January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and it’s a great chance for people to increase awareness and encourage others to have their eyes tested regularly. Labeled as “the sneak thief of sight,” glaucoma currently affects 2.7 million people in America, with that number expected to nearly double by 2030. Glaucoma can damage as much as 40 percent of a person’s vision before they realize there is a problem, and by that point, the damage is permanent.

If any of your vision is lost due to glaucoma, it cannot be restored. This is why eyecare professionals emphasize the need for regular eye exams to protect ones eye health. Here are some facts about glaucoma that may help you develop a better understanding of this eye condition:

— There are several risk factors that increase your odds of contracting glaucoma. Some of these include a family history of the disease, extreme nearsightedness and aging eyes. — Vision loss due to glaucoma starts in your peripheral vision, which makes it difficult to detect on your own. Gradually it will progress to what people refer to as “tunnel vision” and may affect your central vision as well. — The only …

For more than forty years, Dr. Anthony Clark of Clark Optometric Center has balanced the optical and medical aspects of being an OD, and has strived to use the highest levels of technology in an effort to provide consistent excellence to his patients.

Dr. Clark never wanted to be the last practice in town with newer technology, and this consistent approach has been a practice builder. Accordingly, when Optos introduced Daytona with ultra-widefield retinal imaging, he was one of the first practices to purchase.

New technology can certainly help build a practice and improve patient flow and profitability. Dr. Clark recommends including the optomap® as part of an annual comprehensive eye exam. By doing so, eye care professionals are able to create a complete patient record that, over time, helps identify changes to the retina.

Recently he saw a 56-year-old patient who never misses her annual appointment. She had no new complaints, with no change in refraction and 20/20 acuity in each eye. All other findings were normal and unchanged – that is, until he looked at her optomap, where he saw what he thought was a choroidal nevus in the right eye that he didn’t remember …

Optos is making it easier than ever for Ophthalmologists and Vitreo-retinal specialists to explore ultra-widefield (UWF™) retinal imaging technology before investing in the equipment for their practice.

With apps available for both Apple® and Android tablets, you can see first-hand the detailed images optomap provides. Interactive features, case studies, testimonials, and quizzes make the optomap mobile app an interesting and engaging way to educate yourself on UWF.

To create the high-resolution images, optomap utilizes red and green lasers which are directed through a virtual scanning point in the eye. The lights then return through the optical scanning system and create a highly detailed image of up to 82 percent of the retina. Because many eye diseases present in the periphery, UWF imaging allows you see more, discover more, and treat your patients more effectively.

Download the optomap mobile app for your Apple® tablet on iTunes, or for your Android tablet using this Google Play.

Please contact us if you are interested in learning more on how to partner with Optos.

Image Source: Optos

Further reinforcing their clinical and technological reputation, Black and Lizars now offers optomap^® retinal imaging at ten of their UK practices. They believe that with their investment in Optos’ revolutionary ultra-widefield (UWF™) technology, they can now diagnose conditions earlier and provide better outcomes for their patients. Black and Lizars have the largest network of optomap UWF technology in the UK.

optomap provides eyecare professionals with a digital, high-definition image of more than 80 percent of the retina, in a single capture, and without dilation as compared to standard retinal imaging only captures between 10-60 percent of the retina. The clinicians at Black and Lizars also appreciate the ability to utilize autofluorescence images which can highlight retinal pathology that may not be found by other forms of retinal imaging. The ability to diagnose and monitor disease with such fine detail has been truly revolutionary for their practices.

The optomap is being offered by Black and Lizars as part of their “Enhanced Eye Exam”. Black and Lizars feels that this type of exam, which goes above the standard NHS exam, will allow for earlier diagnosis of AMD, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and other vision-threatening disease while …

It’s well-known that Type 2 diabetes can lead to diabetic retinopathy, which is the leading cause of blindness in patients under 50 years of age. We also know that obesity can lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes. With both of these facts, it seems logical correlate the amount of body fat a patient has with their propensity to develop this disease. Interestingly enough, though, studies are showing that there is no correlation between the two after all.

One particular study published in the National Library of Medicine concluded that there was no correlation between distribution of body fat, adipokine secretion and diabetic retinopathy. The research was conducted with a group of 179 individuals diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The scientists used MRI as a tool to measure body fat distribution and visceral fat.

With classifications used by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, patients were divided into three groups: those who had no sign of diabetic retinopathy, patients who had mild or moderate retinopathy and patients with advanced or severe cases. The latter group included proliferative and diabetic retinopathy treated with lasers.

It was discovered that patients in all three groups had similar concentrations of various fat accumulation, which indicates that …

The human eye is a complex structure, yet very few people understand exactly how it works or how important it is to protect their eye health. In fact, there are a number of major components that form the eye, which all work together so we can see. The following list highlights the major components of the eye and the steps involved to create vision.

— Cornea- As the outer layer of the eye, the cornea is responsible for most of your optical power. When light bounces off objects, it then enters the cornea. The cornea manipulates the light so that it goes into the pupil. — Iris- The iris is the colored portion of your eye responsible for adjusting the size of your pupil. Most people believe the pupil expands and contracts on its own; however, it’s the iris that actually opens and closes to dilate or contract the pupil. — Pupil- The pupil is the black circle in the center of your eye that is adjusted by the iris to regulate the amount of light sent through the lens. — Lens- Located behind the retina, the lens of your eye controls captured light and sends it to the back of your eye, or the retina. …

As the leading cause of blindness in adult Americans, it’s more important now than ever to ensure you’re getting regular retinal examinations to diagnose and begin treatment for diabetic retinopathy as early as possible. Your best chance at maintaining your vision is to be diagnosed during the earliest stages of this disease.

Unfortunately, most people don’t exhibit any signs or symptoms of diabetic retinopathy until complications and permanent damage have already occurred. Although a regular retinal examination is your best defense, if you notice any of the following symptoms, you should visit your ophthalmologist immediately.

— Changes in your vision, such as blurring, seeing double or having trouble reading. — Seeing spots or dark strings, known as “floaters,” in your vision. — Vision problems that come and go. — Difficulty distinguishing colors. — Dark areas or blanks in your visual field.

The best way to avoid diabetic retinopathy is to maintain proper control of your diabetes. Although the exact cause hasn’t been determined, studies have shown that high levels of blood glucose are a contributing factor.

optomap ultra-widefield retinal images have been found to be equal to ETDRS¹ in all categories. With a 200 degree optomap image, a literature review found that 66% more …

For many aging adults, seeing is everything, and eye health becomes even more important during their Golden Years. Although there are many eye health conditions that may affect older adults, three of the most common eye health conditions include cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Taking good care of your eyes and visiting your eyecare professional every year is essential for early detection and effective treatment of these conditions.

Cataracts

Cataracts cloud eye lenses and can occur in one or both eyes. Although cataracts develop slowly over time, it can eventually interfere with your vision. Symptoms of cataracts include dim or cloudy vision, sensitivity to light or glare and the fading or yellowing of eye color.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma refers to a series of diseases that damages the optic nerve in the eye, causing vision problems and even blindness. Early detection is essential for treating glaucoma and preventing the progression of this condition, which occurs as pressure from fluid builds up behind the anterior chamber of the eye.

There’s no cure for glaucoma, but early detection allows for effective treatment with medication or surgery. A yearly eye exam is the best way to ensure glaucoma is detected before it results in the loss of peripheral or central vision.

Diabetic Retinopathy

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There’s more to November than cold weather, family gatherings and good food. November is also American Diabetes Month, which is the perfect time of the year to spread awareness about how diabetes affects millions of people all over the world. While you may already know that diabetes complicates the regulation of blood sugar, not enough people understand that it also affects other areas of the body, including the eyes.

With more than 25 million diabetics in the U.S., advocating eye health awareness during American Diabetes Month is vital. Here are the top three optometric conditions that are common among people living with diabetes.

Retinopathy

Retinopathy occurs when small blood vessels connected to the retina are damaged, preventing the eye from sending a visual image to the brain. Retinopathy is one of the main causes of blindness-related conditions and is heavily prevalent among diabetics. The three types of retinopathy related to diabetes, include:

**Macular edema **Proliferative retinopathy **Nonproliferative retinopathy

Left unattended, diabetic retinopathy can lead to permanent blindness. In fact, diabetics may increase their chances of developing diabetic retinopathy by delaying diagnosis and/or treatment.

Glaucoma

While anyone can develop glaucoma, particularly elderly individuals, the odds for …

If you suffer from type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you’re at a higher risk for eye conditions that may lead to blindness. One of these conditions is diabetic retinopathy.

This disease occurs as the blood vessels providing nourishment to the retina begin to leak blood and other fluids. Abnormal blood vessels may begin to grow on the surface of the retina. This damage causes the retina to swell and cloud your vision as it progresses through its four identifiable stages to blindness.

Four Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy

**Stage One — Mild nonproliferative retinopathy. In the earliest stage, small aneurysms cause balloon-like swelling in the tiny blood vessels of the retina. **Stage Two — Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy. The condition progresses and some blood vessels in the retina become blocked, cutting off nourishment to the retina. **Stage Three — Severe nonproliferative retinopathy. The retina becomes starved of its blood supply as more blood vessels become blocked. As a result, signals are sent to the body to grow new blood vessels and increase blood supply. **Stage Four — Proliferative retinopathy. The body responds to the call for additional blood vessels by producing abnormal blood vessels on the retina and the vitreous gel within the eye. These new vessels are fragile …