Eye Health

You get a cataract when the clear lens inside your eye becomes cloudy or misty. This is a gradual process that usually happens as we get older. It does not hurt.

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the pancreas does not secrete enough insulin or the body is unable to process it properly. Insulin is the hormone that regulates the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood. Diabetes can affect children and adults.

Dry eye syndrome is one of the most common problems treated by eye care practitioners.  Millions of people worldwide suffer from dry eyes.  It is usually caused by a problem with the quality of the tear film that lubricates the eyes.

The space between the crystalline lens and the retina is filled with a clear, gel-like substance called vitreous. In a newborn, the vitreous has an egg-white consistency and is firmly attached to the retina. With age, the vitreous thins and may separate from the back of the eye. This is called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), a very common, usually harmless condition.

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a degenerative condition of the macula (the central retina). It is one of the most common causes of vision loss in the over 50’s, and its prevalence increases with age.  AMD is caused by hardening of the arteries that nourish the retina.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases in which the optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain, is damaged by the pressure of the fluid inside your eye.

Keratoconus is a degenerative disease of the cornea that causes it to gradually thin and bulge into a cone-like shape.  This shape prevents light from focusing precisely on the macula.  As the disease progresses, the cone becomes more pronounced, causing vision to become blurred and distorted.  Because of the cornea’s irregular shape, patients with keratoconus are usually very nearsighted and have a high degree of astigmatism that is not correctable with glasses.

Pterygium most often refers to a benign growth of the conjunctiva. A pterygium commonly grows from the nasal side of the sclera.It is associated with and thought to be caused by ultraviolet-light exposure (e.g., sunlight), low humidity, and dust.