09/Sep/2009
Catch “Silent” Problems
With Annual Eye Exams
By Dr. Jason Allemond
Why are annual
eye exams so important?
Comprehensive eye exams are important for more
than the obvious vision problems treated with glasses or contacts. There are “silent” progressive problems of
the eye that when caught and treated early will help save your sight as you
mature.
What is
glaucoma and how is it treated?
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that causes
damage to the optic nerve head (the part of the eye that connects the eye to
the brain). This damage is usually caused
by increased pressure in the eyes. There are surgical, laser, and medical
options available for the treatment of glaucoma, but only your eye care
provider can diagnose glaucoma.
My mother
had glaucoma - does that mean that I will have it too?
Glaucoma does tend to run in families. If you have a close relative who has glaucoma,
your risk of glaucoma development increases six fold.
What other
eye diseases are there? Will my annual eye exam test for these diseases?
Every comprehensive eye exam will check for the
presence of eye problems such as dry eye syndrome, cataracts, glaucoma and
macular degeneration.
There are a
multitude of other rare eye diseases that an annual eye exam will allow to be
diagnosed.
Is it true
you can really see diabetes in the back of the eye?
Diabetic retinopathy is a term meaning bleeding
within a layer of the retina stemming from leaky blood vessels. Not all diabetics have diabetic retinopathy,
but all diabetics should have eye exams every 6-12 months.
What are
my options for cataract surgery?
We now have the option of doing lens implants
with cataract surgery that will allow you to be free of glasses for at least 90
percent of your visual tasks.
What is
Latisse?
Latisse is a medication that stimulates eyelash
growth when applied to the base of the eyelashes. There will be noticeable lengthening and
thickening of lashes within six weeks.
Why are my
eyes always dry and scratchy? How can it be treated?
Dry eye syndrome can be caused by many factors
such as aging, hormonal changes and environment.
Eye care providers have a multitude of
treatment options available, depending on the cause of dry eyes. Restasis is an
eye drop used for dry eye patients. When used over time, Restasis stimulates
the tear glands of the eye to produce a better quality tear.
How do I
know if I’m a good candidate for LASIK?
Only an eye care provider can tell if you are a
LASIK candidate.
LASIK works best for
people who are nearsighted (those who can’t see things at a distance).
Aside from
aesthetic reasons, why are sunglasses so important?
Protection of the eyes from UV light is
paramount.
UV light is proven to cause
cataracts as well as damage to the cornea.
For more
information, call
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