As of 04/27/2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced new directives aimed at slowly restoring business activity in the state while continuing to adhere to important safety guidelines with respect to the COVID-19 crisis. 

As your eye care provider, we are paying very close attention to the fast-changing nature of Coronavirus Covid-19 and the public health concerns with the opening of our economy.

We are very aware of the concern patients have when considering the possible spread of Covid-19 nationwide and in our community. It is crucial for us to connect directly with YOU to outline the steps we are taking to keep you and our staff safe.

Per the CDC clinic preparedness guidance, we are wiping all surfaces and equipment more frequently than recommended: clinic equipment, phones, writing utensils, counters, desks, keyboards, display frames, and any commonly used and/or touched surfaces. We have always stressed the importance of following eye care safety precautions with our team. Those precautions such as hand washing, wearing gloves while working with contact lenses, sneezing into your elbow, and staying home when you are sick have always been our policy.

As of today, our office remains open for urgent/medical office visits. We will limit the number of routine exams by reducing the number of patients seen per day in order to continue to adhere to social distancing practices.

We are asking all patients to abide by the following:

1. Wear a mask while in our office
2. Wash your hands prior to entering and leaving our clinic
3. Ask patient’s guests to remain outside the facility unless they are a caretaker or guardian

November 14th is World Diabetes Day. This year, the theme of World Diabetes Day is women and diabetes – our right to a healthy future. The goal of this campaign is to promote awareness of the importance of equal and affordable access for all women, whether they are at risk or already living with diabetes, to the treatments, medications, technology, education and information they need to prevent diabetes and to obtain the best possible outcome of the disease.

Here are some facts about women and diabetes around the World:

• 199 million – the number of women living with diabetes to date.
• 313 million – the projected statistic for the year 2040.
• 2.1 million – the number of female deaths due to diabetes per year.
• 9 – diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women on a global scale.
• 60 million – which is 2 out of 5 diabetic women, are of reproductive age, which increases the risk of early miscarriage, vision loss and having malformed babies.
• 10 – women with type 2 diabetes are ten times more likely to develop coronary heart disease.

Much of these incidences of diabetes occur in women lacking access to proper medical care, education, physical activity and information they need to prevent and manage the disease. If more efforts and monies were put toward improving this situation, these numbers could drop significantly.

Pregnant women with hyperglycemia and gestational diabetes are also a major cause of concern. Limited access to screening tests, pre-pregnancy planning services, education and medical care could also improve the outcome of both the mother and the baby in these cases. The majority of instances of gestational diabetes occur in women from low and middle-income countries or households with limited access to maternal care.

Here are some additional facts about diabetes and pregnancy:

• 1 out of 7 – the number of births worldwide affected by gestational diabetes.
• 1 out of 2 – the number of women with gestational diabetes that develop type 2 diabetes within 5-10 years after giving birth.
• 1 out of 2 – the number of cases of gestational diabetes that are found in women under 30 years of age.

Diabetes and Your Eyes

Diabetes damages many systems in your body including your eyes and vision. Most individuals with diabetes will eventually develop some extent of retinopathy or eye disease due to the consistently high levels of glucose in the blood which damage the blood vessels in the eye. Diabetic retinopathy can be a devastating disease that can leave you with permanent vision loss or blindness. It is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Diabetes also speeds up the formation of cataracts and other ocular diseases which can lead to further vision loss and complications.

Women who have been diagnosed with diabetes prior to becoming pregnant have to be especially careful during pregnancy. It is much more difficult to regulate blood sugars during pregnancy, and more rapid progression of diabetic retinopathy can occur if one is not careful. Keeping track of diet and exercise, and taking medications as directed, can prevent or delay the impact of diabetes on the eyes.

In addition to poorly managed blood sugar levels, additional factors that contribute to developing diabetic retinopathy are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Hispanic or Native American descent, smoking, pregnancy, and the length of time you have the disease. The condition can be managed with regular eye exams in combination with steps to control blood sugar levels.

It’s important to note that diabetes sometimes causes symptoms of vision fluctuation (good days and bad days with vision or focusing) but many times the damage is asymptomatic in its early stages. This is why it is essential to have regular checkups even when you have no pain or vision symptoms.

If you or someone you know has diabetes, regular eye exams are essential to monitor and prevent vision loss. Stay informed and spread awareness about this challenging condition. You can help be part of the change to improve the lives of women and people all over the world that suffer from diabetes and the serious complications that come with it.

Support Hurricane Harvey Relief with the Purchase of Oakley Sunglasses

We are proud to honor the communities of South Texas and help contribute to those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Oakley will donate 100% of the proceeds from two limited edition Texas flag styles to the American Optometric Association’s (AOA) Disaster Relief Fund. These two special models feature a Texas flag design on the icon.