Outlook Eyecare optometrist Dr. Elisa Bano specializes in treatment for diabetic patients.
By Jacquelyn Pillsbury
Outlook Eyecare has six doctors between its Princeton, Monroe Township, and Mercerville locations.
Just back from maternity leave, one of those doctors—optometrist Dr. Elisa Bano—has resumed providing expert eye care for diabetic patients.
A full service optometry-ophthalmology practice, Outlook Eyecare offers comprehensive eye exams for adults and pediatrics, contact lenses, low vision, ocular disease and urgent eye care. Among the many conditions Outlook Eyecare treats, eye ailments due to diabetes are a growing concern.
Dr. Bano said eye screenings are important for everyone, but especially for diabetic patients.
Recent data shows 30 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and another 86 million people are showing signs of pre-diabetes. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder resulting in increased levels of blood glucose. The pancreas cannot create enough insulin to convert the sugar into energy for the body, hence blood sugar levels increase.
There are many side effects as a result of diabetes. Dr. Bano said the earliest symptoms of diabetes can include any combination of the following: blurred vision, trouble reading signs or books, seeing double, one or both eyes hurt for no reason, prolonged red eyes, feeling pressure in the eyes, seeing spots or floaters, straight lines looking bent, diminished peripheral vision. Without controlling diabetes, secondary eye complications can result, including diabetic retinopathy (the leading cause of blindness in American adults), cataracts, diabetic macular edema, neovascular glaucoma and retinal detachment.
“Our experienced team of doctors at Outlook Eyecare can help you detect early damage along with diagnosing these symptoms and recommending the best course of treatment,” Dr. Bano wrote in her blog at outlookeyecare.com. “The annual dilated diabetic eye exam includes measuring the fluid pressure inside your eyes (tonometry) to rule out glaucoma and checking each tissue inside the eye to rule out any signs of bleeding, fluid leakage, or new blood vessel formation. The eye is the only organ in the human body that allows us as doctors to see with the naked eye how the blood vessels behave in diabetes and other systemic diseases.”
Another possible side effect of diabetes is dry eyes. Increased blood sugar will affect the quality of tears. Diabetic patients also have slower healing times, which could affect the outcome of procedures.
Dr. Bano and her team can recommend low vision devices to help improve what patients can see. Options include using handheld magnifiers and special screens. These simple devices can help patients read medicine bottles and their glucose monitoring devices, therefore improving their lives.
Prior to joining Outlook Eyecare, Dr. Bano gained experience in the diagnosis, treatment, management and co-management of ocular disease, including diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and ocular emergencies. She also specializes in a variety of contact lens fittings, including post-LASIK ectasia, keratoconus and post-corneal transplantation.
Dr. Bano earned her Doctor of Optometry degree with clinical honors from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry. Upon graduation, she completed a post-doctoral residency at The Eye Institute in Philadelphia. She enjoys staying up-to-date on the latest advances in the industry and is a member of the American Optometric Association. In addition to English, Dr. Bano is also fluent in Albanian and Italian.
Outlook Eye Care is located at 2333 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road, Suite C, in Mercerville. Web: outlookeyecare.com. Phone: (609) 587-4700.
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