What is the most important fact that I stress to my patients every time? If you have read my blog posts in the past, you will know the answer is the importance of yearly exams. Glaucoma, cataracts and age-related macular degeneration are the most common vision-related diseases that affect elderly women.  These can be treated if detected early. If left untreated, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration can result in low vision.  Low vision is a condition in which the vision cannot be corrected with spectacles. I have worked in a low vision clinic assisting the elderly to utilize devices to aid them in reading and performing some daily tasks.  It is important for patients and family members to know that such devices exist and therefore decrease the frustration and the sense of isolation.

Women who take supplements have a lower risk of Macular degeneration so it is vital to watch our overall health in the early years to preserve the health of our vision. Elderly women need to have eye exams at least once a year if not more often, depending on any systemic diseases. A thorough eye exam including visual acuity, color tests, visual fields, glaucoma check and dilation is highly recommended. Most elderly women suffer from Dry Eye Syndrome so be sure to discuss artificial tears and supplements with your doctor.

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HEALTHY RETINA                     DAMAGED RETINA

Most people are probably completely unaware that diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in America.  In fact, approximately 10 million Americans have diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic Retinopathy is an eye condition in which blood vessels inside the retina become damaged due to diabetes. A healthy retina is crucial to having good vision.

Unfortunately, there are no symptoms in the early stages of the disease.  As a result, every person with diabetes should have yearly dilated eye examinations.

A couple of years ago, I had a patient that came to me complaining that his vision had been blurry for about 3 months and that he was in need of new glasses. During the examination, I noticed several retinal blood vessels that were leaking as well as some retinal swelling. Unfortunately, I was unable to improve his vision with corrective lenses. Laser treatment had to be performed to stop the leakage initially and the patient was referred to his primary care physician to further evaluate and manage his blood sugar level. This particular gentleman had not been to see his eye doctor for 2 years because he felt that there was no need to have an exam since he was seeing well with his glasses.  I highly recommend yearly eye exams and ask your eye doctor to send a report back to your primary care physician.

Important factors to remember:

-Rapid changes in blood sugar can cause fluctuating vision

-Pregnant women with diabetes must have a dilated eye exam in their first trimester to reduce the complication of retinopathy

-There is increased chance of developing cataracts (clouding of the eye lens and decreasing visual acuity) and glaucoma (increased pressure of the eye) with diabetes.

Lower blood sugar levels can delay the onset and slow the progression of diabetic eye diseases. Regular eye exams are critical in the management of these conditions.

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Hormones play an important role in every woman’s eye health, especially women with diabetes. In fact, it is not uncommon for women to experience changes in their vision while using oral contraceptives, during pregnancy or menopause.

Hormonal fluctuations may cause physiological and visual changes in the eyes. The most frequent eye complaint is dry eyes.  The symptoms include dryness, grittiness, irritation, burning and sometimes even excessive watering or tearing. Some women may report increased discomfort and lower tolerance of contact lenses. In this instance, I recommend reducing their contact lens wearing time and updating eyeglass prescriptions as needed. I also recommend many over the counter and natural supplements that help with lubrication such as Omega-3's and often prescribe Restasis.

During the last trimester of pregnancy, some women may notice a slight change in prescription. Don’t be alarmed, these changes often times go back to normal soon after giving birth.

Thyroid eye disease is also present when there is a dysfunction of the thyroid gland. Over productions of hormones from the thyroid can result in Graves Disease.  Symptoms include protrusion of the eyes, redness of eyes, double vision, dryness and inability to close eyes completely.

It is important to see your eye doctor yearly to discuss any eye changes you may experience and/or any concerns you have about your vision.

For more information on eye health, please visit www.seemuchmore.com.

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Many of you go to your primary care physician for an annual physical examination or your dentist at least twice a year to ensure the health of your teeth. There is one aspect of our health that most people forget…eyesight! According to the American Optometric Association, 80% of all the sensory information our brains receives comes from our eyes. The importance of our eyes to the quality of our life cannot be stressed enough, especially for women.

Over 65% of visual impairment and blindness occur in women, and every year, more women than men are diagnosed with eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Dry Eye Syndrome is also more prevalent in women due to hormonal changes that occur in menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause.

A comprehensive eye exam is important to detecting the presence of systemic disease. One disease that frequently causes changes to the eye is diabetes. The most common diabetic eye condition, diabetic retinopathy, occurs when the vessels in the back of the eye leak fluid.  Diabetic retinopathy is the number one cause of adult blindness in the United States. Diabetic retinopathy has no pain or often no symptoms in the early stages.  However, as the leakage gets worse serious visual problems or even blindness can result.  Yearly dilated eye exams can detect these changes early so that treatment can begin before serious visual loss occurs.

The most important message to take from this is early detection and treatment of the eye disease can help decrease or eliminate your risk for permanent vision loss. Just remind yourself how precious the gift of sight is!

For more information on eye health, please visit www.seemuchmore.com.

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