CATARACTS

 What is a cataract?

When the normally clear lens within your eye becomes cloudy and opaque, it is called a cataract. Cataracts vary from extremely small areas of cloudiness to large opaque areas that cause a noticeable loss of vision.

Who gets cataracts?

Cataracts are most often found in persons over the age of 60, but they are also occasionally found in younger people, including newborns.

What causes cataracts?

No one knows exactly what causes cataracts. It is known that a chemical change occurs within your eye that causes the lens 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. Cataracts usually develop in both eyes, but often at different rates.

Can cataracts be prevented?

Currently, there is no proven method to prevent cataracts from forming. Wearing sunglasses is a tremendous benefit as they protect your lens from harmful UV rays, which can speed up the cataract formation. A diet rich in antioxidants (such as Vitamins A, C, E, Zinc, Selenium & Magnesium) is seemingly also beneficial.

What are the signs/symptoms of cataracts?

Cataracts develop without pain or redness, some indications that a cataract may be forming include blurred or hazy vision, the appearance of spots in front of the eyes, or the feeling of having a film over the eyes. A temporary improvement in near vision may also occur and increased sensitivity to glare, especially at night may be experienced.

How are cataracts diagnosed?

In the early stages of a cataract, where vision is only minimally affected, your optometrist can prescribe new lenses for your glasses to give you the sharpest vision possible. When the cataracts start to interfere with your daily activities and glasses cannot improve this vision, your optometrist will refer you to an eye surgeon who may recommend the surgical removal of the cataracts. The surgery is relatively uncomplicated and has a success rate of at least 95 percent.

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. When a change in glasses can no longer provide functional vision, your optometrist will arrange a consultation with a cataract surgeon.

What happens after cataract surgery?

Intraocular lens implants, inserted in your eye at the time of surgery, serve as a "new lens" and sometimes give you good distance vision without glasses. Your near vision will still be blurred. Your Doctor of Optometry will prescribe new lenses for your glasses about 4 - 6 weeks after surgery to maximize your distance and near vision.

Diabetes & Your Eyes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes, simply stated is a disease that prevents your body from making or using insulin which in turn leads to increased sugar levels in your bloodstream.

How does diabetes affect the eye?

Diabetes and its complications can affect many parts of the eye. Diabetes can cause changes in nearsightedness, farsightedness and premature presbyopia (the inability to focus on close objects). It can result in cataracts, glaucoma, paralysis of the nerves that control of the eye muscles or pupil, and in decreased corneal sensitivity. Visual symptoms of diabetes include fluctuating or blurring of vision, occasional double vision, loss of visual field, and flashes and floaters within the eyes. Sometimes these early signs of diabetes are detected in a thorough optometric examination.The most serious eye problem associated with diabetes is diabetic retinopathy.

What is retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when there is a weakening or swelling of the tiny blood vessels in the retina of your eye, resulting in blood leakage, the growth of new blood vessels and other changes. If diabetic retinopathy is left untreated, blindness can result.

Can vision loss from diabetes be prevented?

Yes, in a routine eye examination, your optometrist can diagnose potential vision threatening changes in your eye that may be treated to prevent blindness. However, once damage has occurred, the effects are usually permanent. It is important to control your diabetes as much as possible to minimize your risk of developing retinopathy.

How is diabetic retinopathy treated?

In the early stages, diabetic retinopathy is monitored through eye health examinations. If necessary, it may be treated with laser therapy. A bright beam of light is focused on the retina, causing a burn which seals off leaking blood vessels. In other cases, surgery inside the eye may be necessary. Early detection of diabetic reinopathy is crucial, as treament is much more likely to be successful at an early stage.

Are there risk factors for developing retinopathy?

Several factors that increase the risk of developing retinopathy include smoking, high blood pressure, drinking alcohol and pregnancy.

How can diabetes-related eye problems be prevented?

 Monitor and maintain control of your diabetes. See your physician regularly and follow instructions about diet, exercise and medication. See your optometrist, an eye car specialist, for a thorough eye examination when you are first diagnosed as a diabetic, at least annually thereafter and more frequently if recommended.

Eye health for infants (six months or younger)

Women’s Eye Health

The majority of people who are blind are women! This is partly because women live longer than men so they are exposed to more serious age-related diseases that can result in blindness. However, many women don’t realize how important regular eye examinations are for detecting eye diseases like glaucoma. Hormonal changes throughout a woman’s lifetime can also affect how well her eyes function.

 A school-age child's eyes are constantly in use in the classroom and at play. It's extremely important that children receive a thorough optometric examination before entering school.

This will determine if their vision skills are adequately developed to handle reading, writing and other close work. The visual demands of schoolwork can stress the visual system, causing problems where none existed before. The child's eyes have to adjust from focusing primarily in the distance to focusing on close work for hours on end.