Fairfield County CT Cataract Surgeon Leslie Doctor, M.D. of Norwalk, Westport & Wilton commented on diabetes, cataracts, cataract surgery and lens implants. “I routinely counsel patients with diabetes seeing me for eye exams about the increased risk of cataracts with diabetes. Generally, they know that diabetes causes abnormal carbohydrate and sugar metabolism, but are unaware that the sugars and metabolic by products damage the crystalline lens of the eye and often form a cataract,” explained Dr. Leslie Doctor. “I also explain that the increased risk of cataracts often means that diabetic patients will need cataract surgery and lens implants-often at an earlier age-than non diabetic patients. But, I also reassure them that using a modern cataract surgery technique-with a very tiny incision-we are able to perform cataract surgery and lens implantation for patients with diabetes with good success.”
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 it might be necessary to take an added precaution of placing an injection of VEGF inhibitor such as Avastin™ 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 Doctor & Associates at 203-227-4113 to schedule an appointment, visit Doctor & Associates in Fairfield County or facebook.com/doctorandassociates.
Doctor & Associates is a leading Fairfield County Connecticut eye care practice providing eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser vision correction such as LASIK, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, diagnosis and management of diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma as well as contact lenses, eyeglasses and optical services. For those patients in need of eye surgery, as a founding member of the Wilton Surgery Center, Doctor & Associates eye surgeons are able to provide eye surgery in a convenient, close to home and cost effective ambulatory surgery center. Whatever your eye care, eye health or vision correction needs might be-Doctor & Associates can serve as a Connecticut ophthalmic consultant and will be conveniently located for patients from Fairfield County and southern Connecticut including Danbury, Stamford, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan, Norwalk, Fairfield, Bridgeport, Cannondale, Aspetuck, Redding, Trumbull, Shelton, Monroe, Darien, Glenbrook and Ridgefield Connecticut.
Doctor & Associates, Fairfield County, Connecticut, Eye Exams and LASIK, Laser Cataract Surgery, Lens Implants, Glaucoma, Eyelid Surgery, Eyeglasses, Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Degeneration.
