Silicone oil is used for recurrent retinal detachments or complicated retinal detachments including PVR (proliferative vitreoretinopathy). It can be a valuable tool to prevent blindness. Most retinal detachments are caused by a retinal tear, or hole, in the retina. In either case, this allows for communication between the vitreous cavity and the potential space underneath the retina. … [Read more...]
Implantable Telescope is Available!
September 13, 2011 By 6 Comments
CentraSight, the implantable telescope for macular degeneration, is now available! CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has approved the telescope for those patients with macular degeneration meeting the eligibility criteria for the surgical procedure. Medicare/Medicaid will cover the cost of the implant and the surgery in certain patients as October 1, 2011! For now, the … [Read more...]
Two Lasers for Diabetic Retinopathy
June 22, 2011 By 5 Comments
There are two different laser treatments to treat diabetic retinopathy. One laser treatment is used to treat diabetic macular edema, the most common "complication" of diabetic retinopathy. The second laser treatment is used to treat proliferative diabetic retinopathy (aka PDR), yet far fewer people develop this potentially blinding stage of the disease. Same Laser Used for Both … [Read more...]
How to Diagnose Macular Degeneration
August 30, 2010 By 1 Comment
Unlike the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, a patient with macular degeneration must have symptoms of the disease for the diagnosis to be made. In most cases, the retina should have characteristic "damage," and, most importantly, the patient must be having symptoms, i.e. decreased vision and/or distortion. In Whom We Make the Diagnosis Patients afflicted with macular degeneration are almost … [Read more...]
Diabetes? 4 Things You Need to Know
August 6, 2010 By 1 Comment
I tell every new diabetic patient I meet 4 things: they are going to develop diabetic retinopathy regular eye exams prevent vision loss good sugar control doesn't save them and their other doctors are dead wrong. It is a message I have developed to hammer home the idea that diabetic retinopathy can be blinding and most doctors don't understand how this disease affects the … [Read more...]
Sudden Vision Loss is Painless
June 8, 2010 By 8 Comments
True sudden vision loss can occur from a variety of reasons and are considered emergencies. Most commonly retinal disease is the culprit. Almost all causes of are painless. While both macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy can lead to blindness, they both usually do so slowly. There are exceptions. Vision Loss from Diabetes Vision lost from diabetic retinopathy is usually due to … [Read more...]
Why Glasses Won’t Help You See
March 31, 2010 By 4 Comments
"Will glasses help?" We often wonder if "correction" will help decreased vision in the presence of retinal disease such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Spectacles can only help so much yet won't "reverse" the loss of vision from the disease. This is opposite to those people who claim they are "blind," yet with glasses see quite well. How do Glasses Work? The goal of … [Read more...]
Legal Blindness and the IRS
March 16, 2010 By 2 Comments
Legally blind vision loss can result from either diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration. Complete blindness can result diabetic retinopathy, but not ARMD. Legally blind, or partially sighted individuals, can still "see," whereas completely blind patients see nothing. Diabetic Blindness Diabetic retinopathy can cause a spectrum of vision loss, from slightly blurry vision to complete … [Read more...]
