February Is Low Vision Awareness Month: Are You at Risk ?

  1. Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The leading cause of blindness in Americans over age 50, AMD is an age-related condition in which the macula—the center of your eye’s retina—deteriorates. The retina has millions of light-sensitive cells that perceive vision, and its center is called the macula. When you lose the ability to process vision in that central area, you can no longer perform fine-detail tasks, including reading, driving, or sometimes even recognizing the faces of loved ones. It’s like having a blind spot directly in front of you, while peripheral vision often remains. It’s a devastating diagnosis, but when caught early, medication can help slow its progression.
  2. Glaucoma, known as the “silent thief of sight” because it doesn’t have noticeable symptoms. Once a person notices a loss of vision due to glaucoma, it’s too late to get that vision back. Glaucoma damages the optic nerve because of internal fluid buildup and high fluid pressure inside of the eye. Over time, this high intra-ocular pressure gradually causes vision loss in patches, often starting with peripheral vision loss. Glaucoma ranks as the second-most common cause of blindness in the U.S. When diagnosed early during your annual optometric exam, glaucoma can often be controlled through medication or surgery to slow your rate of vision loss.
  1. Diabetic Retinopathy, diagnosed in up to 45% of people experiencing diabetes, impacts vision by causing gradual retinal damage that can eventually lead to total blindness if not treated. The best way to prevent diabetic retinopathy is to carefully control your diabetes and monitor blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels are known to damage blood vessels throughout the body, including the tiny blood vessels in your eyes. When these tiny capillaries leak blood into the eye, the retina swells, resulting in clouded or blurry vision. Controlling blood sugar is critical to minimizing damage to the eyes. There are also laser and surgical procedures that can help slow its progression.

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Closed

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Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

12:00 pm-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

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Office Hours

Testimonial

  • "Dr. O'Daniel is wonderful! After visiting 2 other doctors regarding problems with my eyes, I decided to visit Dr. O'Daniel who has finally given me a plan to make my eyes feel better and after months of pouring money down the drain and agony, they do! He really took the time to sit with me during my appointment and helped me to understand what was going on with my eyes. He knows his stuff and he is now my official eye doctor!"
    Michelle L / Phoenix, AZ

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