As we age even those of us with the best eyesight need regular examinations and screenings. Many conditions unique to seniors are preventable if caught early. At 20/20 EyeCare we use the most up to date technology to diagnose and treat eye conditions in the earliest stages, preventing further deterioration of your vision.

Eye Conditions

Cataracts
Open-Angle Glaucoma
Macular Degeneration
Diabetic Retinopathy
Corneal Disease

Cataracts

Over fifty percent of people 60 years and older suffer from cataracts. Almost everyone develops cataracts as they grow older. Cataract formations occur at different rates and can affect one or both eyes. A cataract is a progressive clouding of the eye's natural lens. It interferes with light passing through the eye to the retina. Aging and other factors cause proteins in the eye's lens to clump together forming these cloudy areas. Early changes may not disturb vision, but over time cataracts typically result in blurred or fuzzy vision and sensitivity to light. People with progressed cataracts often say they feel as if they're looking through a waterfall or a piece of wax paper. Causes include natural aging, eye trauma, heredity, diabetes, smoking, glaucoma and the use of some medications.

Symptoms of cataracts

• Decreasing vision with age
• Blurred or double vision
• Seeing halos around bright lights
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Vision that worsens in sunlight
• Difficulty distinguishing colors
• Poor depth perception
• Difficulty reading

Treatment

There is no medical treatment to reverse or prevent the development of cataracts. Once they form, the only one way to regain clear vision is through cataract surgery.

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Open-Angle Glaucoma

It is estimated that over two million Americans have glaucoma and half of them do not know it. Ninety percent of glaucoma patients have open-angle glaucoma. It can't be cured, but it can be managed. Vision loss may be minimized with early treatment. The eye receives its nourishment from a clear fluid that circulates inside the eye. This fluid must be constantly returned to the blood stream through the eye's drainage canal. With glaucoma, problems develop in the drainage canal and the fluid cannot drain fast enough, so pressure inside the eye begins to build. This excess pressure pushes against the delicate optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain, and can cause irreversible vision loss.

Symptoms of open-angle glaucoma

• Mild aching in the eyes
• Gradual loss of peripheral vision (the top, sides and bottom areas of vision)
• Seeing halos around lights
• Reduced visual acuity (especially at night, that is not correctable with glasses)

Treatment

Doctors typically use medicines, laser surgery or filtration surgery. The goal of treatment is to lower the pressure in the eye and the best type of treatment will be determined by your doctor.

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Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is a disease of the macula, an area of the retina at the back of the eye that is responsible for fine detail vision. Vision loss usually occurs gradually and typically affects both eyes at different rates. Even with a loss of central vision, color vision and peripheral vision may remain clear. The root cause is unknown but may include sun exposure, smoking, heredity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other medical conditions.

Symptoms of macular degeneration

• Difficulty reading without extra light and magnification
• Seeing objects as distorted or blurred, or abnormal in shape, size or color
• The perception that objects "jump" when you try to look right at them
• Difficulty seeing to read or drive
• Inability to see details
• Blind spot in center of vision

Treatment

Most cases are not treatable., but low vision aids may help make it easier to live with the decreased vision of macular degeneration. Lifestyle aids such as large print books, also help.

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Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a disease that affects blood vessels throughout the body, particularly vessels in the kidneys and eyes. When the blood vessels in the eyes are affected, this is called diabetic retinopathy. The retina is in the back of the eye. It detects visual images and transmits them to the brain. Major blood vessels lie on the front portion of the retina. When these blood vessels are damaged due to diabetes, they may leak fluid or blood and grow scar tissue. This leakage affects the ability of the retina to detect and transmit images and can cause loss of vision. Causes are having diabetes for several years.

Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy

• Floaters Difficulty reading or doing close work
• Double vision
• If left untreated, severe vision loss can occur

Treatment

For advanced cases, laser surgery can make the retina stop manufacturing new blood vessels, and those that are already present tend to decrease or disappear. If diabetic retinopathy has caused cataracts, they can be corrected with cataract surgery.

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Corneal Disease

The cornea is the clear front window of the eye. It transmits light to the interior of the eye allowing us to see clearly. Corneal disease is a serious condition that can cause clouding, distortion and eventually blindness. The three major types of corneal disease are keratoconus, Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy and bullous keratopathy. Causes include infection, aging, heredity, contact lenses, eye trauma and eye diseases as well as other medical conditions.

Symptoms of corneal disease

• Vision becomes increasingly blurred and contact lens wear, becomes difficult.
• The contact lens may not stay on the eye due to the irregular shape of the cornea.
• Glare with lights at night or in bright sunlight.
• Pain in the eyes.

Treatment

Corneal disease should be treated immediately. Although corneal transplant is almost always the necessary treatment to restore vision when the cornea becomes clouded, there are other measures that can be taken to prolong vision in the early stages of disease.

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