Posted by: Georgia Retina in News, Uncategorized
Dr. Atul Sharma Recognizes Signs of Stroke Through Eye Exam, Saves Man’s Life
Dr. Sharma of Georgia Retina—one of the largest retina-only medical practices in the southeastern United States—and his patient, Chuck Tanner, were recently featured in a CBS Atlanta news segment.
Tanner—a 51-year-old native of Smyrna, Georgia—came to visit Georgia Retina after experiencing vision loss in one eye.
“I was sitting in traffic and trying to come to a stop and was sitting, waiting to go ahead. This eye, it looked like water sheeting down over this eye. I couldn’t see nothing for a few minutes,” said Tanner.
Upon examining Mr. Tanner’s eye, Dr. Sharma determined that the vision loss was caused by a stroke and ordered Tanner to go to the emergency room immediately. Tanner soon found out that Dr. Sharma’s diagnosis likely saved his life, as the stroke had been brought on by a blockage in an artery to his brain. This blockage, if left untreated, would have likely led to another, more fatal stroke.
“We call these kinds of situations a walking time bomb. You don’t know when that event will happen to him. He could have died,” Dr. Sharma said.
The unique training and perspective held by retina specialists like Dr. Sharma has many advantages that are often overlooked. In fact, “with the lenses that we use, we can see the actual blood vessels and the state they’re in. It can tell us about the health of someone overall,” says Dr. Sharma.
You can watch the full segment with Dr. Sharma here: http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/22173814/its-in-the-eyes
At Georgia Retina, patients’ vision needs are the top priority. As one of the largest retina-only medical practices in the southeastern United States, Georgia Retina specializes in treating diseases of the retina, macula, and vitreous. Its nine board-certified ophthalmologists have received special Fellowship training in vitreo-retinal diseases and surgery, and are engaged in clinical trials with the goal of advancing research into retinal diseases, their causes, and their cures.
