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Saudi Retina Group General Retina

9

Jan

What your eyes can reveal about your overall health

Did you know that your eyes can reveal other significant health problems? A change in your eyesight can signal more than just vision problems. Austin Retina Associates’ board-certified retina specialist Dr. Jose Agustin Martinez says your eyes can reveal quite a bit about your overall health. “Changes in your vision can be an early indicator of a more serious health concern,” explains Dr. Martinez. “It’s important to keep up with your annual eye exams so that any symptoms you are experiencing can be treated early.” Here are a few ways that your eyes can reveal important changes in your overall health. Diabetes & Diabetic Retinopathy Blurred vision can mean more than just needing a pair of glasses. It can signal a range of medical problems, from cataracts to diabetes. Diabetes can cause diabetic retinopathy, a progressive disease that damages the blood vessels in the retina, causing clouded vision. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults according to the CDC. While diabetic retinopathy cannot be cured, it can be treated effectively with either eye injections and laser therapy. If you have any type of diabetes get your eyes checked at least annually. Of course, if you have any visual symptoms, have your eyes checked immediately. Hypertensive Retinopathy Double vision accompanied by a headache or bursting a blood vessel in the eye can be a sign of high blood pressure. You’re probably used to hearing about high blood pressure when it comes to heart disease and strokes, but it can also damage the blood vessels in your retina. This condition is known as hypertensive retinopathy. According to the FDA, 1 in 3 adults in the United States suffer from high blood pressure. An annual eye exam can help catch this ‘silent killer’ early and prevent serious complications like a stroke or heart attack. Elevated Brain Pressure Elevated brain pressure due to changes in the optic nerve that enters the back of the eye can be discovered during an eye exam. A retina specialist can detect these changes through clinical exam and special testing. Usually, further evaluation is needed through recommended brain scans and referral to other specialists. Retinal Tear & Detachment Sometimes you may experience seeing a flash of light and little specks (known as floaters) and not think anything of it. However, flashes and floaters could mean that you have a retinal tear and detachment. A retinal tear and detachment is considered a medical emergency and can cause permanent vision loss. This Austin Retina Associates’ patient shares her story and warns others not to ignore these changes in vision.

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Saudi Retina Group General Retina

8

Jan

How does COVID-19 affect your eyes?

The extent as to how much COVID-19 affects your body has been studied a great deal over the past year. In most cases, the lungs and respiratory system are thought to suffer the most damage from the virus. But what about your eyes? New evidence suggests that your vision, and specifically the retina, may undergo changes as well after contracting COVID-19. Several recent studies have examined the effects that the virus may have on the retina, especially in the absence of any other typical COVID-19 symptoms. Austin Retina Associates’ board-certified ophthalmologist and retina disease specialist Dr. Shelley Day Ghafoori says the most common side effects of COVID-19 reported on the retina are cotton wool spots (white patches appearing on the eye) and retinal hemorrhages, bleeding that occurs inside the eye which can lead to blurred vision. Additional research has shown that COVID-19 also may cause retinal vein occlusions. Vein occlusions block blood flow of veins in the eye and retina and could potentially lead to loss of vision if not treated properly. Dr. Ghafoori also mentions the significance of additional data suggesting that evidence of retinal damage due to COVID-19 may only be diagnosed via an imaging study of the retina. She says, “If you’ve had COVID-19 and you start experiencing blurred vision or blind spots, it’s important to see a specialist immediately. Diagnostic retinal imaging is something we do routinely here at our practice.” At Austin Retina Associates, optimal retinal health for our patients is of the utmost importance. We are committed to excellence in retina care and will continue to stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 retina research.

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Saudi Retina Group General Retina

7

Jan

Ophthalmologist VS Retina Specialist: Finding the Right Eye Care Professional

When it’s time to get your eyes checked, finding the right eye care professional for your individual needs is important, but it can also be overwhelming. How do you know which type of provider is right for you? Ophthalmologists differ from optometrists and opticians, and there are subspecialists for specific eye conditions. Each provider has different levels of training and expertise and each play a role in maintaining your eye health. What’s the difference between an ophthalmologist and a retina specialist? What is an Ophthalmologist? An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor that specializes in eye and vision care. They must complete a four-year undergraduate program, followed by a four-year medical school and a four-year postgraduate residency training program. They are licensed to practice medicine and eye surgery, and are trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of eye diseases. Ophthalmologists are often considered to be on the front line of vision health, and perform many services, including: eye exams vision evaluations eyeglass and contact lens prescriptions eye surgery vision therapy Ophthalmologists can complete additional training, called a fellowship, in subspecialty areas such as retina, glaucoma, cornea, pediatrics, neurology, oculo-plastic surgery and others. What is a Retina Specialist? A retina specialist is an ophthalmologist who has undergone additional, intensive training to specialize in diseases and conditions related to the vitreous and retina in both adults and children. Most patients are referred to retina specialists after a comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. Retina specialists use advanced equipment and testing to diagnose retinal conditions and perform a variety of surgical and non-surgical treatment options including eye injections and retinal surgery. It is important to note that there are different types of retina specialists, some medical only, and some trained in both medical and surgical retina. Luckily at Austin Retina, all of our doctors have specialty training from world renowned institutions in both medical and surgical retina. The retina is susceptible to numerous serious conditions and injury, including: Retinal tear and detachment Diabetic retinopathy Age-related macular degeneration Diabetic eye disease Choroidal melanoma Macular hole Retinal vein occlusion Epiretinal membrane (macular puckers) Retinopathy of prematurity Uveitis At Austin Retina, we use leading-edge diagnostic equipment, state-of-the-art surgical procedures, and personalized care to ensure your retinal and overall health is taken care of.

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Saudi Retina Group General Retina

6

Jan

Signs Your Child Should See a Pediatric Ophthalmologist or Retina Specialist

May is Healthy Vision Month, and Austin Retina Associates encourages everyone to take stock in their eye health, no matter your age. One question that our team of retinal specialists are often asked is when a child should see an eye doctor for regular exams. A comprehensive timeline recommended by the American Academy of Ophthalmology of when children should be screened for both eye disease and vision (as they are two different things), can be found here. These exams should be conducted by board-certified pediatric optometrists and ophthalmologists. If a physician notices something unusual affecting the retina (which is the layer of tissue at the back of the eye), they may refer your child to a retina specialist. Some symptoms that might indicate a serious eye problem include: ● Chronic eye discomfort or redness ● Discolored pupils ● Lack of eye contact, or inability to follow something with the eyes ● Alignment issues, such as crossed eyes ● Sensitivity to light ● Floaters or flashing light in vision ● Drooping eyelids ● Loss of vision How are retinal disorders diagnosed in children? “When your child is referred to our retinal specialists, we take special care to ensure they are never afraid and always comfortable during their visits with us,” says board-certified retinal specialist and surgeon Dr. Edward Wood. “In order to properly diagnose what is causing the issue, we typically start with dilating their eyes to gain the best perspective while examining the retina and performing a full ophthalmologic evaluation.” Specific diagnostics used to further investigate if your child has a retina condition may include: retinal photography, fluorescein angiography, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), ultrasound of the eye, visual fields (Goldmann or Humphrey), Electroretinogram (ERG), and CT scan or MRI imaging. What pediatric retinal disorders do physicians at Austin Retina Associates diagnose and treat? Conditions that our board-certified retinal specialists diagnose and treat in children are: • Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) • Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) • Coats’ Disease • Uveitis, and other infectious retinal diseases • Sickle Cell Disease • Diabetic Retinopathy • Retinoblastoma • Hemangioma • Inherited retinal dystrophies (i.e. leber congenital amaurosis) • Degenerative retinal disorders (i.e. juvenile retinoschisis) • Congenital malformations of the optic nerve and retina (i.e. coloboma) • Trauma to the eye • Retinal disorders that diagnose systemic disease (i.e. Aicardi Syndrome) What is the treatment for retinal disorders in children? The treatment of retinal disorders varies widely depending on the type of disease. The physicians at Austin Retina Associates are experts in identifying and treating retinal disorders in children, and many retinal treatments are modified with a gentler approach for the best possible care of infants and children. As a reminder, for general eye exams and for vision screening or a glasses fitting for your child, see your pediatrician or pediatric optometrist first. For concerns regarding the retina, Austin Retina Associates is always here for your family.

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Saudi Retina Group Diagnostic Testing

5

Jan

Diagnostic Testing Provided by Austin Retina

When patients visit Austin Retina for the purposes of specialized evaluation and diagnostic testing, we understand that they’ve likely already visited with an eye doctor and require further assistance in order to receive a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. At Austin Retina, we offer a variety of diagnostic testing services designed to both correctly identify an issue and assist in the formal diagnosis and later treatment of our patients. Check out our range of diagnostic testing services and contact our office to learn more, refer a patient, or schedule an appointment (or call 800-252-8259). At Austin Retina, we offer the following diagnostic testing options: Spectral Domain OCT (high-resolution OCT) OCT angiography (noninvasive high-resolution evaluation of the retinal and choroidal microvasculature) Wide-field Fluorescein Angiography (for the evaluation of peripheral retinal pathology) Wide-field Indocyanine Green Angiography (useful in evaluating diseases of the choroid such as central serous retinopathy and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, as well as intraocular tumors) B-scan Ultrasound (for evaluation of the retina when view of the retina is limited, and for evaluation of tumors) Anterior Segment Ultrasound Biomicroscopy (for evaluation of the iris and ciliary body) ERG Visual Field Testing We encourage anyone who believes they can benefit from our testing services, or any doctor with a patient in need of further testing services, to move forward with scheduling an appointment with our practice. Vision issues should always be taken seriously, especially since many conditions can be treated effectively with early detection. We’re committed to making the testing process as noninvasive as possible – regardless of the test required. Patients are thoroughly prepped ahead of any test or procedure so they know what to expect.

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Saudi Retina Group Retina Treatments

4

Jan

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves new treatment for retinal disease

Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) are leading causes of blindness in adults in the US. Both wet AMD and DME are commonly managed with injections of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) inhibitors in the gel-like part of the eye (intravitreal) to decrease the growth and leakiness of blood vessels and improve vision. On January 28, 2022, the FDA approved intravitreal faricimab (Vabysmo, Roche/Genentech) for the treatment of wet AMD1 and DME2. Vabysmo is the first drug of its kind to target two distinct biological pathways (Ang-2 and VEGF-A) that are strong contributors to retinal disease and vision loss. The FDA approved Vabysmo based on the results of four large (Phase 3) clinical trials1,2 that evaluated the durability of Vabysmo compared with aflibercept (Eylea, Regeneron) in untreated patients with wet AMD and mostly untreated patients with DME. Whereas the majority of patients are currently treated with anti-VEGF injections every 1 to 3 months, the four clinical trials1,2 showed that the majority of patients treated with Vabysmo were able to maintain vision and reduce retinal fluid at 3 to 4 months between injections. For patients, this means the possibility of improved vision with less frequent treatment. The studies were not designed to determine which drug was superior, but rather to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and durability of Vabysmo using a treatment approach personalized to each patient. The rate of side effects (adverse events) were noted to be comparable between Vabysmo and Eylea. Results from anti-VEGF injections in patient with wet AMD. Austin Retina is committed to providing the most up-to-date and impactful treatments for retinal disease and plan to use Vabysmo in a manner personalized to your individual needs. We are committed to our patients achieving the best vision possible regardless of the therapy. If you have any questions or would like to learn more, please discuss with your doctor if Vabysmo might be right for you.

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