BOCA RATON – Residents suffering from diabetic retinopathy are learning how to control their diabetes and how to manage their disease as two local surgeons are educating them on the importance of regular eye exams and regular check-ups.
Patients with diabetes need to be vigilant about their health, including their eyes, said Dr. Shailesh Gupta, a Board Certified Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon with a private practice, Specialty Retina Center.
“We are interested in educating our patients about their options, and how important it is to manage their diabetes and prevent further damage to their eyes,” said Gupta, who has extensive surgical and clinical experience and is often consulted to perform the most difficult and complicated surgeries.
Dr. Matthew Pezda, a Board Certified Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon, also educate patients at the center on how to manage their diabetes better. Both Gupta and Pezda are now seeing patients in Boca Raton and Ft. Lauderdale, expanding their reach and educating more patients on diabetic retinopathy, as well as other eye diseases.
At Specialty Retina Center, patients are diagnosed and treated for diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, retinal tears, retinal detachments, among other ophthalmology issues.
Diabetic retinopathy is a common eye disease among diabetic patients that becomes more likely, or more severe, when the blood sugar is not adequately controlled. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when damage is done to the small blood vessels in the retina from elevated blood sugar levels. This damage can cause the blood vessels to bleed and leak fluid.
The most important modifiable factor that a diabetic patient has control over is the blood sugar level. Improved blood sugar control will lead to a decreased risk of these types of ocular complications. Ocular treatment of diabetic retinopathy manages the complications of the disease, however, improved blood sugar control addresses the issue at the source.
The center is the doctor’s resource for medical and surgical solutions pertaining to diseases of the retina and vitreous. Equipped with state-of-the-art diagnostics, including high resolution spectral domain OCT, scanning laser-based angiography, fundus autofluorescence, and a virtually paperless office.