Are you the person who just HAS to check Facebook and HAS to make one more move on Words with Friends right before bed? Yup, me too. But I’m going to try to stop! You see, smartphones and laptops emit very bright blue light, which mimics the brightness of the sun. This tricks your brain into thinking it is daytime and tells it to stop producing melatonin, which tells your body “it's time to go to sleep." Interestingly, one study found that subjects who read a printed book before bed (versus those who read on a smartphone) had longer REM sleep, secreted more melatonin, and had more energy the next day. Another study found that looking at a smartphone before bed had an even worse effect on the subjects’ sleep schedule than a double espresso!
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog! Those of you that have seen me know that I love to learn and that I love to teach! Therefore, my hope with this blog is that you may learn a thing or two! I also will provide you with updates on the latest happenings/news at Sight Eyecare.
So, for my first blog I have chosen to write about Diabetes, as it is something that is very close to my heart for both professional and personal reasons. Sometimes I am asked, "what does Diabetes have to do with the eyes? Why do I need to come in every year for an eye exam just because I'm a Diabetic?" These are great questions! Here is my simplified answer:
Diabetes can affect the blood vessels in the retina and cause hemorrhages (bleeding), as seen in the retinal photo below, and eventually more severe retinal changes. Diabetic Retinopathy usually stems from several months of uncontrolled blood sugar levels. Believe it or not, this person would probably have 20/20 vision and no visual symptoms at all! So, just because one's vision "seems normal" does not necessarily mean all is fine inside the eye. Almost everyone I have seen with permanent vision loss from Diabetes are those who neglected to have yearly eye exams or those who were non-compliant with their Diabetes medications.
