leading to vision loss or distortion of vision. With wet AMD, you los...e central vision much faster than with dry AMD. Thankfully there are various treatments for wet AMD. Usually vision impairments is minimal in the beginning stages but is much worse if there is severe bleeding which can lead to permanent scarring. That is why it is very important to go to routine eye appointments so that it can be detected in it's early stages to prevent vision loss. Go get your eyes checked so that you can maintain good vision for as long as you can!

What is DRY Age-Related Macular Degeneration? Dry AMD is the common form of AMD. The supporting layer called retinal pigment epithelium starts to degenerate with age. It is characterized by the formation of small yellow deposits called drusen underneath the macula. Typically this does not lead to vision loss. However, as the disease progresses, the retinal pigment epithelium cells can die (atrophy) which can cause the macula to thin out and lose its functions. This will ca...use you to lose central vision, severity dependent on location and amount of retinal thinning. As of now, there is no treatment for dry AMD, although there are active clinical trials ongoing. The best way to find out if this is a condition that you may have is to go see our ophthalmologist. If you begin to notice any type of visual impairment, make an eye appointment! You never know what the cause of it could be, so it's best to get examined before any progression occurs!

What is age-related macular degeneration? Age-related macular degeneration is a common condition that is the leading cause of vision loss for people ago 50 and older - macular degeneration does not lead to blindness but it causes your central vision to deteriorate. Age-related macular degeneration damages your retina, specifically your macula. When your macula starts to degenerate, central vision is lost but peripheral vision remains. There are two types of AMD, dry AMD and w...et AMD. Risk of AMD increases as you get older. People who are at risk for AMD are those who are over 50 years of age, eat a diet high in saturated fats, are overweight, smoke cigarettes, and have high blood pressure. Many people do not realize they have AMD until their vision is very blurry, that is why it is very important to have regular visits with an ophthalmologist so that they can detect early signs of AMD before any vision problems begin to occur. So go get your eyes checked!

Happy Healthy Aging Month! September is Healthy Aging Month. Vision loss is not a normal part of aging, but older adults are at higher risk of eye disease that may lead to vision loss if not detected in time. Possible eye diseases and conditions include: age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and dry eyes. Normally eye diseases have no early on-set symptoms, but they can be detected during a comprehensive dilated eye exam. By getting rou...tine comprehensive eye exams, recommended frequency is at least annually, doctors are able to detect early signs of any possible eye conditions that can lead to vision loss. With early diagnosis, doctor and patient can establish a treatment plan in order to prevent the condition from progressing, therefore reducing the possibility of vision loss. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting annual dilated eye exams, the risk of vision loss in older adults can be significantly reduced and prevented! See more

Very insightful mask suggestions from MaskofHope!

Happy Labor Day Weekend! A much needed long weekend is ahead of us, but on the behalf of Retinal Diagnostic Center, we would like to remind everyone to stay safe! If possible, try to avoid crowded places, make sure to always have your mask on, bring hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes, and wash your hands with soap frequently! Although this is our new (temporary) normal, let's not get too comfortable - the COVID-19 virus is still out there and it can infect anyone. No one is safe from contracting it, so please be cautious! Nevertheless, enjoy the long weekend and enjoy the outdoors!

How can diabetic retinopathy be treated? (part 4) A different method of treatment for diabetic retinopathy is vitrectomy, a surgical procedure that removes the blood-filled vitreous gel and replaces it with clear solution. If you have advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy causing vitresous bleeding or retinal detachment, your ophthalmologist may recommend this surgical method. Vitrectomy often prevents further bleeding by removing the abnormal scar tissues that caused t...he bleeding in the first place. This will allow light rays to focus properly on the retina, allowing vision to be restored. There is never a guarantee that vision will be perfect following surgery, especially if there is poor blood flow or retinal detachment. To ensure that your vision remain stable and controlled with your diabetes, it is always highly advised that you go get your eyes examined periodically to monitor any vision changes since prevention is always better than treatment!

Wearing a Mask to protect against COVID-19 (and smoke from the California fires) During these crazy, hectic times, it is still important to remember that we are still going through a global pandemic and it is STATE regulated that we wear protective face coverings when we go outside. Please remember that this is not only to protect yourself against the virus, but to also protect those around you. Also please be aware that PPE is still considered to be in short supply, so if po...ssible, leave the N95 respirators, KN95s, and medical grade surgical masks for front-line healthcare workers. Safe and approved alternatives include fabric masks. They are now more readily available in a wide-variety of options from many different places. To ensure the safest option of protection, make sure that the fabric masks are thick double-layered, tightly woven, cotton material masks. Also please make sure when you are wearing your mask, that your nose and mouth are covered at all time. Make sure to wear one that fits you (not too loose or tight). Take a look at the pictures attached to see what the best facial covering option is best for you! Please STAY SAFE, physically distance as much as possible, wear your mask, and wash your hands!!!

How can diabetic retinopathy be treated? (part 3) Another method of treatment for active diabetic retinopathy is laser surgery, which is often recommended for people with macular edema, PDR, and neovascular glaucoma. Laser surgery is used to help seal off leaking blood vessels therefore reducing the swelling of the retina. Laser procedures can also be used to shrink abnormal blood vessels and prevent them from growing again. These laser procedures are meant to prevent further... damage to the retina due to diabetic retinopathy. Please note that laser surgery does not cure diabetic retinopathy and does not always prevent further loss of vision. By controlling your blood sugar levels, it will prevent your vision from worsening. If you feel that your vision may be worsening and you are diabetic, it is best advised to go get your eyes examined. Let's try our best to keep our eyes healthy!

How can diabetic retinopathy be treated? (part 2) There is medical treatment available that can help treat diabetic retinopathy. Injections of anti-VEGF medication into the eye can stop the growth of new blood vessels and subsequent bleeding. VEGF is necessary for the eye to build new blood vessels, so the use of an anti-VEGF medication causes regression of these fragile and abnormal blood vessels. VEGF also causes existing blood vessels to leak, so this treatment helps to re...duce swelling of the macula, slowing vision loss, and possibly improving vision. By doing so, this can help prevent people with active diabetic retinopathy from permanently losing their vision, as long as their blood sugar levels are maintained as well. Since diabetes is a chronic disease, some patients need consistent injections to help improve their vision! So let's be proactive and keep your eyes healthy!!

It’s Contact Lens Health Week! Learn how to take care of your contacts and your eyes from CDC: https://go.usa.gov/xRVPS #ProtectYourEyes #OnePairTakeCare