Vision Quest is excited to announce that Mamta Patel, MD, has joined our team of vision experts and is the first retina specialist in Greenville, Texas, to have dedicated office space to treat retina patients. Dr. Patel has been serving our retina patients in northeast Texas since January of 2018. Dr. Patel is a board certified retina specialist with more than 15 years of retinal diagnostic and surgical experience.
Dr. Patel is currently accepting new retina patients in Greenville. She treats all types of retinal disorders such as macular degeneration, retinal detachment, macular puckers/holes, floaters and diabetic eye disease.
The Greenville community has a significant diabetic population which results in an increased need for diabetic eye care. High blood sugar levels can cause damage to the blood vessels in your retina (the back of your eye). The condition of diabetic retinopathy has different stages:
- Blood vessels of the retina can swell, leak fluid and eventually close
- Abnormal, very fragile blood vessels can form on the inside surface of the retina
- The retina can bleed and form scar tissue
Without healthy blood flow, the retina will be unable to convert light into signals for the brain to interpret. The result? Vision loss or even blindness.
Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms
Unfortunately, the damage can occur without any outward symptoms until serious, irreparable damage has occurred. As a Greenville retina specialist, Dr. Patel offers high-definition retinal imaging at our diagnostic center to monitor any vision changes that may be occurring to our diabetic patients. Regular exams with Dr. Patel allow our diabetic patients to protect their vision and stay proactive with their eye health.
Once diabetics begin to notice vision symptoms such as dark spots, floaters, blurry vision or changes in color perception, this could signify that immediate care is necessary. Dr. Patel may recommend laser surgery, vitrectomy (to remove blood from the eye) or intravitreal injections.
Your Best Defense Against Diabetic Retinopathy
The best way to help prevent diabetic retinopathy is by adopting a healthy lifestyle to keep your blood sugar and blood pressure levels in a healthy range. Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics are susceptible to having these vision problems.
It is also extremely important to have regular eye exams with your ophthalmologist. If you are a diabetic in Greenville, Texas, or if you have retinal issues unrelated to diabetes, we encourage you to contact us at (212) 361-1443 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel.
