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| Diagnosis Of Diabetic Retinopathy |
When and how often do you need your eyes checked? The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the following schedule:
Diagnosis Of Diabetic Retinopathy
A common misconception among people with diabetes is, "If I can see well, there's nothing wrong with my eyes." That's false confidence. The majority, of people who lose their sight because of diabetic retinopathy do so because they didn't seek early medical attention. It bears repeating: If you have diabetes, you are at risk even if you don't have any apparent vision problems. For this reason regular eye examinations are essential.
When and how often do you need your eyes checked? The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the following schedule:
When and how often do you need your eyes checked? The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends the following schedule:
Causes Of Diabetic Retinopathy
If you have diabetes, your body doesn't produce or use sugar (glucose) properly. Sugar in the blood is vital to your health because it's the main source of energy for your body's cells. But too much sugar in the blood can cause a host of problems. For one thing it damages the capillaries that supply nutrients to organs and tissues such as the brain, the nerves, the kidneys and the eyes.
Damage to the retina from high blood sugar occurs when microaneurysms form on the walls of the small blood vessels. The vessel walls become porous, leaking fluid into the retina. Extensive leakage can leave deposits of fatty material in the retina. When swelling happens in the macula, vision may be reduced or blurred.
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| Causes Of Diabetic Retinopathy |
Damage to the retina from high blood sugar occurs when microaneurysms form on the walls of the small blood vessels. The vessel walls become porous, leaking fluid into the retina. Extensive leakage can leave deposits of fatty material in the retina. When swelling happens in the macula, vision may be reduced or blurred.
How Diabetic Retinopathy Affects Vision
Diabetes
affects your body from head to toe. That includes your eyes. The most
common and most serious eye complication of diabetes is diabetic
retinopathy. Retinopathy is the medical term for damage to the many
capillaries (tiny blood vessels) that nourish the retina. These blood
vessels are often affected by the high blood sugar levels associated
with diabetes.
The longer you have diabetes, the more likely it is you'll develop diabetic retinopathy. After having type 1 diabetes (formerly called juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes) for 20 years, almost everyone with this condition has some degree of retinopathy. After the same number of years, more than 60 percent of people with type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes) have some degree of retinopathy. Initially, most people with diabetic retinopathy experience only mild vision problems. But the condition can worsen and threaten your vision. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of legal blindness among adults in the United States.
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| How Diabetic Retinopathy Affects Vision |
The longer you have diabetes, the more likely it is you'll develop diabetic retinopathy. After having type 1 diabetes (formerly called juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes) for 20 years, almost everyone with this condition has some degree of retinopathy. After the same number of years, more than 60 percent of people with type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes) have some degree of retinopathy. Initially, most people with diabetic retinopathy experience only mild vision problems. But the condition can worsen and threaten your vision. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of legal blindness among adults in the United States.
Ways To Improve Your Eyesight
Ways To Improve Your Eyesight
Vision and lens implants
Most lens implants, or intraocular lenses (IOLs), are monofocal, that is, they have a fixed point of focus and are suitable for either near vision or distance vision but not both. If a distance lens is implanted, you will need to wear glasses or contact lenses for reading; if a reading lens is implanted, you will need glasses for seeing far away. Most monofocal implants correct for distance vision.
In 1997 the Food and Drug Administration approved the first multifocal lens. In theory these lenses correct near vision and distance vision simultaneously. Because they are a compromise, with these IOLs your near vision and distance vision will improve but not as much as, for example, your distance vision alone would have improved if you had received a monofocal IOL corrected for distance. With multifocal IOLs you may experience problems with glare, halos, loss of contrast and night driving. In addition, multifocal IOLs need to be implanted in both eyes.
Vision and lens implants
Most lens implants, or intraocular lenses (IOLs), are monofocal, that is, they have a fixed point of focus and are suitable for either near vision or distance vision but not both. If a distance lens is implanted, you will need to wear glasses or contact lenses for reading; if a reading lens is implanted, you will need glasses for seeing far away. Most monofocal implants correct for distance vision.
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| Ways To Improve Your Eyesight |
In 1997 the Food and Drug Administration approved the first multifocal lens. In theory these lenses correct near vision and distance vision simultaneously. Because they are a compromise, with these IOLs your near vision and distance vision will improve but not as much as, for example, your distance vision alone would have improved if you had received a monofocal IOL corrected for distance. With multifocal IOLs you may experience problems with glare, halos, loss of contrast and night driving. In addition, multifocal IOLs need to be implanted in both eyes.
How To Restore Eyesight - During Cataract Surgery
How To Restore Eyesight
Important advances in surgical technique and more sophisticated technology have helped make surgery a safe and effective treatment for cataracts. Two things happen during cataract surgery - the clouded lens is removed, and a clear artificial lens is inserted.
Prior to surgery, your eye doctor will measure the size and shape of your eye to determine the proper lens implant power. This measurement is made with a painless ultrasound test. Cataract surgery is typically an outpatient procedure that takes less than an hour. Most people are awake, relaxed and comfortable during the surgery, needing only local anesthesia. On rare occasions some people may need to be put under general anesthesia.
Important advances in surgical technique and more sophisticated technology have helped make surgery a safe and effective treatment for cataracts. Two things happen during cataract surgery - the clouded lens is removed, and a clear artificial lens is inserted.
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| How To Restore Eyesight |
Prior to surgery, your eye doctor will measure the size and shape of your eye to determine the proper lens implant power. This measurement is made with a painless ultrasound test. Cataract surgery is typically an outpatient procedure that takes less than an hour. Most people are awake, relaxed and comfortable during the surgery, needing only local anesthesia. On rare occasions some people may need to be put under general anesthesia.
How To Help Your Eyesight - Treatment
How To Help Your Eyesight
The only effective treatment for a cataract is surgery to remove the clouded lens and replace it with a clear lens implant. Cataracts can't be cured with medications, dietary supplements, exercise or optical devices.
In the early stages of a cataract, when symptoms are mild, a good understanding of the condition and a willingness to adjust your lifestyle can help. You can try a few simple approaches to deal with symptoms:
The only effective treatment for a cataract is surgery to remove the clouded lens and replace it with a clear lens implant. Cataracts can't be cured with medications, dietary supplements, exercise or optical devices.
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| How To Help Your Eyesight |
In the early stages of a cataract, when symptoms are mild, a good understanding of the condition and a willingness to adjust your lifestyle can help. You can try a few simple approaches to deal with symptoms:
How To Regain Your Eyesight - Types of Cataract
How To Regain Your Eyesight
A cataract can develop in one or both eyes, and it may or may not affect the entire lens. The lens is located just behind the iris and the pupil. It's shaped like a magnifying glass - thick in the middle and thinner near the edges. Tiny ligaments, which are bands of tough tissue fiber, hold it in place.
When your eyes work properly, light passes through the cornea and the pupil to the lens. The lens focuses this light, producing clear, sharp images on the retina, the light-sensitive membrane on the back inside wall of your eyeball that functions like the film of a camera. The clouding of the lens, or cataract, scatters the light and prevents a sharply defined image from reaching the retina. Your vision becomes blurred.
A cataract can develop in one or both eyes, and it may or may not affect the entire lens. The lens is located just behind the iris and the pupil. It's shaped like a magnifying glass - thick in the middle and thinner near the edges. Tiny ligaments, which are bands of tough tissue fiber, hold it in place.
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| How To Regain Your Eyesight |
When your eyes work properly, light passes through the cornea and the pupil to the lens. The lens focuses this light, producing clear, sharp images on the retina, the light-sensitive membrane on the back inside wall of your eyeball that functions like the film of a camera. The clouding of the lens, or cataract, scatters the light and prevents a sharply defined image from reaching the retina. Your vision becomes blurred.
How To Improve Eyes Vision - Cataracts
How To Improve Eyes Vision
Acataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. The Latin word cataracta means "waterfall" - imagine trying to peer through a sheet of falling water or through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision can make it more difficult to read, drive a car or see the expression on a friend's face. Cataracts commonly affect distance vision and cause problems with glare. They generally do not cause pain, double vision with both eyes or abnormal tearing.
The most common type of cataract is related to aging. Clouding of the lens is a normal part of getting older, sort of like gray hair or wrinkles. Almost all Americans age 65 and older have some degree of clouding of the lens. Most cataracts develop slowly and don't disturb your eyesight early on. But as the clouding progresses, it eventually interferes with your clear vision.
Acataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. The Latin word cataracta means "waterfall" - imagine trying to peer through a sheet of falling water or through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision can make it more difficult to read, drive a car or see the expression on a friend's face. Cataracts commonly affect distance vision and cause problems with glare. They generally do not cause pain, double vision with both eyes or abnormal tearing.
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| How To Improve Eyes Vision |
The most common type of cataract is related to aging. Clouding of the lens is a normal part of getting older, sort of like gray hair or wrinkles. Almost all Americans age 65 and older have some degree of clouding of the lens. Most cataracts develop slowly and don't disturb your eyesight early on. But as the clouding progresses, it eventually interferes with your clear vision.
Vision Improvement Techniques
Vision Improvement Techniques
Medications are the most common early treatment for glaucoma. Standard practice has been to move on to surgery if medications are ineffective. However, recent studies support the use of surgery as a safe and effective initial treatment.
Eyedrops
Glaucoma treatment often starts with medicated eyedrops. There are several types of drops the doctor may prescribe. It's important to use the drops exactly as prescribed to control your IOP. Skipping even a few doses can cause damage to the optic nerve to worsen. Some drops need to be applied several times each day, and others must be used just once a day. It's also important to inform your doctor of all medications you're currently taking, to avoid any undesirable drug interactions.
Medications are the most common early treatment for glaucoma. Standard practice has been to move on to surgery if medications are ineffective. However, recent studies support the use of surgery as a safe and effective initial treatment.
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| Vision Improvement Techniques |
Eyedrops
Glaucoma treatment often starts with medicated eyedrops. There are several types of drops the doctor may prescribe. It's important to use the drops exactly as prescribed to control your IOP. Skipping even a few doses can cause damage to the optic nerve to worsen. Some drops need to be applied several times each day, and others must be used just once a day. It's also important to inform your doctor of all medications you're currently taking, to avoid any undesirable drug interactions.
Tips To Improve Vision - Glaucoma Treatment
Tips To Improve Vision
Glaucoma can't be cured, and damage caused by the disease can't be reversed. The good news is that with treatment, glaucoma can be controlled. Eyedrops, oral medications and surgical procedures are used to prevent or slow further damage.
If you have glaucoma, you'll need to continue treatment for the rest of your life. Because the disease can progress or change without your being aware of it, your treatment may need to be changed over time. Regular checkups and adherence to a treatment plan may seem burdensome, but they're essential to prevent vision loss.
Glaucoma can't be cured, and damage caused by the disease can't be reversed. The good news is that with treatment, glaucoma can be controlled. Eyedrops, oral medications and surgical procedures are used to prevent or slow further damage.
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| Tips To Improve Vision |
If you have glaucoma, you'll need to continue treatment for the rest of your life. Because the disease can progress or change without your being aware of it, your treatment may need to be changed over time. Regular checkups and adherence to a treatment plan may seem burdensome, but they're essential to prevent vision loss.
Problems With Vision - Screening and Diagnosis
Problems With Vision
Eye pressure: What is normal?
Normal eye pressure ranges from 10 to 22 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Anyone with eye pressure over 23 mm Hg is considered at risk of developing glaucoma and needs to be carefully monitored for early signs of glaucoma. People with intraocular pressure greater than 30 mm Hg are considered at high risk.
Regular eye exams are the key to detecting glaucoma early enough for successful treatment. It's best to have routine eye checkups every 2 to 4 years after age 40 and every 1 to 2 years after age 65. If you're at increased risk, your doctor may recommend more frequent monitoring. If your doctor suspects that you have glaucoma, he or she may perform a series of tests on you to detect any signs of damage.
Eye pressure: What is normal?
Normal eye pressure ranges from 10 to 22 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Anyone with eye pressure over 23 mm Hg is considered at risk of developing glaucoma and needs to be carefully monitored for early signs of glaucoma. People with intraocular pressure greater than 30 mm Hg are considered at high risk.
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| Problems With Vision |
Regular eye exams are the key to detecting glaucoma early enough for successful treatment. It's best to have routine eye checkups every 2 to 4 years after age 40 and every 1 to 2 years after age 65. If you're at increased risk, your doctor may recommend more frequent monitoring. If your doctor suspects that you have glaucoma, he or she may perform a series of tests on you to detect any signs of damage.
Sudden Vision Improvement - Signs And Symptoms Of Glaucoma
Sudden Vision Improvement
Primary open-angle glaucoma progresses with few or no symptoms until the condition reaches an advanced stage. As increased eye pressure continues to damage the optic nerve, you lose more and more of your peripheral vision. Open-angle glaucoma usually affects both eyes, although at first you may have symptoms in just one eye. Other symptoms include:
Primary open-angle glaucoma progresses with few or no symptoms until the condition reaches an advanced stage. As increased eye pressure continues to damage the optic nerve, you lose more and more of your peripheral vision. Open-angle glaucoma usually affects both eyes, although at first you may have symptoms in just one eye. Other symptoms include:
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| Sudden Vision Improvement |
- Sensitivity to light and glare
- Trouble differentiating between varying shades of light and dark
- Trouble with night vision
Natural Vision Improvement - Glaucoma
Natural Vision Improvement
Glaucoma is sometimes called the silent thief, slowly stealing your sight before you realize anything's wrong. The most common form of glaucoma develops gradually, giving no warning signs. Many people aren't even aware they have an eye problem until their vision is extensively damaged. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of vision loss in the United States. It affects approximately 3 million Americans.
Actually, glaucoma is not just one disease but a group of them. The common feature of these diseases is that abnormally high pressure inside the eyeball damages the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a bundle of more than a million nerve fibers at the back of the eye. It's like a big electric cable made up of thousands of individual wires carrying the images you see from the retina to the brain.
Glaucoma is sometimes called the silent thief, slowly stealing your sight before you realize anything's wrong. The most common form of glaucoma develops gradually, giving no warning signs. Many people aren't even aware they have an eye problem until their vision is extensively damaged. Glaucoma is the second most common cause of vision loss in the United States. It affects approximately 3 million Americans.
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| Natural Vision Improvement |
Actually, glaucoma is not just one disease but a group of them. The common feature of these diseases is that abnormally high pressure inside the eyeball damages the optic nerve. The optic nerve is a bundle of more than a million nerve fibers at the back of the eye. It's like a big electric cable made up of thousands of individual wires carrying the images you see from the retina to the brain.
Eye Sight Problems - Dry Eyes
Eye Sight Problems
Dry eyes occur when the system that produces your tears breaks down. This causes the cornea, or parts of it, to dry out. Symptoms include a stinging, burning, or scratchy sensation, stringy mucus in or around the eyes, increased eye irritation from smoke or wind, eye fatigue after short periods of reading, and difficulty wearing contact lenses. Both eyes are usually affected.
Some people don't produce enough tears to keep their eyes comfortably lubricated. This may be due to aging, medications, menopause, autoimmune disorders, chemical burns or eyelid deformities. Other people produce a normal amount of tears, but the composition of the tears is of poor quality. That means the tears lack certain components, such as oil, that are essential for lubrication. Problems unrelated to tear production may also cause eyes to feel dry and scratchy. These include:
Dry eyes occur when the system that produces your tears breaks down. This causes the cornea, or parts of it, to dry out. Symptoms include a stinging, burning, or scratchy sensation, stringy mucus in or around the eyes, increased eye irritation from smoke or wind, eye fatigue after short periods of reading, and difficulty wearing contact lenses. Both eyes are usually affected.
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| Eye Sight Problems |
Some people don't produce enough tears to keep their eyes comfortably lubricated. This may be due to aging, medications, menopause, autoimmune disorders, chemical burns or eyelid deformities. Other people produce a normal amount of tears, but the composition of the tears is of poor quality. That means the tears lack certain components, such as oil, that are essential for lubrication. Problems unrelated to tear production may also cause eyes to feel dry and scratchy. These include:
Laser Vision Correction Problems - Tear Related Problems
Laser Vision Correction Problems
A sad movie or a wedding can make your tears flow. But expressing emotion is just one of the many functions of tears. Tears protect the eyes and lubricate them, an essential part of clear, comfortable vision. Tears reduce the risk of eye infection and, with each blink of the eyelid, help clear the eye of any debris, When your eyes become irritated from dust or are bothered by wind, smoke or fumes, extra tears form to help wash away the foreign material.
There are many other causes of watery eyes, including allergic reaction, sinus infection, eye infections and nasal problems. Ironically, dry eyes often produce excess tearing. Occasionally tear duct problems result in continuously watering eyes.
A sad movie or a wedding can make your tears flow. But expressing emotion is just one of the many functions of tears. Tears protect the eyes and lubricate them, an essential part of clear, comfortable vision. Tears reduce the risk of eye infection and, with each blink of the eyelid, help clear the eye of any debris, When your eyes become irritated from dust or are bothered by wind, smoke or fumes, extra tears form to help wash away the foreign material.
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| Laser Vision Correction Problems |
There are many other causes of watery eyes, including allergic reaction, sinus infection, eye infections and nasal problems. Ironically, dry eyes often produce excess tearing. Occasionally tear duct problems result in continuously watering eyes.
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