Annual eye heath examinations are crucial in preventing, diagnosing, and treating a variety of eye diseases. Below are just a few examples of eye diseases commonly diagnosed and treated in our office.
Diabetic Eye Disease
Diabetes is a disease that profoundly affects many areas of your body, including your eyes. It increases your risk for eye conditions, such as glaucoma and cataracts. The primary concern for eye health in people with diabetes is the development of diabetic retinopathy.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye condition that damages the optic nerve. The health of the optic nerve is vital for good vision. Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness for people over the age of 60. It can more common in older adults but can occur at any age. Many forms of glaucoma have no warning signs.
Dry Eye Disease
Dry eye is when your eyes do not produce enough tears, or don't make the right type of tears or tear film. Dry eye affects millions of Americans each year.
Meibomeina Gland Dysfunction
Meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) is a common eye condition Most people don't realize they have it. MGD is caused a problem with the tiny glands in your eyelids that help make the oil layer of your tears.
Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss. This condition affects more than 10 million Americans – more than cataracts and glaucoma combined. Currently, Macular Degeneration is considered an incurable eye disease.
Macular Degeneration is caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina. The retina is the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them via the optic nerve from the eye to the brain. The central portion of the retina, known as the macula, is responsible for focusing central vision in the eye It controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail.
There are three stages of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
Early AMD – Most people do not experience visual symptoms in the early stage of AMD, which is why periodic eye exams are important, especially if you have more than one risk factor. Early AMD is diagnosed by the presence of yellow deposits beneath the retina-called drusen.
Intermediate AMD – At this stage of the disease, there may be some vision loss, but you still may not have noticeable symptoms. A comprehensive eye exam with specific tests will look for larger drusen and/or pigment changes in the retina.
Late AMD – At this stage, vision loss has become noticeable. Symptoms include straight lines appearing wavy/crooked, or central vision appears blurry.
Age is the biggest risk factor for Macular Degeneration. Risk for the disease increases as you age, and is most likely to occur at age of 55 and older.
Other risk factors include:
Genetics – Family History of AMD increases risk.
Race – Caucasians are more likely to develop the disease than African-Americans or Hispanics/Latinos.
Smoking – Smoking doubles the risk of AMD.
Blepharitis
Anterior blepharitis is commonly caused by bacteria (staphylococcal blepharitis) or dandruff of the scalp and eyebrows (seborrheic blepharitis). These bacteria are commonly found on the face and lids, but if they become excessive, or the lid area reacts poorly to their presence, an infection may occur. Less commonly, allergies or a mite infestation of the eyelashes can cause anterior blepharitis.
Posterior blepharitis can occur when the glands of the eyelids irregularly produce oil (meibomian blepharitis). This creates a favorable environment for bacterial growth. Posterior blepharitis can also develop as a result of other skin conditions, such as rosacea and scalp dandruff.
In many cases, good hygiene can help control blepharitis. This includes frequently washing the scalp and face, using warm compresses to soak the eyelids and scrubbing the eyelids. When a bacterial infection is causing or accompanies blepharitis, antibiotics and other medications may be prescribed.
Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. For people who have cataracts, seeing through cloudy lenses is a bit like looking through a frosty or fogged-up window. Clouded vision caused by cataracts can make it more difficult to read, drive a car (especially at night) or see the expression on a friend’s face.
Most cataracts develop slowly and don’t disturb your eyesight early on. But with time, cataracts will eventually interfere with your vision.
At first, stronger lighting and eyeglasses can help you deal with cataracts. But if impaired vision interferes with your usual activities, you might need cataract surgery. Fortunately, cataract surgery is generally a safe, effective procedure.
A cataract is a cloudy lens. The lens is positioned behind the colored part of your eye (iris). The lens focuses light that passes into your eye, producing clear, sharp images on the retina — the light-sensitive membrane in the eye that functions like the film in a camera.
As you age, the lenses in your eyes become less flexible, less transparent and thicker. Age-related and other medical conditions cause proteins and fibers within the lenses to break down and clump together, clouding the lenses.
As the cataract continues to develop, the clouding becomes denser. A cataract scatters and blocks the light as it passes through the lens, preventing a sharply defined image from reaching your retina. As a result, your vision becomes blurred.
Cataracts generally develop in both eyes, but not always at the same rate. The cataract in one eye may be more advanced than the other, causing a difference in vision between eyes.
Factors that increase your risk of cataracts include:
Increasing Age
Diabetes
Excessive exposure to sunlight
Smoking
Obesity
High Blood Pressure
Previous eye injury or inflammation
Previous eye surgery
Prolonged use of corticosteroid medication
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
Surgery is the only way to treat cataracts, but you may not need it right away. If you catch the problem at an early stage, you might be able to get by with a new prescription for your glasses. A stronger lens can make your vision better for a while. If you have trouble reading, try a brighter lamp or a magnifying glass. If glare is a problem for you, check out special glasses that have an anti-glare coating. They can help when you drive at night.
Keep close tabs on how your cataracts affect the way you see. When your vision troubles start to get in the way of your daily routine — especially if they make driving dangerous — it’s time to talk to the doctor about surgery.
Conjunctivitis
The most commen pink eye symptoms include:
Redness in one or both eyes
Itchiness in one or both eyes
A gritty feeling in one or both eyes
A discharge in one or both eyes that forms a crust during the night that may prevent your eye or eyes from opening in the morning
Tearing
Causes of pink eye include:
Viruses
Bacteria
Allergies
A chemical splash in the eye
A foreign object in the eye
In newborns, a blocked tear duct
There are serious eye conditions that can cause eye redness. These conditions may cause eye pain, a feeling that something is stuck in your eye (foreign body sensation), blurred vision and light sensitivity. If you experience these symptoms, seek urgent care.
People who wear contact lenses need to stop wearing their contacts as soon as pink eye symptoms begin. If your symptoms don’t start to get better within 12 to 24 hours, make an appointment with your eye doctor to make sure you don’t have a more serious eye infection related to contact lens use.
Hours
- Monday - 8:40 to 12:00 / 1:10 to 5:00
- Tuesday - 8:40 to 12:00 / 1:10 to 5:00
- Wednesday - 9:00 to 7:00
- Thursday - 8:40 to 12:00 / 1:10 to 5:00
- Friday - 8:00 to 2:00
- Saturday - Closed
- Sunday - Closed