So What is a Cataract? A Cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye. (See above animation) Normally, light passes through the clear lens and is focused onto the Retina. However, the natural aging process can cause the lens to become cloudy. The Cataract or cloudy lens blocks the passage of light through the eye and causes distorted or blurred vision, glare, or difficulty seeing in poor lighting conditions.

Cataract surgery is the most common operation in the world. In the United States, more than 2.7 million procedures are performed annually. (National Institutes of Health)

There are 20.5 million cases of early cataracts among Americans aged 40 and older, and 50 percent of people older than 65 have developed significant cataracts. (National Institutes of Health)

Blurred vision or temporary blindness can occur when blood vessels weaken, bulge and leak fluid into surrounding tissue, causing swelling. Abnormal new blood vessels grow on the retina, where they can bleed into the eye and block vision.

As the disease progresses, the retina can detach from the eye, resulting in permanent blindness. But irreversible vision loss can be prevented with early detection and treatment. This is just one of the reasons it is so important to have your eyes checked on a regular basis. In addition to testing your vision, we will look for any symptoms of eye disease.

Retina damage happens slowly. Your retinas have tiny blood vessels that are easy to damage. Having high blood glucose and high blood pressure for a long time can damage these tiny blood vessels.

These tiny blood vessels can swell and weaken and some blood vessels become clogged. At first, you might not have any loss of sight from these changes, but if left untreated vision loss can occur. This is why you need to have a comprehensive eye exam once a year even if your sight seems fine.

A detached retina occurs when the retina pulls away from the inside wall of the eye. When this happens vision becomes blurred, shaded or distorted.

Left untreated, retinal detachment almost always causes permanent sight loss in the affected eye.

Retinal detachment and tears may be caused by eye injury, the aging process, tumors, cataract surgery, eye disease or extreme nearsightedness.

Several early symptoms may indicate a detached or torn retina:

Light flashes in one eye
Floaters
A dark shadow over part of the field of vision
Blurred vision or blind spots
Watery vision

These symptoms do not always indicate retinal detachment, but if you’re experiencing them, you should go to an emergency room,call us or see one of our doctors as soon as possible.

The tears your eyes produce are necessary for overall eye health and clear vision. Dry eye means that your eyes do not produce enough tears or that you produce tears that do not have the proper chemical composition. Often, dry eye is part of the natural aging process. It can also be caused by blinking or eyelid problems, medications like antihistamines, oral contraceptives and antidepressants, a dry climate, wind and dust, general health problems like arthritis or Sjogren's syndrome and chemical or thermal burns to your eyes.

If you have dry eye, your symptoms may include irritated, scratchy, dry, uncomfortable or red eyes, a burning sensation, excessive tearing, blurred vision, or a feeling of something foreign in your eyes. Excessive dry eyes may damage eye tissue, scar your cornea (the front covering of your eyes) and impair vision and make contact lens wear difficult.

If you have symptoms of dry eye, see us immediately for a comprehensive examination. Dry eye cannot be cured, but we may be able to prescribe treatment so your eyes remain healthy and your vision is unaffected.

The two most commonly encountered ocular surface disorders are tear film disorders and blepharitis. Additional subclassifications include those “dry-eye” states associated with systemic connective tissue disorders, specifically Sjögren syndrome (SS). With regard to lipid deficient tear-film disorders, the involvement of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) has been proposed.

We perform specific tests to assist in differentiating the various forms of tear film abnormalities and identifying potential treatment strategies. Careful clinical observation, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate intervention can eliminate or minimize the deleterious effects of ocular surface disorders on the quality of life.

Dry macular degeneration, in which the cells of the macula slowly begin to break down, is diagnosed in 90 percent of the cases. Yellow deposits called "drusen" form under the retina between the retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) and Bruch’s membrane, which supports the retina. Drusen deposits are "debris" associated with compromised cell metabolism in the RPE and are often the first sign of macular degeneration. Eventually, there is a deterioration of the macular regions associated with the drusen deposits resulting in a spotty loss of "straight ahead" vision.

Wet macular degeneration occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow behind the macula, then bleed. There is a breakdown in Bruch’s membrane, which usually occurs near drusen deposits and this is where the new blood vessel growth occurs (neovascularization). These vessels are very fragile and leak fluid and blood (hence ‘wet’), resulting in scarring of the macula and the potential for rapid, severe damage. "Straight ahead" vision can become distorted or lost entirely in a short period of time, sometimes within days. Wet macular degeneration accounts for approximately 10% of the cases, however it results in 90% of the legal blindness.

What does macular degeneration do to your vision?
Macular degeneration is the imprecise historical name given to that group of diseases that causes sight-sensing cells in the macular zone of the retina to malfunction or lose function and results in debilitating loss of vital central or detail vision.

What are the Symptoms of Macular Degeneration?
Macular degeneration can cause different symptoms in different people. Sometimes only one eye loses vision while the other eye continues to see well for many years. The condition may be hardly noticeable in its early stages. But when both eyes are affected, reading and close up work can become difficult.

What can you or your loved one do if diagnosed with macular degeneration?
First it is important to modify those environmental risk factors that we know about. You should:
Detail a low-fat, low cholesterol diet.
If you are post-menopausal, you should consult with your physician concerning estrogen replacement therapy. This may have a favorable impact upon cholesterol lipid levels that play a role in worsening the disease.
Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
Try to consume at least two servings of leafy dark green vegetables per day.
Do not smoke and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
Eat food and or supplements rich in vitamin E,C and Lutein. Lutein is a plant antioxidant found in high quantities in spinach, kale and other dark green, leafy vegetables.

Almost everyone sees floaters at some time, but they can occur more frequently and become more noticeable as we get older.

Floaters caused by posterior vitreous detachment are more common in people who:
Are nearsighted
Have undergone cataract surgery
Have had certain types of laser surgery
Have had inflammation of the eye

Because floaters or flashes can be an indication of a serious problem, you should contact our doctor when:
You see floaters for the first time
You notice an increase in the number or size of floaters
You experience the sudden onset of flashes

In most cases, no serious problems are found, but a complete eye examination is important. If there is damage to the retina, it needs to be diagnosed and treated immediately to prevent vision loss.