Dry eye syndrome is a common condition, especially as we age. When the quantity or quality of our tears aren’t able to adequately lubricate our eyes, we can experience the uncomfortable symptoms of dry eyes on a chronic basis. Symptoms often include:

• A gritty sensation in your eyes
• Stinging or burning
• Redness or irritation
• Blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Pain when wearing contact lenses

While it may seem easy to self-diagnose chronic dry eyes and just buy over-the-counter eye drops for temporary relief, you could be doing yourself a real disservice by doing so. Using non-prescribed eye drops for a long period of time isn’t recommended, and it’s also important to understand the cause of your dry eyes in order to find the safest and most effective treatment for a long-term solution. (more…)

Diabetes is on the rise in the U.S., and diabetic eye disease is a leading cause of blindness. Over time, high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels throughout the body, including those within the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is the condition that occurs when the blood vessels in the retina become damaged from diabetes. If not detected in the early stages, diabetic retinopathy can cause permanent vision loss or even blindness.

The disease usually affects both eyes and there are two types of diabetic retinopathy—background retinopathy, also known as non-proliferative retinopathy, and proliferative retinopathy. With background diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels in the retina rupture, which puts you at risk of serious risk of vision loss. When the retina begins to lose enough blood, your body will try to grow new blood vessels on the retina to replace the ruptured vessels. This is considered proliferative diabetic eye disease, which is much more likely to result in permanent vision loss.

(more…)