| Questions about Cataracts | |
What is a cataract? When the normally clear lens within your eye becomes cloudy or opaque, it is called a cataract. Cataracts vary from extremely small areas that cause a noticeable loss of vision. Who gets cataracts? Cataracts most often develop in persons over the age of 55, but they are also occasionally found in younger people, including newborns. What causes cataracts? Many factors can contribute to the development of cataracts. Chemical changes can occur within the lens in your eye that cause it to become cloudy. This may be due to advancing age or it may be the result of heredity, an injury or a disease. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight, cigarette smoking, or the use of certain medications are also risk factors for the development of cataracts. Can cataracts be prevented? Currently, there are no proven methods to prevent cataracts from forming. However, reducing exposure to sunlight, decreasing or discontinuing smoking, and eating a balanced diet may be helpful in preventing their development What are signs / symptoms of cataracts? Cataracts usually develop slowly and without pain. Some indications that a cataract may be forming include blurred or hazy vision, decreased color perception, or the feeling of having a film over the eyes. A temporary improvement in near vision may occur, and increased sensitivity to glare, especially at night, may be experienced. Cataracts usually develop in both eyes, but often at different rates. How are cataracts diagnosed? A comprehensive eye examination by Family Eye Care can determine if you have a cataract forming. How are cataracts treated? If a cataract develops to a point that your daily activities are affected, you will be referred to an eye surgeon who may recommend the surgical removal of the cataract. Using a small incision, the surgeon will remove the clouded lens and, in most cases, replace it with a intraocular lens implant. A medication is generally placed in the eye after surgery and the eye may be patched. What happens after cataract surgery? You will need to have several follow-up evaluations by your optometrist to monitor the healing process. When completed, eyeglasses or contact lenses may be prescribed to provide the most effective post-cataract vision. Is surgery the only way to treat cataracts Dr. Dzwieleski or Becker can prescribe changes in your eyewear that will help you see more clearly until surgery is necessary. When eyewear no longer provides adequate eyesight, surgery is the only proven means of effectively treating cataracts. Surgery is relatively uncomplicated and has an excellent success rate. When will I need to have cataracts removed? Cataracts may develop slowly over many years or they may form rapidly in a matter of months. Some cataracts never progress to the point that they need to be removed. Your optometrist can help you decide on the appropriate time for removal. Most people wait until cataracts interfere with daily activities before having them removed. |
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| Questions about Glaucoma | Back to top |
What is glaucoma? Glaucoma is an eye disease in which the internal fluid pressure of your eye rises to a point that the optic nerve is damaged. The pressure that builds up is usually due to inadequate
drainage of fluid normally produced in your eyes. Glaucoma is one of the leading
causes of blindness in the U.S. What causes glaucoma? The exact cause of glaucoma is not known. For some reason, the passages that normally allow fluid within you eye to drain out, become clogged or blocked. This results in fluid building up within your eye and increasing pressure on the optic nerve. The nerve fibers and blood vessels in the optic nerve can easily be damaged by this pressure, resulting in loss of vision. An injury, infection or tumor in or around the eye can also cause the pressure to rise. Who gets glaucoma? Glaucoma most frequently occurs in individuals over the age of 40, and there is a hereditary tendency for the development of the disease in some families. It is estimated that over 2 million Americans have glaucoma and this number is expected to rise as more of our population grows older. Primary open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. It occurs more frequently in African Americans than in Caucasians, causes damage at an earlier age and, leads to blindness at a much greater rate. There is also a greater tendency for glaucoma to develop in individuals who are nearsighted or who have diabetes. For those over 35, regular optometric examinations are particularly important as a preventive eye care measure. How is glaucoma harmful to vision? The optic nerve, at the back of the eye, carries visual information to the brain. As the fibers that make up the optic nerve are damaged, the amount and quality of information sent to the brain decreases and a loss of vision occurs. Will I go blind from glaucoma? If diagnosed at an early stage, glaucoma can often be controlled and little or no further vision loss may occur. If left untreated, first peripheral vision and then central vision will be affected and blindness may result. How can I tell if I have glaucoma? The signs or symptoms of glaucoma can vary, depending on the type. Primary open angle glaucoma often develops slowly and painlessly, with no early warning signs. It can gradually destroy your vision without you knowing it. The first indication may occur after some vision has already been lost. Acute angle closure glaucoma, which results from a sudden blockage of drainage channels in your eye, causes a rapid build up of pressure accompanied by blurred vision, the appearance of colored rings around lights and pain and redness in the eyes. How is glaucoma detected? A comprehensive optometric examination will include tests for glaucoma. A simple, painless procedure called tonometry measures the internal pressure of your eye. Dr.Dzwieleski or Becker will also look into your eye to observe the health of the optic nerve and measure your field of vision. How is glaucoma treated? Glaucoma is usually effectively treated with prescription eye drops and medicines that must be taken regularly. In some cases, laser therapy or surgery may be required. The goal of the treatment is to prevent loss of vision by lowering the fluid pressure in the eye. Will my vision be restored after treatment? Unfortunately, any vision loss as a result of glaucoma is usually permanent and cannot be restored. This is why regular preventive eye examinations are so important. Low vision rehabilitation services, that include the use of specialized optical devices and training, may benefit individuals with severe vision loss. Can glaucoma be prevented? No, but early detection and treatment can control glaucoma and reduce the chances of damage to the eye and a loss of sight. |
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| Questions about Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) | Back to top |
What is age-related macular degeneration? AMD refers to an eye problem called age-related macular degeneration. AMD is a very common cause of vision loss in the U.S. It usually strikes people over the age of 60. Few people get AMD under 60. After this age, the number of people with the disease rises sharply. AMD gets worse over time as it damages the macula. The macula, which is responsible for the center of your sight, is also the most sensitive part of the retina. When a large amount of central vision is lost, people find it very hard to do simple, everyday tasks that require sharp vision. This includes reading, sewing, driving, or even recognizing faces. Fortunately, AMD almost never results in complete blindness. Side vision is usually not damaged. Most people with AMD can keep their independence. They should be able to see well enough to do most household chores. AMD can develop quickly or slowly. The disease usually affects one eye first and then the other. There are two forms of AMD: wet (exudative) and dry (non-exudative). The wet form is less common. Still, it causes the most severe loss of sight from AMD. It is called "wet" because tiny blood vessels grow rapidly beneath the retina. They often break, leaking blood and fluid. This affects sight and causes scar tissue. The "dry" form is caused by a breakdown or thinning of the tissues in the macula. It is very common. This type accounts for 70 to 80 percent of the cases of AMD. Vision loss with dry AMD is usually not as severe, but there is currently no treatment or cure. How is AMD detected? As AMD gets worse, the signs become more obvious. If you have AMD, you may notice that:
People with AMD should check the central vision separately in each eye every day. Report any changes to your eye doctor. These changes include:
AMD is best detected with an eye examination by an eye doctor. You should have a complete eye exam year. The exam should include pupil dilation. That means that the eye doctor puts drops in your eyes to make the pupils open up very wide. Then, he or she can check for AMD. An eye doctor can find the disease as well as changes in the eye that show a risk of getting AMD. One change is the appearance of small, yellow deposits at the back of the eye. These deposits are called drusen. Drusen generally do not affect sight greatly. Who is likely to develop AMD? Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss for people age 75 and older. For those over 65, AMD causes the most new cases of decreased vision. Recent research found at least one gene linked to AMD. However, most people with AMD do not have this gene. Those who have it may be more likely to get the disease. AMD may also be linked with other hereditary factors, diet, smoking, and other conditions that are not yet clearly understood. How is AMD treated? There are no drugs available today to control or prevent AMD. Some people with wet AMD can be helped with laser treatment. But for these patients, the disease must be detected at the earliest stages for successful treatment. In laser therapy, a beam of very strong light passes through the front of the eye to the retina. It treats the retina by sealing off the leaking blood vessels at the back of the eye. This can stop the spread of weak, new blood vessels. Laser treatment causes almost no pain. You do not need to stay in the hospital for the treatment. Research is taking place to find new treatments for AMD. Still, a cure may be decades away. Anyone interested in AMD can help support vision research by contacting their legislators and asking them to support federal research funding. They can also support organizations like Prevent Blindness America that provide funding for vision research. Why is early diagnosis so important? As AMD gets worse, new tiny blood vessels invade the macula. Laser therapy does not work well once these leaky, new blood vessels have grown too near to the center of the macula. This is why advanced cases of wet AMD are likely to be untreatable. This wet type of AMD often gets worse quickly. The key to preventing vision loss is regular eye exams. People should have their eyes checked every year -- even if there is no problem seeing. People with AMD should return for an eye exam as often as the doctor recommends. They should also follow their doctor's treatment plan carefully to protect their remaining vision. Low vision rehabilitation. For many people who lose some degree of sight to AMD, low vision rehabilitation can help to make the most of their remaining sight. Low vision rehabilitation can help you keep your independence and improve your quality of life. Orientation and mobility training can give you skills that help you travel safely despite your limited vision. You can also learn ways to arrange your household to make living with low vision easier. Low vision aids are often prescribed for people with partial sight. Some low vision aids include:
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