Vim & Vigor - Fall 2017 - North Mississippi - 55

D

iabetic retinopathy is the
leading cause of blindness
in working-age adults.
That's the bad news.
The good news, according to retina
surgeon Heather Hancock, MD, is that
almost all vision loss from diabetes
is preventable.
Diabetic retinopathy happens when
high blood sugar levels cause damage
to blood vessels in the retina. "This is
one place where diabetes really attacks,"
Hancock says. These blood vessels can
swell and leak. Or they can close, stopping blood from passing through.
In the early stages, diabetic retinopathy may not cause symptoms. "If fluid
leaks, it can cause blurred vision," she
says. "If bleeding occurs, it can cause
the person to see 'floaters' or strings of
blood in the eye." The condition is rarely
painful, which is why many people
ignore the signs.
"Everyone with type 2 diabetes
should be checked for diabetic retinopathy upon diagnosis because 25 percent
of them already have diabetic retinopathy by the time they are diagnosed with
diabetes," Hancock says.
Individuals with type 1 diabetes
should be checked five years after

their diabetes diagnosis, then annually thereafter.
Treatment for diabetic retinopathy
depends on its severity. Laser therapy
creates a small burn or scar that closes
off the area of bleeding and controls
abnormal blood vessel growth. "We
can do laser treatments in the office,"
Hancock says. "It is just light, no cutting,
no pain and no risk. Patients can even
drive themselves home." Medications
can also be used to treat the condition
in its early stages.
"If the retina doesn't get enough
blood, the body starts making abnormal
blood vessels to compensate," Hancock
says. "If this happens, the retina can
detach, and we have to do surgery
to fix it."
The surgery is done at North
Mississippi Medical Center under mild
sedation. After numbing the eye, Dr.
Hancock performs surgery using a
microscope, and the patient goes home
the same day. "You go home with an eye
patch," she says, "and come to our office
the next day to have your eye checked."
As with most conditions, the earlier diabetic retinopathy is detected,
the more effective treatment can be.
"Mississippi has lots of diabetes,"

NMMC RETINA
SURGEONS

Khushboo Agrawal,
MD

Heather Hancock,
MD

Hancock says. "I encourage people to
use their wellness benefits. Get your
health screenings. Keep your blood
sugar down as best you can."
But even for people who have put off
being seen, the NMMC Retina Center
can offer hope.
"People tend to get discouraged, but
we do all we can to improve vision,"
Hancock says. "Even if you were told
10 years ago that nothing could be done,
maybe now we can do something. If
you're not sure if you should come, you
should come." ■

CALL

PHOTOS BY THINKSTOCK

The Eyes Have It
The NMMC Retina Center is
located at 606 Brunson Drive
and is open from 8 a.m.-
4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday
and 8 a.m.-noon Friday. No
referral is required. For more
information, call 800-THE
DESK (800-843-3375)
or visit www.nmhs.net/
retina_center.php.

FALL 2017

55
http://www.nmhs.net/retina_center.php http://www.nmhs.net/retina_center.php
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