ASRS's Retina Health for Life

People with diabetes are at risk for developing diabetic eye disease, which can result in vision loss and blindness. And people with early stages of diabetic eye disease may experience few if any symptoms. But losing sight from diabetes is far from a foregone conclusion, especially with regular dilated eye exams, early diagnosis, and treatment advances made possible by retina specialists.

On this episode, Dr. Timothy Murray discusses the importance of diabetic eye disease awareness with two special guests: Dr. Emily Chew, the deputy clinical director at the National Eye Institute (NEI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Dr. Judy Kim, president of the American Society of Retina Specialists, and National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) Planning Group member.

Resources:

• Access the National Eye Institute's Diabetic Eye Disease Resources at: www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/outreach-campaigns-and-resources/diabetic-eye-disease-resources.
• Learn more about the National Eye Health Education Program (NEHEP) and its six program areas at www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/outreach-campaigns-and-resources/national-eye-health-education-program
• Access the American Society of Retina Specialists' information on diabetic retinopathy at www.SeeforaLifetime.org/Diabetic Retinopathy and downloadable resources at www.SeeforaLifetime.org/Resources.

February is age-related macular degeneration (AMD) awareness month, an opportunity to bring needed attention to this common retinal disease which impacts more than 11 million people in the US alone. On this episode of ASRS's Retina Health for Life, Dr. Joshua Mali, Medical Director of the Macular Degeneration Association (MDA) joins Dr. Timothy Murray to discuss the patient education and support offered by MDA to people diagnosed with AMD as well as the latest in AMD treatment advances that are helping many with the condition see for a lifetime.
Resources:
Access a downloadable fact sheet on AMD at: https://www.asrs.org/patients/retinal-diseases/2/age-related-macular-degeneration
Macular Degeneration Association: www.MacularHope.org

Diabetes is a major public health issue and every person diagnosed with diabetes is at risk of developing diabetic eye disease. Diabetic macular edema is a common complication of diabetic eye disease, which occurs when blood vessels in the retina are damaged and leak fluid into the macula causing blurry central vision. On this episode of ASRS's Retina Health for Life, Dr. Diana Do of the Byers Eye Institute at the Stanford University School of Medicine joins Dr. Timothy Murray to discuss the importance of early diagnosis and immediate treatment of diabetic macular edema by a retina specialist which can prevent irreversible vision loss and blindness.
Resources:
Access a downloadable fact sheet on Diabetic Macular Edema here: www.asrs.org/patients/retinal-diseases/20/macular-edema

It seems like science fiction to restore the sight of a person who has been blind for years, but innovations in the field of retina have made the impossible possible. On this episode of ASRS’s Retina Health for Life, Dr. Timothy Murray is joined by the co-inventor of the artificial retina Dr. Mark Humayun, co-Director of USC’s Roski Eye Institute and a world-renowned expert on vision restoration. Drs. Humayun and Murray discuss the development of this technological breakthrough, which has helped people with certain inherited retinal conditions almost miraculously regain some of their sight.
Resources:
Access a downloadable fact sheet about retinitis pigmentosa and retinal prosthesis at www.asrs.org/patients/retinal-diseases/8/retinitis-pigmentosa-and-retinal-prosthesis.

Retina patients have a critical role to play in maintaining their retinal health by seeking out treatment from a retina specialist, becoming informed about their condition and following through on their treatment plan. On this episode of ASRS's Retina Health for Life, Dr. J. Michael Jumper of West Coast Retina in San Francisco joins Dr. Timothy Murray to discuss how patients can partner with their retina specialist to help preserve their vision and improve treatment outcomes.
Resources:
Access a downloadable patient guide on healthy habits that support healthy retinas here: https://www.asrs.org/content/documents/patients-guide-to-healthy-habits-for-healthy-vision-final.pdf