This method of examining and documenting the retina promotes earlier diagnosis of abnormal conditions such as Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma and Diabetic Retinopathy.  This procedure could allow us to prevent permanent vision loss by diagnosing eye disease at an earlier stage.  An additional benefit of retinal imaging is that we can store the pictures permanently and compare them against any changes in the future.

What is Diabetes and how does it affect your eyes?
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic, multi-system disease. Diabetes complications in the eye include diabetic retinopathy (DR), dry eye, cataracts, optic disc disease, as well as eye muscle, pupil, and eyelid involvement. DM is the leading cause of new-onset blindness in working-aged Americans, despite proven methods of care and treatment. The value of comprehensive eye examinations by an optometrist or ophthalmologist and appropriate treatment is well documented. For these reasons, the American Diabetes Association Clinical Practice Recommendations, the American Optometric Association Optometric Clinical Practice Guideline on Care of the Patient With Diabetes, and the American Academy of Ophthalmology Preferred Practice Pattern for Patients with Diabetes all recommend an annual dilated comprehensive eye examination for patients with DM.
Through a comprehensive examination, our office not only detects and diagnoses possible ocular complications of DM including cataracts, glaucoma, retinopathy, and refractive error, but also establishes a recommended treatment plan for each patient. The examination also provides another opportunity to educate the patient and reinforce the importance of appropriate blood glucose control, blood pressure control, and discussion of other risk factors. Currently, only 62% of patients with DM receive an annual dilated eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist..
Digital retinal imaging systems may be a useful tool to increase access and adherence to demonstrated standards of care among individuals with DM. This imaging does not replace a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist.
Controlling your blood sugar level via proper diet, exercise, and medication, having yearly comprehensive and dilated eye examinations, and having photographs taken of the back part of your eyes are the best ways to minimize your risk of these serious and sight threatening effects of diabetes. The unfortunate reality of such effects on the eyes is eventual blindness. Early detection of these abnormal changes to your eyes will allow your eye care professional to initiate treatment in a timely manner so your vision can be maintained for as long as possible.

What is Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)?
Hypertension is a systemic condition in which the pressure in your blood vessels is elevated. If not properly controlled, it can lead to changes in the blood vessels in your eyes such as narrowing of the blood vessels, abnormal crossing of the blood vessels, bursting and/or leaking of blood vessels, and formation of clots in the blood vessels. These are just some of the numerous problems that can occur as a result of uncontrolled high blood pressure.
Controlling you blood pressure via proper diet, exercise, and medication, having yearly comprehensive and dilated eye examinations, and having photographs taken of the back part of your eyes are the best ways to minimize your risk of the serious and sight threatening effects of high blood pressure. Similar to diabetes, the unfortunate reality of such effects on the eyes is eventual blindness. More importantly, high blood pressure may lead to death, which is why it is called the "silent killer." Early detection of these abnormal changes to your eyes will allow your eye care professional to initiate treatment in a timely manner so your vision can be maintained for as long as possible.

Glaucoma - What is it?
An ocular condition in which the pressure in your eyes (intraocular pressure) is elevated.If not properly controlled, it can lead to damages to the tissues in the back part of your eyes. The end result of glaucoma is eventual peripheral (side) vision loss. Glaucoma begins by attacking peripheral vision, typically causing objects to appear less clearly. At first, it is possible to compensate by squinting or turning the head to focus better. But be careful. These changes may seem minor, but glaucoma can accelerate quickly; causing eyesight to rapidly and irreversibly deteriorate.

Like many diseases, some factors can increase the risk of developing glaucoma, such as age, race or genetics. Glaucoma usually affects one in 200 people by age 50, but as many as one in 10 people by age 80. The risk of developing glaucoma is much higher among African Americans: four to five times higher. In fact, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in African Americans. Not only do African Americans usually develop glaucoma 10 years earlier than Caucasians, they are also six to 15 times more likely to be blinded by the disease.

What's really alarming is that nearly 20 percent of adults have never been to an eye doctor, and more than 60 percent of respondents thought that glaucoma was preventable, according to the American Optometric Association's (AOA) American Eye-QTM survey. Glaucoma cannot be prevented, but if diagnosed and treated early, it can be controlled. This reinforces what the National Optometric Association and the AOA already recommend: adults need regular, comprehensive eye exams. Fortunately, Medicare covers annual glaucoma screenings for people considered at heightened risk of developing glaucoma, such as individuals with diabetes, those with a family history of glaucoma, African Americans age 50 and older and Hispanic Americans age 65 and older.