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Northwest Eye Surgeons offers treatment for nearly all conditions and diseases affecting the eyes.
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is an eye disease that affects the optic nerve carrying images from the back of the eye to the brain. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness. It affects more than 3 million Americans. Glaucoma is called the silent thief of sight because there is no pain or noticeable symptoms until the disease is very advanced. There is no cure for glaucoma, but it can be controlled - if detected early. How is Glaucoma diagnosed? Since there are usually no symptoms until glaucoma is very advanced, most people learn they have this disease during routine eye examinations. Simple tests that measure your eye pressure and examine the optic nerve can alert your eye doctor to a problem. GDx Nerve Fiber Analyzer and Optical Coherence Tomographer (OCT) Northwest Eye Surgeons has state of the art equipment designed to detect glaucoma at its earliest stages by "mapping" the nerve fiber layer at the back of the eye. These exciting technologies help meet the need for early detection and more sensitive follow-up to track the progression of the disease. If you do not currently have glaucoma, but are in a risk group for the disease, your doctor may recommend that you be examined. How is Glaucoma treated? Your eye doctor can't restore vision that has already been lost, but in most cases eye pressure can be controlled to prevent further loss of sight. This can be done by using eye drops given 2 to 4 times a day or by pills given in various combinations. Your doctor may also recommend laser treatment or surgery. Your treatment depends on the type of glaucoma you have and how it responds to medication. What is a cataract? A clear lens inside the eye helps focus light and allows images to be seen clearly. As a person ages, the lens slowly grows cloudy and turns yellow. This cloudy lens is a cataract. There are other types of cataracts, but those caused by aging are the most common. What are the signs of a cataract? The clouding of the natural lens usually happens slowly. As time passes, you may notice your vision becomes fuzzy. Colors may not appear as vivid. Glare may bother you both in bright sunlight and at night. It may seem as if your glasses are always dirty. Are cataracts holding you back? Vision loss from cataracts keeps some people from doing the things they want to do. Does this include you? If you are having difficulty with some of the activities listed below, it might be time to discuss cataract surgery with your ophthalmologist.
Treatment for cataracts Cataracts can't be treated with lasers or medications. Surgery is still the only treatment option. During surgery the cloudy lens of the eye is removed and replaced with a clear, manmade, intraocular lens (IOL) implant. Cataract surgery is one of the most common and reliable operations performed today. Each year, more than a million people have their vision improved through cataract surgery. The new small-incision techniques used by the ophthalmologists of Northwest Eye Surgeons make the procedure safer and the recovery quicker than ever. It is no longer necessary to wait until
cataracts are "ripe" as was done years ago. Today's modern
techniques allow you to have improved vision as soon as you notice
difficulty with daily activities because of cataracts. |
