Category: Eye conditions

A Story of Life Saving Eye Injections

As the most common age related eye condition macular degeneration (AMD) is responsible for half of all blindness and severe vision loss in Australia.

For those over the age of 50 years about one in seven (1.4 million) Australians have some evidence of the disease. An estimated 156,000 are diagnosed with neovascular (wet) AMD which requires regular eye injections to prevent permanent loss of sight.

Ninety-year-old Pastor Ron Clarke OAM is one of those people.

Pastor Ron Clarke leads a busy life which would exhaust anyone half his age.

He’d be in Big Trouble

If the Government cut the Medicare rebate for his eye injections, the life Pastor Clarke is leading would have changed dramatically with the possibly that he could even have gone blind.

An independent Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) Review Taskforce for Ophthalmology recommended that the Medicare rebate for sight saving eye injections be cut by 69%. Thankfully Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, and the Shadow Minister Mark Butler, have both committed their support of the Macular Disease Foundation Australia’s (MDFA) call to reject the proposed recommendation to cut the Medicare rebate on sight saving treatment. So, whichever party forms the next Government, the proposed cut will not be adopted.

People receiving sight saving treatment like Pastor Ron would be very thankful for this decision.

Pastor Ron has lived most of his life with only 15-20% vision in his left eye, relying on good vision in his right.

Twelve years ago, he was diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) in his good eye and now he needs injections every four weeks to maintain his eyesight.

Despite officially retiring in 2015, Pastor Ron maintains a global online ministry with 3,000 subscribers.

But he would not be able to continue preaching if he could not afford his sight-saving eye treatment.

“I’d be in big trouble. I don’t know how I’d manage,” Ron admits.

“My ministry and activity on the internet depend on my sight. It’s my life. If I lose that, I may as well give up and move into a residential nursing home.”

Importance of Eye Injections

Sight-saving eye injections for wet AMD help many Australians like Pastor Ron retain their independence and stay in their own home, rather than moving into residential care.

“This treatment has kept me out of full-time care,” Ron says.

 May is Macula Month, the time of the year when Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) raises awareness of macular disease.

Before sight-saving eye injections arrived in Australia in 2007, most people diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) went blind – sometimes quite rapidly.

Fifteen years later, Australia is a world leader in the treatment of wet AMD. This major breakthrough has transformed the lives of so many, saving the sight of thousands of Australians, who have been able to maintain their vision and continue to enjoy full, active lives long after their diagnosis.

What is Age-Related Macular Degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (or ‘AMD’) is a disease that affects people 50 years or older and causes progressive loss of central vision and affects people’s ability to read, watch TV, and recognise faces. It is responsible for half of all blindness and severe vision loss in Australia.

About one in seven (1.4 million) Australians over the age of 50 years have some evidence of AMD.

There are three stages of macular degeneration: early AMD, intermediate AMD, and late AMD.

Late AMD can be further divided into two classifications: neovascular, sometimes called wet, macular degeneration (wet AMD) and atrophic, sometimes called dry, macular degeneration (dry AMD) or geographic atrophy.

How to Reduce AMD risk

To reduce the risk of getting AMD or slow its progression if you have already been diagnosed, follow these four tips.

1. Regular Eye Exams

To detect AMD early you need to have an AMD eye examination at least every two years if you are over the age of 50, then once a year when you reach 65. Early detection opens the window for early sight-saving treatment, if necessary.

Smokers

2. Stop Smoking

have a three to four times higher risk of getting AMD compared to non-smokers. The disease will occur five to 10 years earlier for people who smoke.

3. Exercise

Exercise can reduce the risk of developing late AMD by 79%. As AMD  is associated with ageing, people who are physically active are also more likely to be ‘biologically’ younger than those with a sedentary lifestyle.

4. Eat a Health Diet

Eat a macula-friendly diet including fish two or three times a week, dark-green leafy vegetables, and fresh fruit every day, a handful of nuts each week, low GI carbohydrates, and limit the amount of fats in your diet.

60 Seconds Could Save Your Sight

Developed by MDFA, Check My Macula is a short online quiz that helps you to understand your individual risk factors of macular disease. It then helps you book an eye examination – including a macula check – with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist.

Sixty seconds could save your sight – one minute and five simple questions is all it takes to discover your personal risks. Once you know your risks of AMD you can then take early action to preserve your vision.

Overcoming Barriers

For the estimated 156,000 Australians who have wet AMD, regular sight-saving eye injections can help slow or prevent permanent vision loss. It is critical that patients receiving eye injections for wet AMD continue with their treatment.

However, for far too many, the barriers to continuing treatment can be insurmountable – cost, transport, and the physical burden being the main issues. Sadly, because of these factors, about one in five patients stop their treatment inside 12 months, and more than half give up within five years, increasing their risk of permanent vision loss or blindness.

May is Macula Month, the time of the year when Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) raises awareness of macular disease.

A 2020 MDFA patient survey revealed 29% of respondents receiving eye injections have considered delaying or stopping eye injections due to cost, while 35% have cut down on expenses like food, medicine and even mortgage payments to afford them.

“We look forward to the day when every patient in Australia has the best chance of benefiting from treatment and retaining vision for the rest of their lives,” MDFA CEO Dee Hopkins says.

MDFA is committed to continuing our advocacy work to increase access to sight saving treatment.

If you would like to find out more about macular disease talk with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist or drop into the MDFA website to hear passionate stories from patients about their journey with macular disease.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. The  World Glaucoma Association estimates that approximately 79.6 million people have the disease. Unfortunately, this number in increasing annually as the population ages. By 2040, it is expected that 111.8 million people will have glaucoma.

Eye care professionals are concerned that during COVID, many people with glaucoma have missed or delayed eye checkups.

COVID-19 has disrupted the lives and routines of Australians like never before. These disruptions have carried through to the healthcare system where delays and cancellations have meant that many patients have not kept their scheduled appointments for annual eye exams and assessments. Other patients, out of fear of catching the disease, have neglected routine checkups.

Lack of Routine Eye Care

Glaucoma Australia estimates that at the peak of the pandemic, between March 2020 and August 2021, there were half a million less eye tests conducted nationally than in the previous 18-month period.

Since the start of the pandemic, optometric practices operating in locked-down locations could only offer urgent, emergency care for patients with severe symptoms.

All along, routine detection of non-symptomatic eye diseases such as glaucoma has dropped off.

For those affected by glaucoma – knowingly or unknowingly, the inability to visit an optometrist for detection or treatment means that glaucoma symptoms may have gotten worse.

The Silent Thief

Glaucoma is commonly called ‘the silent thief of sight’ because, in many cases, people with glaucoma experience no symptoms until the very end stages of the disease. By then, the damage has already been done and it is irreversible. There is no cure for glaucoma, and only regular eye exams can provide the opportunity for proper diagnosis and treatment to prevent vision loss or blindness. This is why optometrists are so concerned. A patient’s vision can deteriorate between appointments, even though they aren’t experiencing any symptoms of glaucoma. The only way for a patient to know if they have glaucoma is by booking a regular, in-person eye exam with their optometrist. But for the last two years, the ability to catch, and commence treatment, has been severely limited.

Eyecare Plus COVID Protocols

All the health professionals at Eyecare Plus agree that it is vital for glaucoma services to continue, but they also agree that these services need to be carried out in a way that ensures that no patient is put at risk of infection.

Across the country, every Eyecare Plus optometry practice has put protective measures in place that adhere to the latest governmental health advice to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As the situations change, Eyecare Plus will continue to change with them, constantly staying up-to-date with the best advice.

If you are at risk of developing glaucoma, don’t put off your scheduled appointments. You can be confident in the measures that Eyecare Plus locations across Australia have put in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 while providing the high-level of comprehensive eye care our patients deserve.

The Telehealth Question

Many patients ask: “Can I do a Zoom meeting with my optometrist?” In some cases, a video discussion with your optometrist can be valuable. Unfortunately, eye care professionals agree: the monitoring and detection of glaucoma is not suited to telemedicine.

Glaucoma needs to be checked regularly with eye pressure measurement (called a ‘tonometry’), visual field testing and scans of the optic nerve. For proper glaucoma care, careful attention to the optic nerve is the most important part of a glaucoma eye test.

Although there are a number of technological telemedicine initiatives being researched and developed, for now, a proper glaucoma exam is not possible over video.

Book an appointment today with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world.

COVID-19 has disrupted the lives and routines of Australians like never before. These disruptions have carried through to the healthcare system where delays and cancellations have meant that many patients have not kept their scheduled appointments for eye assessments and exams. Other patients, out of fear of catching the disease, have neglected routine checkups.

It is important that, particularly for people in the high-risk group of getting glaucoma, that people keep seeing their eye care professional who can help manage their symptoms.

Glaucoma Australia has created a free, anonymous quiz to help you find out if you are at risk of glaucoma.

Protecting yourself: epidemic eyecare essentials

1. Get Your Eyes Checked

‘Perfect vision’ does not mean ‘perfect health.’ Only a comprehensive eye exam can determine signs of optic nerve damage. Remember that up to 50 per cent of those with early-stage glaucoma are unaware they have it.

If you are over 40, book a comprehensive eye exam. Although anyone can develop glaucoma, the risk increases with age.

If you have family members with glaucoma, you have an increased risk of glaucoma.

2. Managing your Glaucoma

If you have been prescribed glaucoma eye drops, do all you can to maintain your eye drop regimen.

Collect your prescriptions and use the eye drops as prescribed. Disruptions to care can lead to vision loss and permanent, irreversible blindness.

Remember to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before using your glaucoma eye drops.

Quit smoking and maintain a healthy diet with regular exercise. Good advice for the best of times, but increasingly important as we resume our ‘pre-COVID routines.’

3. Have Confidence in Eyecare Plus

Don’t put off an important eye exam. Eyecare Plus is doing all we can to balance our commitment to patient eye care with our commitment to patient safety.

Patient appointments times are staggered to prevent over-crowding or long queues in the waiting rooms.

All Eyecare Plus optometrists, dispensers and staff wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including gloves, masks and eye protection.

All Eyecare Plus locations undergo enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures.

All patients are required to wear a mask to your appointment. If you don’t have a mask, we will provide one for you. Please be sure to keep your mask on throughout your visit, even if you are alone in the exam room.

We care about your overall health.

Contact your local Eyecare Plus optometrist to book an appointment.

The coronavirus disease of 2019 continues to change and evolve as it sweeps throughout the world, and, as it does our understanding of it is changing and evolving as well.

One of the things that is changing is our understanding of the relationship between COVID-19 and the eyes. For example, we know that COVID-19 can spread through the eyes when an infected person coughs or sneezes near your eye or if you touch an infected object before touching your eye. This is how flu viruses spread as well.

We also know that whilst the risk of transmission through the eyes is very low, healthcare professionals agree that taking precautions to avoid these transmissions is a good idea.

We also know that, in addition to being a portal for COVID-19, the eyes can also have coronavirus eye symptoms. And: the risk of that, too, is very low.

COVID Conjunctivitis

A very rare symptom of COVID-19 – which affects 1 to 3 per cent of people with COVID – is conjunctivitis (commonly called ‘pink eye).

Strictly speaking, if you are suffering with the symptoms of pink eye – redness or itchiness of the eye – without the symptoms of Covid 19, you probably just have pink eye or allergic conjunctivitis.

Allergic conjunctivitis is usually accompanied by intense itching and happens to both eyes at the same time. Often, it’s seasonal; it’s not contagious.

Viral conjunctivitis (pink eye) starts at one eye and spreads to the other. It’s highly contagious.

Pink eye is not a stand-alone symptom of COVID-19. If you or your child has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or pink eye symptoms occur along with other COVID-19 symptoms like fever, breathing issues, lack of taste or smell, confusion, or cough, contact your medical provider for advice.

COVID-19 and Contact lenses

A number of experts and organisations have come forward to remind contact lens wearers that frequent handwashing with soap and water will protect them from exposure to the virus.

To drive the point home, the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) recently re-released a series of images from a 2018 study that shows the dramatic effect of good hand hygiene.

All eyecare health professionals agree – proper hand hygiene is the most important factor in preventing infections, of any kind, for contact lens wearers. If you are healthy, and are practicing proper hand hygiene, there is no need to stop wearing your contact lenses.

COVID-19 and Glasses

Did you know that glasses can help protect you from the Omicron virus?

Professor Mary-Louise McLaws, a Professor of Epidemiology of Hospital Infection and Infectious Diseases Control at the University of New South Wales, believes it is important to wear glasses to protect our eyes as they can be an entry point for the virus.

“With Omicron, one of the things I think we should be doing is telling people to look after their eyes – I ask them to wear glasses, sunglasses or anything to protect their eyes because their eyes have what’s called ACE2 receptor sites (entry points for the virus).

“If you are indoors in a shop and somebody has breathed out through their nose because they are not wearing their mask over their nose or not wearing a mask over their mouth then it could get into your eyes, so it would be great if people protected their eyes when they were indoors in a shopping mall,” said Prof. McLaws.

Eyecare Plus optometrists strictly adheres to all government health and safety advice to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This includes rigorous dedication to hand-hygiene and the use of PPE, such as surgical masks, gloves, eye protection and breath shields for equipment.

Eyecare Plus optometry practices carry out enhanced cleaning and disinfection of the patient environment on a regular basis.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is Australia’s leading cause of blindness with more than 1.4 million people showing evidence of the disease.

It is often regarded as a condition that only affects the elderly, which is why Karen Russell, a Sydney businesswoman, was so shocked when she was diagnosed with AMD in her late 40s.

Karen’s Story

Karen was originally diagnosed with AMD by her optometrist in 2014.

“I can’t tell you how outraged I was,” she said.

“I hadn’t even turned 50 and I was being diagnosed with a disease associated with the elderly. I felt it was something I shouldn’t have been diagnosed with for another 25 years.”

Karen has a family history of AMD, but she was unaware of the hereditary risk of the disease. Her mother Brenda was diagnosed with AMD in her 70s, which meant Karen had a one-in-two chance of developing the condition as well.

Family history is one of the four major risk factors for AMD, alongside smoking, being over 50 years of age, and failing to have regular eye examinations by an optometrist.

What is AMD

AMD is a chronic, progressive disease that destroys central vision, leaving peripheral vision intact.

There is effective macular degeneration treatment for the most aggressive form of the disease – wet (neovascular) AMD – but there is no cure. For most people living with AMD – those in the early or intermediate stage or living with late-stage dry AMD – there are no treatment options.

But lifestyle changes – such as regular eye exams to monitor any changes to your vision, as well as eating a macula-friendly diet rich in oily fish and dark leafy greens – can help keep your eyes healthy and can help slow the progression of AMD.

Early Action Saves Sight

Since her diagnosis in 2014 Karen has taken the right steps to maintain her vision.

She has had regular eye exams – including having her macula checked – by her optometrist, as well as implementing lifestyle changes, eating more oily fish and dark green leafy greens.

Today, Karen’s eyesight is good, and she is still able to drive, read and paint.

“It’s not something I struggle with on a day-to-day basis, but it is something I worry about – something that niggles at me. Every now and again, I’m confronted with the fact that in the future, there are things I might not be able to do,” Karen says.

“What scares me the most is losing the ability to read. I understand things by reading. I can’t absorb when people are telling me things – I need to read to understand.”

How to reduce macular degeneration?

You can reduce your risk of getting AMD and slow its progression if you have already been diagnosed, by following four simple tips.

1. Regular Eye Exams

To detect AMD early you need to have an eye test once every two years if you are over the age of 50, then once a year when you reach 65.

2. Do Not Smoke

Smokers have a three to four times higher risk of AMD than non-smokers. The disease will occur five to 10 years earlier for people who smoke.

3. Exercise

Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

4. Diet

Eat a macula-friendly diet including fish two or three times a week, dark-green leafy vegetables, and fresh fruit every day, a handful of nuts each week, low GI carbohydrates, and limit the amount of fats in your diet.

What is Your Risk?

May is Macula Month.

This annual initiative of Macular Disease Foundation Australia (MDFA) to raise awareness of macular disease is the perfect time to learn if you are at risk of this disease which destroys central vision.

This year, MDFA is encouraging Australians aged over 50 to head to Check My Macula to learn more about the disease.

Developed by MDFA, Check My Macula is a short online quiz that tells you your individual risk factors of macular disease, then helps you book an eye examination – including a macula check – with your local Eyecare Plus optometrist.

Sixty seconds could save your sight. One minute and five easy questions is all it takes to discover your personal risks, then take early action to preserve your vision.

To discover your level of risk for macular disease, go to Check Your Macula, then book an eye exam with your nearest Eyecare Plus optometrist. If you or a loved one have any questions about macular disease, contact the Macular Disease Foundation who are available to help you or call their free National Helpline on 1800 111 709.