Transcript
Dr. Shechtman:
My name is Dr. Diana Shechtman. I've been practicing in the field of optometry for the last 24 years in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One of the biggest challenges I have with patients with diabetes is trying to motivate them to be part of their own management plan.
Timothy:
My name is Timothy, and I've been seeing Dr. Shechtman for less than a year now. I first came to Dr. Shechtman for a routine eye exam. And I didn't know that I had as many problems with my eyes as I did. Dr. Shechtman was very helpful in explaining what was going on with the diabetes in my eyes, and she explained what I could do to stop or reverse them.
Dr. Shechtman:
It's great to see you again. From what I've reviewed today, you have been incredibly stable. Looking at the photos here, there's some smaller areas of hemorrhages and still some areas of leakage, but you're doing really well. I'm really proud of you. You've actually been a great part of your management plan.
Timothy:
Yes, but why haven’t any of the changes gone away?
Dr. Shechtman:
That's a great question. Some of the changes are beginning to improve, but you may not be able to notice this. Diabetes is like a fast-moving train. We need to slow it down before we get to that edge of the cliff and then we have secondary problems. You're doing everything you need to do. You're exercising, you're following a good nutritional habit, and you're coming for your follow-ups and your exam. Annual exams are incredibly important in order to preserve vision.
Timothy:
What made me want to take control of my diabetes was the information that I got that I would lose my eyesight and the ability to see my kids grow up and all the future events that I was thinking about in the future.
Dr. Shechtman:
I'm really proud of Timothy. He has done everything possible to become an active participant in his own managed care, and this will certainly give him the best outcome. It is really important to get annual comprehensive dilated exams, especially if you have diabetes.
Contact your eye care specialist today to make an appointment.
Facebook Comments