External beam radiation and Lucentis may be combined to treat wet macular degeneration. The results showed the treatment may be very safe and, when combined with anti-VEGF injections such as Lucentis, may decrease the need for frequently repeated injections. Neovascularization, the growth of abnormal blood vessels, underneath the macular defines "wet macular … [Read more...]
Eye Exam Saves Life!
May 24, 2010 By 5 Comments
Patients with a retinal artery occlusion can be at great risk for having a heart attack and/or stroke. Just as the artery in the eye gets blocked, so too can an artery in the brain or heart. Assessing the heart and major arteries for disease can prevent this from occurring. Artery Gets Blocked Blood leaves the heart via the aorta and then enters the carotid arteries … [Read more...]
Attn Email Subscribers: New Email Alerts
May 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
To My Subscribers, In the past few days I have been busy changing the service that notifies you of new articles on the web site. The email alert is no longer coming from Feedburner.com (Google) and should be coming from aWeber (of no consequence to you). Hence, the change in the new look of the message. the "thank you" you just received although you signed … [Read more...]
Eye Patches After Surgery
May 17, 2010 By 1 Comment
Patching the eye after surgery is a matter of routine. The eye patch is usually worn only overnight and then removed for the rest of the post-operative period. It can offer protection, reduce discomfort, but really has no "healing" attributes. The Lid Should be Closed Against the Eye A properly placed eye patch, for any reason, should be a "pressure patch," meaning … [Read more...]
Combination Injections for Diabetic Retinopathy
May 12, 2010 By 4 Comments
Injecting both Avastin and a steroid injection can be a useful way to treat stubborn macular edema from diabetic retinopathy. While both can be used alone to treat macular swelling in diabetic patients, the combination is sometimes considered as an alternative. Traditional Laser The gold standard has been to treat diabetic macular edema with laser treatment. This has … [Read more...]
Eye Drops to Help You Heal
May 11, 2010 By 2 Comments
After eye surgery, there are several eye drops to help you recuperate, and heal, quickly. These eye drops usually include an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and sometimes, an eye drop to keep you dilated for comfort. There are many types of eye surgery; cataract, glaucoma, corneal, retina, etc. In general, the post-operative medications/drops that we use are about … [Read more...]
Vitreous Hemorrhage and Diabetes
May 10, 2010 By 9 Comments
A vitreous hemorrhage can result in sudden, painless loss of vision. In patients with diabetes, the cause may be due to either a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Remember, the proliferative phase of the diabetic retinopathy means that there are areas of neovascularization (abnormal blood vessel proliferation) on the … [Read more...]
Eye Surgery Removes Floaters
May 5, 2010 By 88 Comments
Persistent floaters that decrease vision can be removed. A vitrectomy, a retinal eye operation, can be used to successfully remove the vitreous and the "floaters" located within this gel-like tissue. Most Floaters are From a PVD Most new "spots" or "cob-webs" are due a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). A vitreous detachment increases the risk of a retinal tear … [Read more...]
Retinal Ischemia: Supply vs. Demand
May 4, 2010 By 2 Comments
Retinal ischemia causes VEGF to be liberated inside the eye. In cases of diabetes this can lead to diabetic retinal detachment or neovascular glaucoma. Treatments included pan-retinal photocoagulation (laser) or anit-VEGF medication such as Lucentis or Avastin. Ischemia results when oxygen supply does not meet oxygen demand to any tissue. Other examples are the … [Read more...]
