Vorsorge für Risikogruppen

Prevention is better than cure

We help risk patients
to keep an eye on their eyes

Prevention for risk groups

Many systemic diseases also affect the eyes. Sometimes, changes of the eye help recognise such an illness in the first place. On the other hand, it is vital to have regular checks-ups of the eyes when a systemic disease was diagnosed.

Early detection for risk patients

 

Our focal point lies in early detection and therapy of changes of the eye in these cases:

  • Early detection of diabetes-induced retina changes
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension
  • Rheumatic-immunological diseases
  • Circulatory disturbances (infarct, peripheral occlusive diseases)
  • Prevention of possible health risk factors to preserve eyesight and to prevent retinal vein occlusion

Why people affected from systemic diseases need ophthalmological prevention

 

Many systemic diseases can also affect the eyes

The most common systemic diseases that affect the eyes:

  • Diabetes mellitus, most of all
  • Arterial hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Circulatory disturbances of the retina and the optic nerve are possible if a cardiovascular disease is the case in the first place, and are often manifesting.

If treated early, many consequential damages can be avoided.


Elements of ophthalmologist eye prevention for risk patients

 

What is done at a preventive examination at our ophthalmic practice:

  • We check the visual acuity, maybe a correction of the glasses, and we inspect the eyes with a slit-lamp. Also, the intra-ocular pressure is measured.
  • We then pay special attention for an examination of the retina. Retina photography by macular OCT and wide-angle photography make the inspection easier and more precise, letting us diagnose many cases of various pathological changes.
  • An OCT inspection of the retina will show in detail, whether pathological changes have occurred, for example a macular edema at the point of sharpest vision (macula). Thanks to the wide-angle photography of the retina (Optos), diabetes-induced pathological vessel changes can be treated earlier, easier, and possibly more targeted.

How often should a preventive screening for risk patients take place?

 

Annual or multiyear control checkups:

  • If a higher risk for retinal vein occlusion is documented, we recommend an annual preventive screening at our practice.
  • For diabetics, who have a higher probability of developing a maculopathy / macular edema, prevention at a higher frequency is advised.

Prevention for diabetics: Very important

 

What diabetes patients need to know:

  • With diabetes, a preventive check should be done at least once a year.
  • The examination is so important, because affected patients do not feel any symptoms until an advanced stage.
  • The earlier diabetes-induced changes of the retina are detected, the more efficient is a therapy and the more likely is a healing.

Without timely treatment, therapy is usually significantly more difficult and the prognosis is worse.

Even blindness cannot be ruled out, if diabetes-induced changes of the retina are diagnosed too late.

 

If a preventive screening produces a finding, therapy of diabetic retinopathy follows

  • At the first stage of a diabetic retinopathy, therapy is often unnecessary. Only a better blood sugar leveling can improve the eye situation significantly.
  • In advanced cases, when, for example, bleedings occur inside the eye, laser treatment for the retina is often mandatory.

In some advanced cases, – for example with a macular edema (bulging at the central retina with liquid deposit due to pathological retinal vessels) – intravitreal injection therapy (application of medicaments into the eye) can be necessary.

Here, with an early treatment, we can save the eyesight.