eye wonder more eye wonder - eye doctor craig berger md...

• Bay area eye InstItute •15511 n. Florida avenue #a1 • tampa, Florida 33613

(813) 265-6940 • www.CraigBergerMD.com



Diabetes is a disease typified by high blood sugar. High blood sugars

damage the smallest blood vessels throughout the body and problems arise where these blood vessels are important. Some of the symptoms diabetics may experience are tingling or pain at the tips of the toes and fingers, high blood pressure from kidney disease, and blurry vision from damage to the tiny blood vessels in your eye. The structure in your eye most vulnerable to diabetic small blood vessel disease is the retina.

As retinal blood vessels become damaged through high blood sugar

levels, swelling of retinal tissue, bleeding into the fluid-filled cavity of the eye, and detachment of the retina can occur. These specific problems can manifest as blurry areas or severe floaters clouding the vision. The best way to avoid diabetic retinal disease is to control blood sugars.

Scientific studies have shown that the progression of diabetic retinopathy can be dramatically slowed with tight blood glucose control. However, even

with excellent sugar control, there is often residual retinal damage from previous periods of high blood sugar.

There are many treatments for diabetic retinal

disease. Lasers can treat many manifestations of diabetes and are performed in retina specialty clinics. For more severe diabetic retinal disease, injections of medications

and retinal surgery are considered. The most important first steps in diabetic eye care are tight control of blood sugar and committing to regular dilated eye exams. All manifestations of diabetic retinal disease have better outcomes when they are diagnosed and treated early in their course.

Eye Wonder

Dr. Berger’s practice focuses on patient satisfaction. Our philosophy is to put the patient first, provide physical and emotional comfort, and strive for the highest care possible. Your time and comfort are paramount. Dr. Berger feels that patient education is an important aspect of your treatment and will take the time to explain your ocular condition(s).

The Bay Area Eye Institute provides comprehensive eye care including routine eye exams, diabetic eye exams, glaucoma screening and treatment, dry eye management, cataract surgery, cornea transplant surgery, LASIK and PRK. Call to make an appointment today.

The eye functions much like a camera. Suppose you are going to take a picture of your spouse. Light rays bounce

off your spouse. The image which is composed of light rays travels through the camera and is focused (brought to a point) by the lens on the camera. If the image is in focus, the light rays strike the film producing a sharp image. If for some reason the lens is dirty, scratched, or is out of focus, the

image is blurred or distorted. You then drop the film off at the store

to be developed. If you have a working camera,

good film and correct focus, an hour later

you have a clear picture of your loved one.

The EYE is like aCAMERA

Volume 1 • Issue 1 • april/08

More Eye Wonder

Diabetic RetinopathyInformation provided by David Eichenbaum, MD

Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida • (727) 323-0077

Answers:1. F 6. F2. F 7. T3. T 8. F4. F 9. T5. F 10. T

A K W I M L E N SN T C A R A T A CI L I P U P D F TT R Z A P R T T SE Q B L I T D I WR Q C F J B N P SG S I R I L D P CE M M C O R N E AI K Z B A X U J Y

A PAt i e n t e d u c At i o n PA m P h l e tCraig Berger, M.D. • Board Certified Ophthalmologist





how Does the eye woRk?

Suppose that you are looking at your spouse. Light bounces off your spouse and passes

through the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye), through the pupil (the black circle) in the center of the iris (the colored part of the eye) and then through the lens inside your eye. The iris opens and closes to adjust the total amount of light entering the eye. The human lens, acting just like the camera lens, focuses the light onto the retina.

In young people, (under the age of 40), the human lens can adjust to add focusing

power to bring near objects into better focus. The cornea contributes some of the focusing power of the eye, but it is not able to adjust like the human lens.

The retina translates the light into electrical impulses which then travel to the brain

via the optic nerve. The brain converts these impulses into the picture of your spouse.

test youR knowleDgeReady to test your eye knowledge with true or false questions?

(Answers on last page)

1. t F Failure to use proper glasses, as an adult, will hurt your eyes.

2. t F Reading in dim lighting can hurt your eyes.

3. t F Everyone will develop cataracts if they live long enough.

4. t F Eating carrots can improve your vision.

5. t F Sitting too close to the TV or watching TV in the dark will hurt your eyes.

6. t F Contact lenses can slip back behind the eye.

7. t F Overuse or misuse of contact lenses can result in blindness.

8. t F Overuse of your eyes can weaken them.

9. t F Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness in adult Americans.

10. t F High blood pressure can lead to loss of vision.

woRD seaRch(Answers on last page)

Find these words:CATARACTCORnEAIRISLEnSPuPILRETnA

More “Eye” -ducation Eye Games

what about pRoblems with

the eye?This camera analogy can explain how many of the

diseases/conditions of the eye result in blurred or distorted vision. If the eye is too long or the cornea is too steep, the image is focused in front of the retina and distant objects appear blurry.

This is called myopia (nearsightedness). If you move the object closer, (for example, your spouse comes

to you for a hug), the image focus moves towards the retina and your spouse comes into focus. If the eye is too short or the cornea is too flat, the image focus lies behind the retina and the image is blurry. This is called hyperopia (farsightedness). Sadly for hyperopes, no mater where your spouse is, they are never in focus.

Astigmatism of the cornea is another condition that can result in blurred vision. Astigmatism is

best described by using the basketball versus football comparison.

If the cornea is round and symmetric like a

basketball, the cornea has nO astigmatism. If it is shaped like a football, (with one axis flat and the other steep), that cornea has astigmatism. Like hyperopia, astigmatism makes your spouse blurry no matter where they are. Of course, glasses, contact lenses, refractive surgery and cataract surgery can all bring your spouse into perfect focus!

A K W I M L E N SN T C A R A T A CI L I P U P D F TT R Z A P R T T SE Q B L I T D I WR Q C F J B N P SG S I R I L D P CE M M C O R N E AI K Z B A X U J Y

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