Truck drivers encounter a number of eye-related occupational hazzards. The following are trucker-related eye diseases and conditions that Dr. Radtke and his staff specialize in treating. Descriptions, photographs, and treatments are provided to help you understand them better.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. As one of the major complications of diabetes, diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness that is typically associated with diabetic macular edema. This is caused by the blood vessels of the retina becoming abnormal, causing decreased vision…
Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) and Macular Edema
Normal retinal blood vessels are watertight and do not leak. In diabetes, the retinal blood vessels can become damaged and develop tiny leaks. This is called nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Blood and fluid seep from the leaks in the damaged retinal blood vessels, and fatty material (called exudate) can deposit in the retina…
Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
In PDR, large areas of the retinal blood vessels become obstructed causing the retina to lose its source of nutrition and oxygen. When this happens, peripheral, or side vision, is usually reduced, and the patient’s ability to see at night and to adjust from light to dark is often diminished…
Preventing Diabetic Retinopathy
In diabetes, there is too much sugar in the blood. When the blood sugar is constantly or frequently high, many complications occur: eyesight can suffer, heart attacks, stroke, and other blood vessel problems can occur, and one’s life span can be shortened…
Questions and Answers About Laser Surgery
1. What is the purpose of laser surgery?
In nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), leaking blood vessels can cause the retina to become wet and swollen, resulting in macular edema and loss of vision. The goal of laser surgery in NPDR is to stop the leaking from these vessels and to prevent further visual loss…
Questions and Answers About Vitrectomy Surgery For Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)
1. How long will I be in the hospital for my vitrectomy surgery?
You will be admitted to the hospital or ambulatory surgery center the day before or the morning of surgery. Most patients are able to leave the hospital the same day or one day after surgery…
Malignant Melanoma of the Eye
A melanoma is a malignant tumor that most often arises in the skin. Less commonly, it is found in the eye and other sites of the body. In the eye, melanoma arises from the pigmented cells (melanocytes) of the uvea (iris, ciliary body, or choroid). Melanoma carries the potential to spread from the eye to other parts of the body. Larger melanomas carry greater potential to spread than smaller tumors…
Benign-Appearing Choroidal Nevus
Like a raised freckle on the skin, nevi can also occur inside your eye. The most common choroidal nevus are unusual and can only be seen by a dilated eye examination. Like a nevus on the skin, a choroidal nevus can grow into a malignant melanoma. This is why it is important to be followed on an annual basis as these can lay dormant for 10 years and suddenly develop into a malignant melanoma…
High-Intensity Distracting Lights of Emergency Vehicles at Accident Scenes
When truck drivers approach accident scenes with multiple vehicles, including police, fire trucks, and EMS, with their new, high-intensity lights, this can be blinding and a danger to the truckers. The two questions to address are…