If you suffer from diabetes, develop a cataract and
need cataract surgery in Fall River you will be in good hands at Center for
Sight. According to Retina Specialist & Cataract Surgeon Robert Kelly,
M.D., “Diabetes is a known risk factor for developing cataracts. Fortunately, cataract
surgery can be successfully performed for patients with diabetes and even for
diabetic patients at risk for or who have developed diabetic retinopathy-a
serious threat to vision and a leading cause of new blindness.”
Researchers believe that the abnormal carbohydrate
and sugar metabolism that is the hallmark of diabetes causes the sugars and
metabolic byproducts to damage the crystalline lens of the eye and form a cataract. “It is not uncommon for diabetic patients to need
cataract surgery-often at an earlier age than others who are not diabetic.
While diabetes is known to cause difficulty with wound healing, the type of
cataract surgery we perform today using a tiny incision, no stitches and with
eye drops for anesthesia, really poses no additional risk to diabetic patients
compared to non diabetic patients, “shared Dr. Kelly.
Dr. Kelly further stressed, “It is important that diabetics considering cataract surgery have a
careful evaluation of the retina-especially the macula-using ocular coherence
tomography (OCT) to identify the presence of diabetic macular edema (DME), a
known finding in diabetic retinopathy that can cause less then optimal results
after cataract surgery.” In addition, in certain situations cataract surgeons
may elect to take an added precaution of placing an injection of VEGF inhibitor
such as Eyelea® or Lucentis® into the vitreous of the eye to prevent new blood
vessel growth. Other than these considerations diabetic cataract surgery can
offer patients good results. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to
preserving eye health and vision with diabetes. See your eye doctor regularly
as he or she requests.
If you or someone you know has questions about
diabetes and cataract surgery please feel free to call Center for Sight at 508-730-2020, visiting www.center-for-sight.com or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.
Center for Sight is conveniently
located at 1565 North Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts
02720 for
patients from Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
