Blog Archive
A retinal detachment is an emergency eye condition that occurs when the thin, light-sensing tissue (the retina) at the back of the eye pulls away from the tissue holding it in place. If you don’t treat it immediately, you could permanently lose your vision. The expert team of ophthalmologists at...
If you suddenly see in your visual field dark specks (floaters) and lightning bolts (flashes), which seem to move with your head in all directions, is it nothing serious, or should you see an ophthalmologist? The answer could go either way, but it’s best if you take any such event...
In 2018, about 34.2 million Americans — 10.5% of the population — had been diagnosed with diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The disease is characterized by high blood sugar levels, either because the body can’t produce enough of the hormone insulin to move the...
Preserving your vision is critical. Floaters (dark specks that move across your field of vision) can be a normal consequence of aging, but if they appear suddenly, especially if they’re accompanied by flashing lights, you need immediate medical help. The expert team of ophthalmologists at Retina Specialists, with five locations...
Comprehensive eye exams are usually pretty low on people’s priority lists, but they shouldn’t be. Seeing an ophthalmologist at least once a year ensures that we can address any changes in your visual acuity, and catch any diseases in their earliest stages, when we can treat them most successfully. At...
When you have high blood pressure, the heart has to push with more force than normal against the artery walls to move blood throughout the body. Over time, this force can damage the arteries and interfere with normal blood flow. Hypertensive retinopathy is an eye condition where systemic high blood...
November is National Diabetes Month, a time to educate yourself about diabetes as a whole — who gets it, what the symptoms are, and how you can manage the disease on a day-to-day basis. There’s a lot to reflect on, because according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
One of the more serious eye conditions is a retinal detachment, when the light-sensing tissue at the back of your eye comes unmoored from its support. If not treated immediately, it can result in vision loss. At Retina Specialists, our expert team of retinal ophthalmologists specializes in retinal conditions, and...
Most people in today’s society associate PRP with platelet-rich plasma therapy, a process that’s used for everything from vampire facials to healing orthopedic injuries faster. However, in the eye care field, it stands for panretinal photocoagulation laser therapy, an innovative treatment for diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of vision loss....
A retinal detachment is an emergency eye condition in which the thin, light-sensing layer of tissue (the retina) at the back of the eye separates from the tissue beneath it holding it in place. If it isn’t treated immediately, you could permanently lose your sight. The expert team of ophthalmologists at Retina...
It may be disconcerting to see dark specks (floaters) and lightning bolts (flashes) in your visual field, which seem to move with you no matter which way you turn, but are these phenomena serious enough that you have to see an ophthalmologist? The answer is maybe, but you should always...
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive eye disease that affects about 11 million Americans, most of them older adults. In fact, it’s the leading cause of vision loss in that population — more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. AMD occurs when the central part of the retina, the light-sensing tissue located...
While most people have heard of a retinal detachment, not everyone is as familiar with a retinal tear, a condition that precedes detachment. At Retina Specialists, our team of expert ophthalmologists wants to educate our patients about the different eye conditions, including retinal tears and detachments. Because both can lead to loss of...
Eye trauma is any damage to the eye or the orbital bone. Trauma can occur whether your eyes are open or closed, and while it’s one of the most common causes of vision loss, it's one of the least talked about. At Retina Specialists, our team of expert ophthalmologists knows that eye trauma has...
According to the CDC, in 2018, about 34.2 million Americans — 10.5% of the population — had been diagnosed with diabetes. The disease increases blood sugar levels, either because the body doesn’t have enough of the hormone insulin to move the sugar into the cells, where it’s used for energy (Type 1),...
About 11 million people in the United States live with macular degeneration, a progressive eye disease. It’s more accurately termed age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because the biggest risk factor is age, with most cases occurring in men and women 55 and older. It’s the leading cause of vision loss for that...
Your eyes do much more than just show you what’s in front of you. They also help you balance, interpret body language, and pick up on social clues, among other things. A retinal detachment, though, can take this all away from you in a very short time, which is why...
Eye trauma is damage that occurs to any of the eye’s structures or the surrounding tissues, including the eye sockets. It can occur from something as small as a speck of dirt trapped under the eyelid or a head blow in a car accident. In addition, it can happen whether...
Diabetes is becoming an epidemic in the United States. According to the CDC, some 34.2 million Americans — 10.5% of the population — had diabetes as of 2018. The disease increases blood sugar levels, either because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to shuttle sugar into the body’s cells, where...
Eye tumors are like tumors anywhere else in your body. They’re collections of abnormal cells that may or may not be cancerous, but they can produce uncomfortable symptoms in either case. At Retina Specialists, our expert team of board-certified ophthalmologists understands that the word “tumor” can produce a lot of...
If your eyes are frequently spilling over with water, there could be any number of causes, but perhaps the most common — and unexpected — one is dry eyes. Your eyes either don’t produce enough tears, or they don’t produce enough good-quality tears, which triggers your body to try to correct the...
About 11 million Americans live with macular degeneration, a progressive eye disease. More appropriately termed age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because it often develops with advancing years, it’s the leading cause of vision loss — more than glaucoma and cataracts combined. AMD occurs when the central part of the retina, the...
Diabetes prevents the proper conversion of glucose (sugar) into energy within the body’s cells. It can occur because your pancreas doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin or because your cells stop responding to insulin’s effects. In both cases, blood glucose levels remain high, which can lead to a variety...
When you go to the ophthalmologist for an eye exam, the doctor doesn’t just test to see how accurate your vision is. A comprehensive exam, which you should have once a year, includes looking at the interior and exterior eye structures to determine if you’re developing any eye diseases or...
Diabetes is a disease that prevents the proper conversion of glucose (sugar) into energy within the body’s cells. Instead, blood glucose levels remain high, causing a variety of health problems. Diabetes occurs for one of two reasons: The pancreas’s beta cells don’t produce enough insulin to shuttle glucose into cells...
Eye trauma is any damage that occurs to the eye, its component parts, or the surrounding tissues, including the eye sockets. Because it can result even from a speck of dirt trapped under the eyelid, the trauma may occur whether your eyes are open or closed. Trauma is one of...
Macular degeneration is a progressive eye disease that affects about 11 million Americans. More appropriately named age-related macular degeneration (AMD) because its onset often comes with advancing years, it’s the leading cause of vision loss — more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. AMD results from the deterioration of the central...
At its most basic, a vitrectomy is a surgical procedure where your ophthalmologist extracts some or all of the vitreous humor, a gel-like substance that resides in the middle of your eyeball. He may do it for a variety of reasons, all of which are geared toward restoring your eye...
Your eyes are not only the windows to your soul, they’re your windows to the world. So if you suddenly lose your vision, you’ve lost a major connection to everything around you. There are many reasons you can lose your vision, but if the onset is sudden, it’s probably a...
It may be disconcerting to see dark specks and flecks in your vision that seem to move with you no matter which way you turn, but are these floaters, as they’re known, actually dangerous? Generally not, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take them seriously. At Retina Specialists, with five...
Macular degeneration, more appropriately named age-related macular degeneration (AMD), is a common, progressive eye disorder, affecting an estimated 11 million Americans. It’s the leading reason for vision loss — causing more than glaucoma and cataracts combined. AMD is caused by deterioration of the central part of the retina, the light-sensing...
If you come to see one of our ophthalmologists for an eye exam, the doctor may dilate your eyes as part of that exam. The good news is that it allows us to examine your eye structures to look for potential diseases and other problems. The bad news is that...
Eye injuries are remarkably common, especially among young people, and they’re a significant cause of preventable vision loss. While most of these injuries may be minor or superficial, not requiring a hospital admission, some ocular trauma is serious — and even potentially fatal. In addition, certain types can develop into...
Diabetes is a disease where your blood glucose (sugar) levels are too high, causing an array of health problems. Diabetes either occurs because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin to shuttle glucose into cells for energy, or because your body doesn’t properly use the insulin it does...
Only around 28,000 Americans experience a retinal tear every year. To put it in perspective, that's only 0.01% of the population. It's a low risk, but a retinal detachment can lead to permanent vision loss, so it's critical to know the risk factors, warning signs, and treatment options. Our ophthalmologists...
What do trouble reading street signs and a drop in your child’s academic performance have in common? Both could be due to myopia, more commonly known as nearsightedness. Around 30% of Americans have myopia, a refractive error that reduces your distance vision. It’s the most common eye disorder and is...
A retinal detachment is a rare, but severe, eye condition that can cause blindness. Suppose you have any signs of retinal detachment, such as a sudden increase in floaters or flashers, or a shadow across either the sides or middle of your vision. In that case, you need immediate attention...
As you age, your risk of retinal eye diseases and reduced visual acuity increases. More than 12 million Americans over the age of 40 have some degree of vision impairment, and millions have eye diseases such as retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts. As with many health conditions, eye diseases...
Macular degeneration affects around 11 million Americans and is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness. While this disease is prevalent, many don’t understand the condition and how it affects your eyes and vision. Here at the Retina Specialists, our expert ophthalmologists diagnose and treat macular degeneration at our...
More than 2.4 million Americans injure their eyes every year, and up to 20% of eye injuries result in temporary or permanent vision loss. Most eye traumas are work-related or involve chemicals, although eye injuries are also common in sports, automobile accidents, and personal assault. If you sustain an eye...
It’s finally 2021! If you’re looking forward to a fresh start, there’s no better way than to invest in your health. While everyone is trying to get more exercise and eat more vegetables, why not take this time to schedule your comprehensive eye exam? Our team of expert ophthalmologists at...
Approximately 7.7 million Americans live with diabetic eye disease, the leading cause of blindness in people aged 20-74. It’s a prevalent diabetes complication that is easily preventable with expert eye care. Our team of expert ophthalmologists at the Retina Specialists offices — in Dallas, DeSoto, Plano, Mesquite, and Waxahachie, Texas...
Over 11 million Americans have macular degeneration, a prevalent eye disease that occurs when the macula deteriorates. Your maculas are the parts of your retinas that provide your central vision. There are two types of macular degeneration: wet and dry. Wet is less common, but treatable. Around 85-90% of people...
Routine eye exams are the best way to ensure that your eyes are healthy and that you see as clearly as possible. Depending on your age or risk of eye disease, you might need a dilated eye exam every year, or every other year, so your ophthalmologist can examine your...
More than 40% of people who have diabetes have some degree of diabetic retinopathy, a condition that causes abnormal blood vessels to leak blood and other fluids into your eyes. This can lead to retinal damage and eventual blindness. Fortunately, advances in modern medicine have found new, effective ways to...
Every year, more than 2 million Americans experience eye trauma. These injuries can occur at any time, whether you’re playing a contact sport, working on a DIY project, or even taking an evening jog around your neighborhood. At Retina Specialists in Dallas, DeSoto, Plano, Mesquite, and Waxahachie, Texas, our team...
While potentially dangerous on their own, retinal tears also often precede retinal detachment — an eye emergency that can lead to blindness. However, getting prompt treatment can keep a retinal tear from evolving into a detachment. You need to know your risk factors and the warning signs to take action...
Having diabetes significantly increases your risk of developing potentially dangerous eye diseases. For example, around a third of people over the age of 40 with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of vision loss and blindness. However, diabetic retinopathy isn’t the only diabetes-related eye disease that can permanently damage...
You might think that eye exams are just for people who need glasses or contact lenses. While maintaining a current prescription for corrective lenses is important, there are plenty of other reasons to schedule your next comprehensive eye exam. Here at Retina Specialists, our team of expert ophthalmologists provides comprehensive...
Around 11 million people have age-related macular degeneration, which is just one of the diseases that can damage your macula and potentially lead to blindness. Your macula is the part of your retina that provides your central vision. Oftentimes macular diseases don’t cause symptoms in their early stages, so two...
Have you ever wondered how new medical treatments or medications are discovered, tested, and approved for use with the general public? Clinical trials are a critical part of that process. Here at Retina Specialists, our team of expert ophthalmologists participates in clinical trials at our offices in Dallas, DeSoto, Plano,...
Around 40% of people with diabetes have some degree of diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of adult blindness. However, having routine diabetic eye exams allows your ophthalmologist to monitor your eye health and treat any issues early on. Here at Retina Specialists, with five convenient locations in Dallas, DeSoto, Plano,...
If you’ve seen something moving across your field of vision, only to realize that it’s a flash of light, then you’ve been experiencing floaters. You may also notice flashes, which are similar to a camera’s flash. They may accompany floaters, or you may notice them when you close your eyes...
Everyone see little specks or strings floating through their vision from time to time, but a sudden increase of your floaters could be a sign of retinal detachment — an eye emergency that could result in blindness. Prompt action can save your vision. We now share the symptoms of a...
Your eyes are precious and safeguarding their health is paramount. But accidents happen and the steps you take (and don’t take) immediately after can make all the difference -- and may even preserve your sight. At Retina Specialists, our team of experienced ophthalmologists routinely handles eye emergencies of all kinds,...
According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 2 in 5 people with diabetes have some degree of diabetic retinopathy, an eye disease that causes blindness. Anyone with any type of diabetes can develop diabetic retinopathy, including children and adults with types 1 or 2 diabetes and pregnant women...
September is Healthy Aging Month, and our team of eye care experts at Retina Specialists is happy to promote it. To that end, we’ve put together some practical steps you can take to help keep your eyes healthy and your vision intact. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive condition...