Diabetic Retinopathy expert advices from Aarti Pandya, MD 2023: Dr. Pandya was born in New York and raised in the Southeast. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was accepted to the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at the age of 19. After receiving her medical degree from UNC, Dr. Pandya completed an internship training program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and went on to complete her ophthalmology residency training at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. She is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. Discover extra information at Aarti Pandya, MD.

Cataract vision loss is a life-altering experience that impacts the simplest of everyday activities like driving your car at night or walking around on a bright sunny day. As the eye’s natural lens clouds with cataracts, the world around you can become blurred, distorted and dull. If you have cataracts and are interested in learning more about how cataract surgery can improve your vision (and your life), we’d like to welcome you in for a consultation with Dr. Aarti Pandya. Your eye care and wellbeing is our priority from the moment you walk through our doors.

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and are dealing with any such vision concerns, you should schedule an eye exam as soon as possible to get tested for diabetic retinopathy. Anyone with diabetes is at risk of developing a serious eye condition like diabetic retinopathy, but there are additional factors that could increase your risk. African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans all face higher rates of diabetic retinopathy. If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or are not effectively managing your blood glucose levels your risk of diabetic retinopathy is increased substantially. Tobacco use and pregnancy also can increase your risk.

Once our team assesses the full extent of your condition, we can design a treatment plan that is tailored to your unique condition. In some cases, artificial tears (eye drops) can provide sufficient relief. Behavior modifications such as taking more frequent breaks from your computer at work or avoiding air conditioning can help relieve your symptoms. For optimal eye health, we recommend a diet rich in omega-3 foods (e.g., salmon, nuts, flaxseed oil) or supplements.

Glaucoma is a serious eye condition that can irreversibly damage vision. It is the leading cause of blindness for people over the age of 60 and can often progress without any noticeable symptoms. In fact, of the nearly 3 million Americans who have glaucoma, it’s estimated that only 50 percent are aware they have the condition. This puts 1.5 million Americans at risk of permanent glaucoma vision loss. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a dangerous, sudden-onset form of the disease characterized by sharp eye pain, headaches, vision loss and nausea. Intermittent acute attacks tend to cause increased vision loss.