Diabetes and Your Eyes
Diabetes is a serious condition with numerous major health repercussions. From slow wound healing to cracked feet and diabetic shock, diabetes sufferers may encounter a slew of frustrating symptoms throughout their lifetimes. In addition to these symptoms, doctors warn that diabetes can lead to a variety of serious eye-related complications, including glaucoma, cataracts and/or possible blindness.
Glaucoma is a condition that occurs when a build-up of pressure in the eye impinges on the blood vessels to the optic nerve and retina. As a result, the retina and optic nerve are eventually damaged, causing a slow loss of vision. Those who suffer from diabetes are approximately 40% more likely to develop glaucoma than others.
Like glaucoma, cataracts are another eye condition that is more likely to occur in diabetic individuals (diabetics are as much as 60% more likely to develop cataracts, and at a much younger age). Cataracts occur when the usually transparent lens of the eye begins to cloud, blocking the light that is necessary to see. Diabetics who undergo cataract surgery aren’t completely out of the woods, and may develop retina disorders and glaucoma.
Fortunately, regular visits with an optometrist/ophthalmologist can help keep serious eye issues on watch. Even if you do find yourself dealing with a diabetes-related eye condition, your doctor can help with early detection and treatment (surgical and non-surgical) that can lessen the potentially-damaging effects of your disease. Contact Eye Michigan for an appointment or more information.
Foods That Can Keep Your Eyes Healthy
Although we often don’t think much about the effect that our diet can have on our eye health, the reality is that the foods we eat certainly do play a significant role in our vision, especially as we get older.
You may have heard that carrots and other foods are high in beta carotene and are important for eye health. Beta carotene is a form of Vitamin A. This nutrient helps to ensure that the retina functions properly along with the rest of the eye.
Aside from carrots, however, there are plenty of other vitamins and minerals in other foods that can keep your eyes healthy throughout your life.
Eat leafy green vegetables to reduce the risk of macular degeneration
Consuming leafy green vegetables such as spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, kale and others have been shown to reduce the risk of macular degeneration and the onset of cataracts. Try to incorporate these foods more often into your diet. These foods have other health benefits as well, such as: reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.
Consume fish to keep your eyes healthy
Consuming fish frequently is widely known to be associated with several health benefits like a lower risk of heart disease and stroke, but it can also help keep your eyes healthy. Studies have found that people who eat fish 2 to 3 times per week have a lower risk of developing macular degeneration. Research suggests that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish and other foods are what may help protect adult eyes from macular degeneration.
Continue eating carrots and other fruits and vegetables
A diet that is generally high in fruits and vegetables will also help keep your eyes healthy. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables reduce the effects of oxidation on the body and eyes, which may prevent eye illnesses like macular degeneration and cataracts.
If you have any questions about your diet and eye health, or to learn about eye vitamins, contact Eye Michigan.
With Kids and Grandkids Back in School, Now Is the Time to Take Care of Yourself!
Summer months are packed full of fun with the kids and grandkids which often means putting off your own needs. With school back in session, you finally have an opportunity to spend some time focusing on yourself. Now is a great time to attend to your own health which includes scheduling an eye exam.
Frequency
Regular eye exams are crucial for keeping track of your eye health. Eye problems can develop very quickly and sometimes even without warning. Not only do eye exams assist you in identifying current issues but can also help catch developing problems in advance.
Hidden Conditions
As you age, conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration can seriously impact your vision. Eyes offer unprecedented information regarding full-body health and can alert doctors to cardiovascular problems, too!
Fast Response
Many treatment options are available to our patients which can help stop and sometimes reverse the effects of eye conditions. With the prevalence of so many irreversible conditions related to our eyes, it is clear why examinations are critical. By addressing any problems sooner rather than later, you can sometimes stop the progression of potentially harmful conditions.
As a standard of treatment, Eye Michigan provides all of our patients with a comprehensive eye exam prior to prescribing any treatment. With our team of ophthalmologists conveniently located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, you have access to the eye care you need, when you need it. To learn more about our practice, please visit us online today or schedule an appointment by calling our office at (248) 221-1022.
We Want to Thank Our Patients for Taking the Time to Review Us
We appreciate all of our patients who take time out of their day to share their Eye Michigan experience and let us know how we are doing. Eye Michigan prides itself on premium ophthalmic care and holds our practice to the highest standards in the industry. We always strive to achieve the best results, continue to educate ourselves to be on the cutting edge of technology and breakthroughs, and use treatments for all of our patients that employ best practices and guidelines to achieve optimal eye health.
Thank you again for all of your reviews. We appreciate that you select Eye Michigan doctors for your ophthalmic care.
Happy New Year from Eye Michigan
To a sweet, happy, and healthy New Year!
Eye Injury Prevention Month
The American Academy of Ophthalmology has sponsored this month long awareness with the support of ophthalmologists across the nation to prevent eye injuries. Join the Eye Michigan team in recognizing Eye Injury Prevention Month by increasing awareness on how you can protect your eyes increasing the longevity of your eye health.
Why Eye Injury Prevention Month Matters
We are born with a single pair of eyes, so it is important for us to pay full attention to their health and performance throughout our lives. This month long campaign supporting the prevention of eye injury highlights methods we can all use to reduce the likelihood of injury.
Paying attention to how we protect our eyes plays a major role in promoting healthy vision. Wearing protective eyewear is the easiest way to prevent eye injury. Protective eyewear reduces the chance of injury by 90%. Surprisingly, over 40% of eye injuries are the result of sports and recreational activities. Wearing protective eyewear during these fun activities reduce their threat to your eye health.
Preventing eye injury also involves the use of good judgement. It is important to remain cognizant of your surroundings and the implications of your daily activities. Daily activities such as food preparation, recreational activities, and use of machinery all pose threats to our eye health. While using machinery, be sure to use specified operating protocols to avoid unnecessary exposure to danger.
Similar to wearing a seatbelt while driving, considering your eye health should be the first thing prior to engaging in high risk activities. Many eye injuries are preventable. If you have experienced trauma to the eye, go to the emergency room or see your eye doctor for an immediate examination.
A proactive approach to preventing eye injuries is the best method of protection. To learn more about eye injury prevention, we welcome you to visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology website.
Fall Eye Care Tips
Keep your eyes healthy with these fall eye care tips:
Keep wearing your sunglasses
Even though autumn has arrived, sunglasses are still necessary to keep your eyes protected from UV rays when you are outside during daylight hours. Even when there is cloud cover, UV levels are almost the same as on a sunny day.
Avoid allergens as much as possible
If you suffer from allergies, you should do your best to avoid any allergens in the environment that can trigger eye allergies. Try to drive with your windows up to limit your exposure to outside air. You may also consider installing a new air filter for your furnace or purchasing a portable air purifier.
Wear eye protection
If you are in the process of winterizing your home or doing other work or play that can potentially cause an eye injury, be sure to wear appropriate eye protection. Eye injuries often occur when performing yard work or playing sports and it is best to be on the safe side to reduce this risk.
Wash your hands often
Washing your hands often is the optimal way to avoid the spread of viruses and bacteria during the fall season when the flu and other illnesses start to circulate more frequently. Be prudent to wash your hands before touching your face, as your hands may have pathogens that can lead to conjunctivitis.
The fall is also a great time to schedule an eye evaluation if you have not had one recently. To schedule one today or to ask any questions that you may have about eye care during the fall, contact Eye Michigan at (248)-221-1022.
About the Alcon LenSx Laser
The Alcon LenSx laser is the first femtosecond laser that has been cleared for use in cataract surgery. The laser allows trained surgeons to perform some of the most complex steps in cataract surgery with the assistance of advanced laser technology. The Alcon LenSx is designed to make clean precision on every plane of the anterior chamber of the eye. Grosinger, Spigelman & Grey utilizes this technology to decrease recovery time and improve overall eye health, post-surgery.
The Alcon LenSx laser provides a significant upgrade compared to manual analog surgery. The LenSx laser can also be used to treat presbyopia, a common vision condition which affects many people 40 years of age or older. Presbyopia is the hardening of the lens of the eye, and can lead to major vision loss when not treated. The Alcon LenSx aids the ophthalmologists to perform refractive lens exchange, which involves replacing the eye’s natural lens with an implant, stopping further presbyopia vision deterioration.
Used in more cataract surgeries than any other femtosecond laser in the world, the Alcon LenSx laser is quickly becoming a physician favorite, for good reason. The benefits of using this particular laser for cataract surgery include: precise architecture, OCT imaging technology, versatile fragmentation patterns and an easy to use interface.
It is estimated that the system has been used by over 3,500 surgeons in over 67 countries. To learn more about the Alcon LenSx, please visit our LenSx procedure page. For an appointment, please call our office at (248) 221-1022.
Preventing Eye Injuries When Playing Sports
As the fall sports season starts to arrive, it is important to remember that proper eye protection is necessary to avoid sports related eye injuries. With over 25,000 people seeking treatment for sports related eye injuries each year, it is a prevalent problem that can almost always be prevented with eye protection.
Eye injuries occur most frequently in basketball, ice hockey, racquet sports, baseball, soccer, boxing, martial arts, water sports and softball, but they can occur in many other sports as well. Some sports like boxing and full contact martial arts have an inherent risk of serious eye injuries even when precautions are taken.
With hockey, racquet sports, and baseball, a polycarbonate face mask or wire shield can be worn in order to prevent eye injuries. Hockey face masks that are worn for eye protection should be approved by the Hockey Equipment Certification Council.
Protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses should be used for sports like basketball, field hockey, soccer, and others. The eyewear should meet the requirements set by the American Society of Testing and Materials.
Those who already have an injury in one eye should strongly consider the risks of participating in sports that could potentially injure the healthy eye. Extra precaution should be made to prevent injuries, including wearing protective eyewear at all times.
In general, any sport or activity involving projectiles or potential contact near the face has the risk of an eye injury. For example, fishing is another common cause of eye injuries, and wearing protective eyewear is often advisable.
If you receive an eye injury, seek immediate attention from a certified professional as quickly as possible or go to the emergency room immediately, as delayed medical attention can result in permanent vision loss. Contact Eye Michigan at (248) 221-1022. Click here to learn more about our expert ophthalmologists and practice.