CONTACTS OR GLASSES, WHAT’S YOUR BEST FIT?

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Contacts or glasses? This is a question that often presents itself after an eye exam, especially the first eye exam that determines that you need help to see clearly. While there is no scientific answer in most cases as to which option will suite you best, there are some personal factors that may cause you to lean one way or the other.

Whether you choose to wear eyeglasses or contacts mostly depends on your personality and personal preferences. Factors such as lifestyle, comfort, budget, convenience and aesthetics should play a role in your choice. When making the choice, remember that one is not necessarily better than the other, each has its own list of pros and cons.

First off we want to stress that glasses are a necessity whether you choose to have contacts or just glasses. While contact users wear their contacts majority of the time, your eye will often become tired or dry. This will cause discomfort and require you to remove your contacts and wear the glasses.

Contact lenses have many advantages over glasses. Contacts sit directly on your eye, so your vision, especially your peripheral vision, is unobstructed. You can also participate in sports and activities without the fear of your glasses falling off or getting in the way.

Listed below are some advantages and disadvantages of contact lenses.

Advantages

  • Contacts don’t get in the way when playing sports.
  • Contacts typically aren’t affected by weather conditions and won’t fog up in cold weather.
  • Contacts won’t clash with what you are wearing.

Disadvantages

  • Some people have difficulty applying contact lenses to their eye.
  • Some types of contacts require lens care and cleaning each day.
  • Contacts reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the eye and can increase dry eye symptoms.

That being said, eyeglasses also offer many benefits over contact lenses. They require little cleaning and less maintenance. You also do not need to touch your eye to wear glasses which reduces the chance of you developing an eye infection. Glasses are also cheaper than contact lenses in the long run, as they do not need to be replaced nearly as often as contacts.

Listed below are some advantages and disadvantages of glasses.

Advantages

  • Reduces the need to touch your eye, reducing the chances of infection or eye irritation.
  • Eyeglasses are cheaper over the long run and don’t need replaced unless you break them.
  • Glasses provide some protection from wind, dust and debris.

Disadvantages

  • Eyeglasses sit about a half inch from your eye, which distorts peripheral vision.
  • Frames can have constant pressure on your nose and head. This can lead to headaches.
  • Some people do mot like the way that glasses look and feel that it takes away from facial features.

Due to the advances in contact lenses, most people have the ability to wear them successfully and prefer them over glasses as a primary form of vision correction. The decision as whether to wear glasses or contacts, and when to wear them is usually a matter of personal preference. It is important to remember that if you do choose contacts, it is important to have an up to date pair of glasses to wear in case you need to stop wearing contact lenses due to irritation or infection.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

CLOUDY VISION

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If you are over the age of 60 and have noticed that your vision has become blurry or cloudy, you may be suffering from cataracts. April is cataract awareness month and we want to talk about what the symptoms are and how you can treat cataracts to bring your world back into focus.

Every year, thousands of Americans will suffer vision loss associated with cataracts. Cataracts form when the protein, part of what helps to make up the lens in your eye, clump together forming what appears to be a cloud over the eye. Fortunately, cataracts are treatable and can be removed allowing you to see clearly again!

At the onset of development, cataracts are small in size and generally have minimal effect on your vision. As they progress you may feel as though you are wearing dirty contacts or glasses, leaving you with the sensation that you are looking through a cloudy piece of glass. During the day, light such as the sun or a lamp may feel very bright or create a glare which you never noticed before. At night you may have increasing difficulty driving because on coming headlights have more glare or a halo look. Colors will be dull and not appear as bright and vivid as they once did. The most surefire way to determine if you are suffering from cataracts is to see your eye doctor for a routine eye exam.

While there is no answer as to why the eye’s lens changes over time as we age, there are a few factors that put you at higher risk of developing cataracts.

  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Hypertension
  • Significant alcohol consumption
  • Family history
  • Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun

You can help to prevent cataracts by wearing protective sunglasses that block 100% of the sun’s UV rays when you are outdoors. Eat a proper diet that is high in leafy greens and fruits which are high in vitamins and antioxidants. Some examples of food to add to your diet are:

  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Leafy vegetables
  • Broccoli
  • Turnip greens

Now to the important part, TREATMENT! Many people feel that losing your vision as you age is inevitable. If you have cataracts however, this is not the case. Cataracts can be removed with surgery. The surgeon will remove the protein that has built up to form the cataract. Surgery may be a word that makes many people cringe. However cataract surgery is relatively simple and painless procedure. Nine out of ten people who undergo cataract surgery will regain vision between 20/20 and 20/40.

Remember that routine eye exams will help to detect cataracts early. This will prevent you from spending years of your life feeling like you are living in a fog, letting you enjoy everything that our beautiful earth has to offer us!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

sports-eye-protection-performance

EYE INJURIES AND SPORTS

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sports-eye-protection-performanceWith spring sports right around the corner, as you suit up think about eye protection. Planning ahead and having the proper eye gear when the season starts will help to keep you and your kids safe as they play a variety of sports this spring.

A Sports Safety Report by The Vision Council Academy of Ophthalmology, recommends protective eyewear for any sport, even for children who don’t wear glasses or contacts. Some states and sport organizations have requirements for shin guards but not for sports protective eyewear

Eye injuries most often occur in baseball, basketball, ice hockey and racquet sports, yet few parents encourage their children to wear protective eyewear when playing these sports

For children 14 and under, baseball is a leading cause of sports-related eye injury. With nearly 31,000 people a year suffering injuries from eye related sports injuries, now is the time to plan. Wearing the proper protective eye gear can mean the difference between a successful season and an unfavorable one.

In baseball, ice hockey and men’s lacrosse, a helmet with a polycarbonate (an especially strong, shatterproof, lightweight plastic) face mask or wire shield should be worn at all times. It is important that hockey face masks be approved by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

The following chart from the Vision Council Academy of Ophthalmology represents the recommended type of eye protection for a given sport.

sports-eye-protection

Many people who wear prescription glasses often feel as though they provide sufficient protection from eye injuries associated with sports. Glasses, however, are not designed to withstand an impact. Sportswear glasses or goggles developed for sports are constructed of a much stronger plastic that is designed to absorb the impact without shattering or breaking.

If you do use prescription glasses you may find that having prescription glasses created for sports use may help to improve your game! Most eyewear designed for the rugged usage associated with sport provide a wraparound type of lens. This will help to prevent any foreign object from entering the sides of the eye where normal prescription glasses do not cover. This also means that with safety sportswear glasses, you have a much larger range of vision, which may help to improve your game.

For those who don’t wear prescription glasses, safety glasses have come a long way and in many cases, look very similar if not identical to sunglasses. For night games and practices, glasses also come with clear to bright tinting which may help to improve your night vision.

Make sure the level of eye protection you or others in your family use is appropriate for the type of activity. Whether you are a parent, teacher, or coach, you can encourage schools to adopt a policy on protective eyewear. Meanwhile, parents and coaches should insist that children wear protective eyewear whenever they play sports and be good role models and wear it themselves.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

EYE SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

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Every day more than 2,000 people suffer from eye injuries while they are at work. One in 10 injuries may result in one or more missed days of work. With these statistics, we cannot stress enough the importance of workplace eye safety.

Many people feel that their glasses are sufficient to protect against eye injuries. While they do help to prevent foreign objects from entering your eye, they are not your best form of defense. Having the proper safety goggles can help keep you from being the 10-20% of those injuries that result in permanent vision loss!

The most common professions for eye injuries are those that perform manual labor. Professions such as steel workers, carpenters, welders, painters, etc. run the highest risk of eye injury. The most common causes for eye injuries are particles entering the eye, flying objects (bits of metal, glass, wood, and dirt), chemicals and tools utilized for the job.

Knowledge is the key to your safety. Know what the eye safety dangers are in your workplace and evaluate the hazards. Eliminate these hazards before starting work by using things such as machine guards, work screens, safety glasses and other eye protection devices. Operating equipment without proper training or without knowing the safety risks involved will increase your chances of serious injury.

There are many different types of eye protection. You should choose your eye protection based on what level of exposure your eyes have to hazards.

Some different types of eye protection include:

  1. Safety Glasses. Safety glasses are made of hard plastic that is resistant to shattering and breaking. They protect your eyes from the front and sides against foreign objects that can be harmful to your eyes. Safety Glasses should be used for light duty work.
  2. Goggles. Goggles provide complete coverage around your eyes. The goggles should properly seal to your face which provides greater protection than safety glasses against foreign material entering the eyes. Goggles are more effective against chemicals, sprays and sand blasting than safety glasses.
  3. Face Shields. Face shields provide coverage to not only your eyes but also to your entire face. These are worn when cutting tools are being used to protect from sparks or when larger pieces of debris can be thrown from power tools such as weed wackers or chain saws.
  4. Welding Helmets. A welding helmet is not only used to help protect your eyes from foreign objects but also from the extreme bright light that is produced when welding.
  5. Full-Face Respirators. Full-face respirators are used when gasses are present. They prevent any damage to your eyes from fumes. It is important to use full face respirators when doing things such as using a spray gun in an enclosed area, or mixing chemicals that can be dangerous to the eyes.

Regardless of what your profession is be sure to use the proper eye protection. Failing to take the proper precautions can result in a trip to the emergency room, cause you to miss work, and may even result in permanent vision loss.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

INFECTIONS AND CONTACT LENSES

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Young man putting contact lenses at home, closeup

If you are a contact lens wearer, you have more than likely noticed how far we have come in the development of contact lenses since you started using them. Perhaps you have also been guilty of ignoring the wearing and care instructions from your optometrist. In a recent study 99% of people admitted they practiced at least one bad habit with their contact lenses and that puts them at a higher risk for eye infections.

If you are like many Americans, you have become quite accustomed to your contacts and may sometime forget you have them in. This usually leads to pushing the envelope on wearing them or leaving contacts in at times when you should not. Contaminated solutions can lead to infection. Are you changing the solution in your cases daily?

While contacts are more convenient and provide a greater range of clarity than glasses, improper handling can lead to eye infections.

Depending on the type of contact lenses you have, some of the most common misuses for contacts are:

  • Wearing contact lenses overnight while sleeping.
  • Napping while wearing lenses.
  • Nonuse of a sterile wetting solution
  • Topping off your disinfecting solution in lens storage case rather than emptying it and using new solution.
  • Using the contact lenses longer than recommended.
  • Not replacing the lens storage case at least once every 3 months.

Not surprising that of those surveyed nearly one third of respondents reported having red and or painful eye pain that resulted in a visit to the doctor.

When cleaning your contact case, allow it to fully dry after cleaning with the contact lens solution. Never use tap or sterile water to clean the lens case or contact. Mild pinkeye can be caused by solutions used for cleaning contacts. It is important to clean your contacts thoroughly to remove any virus or bacteria from the contacts after having pinkeye. If the contacts are not thoroughly cleaned, they can re-infect your eye. Do not wear contact lenses until the pinkeye is gone. Sterilize your contacts, and clean your storage case. If you wear disposable contacts, use a new pair when your eye has cleared and it is safe to wear contacts again.

Following these steps along with the recommended use from the contact lens manufacturer will help to prevent eye irritation or infection. If you do find that your eye becomes irritated be sure to take the contact lenses out immediately and use your prescription glasses. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, remove the contact lenses and consult an ophthalmologist immediately if you experience symptoms such as redness, pain, tearing, increased light sensitivity, blurry vision, discharge or swelling.

Enjoy clearer vision with contact lenses, but follow the recommendations for care and cleaning to prevent infection.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

Age-Related-Macular-Degeneration, Bissell Eye Care

LIVING WITH AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

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Age-Related-Macular-Degeneration, Bissell Eye CareAs you age not only does your wealth of knowledge grow, but also the chances increase that you may develop Age-Related Macular Degeneration or AMD. It is important to maintain not only routine doctor appointments, but eye doctor and dental checkups as we age. Doing so may help you to have a better quality of life as you enter the golden years.

With February being national AMD awareness month we want to educate you on the signs, symptoms and treatments of AMD. Knowing not only what to look for, but also how you can treat AMD will help ease the apprehension of maintaining your routine eye exams.

AMD is the leading cause of vision loss of people above the age of 50. AMD causes damage to the macula, a spot near the center of the retina. This disease blurs the sharp, central vision you need for “straight-ahead” activities such as reading, sewing, and driving. AMD affects the macula, the part of the eye that allows you to see fine detail. The rate at which damage can be done can vary. In some people it is a slow process over years. While with others it is more quickly and can also involve both eyes. While Age-related Macular Degeneration does not result in complete vision loss it can interfere with activities of daily living.

Who is more susceptible to developing AMD? Can your lifestyle make a difference as to your chances of developing AMD? As we discussed, people over the age of 50 are most likely to develop this disease.

Additional factors that may increase your risk are:

  • Smoking. Research shows that smoking doubles the risk of developing AMD.
  • Family history. If your family history includes AMD you are at a higher risk.
  • Ethnicity. AMD is more common in Caucasians that other races.
  • You have the power to take control of your health. These are some things you can do to help prevent AMD:

Exercise Regularly

  • Eat a healthy diet rich in leafy veggies and fish
  • Avoid smoking
  • Maintain proper vitals such as blood pressure and cholesterol.

AMD is best detected by maintaining routine eye exams. Often people question why dilation is part of a regular exam. This allows us to look into the back of your eyes for any changes that may be occurring.

While there is no cure for this disease, things such changing your diet and adding proper exercise can help to slow down the loss of vision. You have the power to choose. Take control and choose a healthier lifestyle. Your eyes will thank you for it.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

farsightedness in babies, Bissell Eye Care

A MOTHER’S STORY

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farsightedness in babies, Bissell Eye Care When you first hold your newborn and have counted 10 fingers and 10 toes, there is a sigh of relief that you delivered a healthy baby who will progress in development and growth. Dr. Nicole Long-Fratangelo, one of our optometrists at Bissell Eye Care’s Natrona Heights location, recently had her second child and shares her story with new parents.

In her own words…..

Everything was perfect. Alessio was born a healthy, beautiful baby boy. He was gaining weight and thriving. It was an exciting time for our family, we had just bought a new house and were in the process of moving. Alessio was three months old and while I was packing up my optometry equipment I decided to take a quick look at his eyes. My older, two year old son, Enzio, already had a full exam when he was six months old. However since I had my scope out I took a quick peek at both boys’ eyes and noticed that Alessio’s eyes had an abnormal reflex. A red reflex appears as the light bounces off the retina, and an eye doctor can use a special scope to read the prescription. I wasn’t too worried since a baby’s eyes can change a lot in the first few months after birth. I decided I would take him to the office for a full exam in a few weeks once things settled down a bit.

farsightedness in babies, Bissell Eye Care

In the time between our move and his full exam I started to notice that Alessio wasn’t developing his fine motor skills as quickly as our first child. When I voiced my concerns, I was told, “All kids develop differently.” But I still worried. Alessio did not seem to grab for things and was often looking down at his legs and feet. He was not sitting straight or lifting his head up to look around like our first son, and something just seemed off.

At Alessio’s 4 month visit with his pediatrician, I shared my concern. Alessio’s eyes were straight and he showed no obvious signs of a vision disorder that the pediatrician could see. Many eye diseases, including high farsightedness, are often difficult to detect without a thorough eye exam. I told my pediatrician that I would be giving him an exam that included dilation.

You might wonder why dilate, particularly an infant? This allowed me to look into the back of his eyes and it was at that time I realized Alessio had an extremely high farsighted prescription. I was so upset, I examined him three times that day. Additionally, I took him to a pediatric ophthalmologist to confirm my findings – which they did. I have seen and confidently diagnosed children with this same issue but I could not believe that my perfect baby had spent the first four months of his life with very poor vision. Sometimes, it is good to just be a mom instead of your child’s doctor and mom. Even though I knew the answer, I needed to hear that I was doing the right thing.

farsightedness in babies, Bissell Eye Care
Click on the image to watch me try on my new glasses!

Alessio was fit with special glasses for babies and young children. Miraflex frames are soft glasses that flex and will not break. Bill at MB Optical did an amazing job getting his glasses made quickly and despite the high prescription, the lenses look amazing. I shared a video on our social media page of the first time Alessio wore his glasses. As his mom, I cannot begin to tell you what it felt like for him to see me and my husband clearly for the first time in his life. I was concerned that he would not leave the glasses on, but he loves his new glasses and exploring his new clear world.

Vision is essential in the proper development of a child. Because I was concerned that he may be behind developmentally, I contacted a therapist from the Infants and Toddler Alliance to evaluate Alessio’s development. Prior to getting his glasses, he was behind in language (babbling and imitation of facial movements that make sounds) and fine motor skills development. In the 3 weeks since he first got his glasses, he had a huge development boom and caught up with his fine motor skills. It is amazing every day to see him making huge strides in his development as he is discovering the things in the world that he was unable to see before. The therapist felt certain that his language development will come along as well.

Why am I sharing my story? Too often these vision issues are overlooked and not discovered until the child is in school. As a result, they are stuck playing catch up to their peers. At our practice, we educate all parents of new babies to have their child’s vision checked by an eye care professional before the age of one. Typically 6 months is a good rule of thumb. However if you suspect a problem, you can have your child examined earlier than 6 months.

Bissell Eye Care participates in InfantSEE®, a public health program, managed by Optometry Cares®. This program ensures that eye and vision care become an essential part of infant wellness care to improve a child’s quality of life. Under this program, participating optometrists provide a comprehensive infant eye assessment between 6 and 12 months of age as a no-cost public service. We check for excessive or unequal amounts of nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism, eye movement ability and eye health problems.

What’s in store for Alessio? He will always be in glasses, but through early detection, he now has the chance see clearly and develop normally. Alessio is fortunate because I am an optometrist, a mommy, and I followed both my professional training and instincts that something was not right.

My message to all parents, make an infant eye exam a part of your well baby check up!

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

GLAUCOMA – WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY TREE SAY?

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Infographic poster with detailed effects of untreated glaucoma disease showing the passing through a good and healthy eye to a progressive vision loss.

A new year is a time for a new beginnings, resolutions and making a fresh start. The top resolutions on the list typically are to lose weight and take better care of your health. As we turn the page on another calendar year and move into 2017, make sure taking care of your eyes is on the list.

January is National Glaucoma awareness month. Learn the effects of this disease, how early detection can prevent permanent vision loss and what treatment options are available should you be diagnosed with Glaucoma.

Risk factors and family history play a role in your chances of developing the disease. That’s why when you have an eye exam at Bissell Eye Care, we review your medical history to see if you might fall into any of these categories.

You are at a higher risk of developing glaucoma if you are over the age of 60, an African American over the age of 40 or if your family has a history of glaucoma. Other factors such as, high eye pressure, abnormal optic nerve anatomy and thinness of the cornea can contribute to increasing your risk factor. It is important to maintain routine eye exams in order to help detect glaucoma early.

During the early stages of glaucoma there are often no symptoms, no pain and no vision loss. Without treatment, as glaucoma develops it will cause a slow loss of the peripheral vision that may go unnoticed.

As time progresses, peripheral vision continues to deteriorate and it will begin to appear as though you have tunnel vision. If left untreated, glaucoma can eventually lead to total vision loss.

Early detection is key in helping to prevent permanent damage before it begins. During your routine eye exam you doctor will perform several checks that help to detect glaucoma. Some of the tests may include:

Visual Acuity Test: utilizes an eye chart to measure how well you see at different distances.

Visual Field Test: is used to measure your peripheral vision. It can show signs of early vision loss which could be one of the symptoms of the onset of glaucoma.

Pachymetry: is a simple, painless test to measure the thickness of your cornea — the clear window at the front of the eye. A probe called a pachymeter is gently placed on the front of the eye (the cornea) to measure its thickness. Pachymetry can help your diagnosis, because corneal thickness has the potential to influence eye pressure readings.

Ophthalmoscopy: this dilated eye exam uses drops to dilate your pupils allowing the doctor to look through your eye and examine the shape and color of the optic nerve and retina for signs of damage.
While there is currently no cure from glaucoma, preventative measures can help to reduce the chances of developing it. Once vision is lost to this disease it is impossible to ever regain that vision.
Be informed, take control of your health and protect your vision.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.

DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH

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If you are one of the estimated 29.1 million people that have diabetes, then you have most likely had a discussion with you doctor about possible health related issues that comes with the disease. Diabetes also can have a negative effect on your eyesight. Obtaining regular screenings will allow you to monitor your health and react to any changes that may have occurred.

While it is important for everyone to maintain routine visits with their optometrist, people with diabetes need to be especially vigilant in scheduling their annual exams. Diseases such as Glaucoma, cataracts, and retinopathy are best treated when they are detected early. Talk to your eye doctor about any concerns or vision loss you may be experiencing for the best chances of early detection and treatment.

Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds inside the eye and is 40% more likely to occur in individuals who have diabetes. The pressure pinches blood vessels that carry blood to the retina and optic nerve. Vision is gradually lost as the retina and nerves are damaged from the increase in pressure. There are several treatments available for Glaucoma; however, some treatments may require surgery. Early detection of high pressure may be able to be managed by medication. Maintaining the proper eye pressure is key to preventing permanent damage to the eye.

As we age, many people run a higher risk of developing cataracts. Those with diabetes are 60% more likely to develop them. By detecting cataracts early you can help to slow down the progression. The typical corrective action for cataracts is to remove the lens of the eye. Patients then would typically receive a new transplanted lens. In people with diabetes, vision can get worse after the removal of the lens and glaucoma may start to develop so additional treatment may be necessary.

Retinopathy is a general term used for all disorders of the retina that are caused by diabetes. The good news that there have been giant strides in the past decade on treatment for retinopathy.

Have you noticed a pattern? Particularly those with diabetes must be extra vigilant with screenings and health checkups. The key to being able to keep your vision as clear as possible when you suffer from diabetes is early detection. Keep in mind that you often can lose more than 60% of your vision before you begins to see significant differences. Talk with your doctor if you have diabetes so you know what symptoms to look for and schedule your annual vision screening.

About the author: John D. Bissell, owner of Bissell Eye Care and Tri-State Low Vision Services, offers comprehensive eye examinations for the entire family, ocular disease detection and treatment, eye glasses, sun glasses, active wear, contact lenses, and low vision examinations for those with significant vision loss. He has undergone specialized training for treatment of low vision by the International Academy of Low Vision Specialists utilizing customized telescopic eyeglasses, prisms and telescopic implants for patients who qualify. The practice accepts most types of vision and health insurance plans.