The Health and Wellness Center offers eye exams that can be helpful for the early detection of diabetes.  

Many Are Unaware They Have Diabetes

It’s estimated that 1 out of every 5 Americans who suffer from diabetes do not realize they have the disease. Diabetes, now the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., is the number one cause of kidney failure as well as the number one cause of lower-limb amputations and adult blindness.

Routine eye exams can help identify diabetes symptoms while the disease is still in its early stages. Once there is an onset of diabetes, one of the first parts of the body that is affected are the eyes.

Dr. Austin Byrum, an optometrist with the Health and Wellness Center in Stigler, Oklahoma, says that diabetes can be detected early through a dilated eye exam. Early detection can give patients a head start in taking steps to keep the disease under control and limit the damage diabetes can cause to their eyes and to their overall health.

Detect Diabetes Early with an Eye Exam

During a dilated eye exam, optometrists can detect signs of diabetes that include a condition called diabetic retinopathy.  Diabetic retinopathy affects the blood vessels in the eye’s retina (the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye). The blood vessels become weakened due to high blood sugar levels. This leads to bleeding within the eye.

If left untreated, the bleeding within the eye can lead to a condition called diabetic macular edema. Macular edema involves swelling in the central area of the eye which can lead to vision loss.

“If we can catch it early enough the treatment is super simple at that point,” Dr. Byrum says. “It’s usually just getting the blood sugar under control and all the bleeding will go away.”

Dr. Byrum notes there are other eye diseases that can develop as a result of diabetes such as glaucoma – a condition where a pressure spike in the eye leads to damage to the optic nerve which transfers signals from the eye to the brain – as well as the early onset of cataracts.

Other health factors can lead to eye damage including high blood pressure, smoking, and high cholesterol.

Dr. Byrum says patients who are aware they have diabetes should schedule and eye exam if they begin to notice any of the following symptoms:

• Fluctuating vision – especially if your vision becomes blurry when your blood sugar is high.
• Irregular flashes or “floaters” within the eyes.
• Dark spots that pop up within your vision that remain there for several days.
• A curtain of black that filters down over your vision.

Dilated eye exams can be uncomfortable for the patient, but the exam can reveal valuable clues that give healthcare providers a better view of overall patient health.

“That’s not the most fun thing to do in the world, to have your eyes dilated,” Dr. Byrum says. “But it’s very important for the doctor to be able to put those drops in to make your pupil wide enough to see inside of the eye and to possibly catch some of these eye conditions before they start to harm your vision.”

According to Dr. Byrum, there have been several instances when a routine annual dilated eye exam has allowed him to detect signs of diabetes in patients who were unaware they had the disease. When this occurs, the patients are referred to a physician within the Health and Wellness Center who will create a treatment plan to help the patient address diabetes.

Diabetes and vision loss hit close to home for Dr. Byrum

Having family members who deal with diabetes and vision loss gives Dr. Byrum a strong sense of purpose in how he provides patient care. Through his work as an optometrist, Dr. Byrum hopes to make a difference in the lives of his patients.

 “My family has a strong history of diabetes and high blood pressure, things like that. I’m trying to save them (his patients) from going through the same process. Losing vision is just a terrible thing.”

Conclusion:

You can schedule a simple eye exam that can detect glaucoma by calling the Health and Wellness Center at 1-800-640-9741.

For eye exams, the Health and Wellness Center accepts vision insurance, and in some instances medical insurance, and they also offer a sliding fee scale that can be applied to eye exams and to glasses.

Written by Lance Montgomemery

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It’s reported by the Glaucoma Research Foundation that by the year 2030, an estimated 4.2 million Americans will suffer from glaucoma.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month. Dr. Jeremy Roach, Director of Optometry at the Stigler Health and Wellness Center in Stigler, Oklahoma, talks about glaucoma awareness and the detection and treatment options that are available at the Health and Wellness Center.

A Silent Thief

Glaucoma, known as “the sneak thief of sight”, is a group of eye diseases that cause vision loss by damaging the optic nerve that transfers signals from the eye to the brain. Damage to the peripheral vision – your vision that allows you to see out of the “corner of your eye” – is usually the first to suffer from the effects of glaucoma.

Glaucoma causes gradual damage to the vision and can go unnoticed – and therefore untreated – for a long period of time.

“There are a lot of times there are no symptoms until it’s fairly advanced,” Dr. Roach says. “And because of that we have to get in as early as we can to have the eyes examined because there really are not symptoms a lot of times.”

Dr. Roach adds that early glaucoma detection is key because there is no cure for glaucoma and once vision is lost to glaucoma, it can never be restored.

Early Detection with The Latest Technology

With glaucoma symptoms so difficult to detect, Dr. Roach and his team use technology that allows them to examine optic nerve fibers in a patient’s eye to determine if the fibers have been damaged. By examining the optic nerve, Dr. Roach is able to detect the first clues of the onset of glaucoma long before the patient is even able to detect any changes in their vision.

Dr. Roach says that the eye exams are generally noninvasive and are an extremely important part of overall physical care.

“There’s really nothing to be afraid of,” Dr. Roach says. “We’re typically not having to give shots or do anything too aggressive. The eyes are the windows to the soul. Eye care is critical.”

If detected early enough, glaucoma can be treated with simple eye drops or with minor surgical procedures.

Glaucoma Risk Factors

While glaucoma can occur in any one at any age there are multiple risk factors according to the American Optometric Association that put people at a higher risk:

• Age: People over age 60 are at an increased risk for glaucoma.
• Medical conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and heart disease.
• Race/ethnicity: People of African American, Asian and Latino descent are noted as having an increased risk for glaucoma.

Patient Eye Care is a Personal Mission for Dr. Roach

Dr. Roach has dedicated a 20-year career to bringing eye health and better vision to his patients. For Dr. Roach, eye care is more than a career, it is also a personal mission.

“To be able to provide sight to someone who is having difficulties with vision, whether that be a child or an adult, to help them to be able to see something clearly for the first time is absolutely amazing. I consider it a privilege to be able to offer my services to help people see.”

Conclusion:

You can schedule a simple eye exam that can detect glaucoma by calling the Health and Wellness Center at 1-800-640-9741.

For eye exams, the Health and Wellness Center accepts vision insurance, and in some instances medical insurance, and they also offer a sliding fee scale that can be applied to eye exams and to glasses.

Dr. Roach says that the eye exams are generally noninvasive and are an extremely important part of overall physical care.

“There’s really nothing to be afraid of,” Dr. Roach says. “We’re typically not having to give shots or do anything too aggressive. The eyes are the windows to the soul. Eye care is critical.”

Written by Lance Montgomery

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Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, social media has seen an avalanche of information on the disease as well as on the vaccine.

Unfortunately, a lot of the information that has circulated is false.

Bad advice, crackpot conspiracy theories and allegations of “plandemics” have made the rounds on social media. As a result, it has become difficult to understand just exactly what steps to take to protect you and your family.  

In response, the Health and Wellness Center in Stigler, Oklahoma has created a website to provide the community with current and reliable COVID-19 vaccine and prevention information.

You can access the website by clicking here.

A Community Resource

 The website has a number of informative features including:

• A video that touches on a number of topics related to the COVID-19 vaccine. Topics include vaccine side effects and allergic reactions and vaccine clinical trials.
• A vaccine information section is an additional information resource on the Moderna and Pfizer Biontech vaccines. The Health and Wellness Center has vaccine guidelines in place to be eligible to receive the vaccine.
• Basic steps for disease control and prevention such as properly washing your hands and monitoring for symptoms.

Vaccine Availability

The Health and Wellness Center is currently taking appointments for those wishing to receive the vaccine. Patients may sign up for the appointment waitlist by visiting the website.

The vaccine administration and distribution plan adheres to Oklahoma State Department of Health guidelines. The plan is also based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The Health and Wellness Center is a community health care provider. We are dedicated to overall patient health, including protection against COVID-19.

For more information, please call 1-800-640-9741 or visit our COVID-19 information page or the Health and Wellness Center homepage.

Written By Lance Montgomery

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