Eye Health

Everyone needs an annual eye exam for several reasons. First, nearly 60% of Americans need some form of vision correction, most of which can be detected and, subsequently, corrected during an eye exam. But, they don't call the eyes the window to the soul without reason. There are nearly 40 systemic diseases which our Indiana eye doctors at Dr. Tavel may be able to detect through a routine eye exam.

Some of these diseases are insidious and have little or no symptoms. So, an eye exam may be the first sign something is wrong. An annual exam can (and has) detect(ed) some forms of cancer as well as systemic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, MS, and lung diseases like Histoplasmosis, a disease that is endemic in the Ohio River Valley which includes Indiana.

Aside from systemic diseases, according to the National Eye Institute, the number of Americans with major eye diseases is increasing, and vision loss is becoming a major public health problem. Blindness or low vision affects 3.3 million Americans over the age of 40, or 1 in 28. This figure is projected to reach 5.5 million by the year 2020. The study identifies age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy as the most common eye diseases in Americans age 40 and over.

Worse yet, another study shows that most Americans don’t know the risks and warning signs of diseases that could cause blindness. In the "Survey of Public Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Related to Eye Health and Disease," sponsored by the National Eye Institute and the Lions Clubs International Foundation, 71% of respondents said that eye sight loss would have the greatest impact on their day-to-day lives, but only eight percent did know that there were no early warning signs of glaucoma.

Below is information about several of the most common eye diseases that our Indiana eye doctors at Dr. Tavel may detect during an eye exam:

Optic neuritis and Multiple Sclerosis

Have vision problems such as blurry vision? Do you have partial or complete loss of vision in one or both eyes? Endure pain during eye movement?

Although these symptoms could translate to a number of illnesses or diseases, if they coincide with symptoms such as fatigue, numbness in the face and body limbs, walking/coordination problems, sexual dysfunction, cognitive problems, bladder and bowel problems, spasticity or muscle stiffness and involuntary movements they could mean multiple sclerosis or as it is commonly abbreviated, MS.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that occurs in people with diabetes and is the result of damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina, the light sensitive lining at the back of the eye. This damage can cause vision loss.

It affects more than 4 million people over the age of 40, according to the National Eye Institute. One in every 12 people with diabetes age 40 and older has vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy.

According to the American Optometric Association risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include:

Cataract

A cataract is a cloudy area in the normally clear lens of the eye. Depending on its size and location it can interfere with normal vision. According to the National Eye Institute, cataract is the leading cause of low vision among all Americans, affecting more than 20 million people over the age of 40.

Cataracts generally form very slowly and develop in people over the age of 55. Infants and young children, however, can suffer from cataracts.

Most cataracts are due to age-related changes in the lens. Other factors include:

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that impairs the optic nerve when fluid and pressure build up in the eye and damage the optic nerve. It affects more than 3 million people, according to The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, but half do not realize it because there often are no warning signs.

Among Hispanics, glaucoma is the most common cause of blindness; glaucoma and cataract are the leading causes of blindness among African Americans, according to the National Eye Institute. In fact, glaucoma is almost three times as common in African Americans as in Caucasians.
There are various types of glaucoma:

Age-related Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness among white Americans age 40 and over, according to the National Eye Institute. Today, 1.8 million adults suffer from age-related macular degeneration; by 2020 that figure is expected to reach 2.9 million. According to the University of Virginia, age-related macular degeneration is the breaking down, or degeneration, of the macula – the part of the retina responsible for the sharp, central vision needed to read or drive.