Conditions Archives - Coastal Eye Surgeons

How to keep your eye on the ball!

Coastal Eye Surgeons — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 23:10:41 +0000

Excellent vision is crucial for a comfortable and enjoyable round of golf. From seeing your target, the tee, where your ball lands, to being able to score your game, having your eyes checked annually ensures you are optimising the “sight” of your game.

As we hit the fairways this summer in search of the white ball, we should assess the quality of our vision. There are many small things that can improve your vision and game.

Sunglasses:

In our beautiful “sunshine” state, the need for sunglasses is paramount for sun protection, particularly when on the golf course. Sunglasses decrease the amount of UV radiation that the eyes are exposed to.

What type of glasses should I get?

Polarised sunglasses provide the best protection to UV rays, as they are designed to filter out this light. They also reduce glare, reflections and haze, as demonstrated in this photo.

The lenses in these polarised glasses come in different colours.

Which coloured polarised glasses are best for a good game?

Different coloured lenses block specific lights, and can be better suited for different activities or weather conditions.

Green tinted sunglasses provide high quality contrast and clarity, whilst allowing accurate colour transmission. They are ideal for both sunny and low light environments and reduce glare, whilst brightening shadows.

What is happening when I can’t see my golf ball land or see the flag properly?

One of the reasons for this can be the development of cataracts. Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of your eye. This lens is located behind your iris, or the coloured part of your eye.

People with cataracts commonly notice:

Blurred vision and loss of detail of the ball on the tee and or the flag on the green.
Not seeing where the golf balls lands.
When scoring, they require brighter lights or increasing screen brightness to see details on the scoring app.
Colours are faded, or appear more yellow.
Increase in sensitivity to light, most noticeable at night, where headlights can be glary and have halos.

Cataracts commonly occur when you’ve enjoyed a number of birthdays, and by the age of 60 most people experience some signs of having cataracts.

At Coastal Eye Surgeons, we can assess, monitor and provide surgical treatment for cataracts. At your visit, not only will the whole health of your eye be assessed, but with the use of our up-to-date technology, you will also be able to see what the Doctors see.

If our doctors deem cataract surgery appropriate, they will involve you in a thorough discussion of your lifestyle, hobbies and vision requirements to determine the intra-ocular lenses which best suit your needs – ideally, these will permit functional specular independence and improve quality of life.

The Coastal Eye Surgeons are Dr Louise Robinson and Dr Khoi Tran, who both are specialist ophthalmologist with advanced surgical training in cataracts and pterygiums. Dr Robinson also has sub specialised interest in glaucoma treatments, and Dr Tran in conditions of the vitreous, retina, and macula. Together, they provide a comprehensive suite of eye care services to the Northern Gold Coast, Hinterland, and surrounding areas.

Coastal Eye Surgeons are here to deliver you the best quality visual support and treatment options where and when it matters to you. We can help you with your vision, but your swing is up to you!

Ask your GP or Optometrist for a referral today.

The post How to keep your eye on the ball! appeared first on Coastal Eye Surgeons.

Why is glaucoma more common in diabetes?

Coastal Eye Surgeons — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 23:23:10 +0000

Glaucoma is one of the most common eye conditions, affecting up to 1 in 8 Australians by age 80. However, not everyone is affected equally. Some patients – particularly those with diabetes – are at higher risk of developing it than others.

To understand why this is the case, we need to understand how glaucoma typically develops and how diabetes can affect the eyes.

How glaucoma develops normally

Glaucoma is not a single disease. The name refers to a group of eye conditions which can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness. This damage can occur when the eye’s natural drainage system becomes blocked.

When fluid cannot leave the eye, it can build up and increase the eye’s internal pressure. This places extra stress on the optic nerve and can damage it, resulting in permanent vision loss. A variety of factors can influence this, including smoking and normal ageing.

The two main types are open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. People with diabetes are at particular risk of open-angle glaucoma, which can develop over a long period and may be exacerbated by some of diabetes’ effects.

What happens in diabetic patients?

Diabetic patients are at much higher risk of developing many eye conditions, including diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy may increase the risk of developing glaucoma as it damages the blood vessels inside the eye. This sometimes causes new blood vessels to develop in the eye, potentially growing over the eye’s drainage system and blocking it. This is known as neovascular glaucoma.

Other studies point to high blood sugar itself as a direct cause. High blood sugar may influence the production of the protein fibronectin, which can accumulate in the eye’s natural drainage system and damage it.

How do I prevent glaucoma?

If you suffer from diabetes, the simplest way to prevent glaucoma is with regular eye check-ups. A dilated eye exam at least once a year can allow your ophthalmologist to spot concerns and address potential vision loss before it occurs.

Managing your blood sugar levels is also essential to preventing damage. High blood sugar on its own does not usually cause damage in the short-term: It’s not uncommon to experience blurred vision for a few days or weeks after adjusting your diabetic care plan or medications, as changing glucose levels can cause temporary swelling in the eye’s tissues. However, high glucose levels over long periods can damage the eye’s blood vessels and needs to be avoided through medical management.

At Coastal Eye Surgeons, we have a wealth of experience and treatment options available to help manage diabetic eye disease and prevent lasting vision loss. We can work together with your GP and endocrinologist to tailor a management plan which works best for your eyes.

Seeking help

Glaucoma is sight-threatening, but it’s well understood and prompt treatment can go a long way in saving sight. If you think you may be affected, it’s critical to see your eye doctor straight away to start treatment.

Located on Hope Island (near the Gold Coast), Coastal Eye Surgeons is experienced in diagnosing and treating glaucoma and can provide a range of options.

You can learn more about how the eye works, glaucoma, and how it’s treated by following the links below

Glaucoma | Coastal Eye Surgeons
Learn about how Coastal Eye Surgeons diagnoses and treats glaucoma on Hope Island
Anatomy of the eye | Glaucoma.org
Learn more about how increased eye pressure causes glaucoma.
Glaucoma Australia | Glaucoma.org.au
Access more information on living with glaucoma and seeking treatment.

The post Why is glaucoma more common in diabetes? appeared first on Coastal Eye Surgeons.

The eye is like a kitchen sink – Basic structure of the eye

Coastal Eye Surgeons — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 23:32:57 +0000

The eye is a complex organ which involves a lot of structures and systems working together. When they all work as they should, the eye functions normally.

One of these is the drainage system. It operates somewhat like a kitchen sink, keeping the pressure in the eye at a safe level. Here’s how it works.

How the drainage system works

The front of the eye is full of fluid. It’s easiest to think of it like a sink.

The ciliary body works like a tap. It’s located behind the eye’s iris (coloured part) and lens (clear part). The ciliary body produces fluid called aqueous humour which fills up your eye and flows through the pupil.

The trabecular meshwork is a section of spongey tissue which works like a drain. Aqueous humour can flow through it to exit the eye. Once it does so, it gets absorbed into small channels and then into veins, making its way back into the body’s circulatory system.

When these two structures work together properly, it’s like turning on the tap in an unplugged sink. Fluid can fill the sink and exit at about the same rate, so the amount of fluid present stays similar. If they don’t work as intended, severe vision problems can result.

What can go wrong?

Much like a sink, the eye can have problems which affect its ability to fill and drain properly.

If the drain gets blocked, fluid cannot leave the area. As a result, it can build up and cause pressure inside the eye.

If the tap is broken, the eye can get more fluid than it can drain. This can also cause increased intraocular pressure (IOP) and damage the optic nerve.

This leads to optic nerve damage and serious vision problems like glaucoma. Since vision loss caused by a damaged optic nerve can’t be recovered, problems with the eye’s drainage system are sight-threatening and need to be addressed as soon as possible.

How do these things get fixed?

In this case, an ophthalmologist works like a plumber to correct problems and restore normal IOP. There are a few ways we can do this.

High IOP can be treated with eye drops or medications. These work by improving drainage, similar to a plumber flushing the sink with drain cleaner to unblock it. Other types of drops work by decreasing aqueous humour production.

If these are not effective, a laser or surgical procedure may be used to decrease the eye pressure. These work by opening the drainage passages or creating new ones, similar to a plumber unblocking your drain or installing a new one. In some cases, these procedures are performed in an emergency setting.

If drops or laser treatments don’t manage eye pressure, a surgeon can implant a glaucoma drainage device. These essentially make a new drainage system in the eye, like a plumber installing new pipes underneath your sink. If you need one, your surgeon will discuss the types available with you and select one that best meets your needs.

If the ciliary body is producing too much fluid and medications don’t help it, it can be destroyed using a laser or freezing procedure. This is known as cyclodestruction, and it’s like a plumber fixing a very leaky tap by removing it.

Seeking help

Located on Hope Island (near the Gold Coast), Coastal Eye Surgeons is experienced in diagnosing and treating glaucoma and can provide a range of options.

You can learn more about how the eye works, glaucoma, and how it’s treated by following the links below

Glaucoma | Coastal Eye Surgeons
Learn about how Coastal Eye Surgeons diagnoses and treats glaucoma on Hope Island
Anatomy of the eye | Glaucoma.org
Learn more about how increased eye pressure causes glaucoma.
Glaucoma Australia | Glaucoma.org.au
Access more information on living with glaucoma and seeking treatment.

The post The eye is like a kitchen sink – Basic structure of the eye appeared first on Coastal Eye Surgeons.