B-Town Eyecare
SEE BETTER. FEEL BETTER.
B-Town Eyecare
SEE BETTER. FEEL BETTER.
SEE BETTER. FEEL BETTER.
As one ages, cellular changes occur in the lens that makes it less transparent. The loss of transparency may be so mild that vision is hardly affected or so severe that no shapes or movements can be seen, only light and dark. When the lens gets cloudy enough to obstruct vision, it is called a cataract.
The most common cause of a cataract is aging, and it is estimated that 20.5 million Americans over the age of 40 are affected. Other causes include:
Cataracts can occur in one or both eyes, and glasses or contact lenses may not sharpen vision if a cataract is present. Once formed, the only cure for a cataract is surgical removal. Patients may reduce the risk for developing a cataract by limiting the amount of ultraviolet light exposure and wearing a wide-brim hat and sunglasses.
Cataracts don’t suddenly develop overnight. They generally start off small and only begin to noticeably affect your vision as they grow. The first symptom is usually that your vision becomes blurred, hazy, or cloudy. Additionally, you may become sensitive to light, making sunlight, oncoming headlights or indoor lighting appear exceptionally glaring or bright. Colors may seem dim, and you may notice halos around lights or double vision.
Here is a list of possible signs and symptoms of developing cataracts:
AMD is a common eye condition and a leading cause of vision loss among people aged 50 and older. It causes damage to the macula, a small spot near the center of the retina and the part of the eye needed for sharp, central vision, which lets us see objects that are straight ahead. This condition can cause the loss of central vision in AMD can interfere with simple everyday activities, such as the ability to see faces, drive, read, write, or do close work, such as cooking or fixing things around the house.
Age is a major risk factor for AMD. The disease is most likely to occur after age 60, but it can occur earlier. Other risk factors for AMD include:
Researchers have found links between AMD and some lifestyle choices, such as smoking. You might be able to reduce your risk of AMD or slow its progression by making these healthy choices:
Protection and prevention are imperative, and here are some key areas to manage:
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that damage the eye’s optic nerve, usually associated with an increase of pressure in the eye. This disease can result in vision loss and blindness, however, with early detection and treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss.
Not necessarily. Not every person with increased eye pressure will develop glaucoma. Some people can tolerate higher levels of eye pressure better than others. Also, a certain level of eye pressure may be high for one person but normal for another.
Whether you develop glaucoma depends on the level of pressure your optic nerve can tolerate without being damaged. This level is different for each person. That’s why a comprehensive dilated eye exam is very important. It can help your eye care professional determine what level of eye pressure is normal for you.
Yes. Glaucoma can develop without increased eye pressure. This form of glaucoma is called low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma. It is a type of open-angle glaucoma.
There are several risk factors for developing glaucoma. These include:
A comprehensive dilated eye exam can reveal more risk factors, such as high eye pressure, thinness of the cornea, and abnormal optic nerve anatomy. In some people with certain combinations of these high-risk factors, medicines in the form of eyedrops reduce the risk of developing glaucoma by about half.
At first, open-angle glaucoma has no symptoms. It causes no pain. Vision stays normal. Glaucoma can develop in one or both eyes.
Without treatment, people with glaucoma will slowly lose their peripheral (side) vision. As glaucoma remains untreated, people may miss objects to the side and out of the corner of their eye. They seem to be looking through a tunnel. Over time, straight-ahead (central) vision may decrease until no vision remains.
Diabetes is a disease that affects many Americans and can cause serious damage to the eye. The most common complication from diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, and diabetics are also well known to be at a higher risk category for glaucoma, cataracts, and other eye diseases.
Every diabetic should have an eye doctor who knows their full history and screens for all these conditions during their comprehensive eye exams. If you are newly diagnosed with diabetes, please feel free to contact our office, and we would be happy to manage your diabetic eye care and communicate with your other physicians managing your diabetes.
If you have diabetes, your body does not store and use sugar properly. High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels all over your body, specifically blood vessels in your retina. Damage to the blood vessels and subsequently, the nerve layer in the back of your eye, is referred to as diabetic retinopathy
NPDR and PDR form due to high blood sugar levels and long-standing blood sugar fluctuations. PDR causes visual loss in the following ways:
During your comprehensive eye exam your retina is thoroughly examined looking for these types of changes to the blood vessels and retina.
A retina specialist can treat bleeding vessels with a laser or eye injections.
All patients with diabetes need to see an eye care professional at least once a year for a complete dilated eye exam.
In the 21st century, visual loss from diabetes is largely preventable. Excellent blood sugar control is the best defense against diabetic retinopathy. Early detection and treatment are essential.
NPDR and PDR form due to high blood sugar levels and long-standing blood sugar fluctuations. PDR causes visual loss in the following ways:
Sources: American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Optometric Association.
A retinal detachment is an eye problem that happens when your retina (a light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye) is pulled away from its normal position at the back of your eye.
There are many causes of retinal detachment, but the most common causes are aging or an eye injury.
There are 3 types of retinal detachment: rhegmatogenous, tractional, and exudative. Each type happens because of a different problem that causes your retina to move away from the back of your eye.
If only a small part of your retina has detached, you may not have any symptoms.
But if more of your retina is detached, you may not be able to see as clearly as normal, and you may notice other sudden symptoms, including:
Retinal detachment is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms of a detached retina, it’s important to go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away.
Depending on how much of your retina is detached and what type of retinal detachment you have, a retina specialist may recommend laser surgery, freezing treatment, or other types of surgery to fix any tears or breaks in your retina and reattach your retina to the back of your eye. Sometimes, they will use more than one of these treatments at the same time.
Eye allergies are a common eye condition. The medical term used to describe eye allergies is allergic conjunctivitis. When your eyes encounter an allergen, like pollen, your body’s defense system (immune system) works to attack the allergens by releasing histamines. When this happens, your eyes can become red and swollen (inflamed).
Some of the most common causes of eye allergies include:
Seasonal Eye Allergies – certain seasons can be challenging for people who are allergic to tree, grass and weed pollens. Typically, these are more pronounced in the Spring, but can occur at other times of the year as well.
Year round or perennial conjunctivitis – people with allergies to dust mites, pet dander and indoor allergens may experience eye allergy irritation throughout the year.
Contact conjunctivitis – your eye has a natural balance and when something encounters your eye, it can upset that balance and result in contact conjunctivitis. This could include make-up, medications, perfume or even wind-blown objects. It may take two to four days after contact for symptoms to appear.
Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) – this is an allergic reaction to contact lenses. Contact lenses can be contaminated by poor handling (not washing hands) or when the solutions or cases used with contact lenses become contaminated. Good contact lens hygiene can help prevent this.
Ideally, we suggest you avoid coming into contact with the things that cause eye irritation. Since that isn’t always possible, there are several medications and non-prescription options available to help provide relief from eye allergies.
Keratoconus is when the normally spherical cornea thins and becomes “cone shaped”. As the cornea changes in shape, it changes the way light rays are focused on the retina. As a result, vision becomes blurry and distorted.
Keratoconus often begins in the late teen years and symptoms can progress slowly for 10 to 20 years.
In patients with keratoconus, collagen fibers in the cornea become weakened and cannot hold the shape of the cornea.
The exact cause of this is unknown but it is thought that a decrease in protective antioxidants and an increase in free radicals is a cause. In some cases, keratoconus appears to be genetic. Around 10% of patients have an affected parent.
Keratoconus is also associated with overexposure to ultraviolet light, chronic eye irritation or excessive rubbing of the eyes. It is thought that excessive rubbing can damage corneal tissue, making symptoms worse.
Treatment of keratoconus depends upon your symptoms. In early stages, eyeglasses or special contact lenses can be used to correct vision.
As symptoms progress, other treatments may be necessary. These include:
Intacs are FDA approved small plastic arcs that are surgically placed in your cornea. Intacs bring the cornea closer to its original dome shape by flattening the curve.
Corneal Collagen Crosslinking (CXL) is a treatment for patients with keratoconus and those who experience a keratoconus like condition after laser refractive surgery (so-called post-LASIK corneal ectasia). This procedure strengthens the bonds between collagen lamellae, which represent the main structural component of the cornea.
In severe cases, all or part of the cornea can be replaced by donor tissue.
We receive many calls from patients telling us they have a ‘bump on their eyelid’ or something that looks like a pimple.
In most cases these ‘bumps’ turn out to be a hordeolum (stye) or a chalazion. In this section, we will explore what each of these are, including what causes them, how to treat them and when to see an Optometrist.
A stye or hordeolum, is an infection involving the oil glands of the eyelids. They are typically caused by bacteria that colonize, or live on, the surface of the eyelid skin.
A hordeolum can occur when bacteria become trapped in oil glands that are blocked or plugged. In some cases, medications or hormonal changes can alter the composition of the oil and make it more likely to plug the glands.
A hordeolum can affect either the external or internal surface of the eyelid, but they almost always involve the glands at the eyelid margin.
A hordeolum can cause swelling and inflammation of the eyelid, make it red, tender to the touch and sometimes painful.
They can also cause increased mucous production from the internal surface of the eyelids that can blur vision and cause crusting in the corners of the eyes or at the eyelid margins.
Infrequently, the infection can spread to surrounding tissues, which is referred to as cellulitis. In cases of cellulitis, patients may experience fever and swelling can be quite sever and the lids might block vision. This is considered a true emergency due to the impact the infection can have on the entire body.
A mild hordeolum can usually be treated with warm compresses and eyelid hygiene two or three times a day. The warmth helps the oil flow from the glands more freely, and the lid hygiene removes bacteria and other debris that may be clogging the glands.
More moderate styes may be treated with topical antibiotic or combination antibiotic/steroid ointments in addition to warm compresses and lid hygiene.
A severe hordeolum and cases of cellulitis may require the addition of oral antibiotics. In cases of abscess formation, some styes will drain on their own, while others require surgical drainage.
A chalazion is an accumulation of firm nodular tissue called a “granuloma” that forms inside the eyelids where the oil glands have been inflamed.
This inflammation is a reaction to oil that has seeped out of the glands into the surrounding tissue of the eyelid where the glands become plugged.
This may occur on its own or following hordeolum formation and treatment. Patients are often left with a firm bump or nodule in the eyelid that is painless or only mildly irritating, however, some chalazia may be more symptomatic.
Like a hordeolum, mild chalazia may be treated with warm compresses and eyelid hygiene.
Moderate to severe chalazia are treated with a combination of warm compresses, lid hygiene, and topical or injected steroids.
Chronic chalazia usually require surgical treatment with a small incision, usually through the inside surface of the eyelid to avoid external scarring.
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