Common Questions About Eye Exams | Kaiser Permanente Eye Care | Washington
Sign-up and save 10% on your next eyewear purchase. Why should I have my eyes examined regularly? In addition to ensuring proper eyesight, regular eye examinations allow your eye care provider to detect and treat diseases at the earliest possible opportunity. Some diseases do not have symptoms in their early stages. A good example is glaucoma, a common cause of vision loss in the elderly. Typically, glaucoma does not cause pain, and you don't notice a change in your vision at first. By the time your vision is affected, eye doctors can only prevent it from getting worse because the vision loss is not reversible. If you have regular eye exams, your eye care provider can more readily detect potential problems and prescribe proper treatments to prevent vision loss. Don't determine the need for an eye exam on whether you are seeing relatively well. Even though your vision may be clear, undetected changes can occur from high blood pressure, diabetes, and a host of other conditions. As a rule, you should not go more than two years without having your eyes examined. Diabetic patients, people with a family history of eye diseases, and anyone whose general health is poor or who are taking medications that may have potential side effects on the eyes may need an eye exam at least once a year. You and your eye care provider should determine the eye exam schedule that best meets your eye care needs. Although dilation is not always performed, please expect to be dilated as part of a complete eye examination. Dilation temporarily enlarges your pupils, which enables your eye doctor to get a better look inside your eyes. This allows your doctor to check for diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Dilated eyes are more sensitive to sunlight, so its helpful to bring Continue reading >>
Diabetic Eye Exam | Detection Of Disease Conditions & Symptoms
Diabetes can lead to serious eye disease and even blindness. You need a comprehensive eye exam called a diabetic eye exam at least once a year. November is Diabetic Eye Disease month. Diabetic eye exams are the best way to prevent eye problems from diabetes, so its a great time to learn about them. Diabetic eye disease is just that eye damage related to diabetes. The most common type is diabetic retinopathy . But diabetes also raises the risk of cataracts and glaucoma. Learn more about diabetic eye disease . Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can affect your eyes. Blood sugar can get too high in both types, damaging blood vessels in the eye. First, your eye doctor checks your vision and asks you to read letters on an eye chart. Next, the doctor examines the front of your eyes using specialized lights and lenses. You might also have the pressure inside your eyes checked with an instrument called a tonometer. After this, you are given eye drops to open up (dilate) your pupils. You relax in the exam room for 15 30 minutes while your eyes dilate fully. Then the doctor examines the back of your eyes, including the delicate blood vessels in the retina. These are the vessels damaged in diabetic retinopathy, so regular dilated eye exams are very important. Having the pupils dilated allows your doctor to see the entire retina, including any changes. You might also have photographs taken of the retina. This is called digital retinal imaging. The doctor reviews the images carefully for signs of diabetic eye disease. He or she can also compare images from year to year to keep track of any changes. How often should I have diabetic eye exams? Every year, unless your doctor tells you to come in more often. Should I do anything before my diabetic eye exam? Keep your blood sugar as close Continue reading >>
Diabetic Eye Screening
Diabetic eye screening is a key part of diabetes care. People with diabetes are at risk of damage from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it's not treated. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common causes of sight loss among people of working age. It occurs when diabetes affects small blood vessels, damaging the part of the eye called the retina. When the blood vessels in the central area of the retina (the macula) are affected, it's known as diabetic maculopathy. People with diabetes should also see their optician every two years for a regular eye test. Diabetic eye screening is specifically for diabetic retinopathy and can't be relied upon for other conditions. Why eye screening is needed Screening is a way of detecting the condition early before you notice any changes to your vision. Diabetic retinopathy doesn't usually cause any noticeable symptoms in the early stages. If retinopathy is detected early enough, treatment can stop it getting worse. Otherwise, by the time symptoms become noticeable, it can be much more difficult to treat. This is why the NHS Diabetic Eye Screening Programme was introduced. Everyone aged 12 and over with diabetes is offered screening once a year. Diabetic retinopathy is extremely unusual in children with diabetes who are under the age of 12. The check takes about half an hour and involves examining the back of the eyes and taking photographs of the retina. When diabetic eye screening is offered Everyone with diabetes who is 12 years of age or over should be invited to have their eyes screened once a year. You should receive a letter from your local Diabetic Eye Screening Service inviting you to attend a screening appointment. The letter will include a leaflet about diabetic eye screening. People with di Continue reading >>
How Often Should You Have An Eye Exam?
You are here : Home / Best You / Eye Health / How Often Should You Have an Eye Exam? 20/20 vision is only one aspect of eye health. Here's why and how often you need to have an eye exam We asked Dr. Jeff Goodhew, president of the Ontario Association of Optometrists , for the latest advice on protecting your eyes. Plus, he tells us how often to have an eye exam. Children: First eye examination should be between six and 12 months of age, again before starting school and then every year once school begins. Adults: A least once every two years. Yearly exams for those who wear contact lenses or are at risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol or thyroid disease. 65 plus: Annual eye exams recommended due to age-related eye conditions, such as cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma. What should I look for when buying sunglasses with UV protection? You cant tell how much UV protection sunglasses have by their price or colour or by the darkness of their lenses. Look for a label that lists UV 400. A large, wraparound style also provides more coverage. We all spend so much time in front of computers, tablets and smartphones. Whats your advice for limiting screen time? We recommend following the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps reset the focus of the eye and reduce eye strain . Is there a bad habit your patients have that you wish they would stop? I would like to see more patients getting regular eye examinations. Most people assume that their eyes must be perfect if they can see well, but 20/20 vision is only one aspect of an exam. Your eyes are also windows to your overall health ( Click here to read our article: What Your Eyes Reveal About Your Health ), and an eye exam can reveal a number of issu Continue reading >>
What Is A Comprehensive Dilated Eye Exam?
You may think your eyes are healthy, but visiting an eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to really be sure. During the exam, each eye is closely inspected for signs of common vision problems and eye diseases, many of which have no early warning signs. Annual comprehensive dilated eye exams are generally recommended starting at age 60. However, African Americans are advised to start having comprehensive dilated eye exams starting at age 40 because of their higher risk of glaucoma. It’s also especially important for people with diabetes to have a comprehensive dilated exam at least once a year. Key elements of a comprehensive dilated eye examination include dilation, tonometry, visual field test and a visual acuity test. Dilation is an important part of a comprehensive eye exam because it enables your eye care professional to view the inside of the eye. Drops placed in each eye widen the pupil, which is the opening in the center of the iris (the colored part of the eye). Dilating the pupil allows more light to enter the eye the same way opening a door allows light into a dark room. Once dilated, each eye is examined using a special magnifying lens that provides a clear view of important tissues at the back of the eye, including the retina, the macula, and the optic nerve. This video describes what a doctor sees when examining the retina, optic nerve and macula after the pupils are dilated. In a person with diabetic retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in the United States, the exam may show swelling or leaking of blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive layers of tissue at the back of the eye. The eye care professional may also see abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina Continue reading >>
Facts About Diabetic Eye Disease
Points to Remember Diabetic eye disease comprises a group of eye conditions that affect people with diabetes. These conditions include diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema (DME), cataract, and glaucoma. All forms of diabetic eye disease have the potential to cause severe vision loss and blindness. Diabetic retinopathy involves changes to retinal blood vessels that can cause them to bleed or leak fluid, distorting vision. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults. DME is a consequence of diabetic retinopathy that causes swelling in the area of the retina called the macula. Controlling diabetes—by taking medications as prescribed, staying physically active, and maintaining a healthy diet—can prevent or delay vision loss. Because diabetic retinopathy often goes unnoticed until vision loss occurs, people with diabetes should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Early detection, timely treatment, and appropriate follow-up care of diabetic eye disease can protect against vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy can be treated with several therapies, used alone or in combination. NEI supports research to develop new therapies for diabetic retinopathy, and to compare the effectiveness of existing therapies for different patient groups. What is diabetic eye disease? Diabetic eye disease can affect many parts of the eye, including the retina, macula, lens and the optic nerve. Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye conditions that can affect people with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy affects blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue called the retina that lines the back of the eye. It is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes Continue reading >>
Diabetes Discovery – Via The Eyes
Did you know that an eye exam can be the first clue to detecting diabetes and other hidden health concerns? Finding health issues early can give patients a better chance at preventing damage through early treatment and management. A routine eye exam can show so many things. Some can be downright life changing – and life-saving – for that matter. One doctor found out first-hand when she did the same thing she does every day – she looked into a patient's eyes. But this was no ordinary exam. When Kathleen Clary, OD, peered into her 48-year-old patient’s eyes, she saw blood and other fluids seeping out of fragile and miniscule vessels in her retinas. The retina is the light and sight-sensing back part of the eye – and without it, you don't see. “As soon as I noticed the leaking fluids and the hemorrhaging, I suspected that they might be symptoms of diabetes,” recalls Dr. Clary, who practices in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Ashburn, Virginia. “In my 12 years of experience as an eye doctor, that kind of bleeding usually signals that a buildup of sugar in the patient’s bloodstream has begun to break down the capillaries that feed the retina. The result is often what we call diabetic retinopathy – a condition in which continuing damage to retinal tissue from diabetes can lead to impaired vision or even blindness, if left untreated.” The eye exam was the very first clue the patient had that she might have diabetes. Dr. Clary talked with her patient about what she saw and explained what it could mean. “I want you to have your blood sugar level checked right away by your family doctor,” she told her patient. “Tell the doctor you need to be evaluated for diabetes with a fasting blood sugar test, because your optometrist noticed some retinal bleeding.� Continue reading >>
Annual Eye Exam
~ Deborah K. Schlossman, M.D. Diabetes is the leading cause of preventable new onset blindness in working-age adults. Anyone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can have diabetic eye disease and not know it, as it is painless and often has no symptoms until very advanced stages. But with appropriate care you can reduce the risk of blindness and increase your chances of preserving sight. Joslin Diabetes Center has been on the cutting edge of diabetes-related eye disease prevention since its inception and has set standards across the world for the treatment and care of eyes. At Joslin we have developed clinical guidelines that recommend you take a three-pronged approach to preserving your vision: 1.Maintain excellent A1C and blood glucose levels. 2.Keep your blood pressure and other health factors, such as your cholesterol, in check. 3.Make sure you get your eyes checked annually through a dilated eye exam (an exam in which the doctor places drops in your eyes) or specially validated photographs of your retinas (the inside of the eyes). Eye exams for people with diabetes are very thorough and may take up to 2½ hours. Part of the exam includes applying drops to dilate your pupils, so the doctor can have a good look at what is happening at the back of your eye called the retina. No portions of the exam are painful, but when you have your pupils dilated you should be prepared to wear sunglasses after the appointment as you’ll be sensitive to light. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye disease for people with diabetes. It occurs when the small blood vessels in the eye are damaged by high levels of glucose in the blood. Although there are a variety of treatments to treat diabetic retinopathy, the earlier it is diagnosed the more effective the treatment. Although diabetes Continue reading >>
What You Should Know About Diabetes And Eye Exams
Overview Diabetes is a disease that profoundly affects many areas of your body, including your eyes. It increases your risk for eye conditions, such as glaucoma and cataracts. The primary concern for eye health in people with diabetes is the development of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that develops when the blood vessels in your retina become damaged. The retina is the light-sensitive portion of the back of your eye. As the damage worsens, you may begin losing your vision. Your eyesight may become blurry, less intense, and begin to disappear. This condition can affect people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The longer you live with diabetes, the more likely you are to develop complications like diabetic retinopathy. This is why adopting lifestyle changes and learning to manage diabetes is so important. In its earliest stages, diabetic retinopathy may cause no symptoms. The initial symptoms may be barely noticeable or mild. Over time, the condition can worsen and lead to partial and then complete blindness. You should see your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms: floaters, or dots and dark strings, in your field of vision dark or empty areas in your field of vision blurry vision difficulty focusing vision changes that seem to fluctuate altered color vision partial or total vision loss Diabetic retinopathy most often affects both eyes at the same time and in equal measure. If you’re experiencing issues with only one eye, it doesn’t mean you don’t have diabetic retinopathy. However, it might indicate another eye issue. Make an appointment to see your doctor to find an appropriate treatment plan. The buildup of excess sugar in your blood can lead to a number of health issues. In your eyes, too much glucose can damage the tiny ves Continue reading >>
Yearly Eye Exam
How often is it covered? Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers a yearly eye exam for diabetic retinopathy by an eye doctor who's legally allowed to do the test in your state. Who's eligible? All people with Part B who have diabetes are covered. Your costs in Original Medicare You pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for your doctor's services, and the Part B deductible applies. In a hospital outpatient setting, you pay a copayment. To find out how much your specific test, item, or service will cost, talk to your doctor or other health care provider. The specific amount you’ll owe may depend on several things, like: Other insurance you may have How much your doctor charges Whether your doctor accepts assignment The type of facility The location where you get your test, item, or service Your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or, they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, you may have to pay some or all of the costs. It’s important to ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services and whether Medicare will pay for them. Continue reading >>
What To Expect At Your Eye Exam
If you are lucky enough to have good eyesight, you may be surprised when your diabetes care team recommends that you make an appointment with an eye doctor. If your vision is stable, and your eyes don’t bother you, why should you have your eyes checked? The answer is that many potentially devastating eye problems develop without causing discomfort or distorting vision. Glaucoma and cataract are examples of eye problems that occur commonly in older adults and more frequently in people with diabetes. Generally, these conditions are treatable, but if not caught early enough, they can lead to vision loss or even blindness. In addition, there’s diabetic retinopathy, a serious complication that is more likely to occur in people with Type 1 diabetes but may develop in anyone with diabetes. Tight blood glucose control can significantly reduce the incidence and severity of diabetic retinopathy, but the only way to identify this and other eye problems in their earliest and most treatable stages is to have regular, comprehensive eye examinations. -- Keep an eye on your vision! Learn about preventive steps and treatments for diabetic retinopathy from retinal specialist Dr. Charles Wykoff. >> There’s no reason to avoid an eye exam; it involves a series of painless tests that check your visual acuity and general eye health and screen for signs of disease. Before we discuss what to expect at the exam, let’s take a look at the eye and how it works. The eye The eye is a hollow organ about the size of a Ping-Pong ball, with an opening at the front that lets in light, and a gelatinous substance called vitreous filling most of the inside. It functions in a manner similar to a camera. The aperture through which light enters the eye is the pupil, the black-seeming hole in the middle Continue reading >>
Diabetes: Eye Exams
www.CardioSmart.org A dilated eye exam lets your eye doctor see the back of your eye. This test can detect eye problems like diabetic retinopathy. Before the test, your eye doctor will use eyedrops to widen, or dilate, your pupils. This makes it easier for the doctor to see into your eye. The eyedrops take about 15 to 20 minutes to fully dilate your pupil. Your doctor may also use eyedrops to numb your eyes. Who should get a dilated retinal exam? Everyone with diabetes should have regular dilated retinal exams. Diabetes can lead to eye problems that cause vision loss or blindness. The longer you have diabetes, the more likely you will have eye problems. By the time you notice any vision problems, your eyes may already be seriously damaged. A thorough exam can help detect symptoms early. Early treatment may help protect your vision. People with diabetes are also at a higher risk for glaucoma. This is increased pressure inside the eye, which can cause blindness. An eye exam can check for this condition along with diabetic retinopathy. How often should you be tested? If you have diabetes, get tested every year, or more often if your doctor says to. If your eye exam results are normal, your doctor may consider follow-up exams every 2 years instead of every year. But if you are diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, youmay need frequent eye exams. Who performs a dilated retinal exam? This test can be done by: • An ophthalmologist. Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who diagnose and treat eye problems, diseases, and injuries. • A licensed optometrist. Optometrists are health professionals who diagnose and treat vision problems and eye diseases. They also do routine vision testing and prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses. An optometrist is not a medical doctor, Continue reading >>
Diabetic Eye Exam Vs Routine Exam
You should be clear on each one of these in addition to your specific eye details during the time of visit with the eye doctor. A diabetic eye exam often starts with an analysis of the external parts of the eyes, such as the cornea, the eyelids, the sclera, and so forth. From that point, the examination moves into a test of the eye's strength and ability to focus on both near and far objects such a test is referred to as a "visual acuity test." Up next is a "pupil function test" this test will determine the overall health of the pupil and detect any physical or neurological damage. After this, an "ocular motility test" (test to determine the eye's ability to follow fast-moving objects) will be carried out. This test is often employed when patients complain of double vision. There are other tests, such as the "visual field test," among others, that may be carried out on your eyes. The final eye exam will involve shining a bright light directly into your eye. This light is meant to illuminate your retina while the doctor uses a magnifying lens to look into your dilated pupils in order to examine the retinal surface. The doctor will hold your eye open with a device and press a lens against your eye to flatten the cornea while lasers are directed at the blood vessels. 2. Maintain a Healthy And Appropriate Weight If you're overweight, it's time to start shedding pounds. Performing regular exercises and changing your diet are still the best ways to achieve this. Fruits and vegetables are fully equipped with vitamins and nutrients that are required for maintaining good eye health. You could start by incorporating lots of fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in antioxidants, which can help avert damage to your eyes' lenses. Closing yo Continue reading >>
Do All Type 1 Diabetics Need To Have An Annual Eye Exam?
Do all type 1 diabetics need to have an annual eye exam? New research suggests that an individual's risk level for diabetic eye disease should determine how often they're screened. People with type 1 diabetes face the risk of developing diseases that can affect major organs in the body, including the kidneys, blood vessels, heart, and the eyes. Eye problems can lead to blindness therefore treatment guidelines have long called for annual eye exams. But new research suggests this one-size-fits-all advice is costly and ineffective, because people with a low risk may need less-frequent screenings while people at high risk may need to be seen more often. Diabetic retinopathy can damage the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye and trigger full vision loss, the researchers explained. Screening can catch this disease before irreparable damage is done, but not every person with diabetes faces the same risk. "For example, patients with no or minimal eye changes and good blood sugar levels might not need their next examination for another four years," said study author Dr David Nathan. "On the other hand, if the patient already has developing eye disease and their blood sugar control has not been in the recommended range, they might need a repeat examination in as soon as three months," he added. Nathan is the director of the Diabetes Center and Clinical Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in Americans aged 20 to 64, according to a Health24 article. Current guidelines suggest getting an annual eye screening within three to five years of a type 1 diabetes diagnosis. People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce any insulin. Diabetic retinal screening is done on an ad hoc and opportunistic basis Continue reading >>
Diabetes Eye Exams
Diabetes can harm your eyes. It can damage the small blood vessels in your retina, or the back of your eye. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes also increases your risk of glaucoma and other eye problems. You may not know your eyes are harmed until the problem is very bad. Your doctor can catch problems early if you get regular eye exams. This is very important. The early stages of diabetic retinopathy don't cause changes in vision and you won't have symptoms. Only an eye exam can detect the problem, so that steps can be taken to prevent the retinopathy from getting worse. Even if the doctor who takes care of your diabetes checks your eyes, you need an eye exam every 1 to 2 years by an eye doctor who takes care of people with diabetes. An eye doctor has equipment that can check the back of your eye much better than your regular doctor can. If you have eye problems because of diabetes, you will probably see your eye doctor more often. You may need special treatment to prevent your eye problems from getting worse. You may see two different types of eye doctors: An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who is an eye specialist trained to diagnose and treat eye problems. An optometrist is a health care provider trained to diagnose and treat problems with your vision. Many can do screening exams for damage from diabetes. Once you have eye disease caused by diabetes, you need to see an ophthalmologist. The doctor will check your vision using a chart of random letters of different sizes. This is called the Snellen chart. You will then be given eye drops to widen (dilate) the pupils of your eyes so that the doctor can better see the back of the eye. You may feel stinging when the drops are first placed. You may have a metallic taste in your mouth. To see the b Continue reading >>
