As the rates of diabetes in the US continue to rise, diabetic retinopathy remains one of the leading causes of blindness in adults. Earlier, more accurate detection of retinal pathology is crucial to the successful management of diabetic retinopathy. When compared to traditional examination techniques, the use of ultra-widefield (UWF™) retinal imaging technology from Optos, facilitates a more rapid visualization of a much larger area of the retinal periphery, resulting in earlier diagnosis, better evaluation, and more effective treatment options.

Improved Detection

Clinical evidence has shown that UWF imaging can improve the detection of diabetic retinopathy. In the assessment of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema, UWF images have been found to be comparable to the gold standard Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) seven-field color fundus photographs. With the use of UWF imaging, retinal images are obtained more quickly without the need for dilation. In addition, UWF color imaging capable of viewing more than 80 percent or 200° of the retina allows for better viewing of the periphery for diagnostic purposes.

UWF imaging and UWF fluorescein angiography (FA) improves detection and classification by revealing early signs of diabetic retinopathy that may be missed in traditional assessment. The …

In an effort to raise global awareness about vision impairment and blindness, the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have declared October 8 World Sight Day. In the third year of  their theme “Universal Eye Care,” the focus is Eye Care for All.

The mandate for “eye care for all” is to educate and promote to the public that blindness and vision impairment are serious health issues that span the globe. Through the participation in World Sight Day (WSD), the hope is to engage government officials responsible for healthcare and to have them fund and participate in programs for national blindness prevention awareness.

Several points relating to educating the public about unnecessary vision loss internationally have been culled to help provide guidance for those participating in this year’s WSD:

– Low vision or blindness affects roughly 285 million people across the globe. – While approximately 246 million suffer from moderate to severe vision loss, 39 million are blind. – Countries with low incomes hold 90 percent of the persons who are blind. – As many as 80 percent of people who have become blind could have had treatment or preventative measures. – Blindness prevention …

Shown to occur in 18 percent of patients over a five year period, the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) has been determined the cause of vision loss in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Furthermore, it has been determined that since there are successful treatments available for CNV before there are visual changes, if it is detected early enough, vision loss due to AMD can be mitigated.

Since treating CNV once damage and vision loss have occurred is not a successful method of restoring vision or reversing damage to the macula in most people, early detection in AMD patients is crucial to maintaining functional vision. By the time changes in vision are noticed by patients, permanent damage has already occurred. Clinical evidence has sufficiently proven that treatments of small AMD lesions has been highly successful, so the earliest possible detection provides the best outcomes in AMD patient management.

Early detection of AMD requires sophisticated equipment and testing processes if sight preservation is to be successful, due to the rapid progression. According to an article published in Retina Today and written by Anat Loewenstein, M.D., early detection “…means a significant gain of vision for most patients.” Not only can this outcome preserve …

Computers play a major role in many people’s daily workday. Remaining focused on computer screens for eight or more hours a day causes a condition that is now known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Since there are many problems associated with eye strain and computer screens, CVS is a generic term that encompasses all of them.

Roughly 50 to 90 percent of people who work on computers suffer from some form of eye problems. When you combine the blue light, flickering and glare from a computer screen with the constant need to focus, your eye muscles face considerable exertion. This can lead to CVS symptoms such as:

– Blurred vision – Seeing double images – Red, dry or irritated eyes – Headaches

Although CVS has not been tied directly to permanent conditions, the symptoms can affect your performance and should be alleviated as much as possible. The following tips can help if you spend many hours a day working with computer screens:

– Be sure to have a yearly comprehensive eye exam including optomap®. Your eye care professional can monitor vision changes if any and diagnose troubling conditions before they do become permanent. If necessary, …

Getting your children organized for the return to school is a taxing time filled with lists of things to do. Optos would like to remind you of the importance of vision in your child’s success at school and provide you with some information about children’s eye safety.

In order to reach their maximum potential in school, children need to have excellent vision. In fact, nearly 80 percent of what is taught to your child in school is done so visually, according to experts. Considering that fact, it is easy to understand why children who are at a disadvantage due to poor eyesight struggle with school and learning what they must to be successful.

Comprehensive Eye Exams

Although schools do some basic testing, they are not qualified to diagnose problems with your child’s eyesight. Scheduling your child for a comprehensive eye exam can not only ensure your child’s vision is appropriate or corrected, but also rule out diseases that can potentially lead to vision loss over time.

Avoid Digital Eye Strain

Children spend a lot of time in front of computers and other digital screens, which can lead to eye strain. Talk to your child about exercising their eye muscles frequently …

Ocular hypertension is a condition where the interior pressure of your eye is higher than what is considered normal. While some people who suffer from the affliction show no outward signs and maintain their vision, some people develop glaucoma and risk losing their vision. Knowing and understanding the causes of ocular hypertension may help you preserve your vision.

Causes of Ocular Hypertension

There are several factors that cause high eye pressure or contribute to the condition and they are closely related to the causes of glaucoma. The main cause of ocular hypertension is an imbalance of the clear fluid (aqueous humor) that flows through your pupil to the front chamber of your eye, between the colored portion (iris) of your eye and the cornea. When too much aqueous humor is produced, or the fluid is not able to drain as it should, the result is ocular hypertension. Other factors that may contribute are:

– Steroid medications taken orally or by eye drops may increase your eye pressure. If you have to take steroid medications, speak to your doctor about having your intraocular pressure (IOP) tested. Although steroids are most common to affect eye pressure, ask your physician or …

As we age, chronic conditions and physical changes may threaten our independence. Among these is vision loss or low vision. While at one time vision loss may have threatened independent living, there are many resources for senior independence and vision loss that make it possible to carry out the activities of daily living without requiring care.

According to the American Council for the Blind (ACB), more than seven million people over the age of 65 have experienced serious degrees of vision loss with most due to age-related conditions. As the baby boomer generation heads towards senior ages, this number is likely to double by the year 2030. The most common age-related conditions that are causing the serious vision loss are:

– Glaucoma – Age-related Macular Degeneration -Diabetic Retinopathy -Cataracts

If you have not already experienced significant vision loss, or you have not been to see your eye care provider in some time, regular comprehensive eye exams including optomap® UWF™ digital imaging are critical to maintaining your vision. If you are experiencing vision loss, it is even more important to keep the monitoring schedule set by your doctor.

Senior Independence and Vision Loss

With many resources available, vision loss does …

As the leading cause of blindness in American adults age 65 and older, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is expected to affect as many as three million people by the year 2020. AMD occurs when the macula, which is responsible for fine detail and central vision, becomes degenerated with age. Dry vs wet AMD are the two forms of the disease and you should know and understand the difference.

Wet AMD

Sometimes causing straight lines to appear wavy in its earliest stages, wet AMD is more advanced than dry and can deteriorate your vision rapidly. Wet AMD is caused by abnormal, fragile blood vessels that grow behind the macula. These vessels are often very fragile and tend to leak blood and fluid, causing the macula to raise and become damaged. All patients who develop wet AMD started with the dry form so it is critical to get regularly scheduled comprehensive eye exams including optomap® to detect the disease in its earliest stages to prevent permanent vision loss.

Dry AMD

The dry version of AMD has three stages which can affect one or both of your eyes. The three stages are defined by the size and number of fatty yellow protein deposits …

History

A 15 year-old African American female with a history of bilateral threshold retinopathy of prematurity was seen for a routine annual visit. As an infant, she was treated with scatter laser photocoagulation two months after her birth. At this visit, she was asymptomatic with a visual acuity of 20/25 in the right eye and 20/15 in the left eye.

Examination

optomap® color images were obtained and showed a reddish orange, slightly elevated lesion at 2 o’clock in the far periphery of the right eye, anterior to the equator. Images also confirmed areas of previous laser treatment in the temporal periphery. optomap fluorescein angiogram images were obtained and showed the lesion to be hyperfluorescent and that the lesion had feeding and draining retinal vessels. The left eye did not have similar lesions, but did have evidence of previous laser treatment in the temporal periphery.

Discussion

optomap color and fluorescein angiography were used to document the appearance and investigate the characteristics of the peripheral lesion. The lesion was determined to be reactive angiomatous proliferation – a rare vascular proliferation which has been reported to occur in various chronic retinal diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa and …

Prevent Blindness and the American Ophthalmologist Association have jointly named August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month. As you prepare your children for a successful new school year, be sure to schedule a comprehensive eye exam and take this opportunity to teach them about eye safety.

Thousands of children suffer eye injuries each year and 90 percent of these injuries are preventable if protective eye wear is worn when needed. To get the most of children’s eye safety month, review the following helpful guidelines and be sure to speak to your children about them:

– Always ensure there is proper eye safety protection for activities – Be sure the protective eye wear is designed specifically to the activity being performed – Corrective lenses are not a substitute for safety eye wear – Only provide toys that are age-appropriate – Avoid toys with sharp or pointed components – Teach children that projectiles can cause serious eye injury and perhaps blindness

It is estimated that roughly 80 percent of education is delivered visually, which means if your children’s eyesight is not at its best, they may struggle unnecessarily. A comprehensive eye exam including optomap® provides your child’s eye care …