To Dilate, or Not to Dilate..

Is that a question you should be asking?

A yearly visit to the eye doctor is way more than getting glasses, although that part is always super fun; it is also a very necessary part of your overall health and wellness checks.

While it is important to have your prescription updated so you can see to read, drive, and generally enjoy life, it is far more important to see small warning signs for diseases that threaten your vision.

Did you know that 80% of vision problems worldwide are avoidable and even curable? Does that statistic surprise you? Early detection and diligent care can help save your eyes.

Alternatives to dilation

Most people aren’t too jazzed about being dilated when they come in for an eye exam. It leaves you blurry and unable to see up close for several hours.

While it is necessary to see the back of your eye for an exam, dilation is not always the best tool for this.

Optomap is an emerging technology that knocks dilation out of the park. Optomap can see 200 degrees of your eye.

This gives Dr. McGee the ability to see problems developing in the periphery and leads to early detection of diseases, tears, and other indicators that may have otherwise been missed.

In comparison, traditional methods of eye photography reveal just 15% of the retina, while Optomap will show 80%!

Optomap can detect signs of Age Related Macular Degeneration at the earliest stages

Age Related Macular Degeneration is a common eye condition which if not caught and treated in time, will lead to an eventual loss of vision.

For example, with Optomap, it is easier for your doctor to detect the appearance of the different types of drusen (small yellow deposits for lipids and fatty protein). While drusen canbe an early sign of AMD, the existence of soft drusen does increase your risk for developing wet AMD.

Inversely, hard drusen may not cause any effects on vision at all.

Once again, early detection of warning signs is pivotal to slowing and minimizing the effects of AMD.

You can read more about Age Related Macular Degeneration on our previous blog series, found here:

Why Is AMD Awareness So Important?

AMD Treatment Options

Are You At  Risk For Macular Degeneration?

The eyes can reveal a lot about your overall health

We take in a lot of information with our eyes, in turn; the eyes contain a lot of information about our overall health.

Optomap doesn’t just help discover diseases contained within the eye. It can help to better detect signs of diabetes and high blood pressure. Both diseases, if not treated properly threaten your vision, but can also lead to deadly outcomes.

As always, your eye doctor will do what is best for you and your health. Go to your next appointment armed with questions!

Education is important to understanding what your options, risks, and outcomes are. Never shy away from a discussion during your exam to see what is right for you. Remember, early detection is your key to success!

Sources:

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-are-drusen