How Dr Sacha Rajack Does Eye Screening to Detect Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Eye Disease and Hypertensive Eye Disease

Many of the conditions that threaten our eyesight develop slowly and silently. In fact, some of the most common causes of preventable vision loss may have no symptoms in their early stages. By the time blurred vision or other problems become noticeable, permanent damage may already have occurred.

At Ames Medical Services, Dr Sacha Rajack offers dedicated eye screening clinics to help identify early signs of eye disease before they affect your vision. With her unique combination of training as both a General Practitioner and an ophthalmology-trained physician, she is able to assess not only your eyes but also the medical conditions that can affect them.

Why Eye Screening Matters

Your eyes can provide important clues about your overall health. Conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure can damage the delicate blood vessels within the eye long before other symptoms develop.

Regular screening allows us to:

• Detect disease before symptoms appear

• Monitor changes over time

• Prevent avoidable vision loss

• Identify complications of diabetes and hypertension early

• Refer patients promptly when specialist treatment is required

For many patients, screening provides reassurance. For others, it identifies problems at a stage where treatment is most effective.

Who Should Book an Eye Screening? 

We strongly recommend screening if you: 

✅ Have diabetes 

✅ Have high blood pressure 

✅ Are over 40 years old 

✅ Have a family history of glaucoma 

✅ Have noticed changes in your vision 

✅ Have not had an eye examination in the past 1–2 years 

Cataracts: The Clouding of Vision 

A cataract occurs when the normally clear lens inside the eye becomes cloudy. Cataracts are common as we age and can develop gradually over many years.

Signs of cataracts may include:

• Blurred or cloudy vision

• Difficulty driving at night

• Increased sensitivity to glare

• Colours appearing faded

• Frequent changes in glasses prescription

Dr Rajack can identify early cataracts, monitor their progression, and advise when referral for specialist treatment may be appropriate.

Glaucoma: The Silent Thief of Sight 

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. It damages the optic nerve, often due to increased pressure within the eye.

The challenge with glaucoma is that:

Most people have no symptoms in the early stages.

Vision loss usually begins in the peripheral (side) vision and progresses slowly. Many patients do not realise anything is wrong until significant damage has occurred.

You may be at higher risk if you:

• Are over 40 years old

• Have a family history of glaucoma

• Have diabetes

• Have high blood pressure

• Are of African or Caribbean ancestry

Dr Rajack provides glaucoma screening and monitoring to help identify patients who may need further assessment or treatment before vision is permanently affected.

Diabetic Eye Disease: A Serious Complication of Diabetes 

Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This condition is known as diabetic retinopathy.

Importantly, diabetic retinopathy often causes:

• No pain

• No early symptoms

• No obvious changes in vision initially

However, as the disease progresses it can lead to:

• Blurred vision

• Vision loss

• Retinal bleeding

• Permanent damage if left untreated

Every person with diabetes should have regular eye screening.

Even patients whose blood sugar is reasonably controlled remain at risk and require ongoing monitoring.

Hypertensive Eye Disease: What Your Eyes Reveal About Blood Pressure 

High blood pressure does not only affect the heart, brain and kidneys—it can also damage the blood vessels within the eye.

Over time, uncontrolled hypertension can cause changes including:

• Narrowing of retinal blood vessels

• Bleeding within the retina

• Swelling of the optic nerve

• Reduced blood supply to eye tissues

These changes may occur even when patients feel perfectly well.

The eye is one of the few places in the body where blood vessels can be directly observed. For this reason, eye examinations can provide valuable information about how hypertension is affecting your overall health.

A Unique Approach at Ames Medical Services

One of the advantages of seeing Dr Rajack is her combined expertise in General Practice and ophthalmology.

Rather than looking only at the eye, she considers the whole patient:

• Blood pressure control

• Cardiovascular risk factors

• Lifestyle factors

• Preventive healthcare

This integrated approach helps ensure that underlying medical conditions are addressed alongside any eye health concerns.

Dr Sacha Rajack runs dedicated Diabetic Eye Screening and Glaucoma Clinics on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings at Ames Medical Services, while also offering GP consultations during these sessions.

To book, call Ames Medical Services at 221-3983, or click on the button below and select “Eye Appointment” from the drop down menu.