Ophthalmology & Optometry

As the saying goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul, but they also serve sthe important function of allowing us to look out on to the world around us and experience all there is to see. There are two fields of medicine that deal specifically with the eyes: ophthalmology and optometry. Ophthalmology deals primarily with diseases (such as pink eye) of the visual pathways between the eyes and brain. Optometry concerns itself with vision problems (such as farsightedness and nearsightedness). Many people visit an optometrist once a year to make sure that their vision is functioning properly and that their eyes are healthy. Ophthalmologists are generally only sought for the treatment of eye problems broader than those just concerning vision.

Cataract

A cataract is an ocular opacity, partial or complete, of one or both eyes, on or in the lens or capsule, especially an opacity impairing vision or causing blindness. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if untreated. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.

Dry Eye

Dry eye occurs when the tear ducts located in the eyes do not produce enough tears to adequately lubricate the eyes. It can lead to dry, itchy, stingy eyes that get worse as the day progresses. Causes include old age, arthritis, lupus, diabetes and other environmental factors such as weather. Dry eye is more common in women, especially after menopause.

Eye Infections (include Conjunctivitis)

Eye infections are a moderate to severe infection caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses, which occurs either on the external surface of the eye or intraocularly with probable inflammation, visual impairment, or blindness. Two common eye infections are conjunctivitis and stye.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye's optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. Glaucoma occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises. However, with early treatment, a person can often protect the eyes against serious vision loss. It is the damage to the optic nerve that steals sight from people with glaucoma. Anyone can develop glaucoma, but it is five times more likely to occur in African Americans than in Caucasians.

Macular Degeneration

Most vision loss in people over the age of 55 is due to macular degeneration, a condition that affects 10 million Americans. Because the condition usually develops with age, it is generally referred to as Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). There are two types of ARMD: dry and wet. Dry ARMD occurs when the cells of the macula simply begin to break down. This process is usually slow and results in a blurred spot in the center of the field of vision. Wet ARMD is rarer than the dry form, but the results are much worse. It occurs when blood vessels behind the retina begin leaking blood and fluid behind the macula. As fluids fill the macula, one’s vision changes shape, causing straight lines to appear curved and the picture to blur.

Macular Edema

Diabetic macular edema occurs when fluid and protein deposits collect on or under the macula, a key component of the retina responsible for high acuity vision, causing the macula to thicken and swell. The swelling may distort a person's central vision, as the macula is near the center of the retina at the back of the eyeball. Diabetic macular edema provides sharp, clear central vision that allows a person to see form, color and detail that is directly in the line of sight.

Photophobia

Photophobia is an abnormal visual intolerance of light. Photophobia is a fairly common symptom. For many people, photophobia is not due to any underlying disease. Severe photophobia may be associated with eye problems and cause severe eye pain even in relatively low light.

Retinal Vein Occlusion

Retinal vein occlusion is a blockage in the blood supply from the retina -- the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. Veins of the retina can become blocked by a blood clot. Retinal vein occlusion also can occur when the retinal arteries put pressure on the retinal vein.

Strabismus

Strabismus is the inability of one eye to attain binocular vision with the other because of imbalance of the muscles of the eyeball.

Ulcerative keratitis

Ulcerative keratitis is inflammation and ulceration of the cornea that often occurs in people who have connective tissue diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Uveitis

Uveitis is an inflammation (swelling and irritation) of the the uvea. The uvea is the layer of the eye between the sclera and the retina. This layer includes the iris, ciliary body, and the choroid.

The uvea is very important because its many veins and arteries transport blood to the parts of the eye that are critical for vision.

Vitreous Hemorrhage

Bleeding from abnormal blood vessels growing on the retinam, vitreous hemorrhage occurs when portions of the retina receive inadequate blood supply, usually as the result of diabetes or blockage in a blood vessel. These areas produce a chemical which stimulates blood vessel growth. Unfortunately, the blood vessels that grow in response to this chemical are abnormal and they grow from the retina into the vitreous gel. They may bleed, known as a vitreous hemorrhage. Other common causes of vitreous hemorrhage are retinal tears and trauma.