Diabetic retinopathy is one of many health complications associated with diabetes. Over time, glucose buildup damages the small blood vessels in the retina, the light sensitive tissue that lines the inside of the eye. Those blood vessels then leak blood and fluid, leading to swelling of the retinal tissue. 

Symptoms

In early stages, diabetic retinopathy may produce no symptoms at all. As it progresses, patients experience floaters, blurred vision, blank or dark areas in their vision fields, poor night vision and diminished colors. Without effective treatment, diabetic retinopathy can lead to total blindness.

Stages

Diabetic retinopathy generally progresses through four stages. During the first two stages, known as mild and moderate nonproliferative retinopathy, increasing numbers of blood vessels in the eye swell and start to leak.

As swelling continues, the patient enters severe nonproliferative retinopathy, during which numerous blood vessels are blocked, preventing sufficient blood flow to the retina. In an attempt to counter this, the eye starts growing new blood vessels.

In the final stage, known as proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), the fragile new blood vessels leak as well, and in higher concentrations. This resulting scar tissue causes the retina to separate from the tissue around it. This is known as retinal detachment, and it can lead to blindness.

Diagnosis

A standard comprehensive eye exam can identify diabetic retinopathy. Any known patient history of diabetes will make the eye doctor particularly attuned to watch for signs of retinopathy. The doctor looks for changes in the blood vessels, including any evidence of new blood vessel growth, as well as any sign of the retina being swollen or detached.

Additional testing may include fluorescein angiography, a dye test to highlight damaged blood vessels, and/or optical coherence tomography, an imaging exam that reveals the thickness of the retina. 

Treatment

While there is no cure for diabetic retinopathy, treatment can slow the disease’s impact on vision. That makes early diagnosis and treatment critical. Treatment often includes proper nutrition to control blood sugar and blood pressure, and medications to slow swelling. For more advanced cases, laser surgery may be applied to seal or shrink blood vessels. Retina surgery may also be necessary for advanced PDR.

If you have diabetes, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300 to schedule a comprehensive eye exam or to learn more about diabetic retinopathy treatment options.

While home is where we should feel safest of all, surprising dangers can potentially lead to serious injuries, including blindness. The typical household is host to numerous hazards that could negatively affect your vision. Awareness of these potential threats coupled with simple precautions can help reduce your family’s risks.

Here are five common household items that can lead to blindness…

Chemicals

If you were to count up all the cleaning solutions, detergents, polishes, stain removers, pest products, lawn treatments and automotive fluids in your home, you would find dozens of chemicals with hazardous implications. When improperly used or contacted, many of these chemicals can damage your eyes, and in some cases, cause blindness. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) says household products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year. Read labels carefully and follow instructions when using any household chemical.

Lawn Equipment

Lawn equipment is unforgiving when it comes to eye trauma. With sharp blades spinning at thousands of RPMs, lawn mowers can do direct harm and launch dangerous debris. One study estimated there are 3,300 lawn mower related eye injuries each year. The most common forms of resulting eye injury are hyphema – pooling of blood between the cornea and iris, angle recession – elevated eye pressure due to impaired drainage, and traumatic retinopathy – a form of retina damage. Untreated, all three can result in blindness. Ensure all lawn equipment is functioning properly before use and wear eye protection at all times.

Power Tools

Using power tools is another activity that puts your eyes at risk of flying debris. Sawing, drilling, sanding and grinding send wood and metal shavings speeding through the air. Depending on the size, shape and material of these particles, they can cause irritation at least, and at worst, serious eye trauma. The AAO’s Eye Injury Snapshot reported that 25% of eye injuries are due to home repair or power tools. Always wear proper eye protection to help keep your eyes safe.

Sports Equipment

Like the examples above, when it comes to sports equipment, the risk comes less from the equipment itself, and more from lack of precautions while using it. U.S. emergency rooms treat nearly 30,000 sports-related eye injuries each year. Baseball, hockey, lacrosse and racquet sports have relatively high rates of blunt trauma eye injuries, which among other impacts, can damage or detach the optic nerve, leading to permanent blindness. In basketball football and soccer, eye injuries often result from an inadvertent finger poke. This can cause blood to pool over the pupil or iris, again presenting a risk for blindness. Protective eyewear can prevent an estimated 90% of serious eye injuries.

Sparklers and Fireworks

While sparklers and fireworks may not be common items in the home year-round, they are a huge risk. Sparklers burn at roughly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, firing dangerous sparks in all directions. Fireworks send hot shrapnel hurling through the air. A study by the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission found an estimated 15% of all sparkler and fireworks related injuries were to the eyes. 5% of these victims lose all functional vision. Children are particularly at risk, with children under 15-years-old accounting for 36% of all firework injuries. Sparklers and fireworks are always dangerous, but wearing eye protection can limit some of the risks.

The common thread among all these household dangers is that taking proper precautions can help to limit your risk. At North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care, we want the very best for you and your eyes, so you can enjoy quality vision for a lifetime. So, please be sure to use proper eyewear for the task at hand, and if you need prescription eye protection, we can certainly help. 

Contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300.

COVID-19 continues affecting lives around the world and right here in Gainesville and North Florida. While coronavirus concerns understandably cause many to weigh the benefits before venturing away from home, most people have found some comfort level in proceeding with life’s necessary activities. Among these are elective surgeries, including cataract surgery.

After a brief prohibition in the spring, Florida allowed ophthalmologists to again provide elective eye surgery procedures starting in May of this year, reopening the door for thousands of patients to see clearly thanks to cataract surgery. Of course, this came with a requirement for practices to follow more stringent precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

At North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care, we implemented a series of COVID-19 protocols to maximize patient and staff safety at our practice locations and our surgery center, including:

• Spacing out and staggering appointments to limit waiting room occupancy
• Asking each patient to wear a mask throughout his or her appointment
• Asking that accompanying drivers remain in their cars during appointments, or we will help patients call their drivers to return following their appointments

These precautions have allowed us to continually deliver services to patients since the state’s prohibition was lifted. 

When it comes to the procedure itself, cataract surgery is recognized as being safe and effective. In fact, it’s one of the most common medical procedures performed in the world. And laser-assisted cataract surgery offers more precision and less eye trauma, resulting in faster recovery and fewer complications.

When considering whether now is the right time for you or a loved one to get cataract surgery, the decision often comes down to quality of life. Have the cataracts progressed to the point where you can no longer enjoy the activities you love most – reading, watching TV, driving, enjoying sporting events or just seeing a loved one’s face clearly? If so, it might be the right time to proceed.

A 2012 study of cataract surgery patients concluded that cataract surgery, “greatly improved quality of life and was highly cost effective.” In fact, that study identified a 36.2% improvement in quality of life resulting from cataract surgery. 

To explore your cataract surgery options, or learn more about our practice’s coronavirus safety measures, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300.

While cataracts can be congenital (meaning they are present from birth), they are typically associated with aging. As we age, proteins can build up in the eye or fiber cells may be disrupted, leading to cataracts. Other environmental, health and diet issues can also contribute to cataract development.

There are three primary types of age-related cataracts, all of which require surgery to correct:

Nuclear Sclerotic Cataracts

Nuclear sclerotic cataracts are most common. This form of cataract begins in the middle of the eye and hardens the eye lens. As these cataracts progress, the lens becomes cloudy and may appear yellow or brown. Distance vision is the first thing to go. Some patients initially experience improvement in close-up vision, a condition commonly called “second sight,” but this is only temporary. If the lens is not replaced, over time, vision can be lost completely. 

Cortical Cataracts

Cortical cataracts start in the eye lens cortex (the outside edge of the lens). They form lines that then move towards the center of the lens, like the spokes of a wheel. Vision can be affected in various ways, depending on exact location and prominence of these spokes. Glare from intense light sources, such as car headlights, is common. Cortical cataracts may progress quickly or remain unchanged for extended periods.

Posterior Subcapsular Cataracts

Posterior subcapsular cataracts start as small cloudy or opaque areas on the back surface of the eye lens, beneath the lens capsule that encloses and holds the lens in place. Posterior subcapsular cataracts often develop quickly, with symptoms increasingly noticeable within just a few months. Increased light sensitivity, halos, glare and reduced vision are all common.

Regardless of the type of cataract, surgery is the only effective treatment option. All forms of cataracts permanently damage the eye lens, making it necessary to replace the natural lens with an artificial lens implant in order to restore vision. Artificial lenses are not susceptible to cataracts, meaning that following surgery, cataracts cannot return 

Thankfully, cataract surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the world, and is recognized as being safe and effective. Today, many patients elect to have laser-assisted cataract surgery, making the procedure more precise and pain-free than ever.

If you or someone you love may be experiencing cataracts, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care. Our experts can diagnose your specific type of cataracts and determine if now is the best time for you to consider your cataract surgical options. Call us today at 352-373-4300.

As with all parts of the human body, the structures that make up your eyes can degrade through the years. In cases of trauma or disease, this can result in rapid vision loss, whereas through natural aging, the impacts are generally experienced over time. Here’s an overview of how some of those structures are impacted.

Cornea

The clear, dome-shaped front surface of your eye, known as the cornea, accounts for 65-75% of the eye's ability to focus. When you’re young, the cornea is typically smooth, allowing light to travel unimpeded to the eye lens. Through the years, exposure to environmental factors like smoke, chemicals and allergens can result in tiny scratches and imperfections on the cornea, fragmenting and distorting the incoming light. Additionally, the thin layer of tears that coats and protects the cornea can begin to breakdown, resulting in dry eye syndrome. 

Eye Lens

After passing through the cornea, light reaches the eye lens, which accounts for the remaining 25-35% of your ability to focus. By flexing, the lens adjusts your vision to focus on objects either nearby or farther away. As we age, the lens becomes less pliable, limiting your focal ability, a condition called presbyopia. Presbyopia usually becomes noticeable in your 40’s and gets worse into your 60’s. For people without other vision challenges, reading glasses may be enough to overcome presbyopia limitations. Others may require bifocal or progressive lens eyeglasses. The eye lens can also become cloudy due to the breakdown in its protein structure. This is what we know as cataracts, for which an artificial lens implant is the only treatment option. 

Retina and Optic Nerve

Light from the eye lens is relayed to the retina, which translates it into neural signals, which are then transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve. In the absence of disease, the retina and optic nerve do not degrade much with age. Some age-related eye diseases, however, can damage these eye structures to the point of blindness. Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and glaucoma are both serious conditions. Sadly, ARMD is not correctable, but studies show you can take steps to slow the progression of the disease. Some forms of glaucoma, on the other hand, can be treated, if diagnosed early enough.

As we age, it’s increasingly important to have regular comprehensive eye exams. The Mayo Clinic recommends eye exams every 2-4 years for people in their 40’s to mid-50’s, every 1-3 years for people in their mid-50’s to mid-60’s and every 1-2 years for people age 65 and older. These exams can help detect problems early, giving you the best chance of maintaining healthy vision.

If it’s time for you or someone you love to have an eye exam, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300.

In many ways, this school year will be unlike any other, as families navigate the impacts of COVID-19. In a recent survey, nearly 60% of Alachua County parents indicated they do not plan to send their children back to a brick and mortar school this fall. That translates to a large number of students taking classes digitally instead. Among the many complexities this raises is a concern for children’s vision health. Below are some points parents should be aware of and how you can help protect your children’s vision in this new reality.

Prevent Digital Eye Strain

Digital eye strain can result from extensive or improper viewing of digital screens (phones, tablets, computer monitors, etc). Taking classes remotely will require children to spend hours each day in front of these screens, which can produce headaches, blurred vision, dry, burning and irritated eyes, watery eyes, light sensitivity, difficulty keeping their eyes open and more. These symptoms can extend beyond your children’s time in front of the computer. 

Taking a few simple steps can help prevent digital eye strain. Ensure your children sit at least 25-inches from the screen, encourage them to blink regularly and set 20-minute timers to prompt 20-second breaks from looking at the screen. Make sure the room has sufficient ambient lighting and try to limit screen glare. Most importantly, if your children wear eyeglasses or contacts, talk to your eye doctor. Your children may benefit from eyeglasses made specifically for viewing digital screens.

Watch for Vision Challenge Warning Signs

Many children’s vision problems are initially identified at school. Occasionally, this happens through a formal vision screening. More often, it’s through observation of their behavior in the classroom. Teachers may notice a child squinting to see the blackboard, frequently rubbing or blinking his or her eyes, or avoiding reading and other close activities. These are just a few of the potential signs of vision challenges.

Without in-person teachers to make these observations, parents must be more vigilant. In addition to the warning signs listed above, you should also watch for any complaints of discomfort and fatigue, frequent headaches, covering one eye, holding reading materials close to his or her face, tilting his or her head to one side, or shortened attention span. When these symptoms arise, a trip to your local eye doctor is in order. 

Get Your Child a Vision Exam

The American Optometric Association suggests all children should have a comprehensive eye exam prior to starting first grade, and every two years thereafter. Given the issues listed above, increased frequency may be appropriate for your child. A comprehensive exam can identify eye diseases and conditions easily overlooked by a standard vision screening.

While some parents are hesitant to take their children out of the house for anything that isn’t urgent right now, few things are more essential than protecting your children’s eyesight. Thankfully, reputable eyecare practices have preemptive steps and precautions in place to make your visit as safe as possible.

To ensure your child’s eyes are ready to take on the upcoming school year, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300 to schedule a comprehensive eye exam or learn more about eyeglasses optimized for digital screens.

Sunglasses have the power to make the world a cooler place, and not just cool as in looking cool. In addition to shielding your eyes from bright Florida sunshine, and making you look like a million bucks, the right pair of sunglasses can actually protect your eyes from the ultraviolet rays that can contribute to a number of eye diseases, including cataracts.

Cataracts and Sunlight

Cataracts form when the proteins that make up the eye’s lens begin to break down and clump together. This occurs naturally over time, but can be made worse by a number of factors, including chronic exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. As this happens, the lens becomes thick and cloudy, preventing light from passing through. This is what’s known as a cataract. Once you develop a cataract, surgery is the only effective treatment. The damaged natural lens must be surgically replaced with an artificial lens implant. 

Protecting Your Eyes with Sunglasses

Much of the cataract-producing damage caused by the sun’s UV rays can be prevented by wearing proper sunglasses. Studies show that wearing UV-blocking sunglasses when you’re young helps reduce the risks of developing cataracts as you age. The key is selecting sunglasses that provide 100 percent UVA and UVB protection. UVA and UVB are the variations of ultraviolet rays that can be damaging to your eyes. Many people take UV protection for granted when buying sunglasses, but just because the lenses are tinted dark, doesn’t mean they’re equipped to protect your eyes from UV rays. 

A reliable pair of UV-blocking sunglasses will have UV protection embedded in the lenses rather than just a coating on the lenses. Many brands list the UV protection rating on the label, but your best bet is to confirm with your local optical shop or your optometrist.

Other Eye Health Factors

Cataracts aren’t the only potential eye risk associated of too much exposure to UV rays. Short-term effects can include photokeratitis and photoconjunctivitis, inflammations of certain eye structures, caused by direct acute expose to UV rays. These often feel like you’ve sunburned your eyes. Longer-lasting effects can include pterygium, a condition in which a layer of cells can grow across the cornea and must be surgically removed, and the development of squamous cell cancers of the eye, which can lead to blindness. Macular degeneration is also promoted by long-term UV exposure.

As summers heats up, it’s only natural to want to get outdoors and enjoy all our beautiful state has to offer. Just remember to care for your eyes by protecting them with a great pair of sunglasses. 

At North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care, our two convenient local optical shops offer an outstanding selection of UV-blocking sunglasses from stylish brands, including Kate Spade, Etnia Barcelona, Costa Del Mar and more. Contact us today at 352-373-4300 to make an appointment or just stop in and talk to our knowledgeable staff.

Fear of the unknown can sometimes lead people to hesitate on choices that could make their lives so much better, like getting cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the world, and it’s recognized as being safe and effective. More than 3.8 million cataract procedures are performed in the U.S. each year. Here in Gainesville, Dr Gregory Snodgrass has personally performed more than 20,000 cataract surgeries throughout his career, and he was the first local eye surgeon to use the state-of-the-art LenSx Laser Cataract System.

Of course, the best way to overcome any fear is through education. So, let’s walk through what you can expect if your laser cataract surgery is performed by one of the eye surgeons at North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care.

Preparing for Surgery

Upon arrival at the eye surgery center, you will be asked to complete some basic paperwork and then be brought back to the surgical prep area. Once you’re in your surgical gown and lying comfortably in the hospital bed, the doctor will visit to answer any last-minute questions. Soon after, you’ll be rolled into the surgical suite in your hospital bed. You’ll receive a local anesthetic and remain awake during the 10-15-minute procedure.

The Surgical Procedure

Your surgeon will start by creating a detailed visual map your eye using LenSx’s cutting edge cameras. The doctor then uses the LenSx laser to make a tiny incision in the ideal location of the eye’s surface. A small probe inserted through the incision uses ultrasonic waves to break up the cataract-damaged lens. The tiny pieces are then suctioned out using a second instrument. Finally, the surgeon inserts and positions your new artificial lens through the same incision. The entire process is pain-free, and the incision is so small that it will heal itself without needing stitches.

Recovery

The surgical team will place a temporary protective shield over your eye to block out excess light. Then, in the recovery room, you’ll take some time for your eye to adjust to the new lens. Typically, within 30-60 minutes you will be ready to be driven home. Many patients report improved vision before they even leave the recovery room. Once home, it’s recommended to keep the eye shield on for several hours and wear it while you sleep for a few days. You’ll return to the practice the day after surgery for a follow-up examination with the surgeon.

Any short-term side effects such as cloudy or blurred vision or redness should clear up within a week or two. In fact, some patients see clearly almost immediately.

Cataract surgery truly is a life-changing procedure. Regaining your site means regaining the freedom to explore and experience your world the way you remember it. Now that you know what to expect, we hope you will take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to see clearly again. 

Contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care today at 352-373-4300.

Prevent Blindness America designated June as Cataract Awareness Month to bring attention to this devastating, yet curable, disorder. While cataracts are one of the most common eye disorders in the United States and around the world, too few people understand the causes, symptoms and treatment options. 

Here are five cataract facts you may find surprising…

1. Cataracts are the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 30 million Americans have cataracts. That’s more than twice the total number of people with glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration – combined. 

2. Babies can be born with cataracts.

Although rare, some babies are born with cataracts, a condition known as congenital cataracts. Infections in the mother during pregnancy, such as rubella, syphilis, chicken pox and cytomegalovirus, can cause the condition, as can some other metabolic problems, diabetes, trauma, inflammation and drug reactions.

3. One out of every six Americans over age 40 has cataracts.

Most people think of cataracts as only affecting the elderly, but symptoms and vision loss from cataracts often start as early as age 40. The likelihood of developing cataracts doubles in your 50’s and doubles again in your 60’s. By the age of 80, more than 50% of Americans have cataracts. 

4. Smoking and excessive sunlight add to the risk of developing cataracts.

Smoking doubles the risk of developing nuclear sclerotic cataracts and triples the risk for subscapular cataracts. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can also promote cataract development, reinforcing the importance of wearing UV-blocking sunglasses outdoors.

5. Surgery is the only effective treatment for cataracts.

Cataracts permanently damage the natural eye lens. The only way to restore a patient’s vision therefor is by surgically replacing the natural lens with an artificial lens. Cataract surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the world and is recognized as safe and effective. Traditional and laser-assisted surgical options are available.

If you believe you or someone you love may have cataracts, or if you are dealing with any form of vision loss, contact North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care for an evaluation, diagnosis and treatment plan. Call us today at 352-373-4300 to schedule an appointment.

As health experts around the world continually research coronavirus (COVID-19), we’re learning more about basic precautions that can limit possible exposure and infection. Among these is a recommendation to temporarily replace use of extended wear contact lenses with daily disposable contact lenses.

Studies show coronavirus (COVID-19) can live on some surfaces for days. And, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it may be possible to contract coronavirus (COVID-19) through touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your eyes.

The repeated process of taking out and putting in extended wear contact lenses, placing those same lenses down on surfaces, cleaning them to varying levels of thoroughness and then placing them back into your eyes with your fingers introduces unnecessary risk of virus transmission. That risk is reduced with daily disposable contact lenses, as they are introduced to the eye directly after being removed from sterile packaging. Then, at the end of each day, following thorough hand washing, those contacts can be removed and disposed of.

Contact Lens & Anterior Eye: The Journal of the British Contact Lens Association recently published an article recommending eye doctors should, “consider the option of moving patients to daily disposable lenses.”

Daily disposable contact lenses have been a preferred choice among some contact lens wearers and eye care professionals for years. Many appreciate the convenience of not needing to deal with cleanings, while others point to the reduced health risks associated with day-to-day accumulation of lens deposits and overnight wear. In fact, in their coronavirus (COVID-19) article, Contact Lens & Anterior Eye went on to add, “the use of daily disposable contact lenses substantially reduces the risks of many inflammatory complications.” 

If you or someone you love wears extended wear contacts, now might be a good time to switch over to daily disposables…at least for the short-term.

North Florida Cataract Specialists and Vision Care can help you quickly get the best disposable contact lenses for your vision needs. To assist patients during this time, we currently have a variety of disposable lenses in stock and ready to pick up. To get yours, contact us today at 352-373-4300.