Our eyes, believe it or not, are one of the most essential parts of our body and it is important that we know what takes place within the eye and how we can prevent eye diseases before they even develop. Dr. Paul Kuck, board certified ophthalmologist, specializes in medical retina including macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy as well as medical diseases of the eye, including dry eye disease.
Dr. Kuck believes that a pivotal factor in taking care of your eyes is getting routine eye exams to prevent eye diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and various other diseases within the eye. As we age, it is important to take note of how our body is changing and if we notice anything out of the ordinary to speak with a physician.
One of Dr. Kuck’s specialties includes treating age related macular degeneration, an eye disease that over time blurs your central vision and can lead to vision loss. Dr. Kuck says that it is important to realize that macular degeneration affects the central vision which is your most useful vision. In the early stages of macular degeneration it is typically asymptotic, the early symptoms are often noted by seeing a localized distorted area or small dark areas within your central vision.
With macular degeneration, ophthalmologists will notice two variations, macular degeneration will either develop in a dry form or it may develop in a wet form. The dry form of AMD is characterized by small deposits in the retina in the back of the eye and changes in the pigmented layer adjacent to the photoreceptors in the back of the eye. At this stage, eye supplement vitamins can slow the progression slightly. The patient can self-monitor their central vision with something called an Amsler Grid. Close follow up by an ophthalmologist is recommended. Whereas, the wet form of AMD develops when the barrier between the blood vessels and the light sensitive area in the back of the eye breaks down. Abnormal blood vessels then develop and leak fluid or bleed. This results in damage to the light sensitive area and severe loss of central vision.
The abnormal blood vessels are stimulated to grow by a vascular growth factor. In the past 10 years, new medications have been developed that inhibit the growth factor and can “dry up” the fluid leaking in the back of the eye. These treatments have been shown to dramatically prevent severe central vision loss in many patients.
You may be asking yourself, how can I take action in my own life to prevent age related macular degeneration prior to it developing? “Avoiding excess sun exposure by wearing good sunglasses at all times outdoors is a simple action we can all take daily in our lives to help prevent macular degeneration. Another factor that can increase your risk of developing age related macular degeneration (AMD) is smoking. Having high blood pressure and eating a diet high in saturated fats are also factors that can lead to an increased risk in developing wet AMD. In general, staying healthy (exercise and a good diet) helps. Unfortunately, some people have a hereditary predisposition and they need to be extra careful about smoking and sun exposure,” says Dr. Paul Kuck. The risk for macular degeneration is increases significantly as we age, and it is strongly recommended that past the age of 50 you schedule an annual dilated eye exam.
The way in which wet AMD is treated may sound daunting to some patients but Dr. Kuck assures individuals that while it may sound scary most patients experience minimal to no pain with the treatments. The process of treating the wet form of macular degeneration is medication delivered directly into the inside of the eye with a very small needle. He notes that for the treatments to be most effective they must be repeated regularly. The treatments, when performed regularly have been able to help patients time and time again to maintain good central vision and remain functional and active.
Dr. Kuck’s offices are located in Naples at Physicians Regional – Collier Blvd, 8340 Collier Blvd, and Physicians Regional – Pine Ridge, 6376 Pine Ridge Rd.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 239-348-4221, or visit www.PhysiciansRegionalMedicalGroup.com.