Retinal Diagnostic Center

Retinal Diagnostic Center wishes everyone a Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!! Please remember to continue to social distance from people outside of your household and stay safe!!

Happy Thanksgiving! Retinal Diagnostic Center wishes everyone a great holiday weekend! Please remember to be safe, physically distance because COVID-19 is still out there, and enjoy your time with loved ones. Let's take this time to be thankful for all that we have during this time of year, especially after the whirlwind of 2020. Be safe, stay healthy, and have fun! Remember there is curfew from 10PM to 5AM! Please try to refrain from gathering with anyone outside of your household, let's be safe and keep others safe as well!

Happy Fall everyone! It is November and the holidays are right around the corner! In addition to fall really coming into season, November is also National Diabetes Month. As we have discussed before, diabetes can lead blinding eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataracts. We encourage all who have diabetes to get their eyes examined regularly. Diabetic eye disease often has no early warning signs. Early detection, timely treatment (if necessary), and appropriate follow-up care are the only ways to prevent vision loss. So go get your eyes checked!

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

Happy Contact Lens Health Week! August 17-21st, 2020 marks the 7th annual Contact Lens Health Week! The CDC has organized Contact Lens Health Week as a strategy to promote healthy contact lens wear and care. This year's campaign theme "Road to 2020 Vision begins with Contact Lens Health," emphasizes the importance of healthy contact lens hygiene practices in protecting against serious eye infections and other illnesses. Increased awareness about the importance of proper contact lens hygiene can encourage contact lens wearers to adopt healthy habits that can reduce their chances of getting an eye infection. Wash your hands before insertion and removal of contact lens and NEVER sleep in your contacts!

Happy National Eye Exam Month! August is National Eye Exam Month. It is very important to routinely get your eyes examined. According to the Vision Council of America, about 12.2 million Americans require some sort of vision correction but don't use any. It is recommended to get your eyes checked at least every year to two years. By getting your eyes periodically examined, it allows your optometrist or ophthalmologist to detect any ocular issues early. Doing so will help prevent conditions from getting worse, therefore lowering the risks of more severe and permanent damage. This can help you keep your healthy and clear vision for longer, so go make your appointment to get your comprehensive eye exam asap!!

How can diabetic retinopathy be controlled or treated? (part 1) The absolute best way to treat diabetic retinopathy is to control your blood sugar and blood pressure through diet, exercise, and medication if applicable. By doing so, this can help prevent diabetic retinopathy from developing. Sometimes good blood sugar control or maintenance can even bring some of your vision back if it had already begun to change. Maintenance of your blood pressure also keeps your eyes' blood vessels healthy. The best thing to do is to try your best to live a healthy lifestyle! Through regular exercise, healthy eating, and control of blood sugar, you can prevent development of diabetic retinopathy!

What is diabetic macular edema? Diabetic retinopathy is caused by ongoing damage to the small blood vessels of the retina. The leakage of fluid or blood into the retina may lead to swelling of the surrounding tissue, including the macula -- therefore causing macular edema. This can cause vision impairments ranging from slightly blurry vision to vision loss. Macular edema is the most common cause of vision loss in people with diabetic retinopathy. Vision loss may be mild to severe, but even in the worst cases, peripheral vision typically continues to function normally. Poor blood sugar control increase the risk of blindness for people with diabetic macular edema (DME). This is why it is advised to get your eyes checked regularly to monitor any changes - especially if you have diabetes!

How can proliferative diabetic retinopathy cause vision loss? (Part 3) Neovascular Glaucoma: Extensive retinal vessel closure will cause new abnormal blood vessels to grow on the iris and in the drainage channels in the front of the eye - causing blockage of normal flow of fluid out of the eye. Pressure in the eye builds up, resulting in neovascular glaucoma - which may result in damage to the optic nerve. This is a rare type of glaucoma, but it is one of the most devastating.... These ocular conditions can be prevented or treated if discovered early. This is why it is best to have your eyes examined on a regular basis, especially if you have diabetes!! One of the most important things diabetic patients can help is to control their blood sugar and blood pressure. If those levels fluctuate, it can also affect vision. So go get your routine eye exam!

How can proliferative diabetic retinopathy cause vision loss? (Part 2) Tractional Retinal Detachment: Diabetic tractional retinal detachment is the most advanced form of diabetic retinal disease. Scar tissue associated with neovascularization can shrink, wrinkle, and pull the retina away from its normal position. This can cause the macula to wrinkle, causing vision distortion. More severe cases can happen where the macula or large areas of the macula are detached due to the scar tissue contracting, this can cause severe vision loss. If you have diabetes and have not gotten your eyes comprehensively examined, please do so when you can! It is always best obtain a baseline exam so that your eyes and vision can be monitored for any possible conditions that can develop.

How can proliferative diabetic retinopathy cause vision loss? (Part 1) Vitreous hemorrhage: Fragile new vessels may bleed into the vitreous. If the hemorrhage is small, the person may see a few new floaters. If the hemorrhage is large, it can block out all vision. It may take days, months, or even years to reabsorb the blood. If is does not clear in an adequate amount of time, further treatments can be recommended.Vitreous hemorrhages do not cause permanent vision loss unless the macula or optic nerve is damaged. If you think that there may be a possibility that this has occurred or if you would like to get your eyes examined just to be sure, it is recommended that you make an appointment for a dilated eye exam! It's better to be safe than sorry!