Eylea Macula Specialist California
Going to the eye doctor for regular check-ups is crucial for maintaining proper, healthy eyes, but there are times when you might need to see an Eylea macula specialist in California. Places like Retina Associates of Orange County have eye physicians on standby that specialize in Eylea macula treatment. Whether you’ve been referred by a previous eye physician or believe you can benefit from such treatment, you will want to contact an Eylea macula specialist.
When to See an Eylea Macula Specialist in California?
Eylea is an FDA-approved brand-name prescription medication. Administered as an injection, it’s primarily used to slow or even stop vision loss under certain circumstances. While you can ask your healthcare provider about Eylea treatment options if you begin to notice your vision changing, typically Eylea is prescribed to patients under four circumstances:
- Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The macula is an essential part of the retina responsible for functions such as central and color vision. When wet age-related macular degeneration occurs, the macula is affected by swelling and scarring.
- Macular Edema: Macular edema is when the macula begins to swell. Usually, this is caused by fluid leaking into the retina after a retinal vein blockage—also known as retinal vein occlusion.
- Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetic retinopathy is caused by diabetes which is a result of high glucose levels. High sugar levels can damage your retina’s blood vessels leading to symptoms such as distorted vision.
- Diabetic Macular Edema: This is a specific type of diabetic retinopathy caused by swelling blood vessels in your eyes.
PREPARING A LOVED ONE TO VISIT OUR OFFICES
If you are helping a loved one to navigate an eye injury or new, troublesome eye-related symptoms, it can be helpful to know what your loved one should expect from a visit to our offices. Some people, very understandably, deal with anxiety when visiting any kind of medical practitioner. Others dread going to the eye doctor specifically, either because they do not like when anyone (or anything) touches their eyes or because they simply don’t like when people get too close to their face. Please know that our Southern California Eylea macula specialist team understands why people—of all ages—may struggle with going to the eye doctor and that we do all that we can to make this process as low-stress as possible.
If your loved one has not had an eye exam of any kind in quite a while, it may be helpful to explain to them that we have a lot of technical equipment in our offices that can seem somewhat intimidating at first glance. However, all this technical machinery helps to ensure that our patients need not spend any more time having their eyes examined than is necessary. We use top of the line equipment, designed for a variety of diagnostic and treatment-based purposes, in order to minimize the stress of visiting our facilities while ensuring that our diagnoses are as accurate as possible. A machine that may look intimidating at first may ultimately help your loved one avoid a much more prolonged and uncomfortable process than they would have otherwise been subjected to at a less advanced eye specialist location.
A basic exam concerning your loved one’s macular health will involve scans by various machines, a physical look into your loved one’s eyes with a light, and may involve administration of drops. If your loved one’s eyes need to be dilated as part of an initial exam, they will be unable to focus on a screen or reading material for some time and will need to be protected from harsh light via sunglasses. As a result, it can be helpful to bring along distractions that don’t require vision concentration. Many of our patients like to listen to podcasts, music, or audio books when their eyes are dilated. Alternatively, if you are going to accompany your loved one to their appointment, you could read out loud to them or settle in for a nice chat.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM EYLEA INJECTIONS
If your loved one has either already been cleared to receive Eylea injections or may be a good candidate to receive them as part of their treatment plan, it can be helpful to know what to expect from the injection process. Generally, the recommended dose of this medication is administered—via injection into the eye—every four weeks for the first five injections, followed by injection once every eight weeks. However, this timetable may be altered based on your loved one’s specific condition and/or circumstances. Eylea injections shouldn’t hurt, but your loved one may feel a significant change in temperature (hot or cold), a great deal of pressure on the eye, and discomfort for up to a few hours following the procedure. Your loved one should not apply eye makeup prior to their procedure and should remove any eye makeup that may remain on their face from the previous day.
If you have any questions about how to best prepare yourself or a loved one for a visit to our offices, please connect with the experienced Southern California medical team at Retina Associates of Orange County any time. We are more than happy to speak with you.
Eylea Treatment Success and Side Effects
Although Eylea has a strong success rate when it comes to treating macula-related issues, there are some side effects that range from mild to severe. On the mild spectrum of side effects some patients experience:
- Eye pain/redness/watery eyes.
- Floaters.
- Eyelid swelling.
- Vitreous detachment (a mild symptom where the jelly-like material in your eyeball begins to pull from your retina).
While uncommon, serious side effects can include cataracts, allergic reactions, and increased blood clotting that can lead to a stroke. A sure-fire way to make sure that Eylea treatment is the best solution for you or your loved one is by consulting an Eylea Macula Specialist in California who understands the ins and outs of various treatment options.
Treatment Options Our Physicians Provide
Our physicians have several years of experience providing eye care for many patients. Among our bevy of services, we have Eylea macula specialists in California proud to serve Orange County and neighboring areas. We’re well-equipped to handle retina-related issues and can prescribe Eylea when needed.
We understand, however, that patients’ needs can vary. As such, we make it part of our mission to tailor treatment options to fit every patient. With plenty of options available, we will make sure every patient receives optimized care. Taking into account the severity of the condition, age, family history, allergies, etc. we will work with you to formulate the right plan matching your needs.
Contact Retina Associates of Orange County today to schedule an appointment!