Comments on: Macular Degeneration: Using This Site http://www.retinaeyedoctor.com Randall V. Wong, M.D., Retinal Specialist Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:18:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Randall V. Wong, M.D. http://www.retinaeyedoctor.com/macular-degeneration/macular-degeneration-getting-started/comment-page-1/#comment-1595 Randall V. Wong, M.D. Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:01:58 +0000 http://retinaeyedoctor.com/?page_id=1229#comment-1595 Dear Jessica, I feel your frustration! While the optometrist is correct regarding the lack of treatment for the dry form of macular degeneration, if he is too busy to consider an appropriate referral then he should ask for help. Alternatively, maybe you could take matters into your own hands by talking with administration. Eye doctors who visit nursing homes, rarely have the proper equipment to diagnose and examine the retina properly. For example, a fluorescein angiogram would be really important to show the extent of damage and if treatment is worthy. The AREDS vitamins do reduce the chance of the dry form turning into the wet form...as you said by 25%. They do not halt the dry form from advancing (not all dry turns to wet, in fact, most do not). Regarding <a href="http://retinaeyedoctor.com/2009/10/difference-between-ophthalmologist-and-optometrist/" rel="nofollow">ophthalmologist vs. optometrist</a>, I don't think either are really experienced enough to diagnose and manage retinal diseases. All the best to you and your mom! Randy Dear Jessica,

I feel your frustration!

While the optometrist is correct regarding the lack of treatment for the dry form of macular degeneration, if he is too busy to consider an appropriate referral then he should ask for help. Alternatively, maybe you could take matters into your own hands by talking with administration.

Eye doctors who visit nursing homes, rarely have the proper equipment to diagnose and examine the retina properly. For example, a fluorescein angiogram would be really important to show the extent of damage and if treatment is worthy.

The AREDS vitamins do reduce the chance of the dry form turning into the wet form…as you said by 25%. They do not halt the dry form from advancing (not all dry turns to wet, in fact, most do not).

Regarding ophthalmologist vs. optometrist, I don’t think either are really experienced enough to diagnose and manage retinal diseases.

All the best to you and your mom!

Randy

]]> By: Jessica http://www.retinaeyedoctor.com/macular-degeneration/macular-degeneration-getting-started/comment-page-1/#comment-1583 Jessica Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:44:15 +0000 http://retinaeyedoctor.com/?page_id=1229#comment-1583 Dr. Wong, my mother who resides in a nursing home was recently diagnosed with advanced wet macular degeneration by an Optometrist at this facility. When I asked this Optometrist whether my mother had the dry form of MD prior to the onset of the advanced wet form, he indicated that she did but that there were no treatments for the dry form either. When I inquired as to why he did not refer her to an Opthamologist or a Retinal specialist, he responded that he sees over a thousand patients at the nursing home and if he was to refer each patient to the retinal specialist, he would be overwhelmed! When I asked why he did not consider placing her on ARED vitamin formula,which demonstrated efficacy in preventing progression of the dry form in approximately 25% of patients, he had no response. Although I realize that there are NO definitive treatment interventions for the dry form of this disease, could an earlier treatment intervention potentially have staved off the wet advanced form ? In addition, am I correct in assuming that although Optometrists can diagnose ocular and treat ocular disease, they are obviously not physicians and do not have the clinical and medical training to manage an ocular disease as critical as advanced MD? Thanks and have a great New year, Jessica Dr. Wong, my mother who resides in a nursing home was recently diagnosed with advanced wet macular degeneration by an Optometrist at this facility. When I asked this Optometrist whether my mother had the dry form of MD prior to the onset of the advanced wet form, he indicated that she did but that there were no treatments for the dry form either. When I inquired as to why he did not refer her to an Opthamologist or a Retinal specialist, he responded that he sees over a thousand patients at the nursing home and if he was to refer each patient to the retinal specialist, he would be overwhelmed! When I asked why he did not consider placing her on ARED vitamin formula,which demonstrated efficacy in preventing progression of the dry form in approximately 25% of patients, he had no response.

Although I realize that there are NO definitive treatment interventions for the dry form of this disease, could an earlier treatment intervention potentially have staved off the wet advanced form ?

In addition, am I correct in assuming that although Optometrists can diagnose ocular and treat ocular disease, they are obviously not physicians and do not have the clinical and medical training to manage an ocular disease as critical as advanced MD?

Thanks and have a great New year,

Jessica

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