When you and your ophthalmologist decide that it is the right time for cataract surgery, the defective lens that causes blurring and light distortions will be replaced with a new lens. You may choose between a clear lens referred to as a single vision "monofocal" or a full range multifocal lens. Cataract surgery is an opportunity to improve your vision and attain independence from glasses or contacts. Check out our vision chart for more information on the different options available.
Lifestyle Questionnaire
Click on the link below for a questionnaire which will help you think about how you use your eyes in order for you and your ophthalmologist to determine the best option for you.
Glaucoma is a condition in which the eye's intraocular pressure (IOP) is too high. This means that your eye has too much aqueous humor in it, either because it produced too much, or because it's not draining properly. Other symptoms are optic nerve damage and vision loss.
What is glaucoma and how do you know if you have it?
Glaucoma is actually a group of diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve from abnormally high pressure inside the eyeball. The optic nerve is a bundle of more than a million nerve fibers at the back of the eye. Think of an electric cable that has thousands of wires and they carry images from the inside back wall of the eyeball or the retina to your brain. When that optic nerve deteriorates, it can create blind spots in your visual field usually beginning with your peripheral or side vision.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss. It generally develops gradually and does not cause any symptoms or warning signs until you begin to experience problems with your vision. The best course of action is to have regular eye checkups so that it can be detected and treated early. If treated early enough, glaucoma will not cause any loss of vision.
Tests for glaucoma can be performed by your regular doctor but some have to be done by an eye-care specialist or ophthalmologist. You should begin routine checkups at age 40 every two to four years, and every year after 50.
There are therapies that can help treat glaucoma if your family has a history of glaucoma or you have other health problems or eye injuries that may make you more susceptible to the disease. If you develop glaucoma, it will require monitoring throughout your life.
What's the difference between glaucoma and ocular hypertension?
Ocular hypertension is another term for high IOP; the pressure is not high enough to cause optic nerve damage and vision loss.
Why does my eye doctor want to do more than one kind of glaucoma test?
The "puff test" that most people are familiar with measures IOP. Another way doctors may measure it is by pressing an instrument called an applanation tonometer against your eye to determine how much resistance there is.
Your doctor may also want to check for optic nerve damage by dilating your eyes, or to check for vision loss with a visual field test.
Who's at the most risk for glaucoma?
If you're over age 60, African-American, diabetic or have a family member with glaucoma, you are at higher risk for glaucoma than others.
Is there any way to prevent glaucoma?
Doctors don't know of any way to prevent glaucoma.
What are the signs and symptoms of glaucoma?
There are usually no signs that you're developing glaucoma until vision loss occurs, which is why it's so important to have regular eye exams. Your eye doctor can diagnose and treat high IOP before it progresses to optic nerve damage and vision loss.
What are the different types of glaucoma?
Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common form of glaucoma. The other types are: normal-tension, narrow-angle, closed-angle, congenital, pigmentary and secondary.
Is glaucoma curable?
No, but it's important to treat glaucoma, because it can cause blindness.
What glaucoma treatments are currently available?
Doctors usually prescribe special eye drops that reduce intraocular pressure. These are used one or several times a day, depending on the medication. If the drops don't work, laser, or surgery may be the next step. Discuss your options with your ophthalmologist.
My friend almost went blind with glaucoma. She did not know she had it until it had progressed too far. How can glaucoma be prevented? What can I do to avoid that disease? She has trouble with her peripheral vision now.
Glaucoma is actually a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the eye’s optic nerve. The optic nerve is the main nerve and is located in the back of the eye. It is what transmits electrical impulses to the brain. When damage occurs it results from pressure of the fluid in the eye being elevated. The symptoms are generally so gradual as to be unnoticed. There are generally little to no warning signs.
As it progresses, some symptoms become noticeable such as tiny blind spots at the edges of the visual field, peripheral or side vision. And they can slowly get larger and spread. Vision may become blurred and colored halos around lights may appear. You may experience adjustment problems when entering a dark room. The peripheral or side vision decreases. You may experience difficulty with eyeglass prescriptions that do not help your vision. If left untreated or diagnosed, these symptoms can become increasingly worse and can lead to blindness.
Glaucoma cannot be prevented but the earlier it is diagnosed, it can be treated and halt further deterioration of vision. Be sure to have a test every year after the age of 50. Some conditions make you more susceptible the development of glaucoma such being 65 years or older, have a family history of glaucoma, are of black or Asian ancestry, have diabetes, are taking steroids, or if you have had a serious eye injury.
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