Eye Disease Management
We diagnose and treat a number of eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, diabetes, and dry eye.
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding of the crystalline lens that lies behind the iris and the pupil. Your eye’s lens works much like a camera lens. It focuses light onto the retina at the back of the eye, where an image is captured.
The lens is made of mostly water and protein. The protein is arranged in a precise way that keeps the lens clear and lets light pass through it. But as we age, the lens proteins begin to lose their clarity, and the lens becomes cloudy. This is what we call a cataract. Visual symptoms include blurry or cloudy vision, loss of clarity, glare and halo at night, and difficulty seeing fine print or street signs. When cataracts start to affect your vision, they are removed with cataract surgery.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye’s optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease. In open-angle glaucoma, even though the drainage angle (called the trabecular meshwork) is “open”, it is not functioning properly, so the fluid passes too slowly through. As the fluid builds up, the pressure inside the eye rises to a level that may damage the optic nerve. When the optic nerve is damaged from increased pressure, vision loss may result. That’s why monitoring and controlling pressure inside the eye is important. Glaucoma treatments include medications (drops), laser treatments and/or surgical intervention.
Diabetes
Over 30 million Americans have diabetes. Just as diabetes can affect other organs in your body, it can also affect the eye by damaging the blood vessels in the back of the eye – the retina. The first stage is called non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and can be seen as minor irregularities of the small blood vessels in the retina. If these vessels become leaky, fluid may build up in the central part of your retina, leading to a decline in vision. This is called macular edema, and it sometimes requires additional treatment. As the diabetic retinopathy progresses, the damaged vessels no longer supply enough oxygen to your retina, so new vessels will start to grow. This is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Macular Degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that can affect your central vision. It happens when aging causes the macula to stop functioning properly. The term macula just refers to the central portion of the retina in the back of your eye. The macula is responsible for central vision. There are 2 forms – wet AMD and dry AMD. Symptoms include blurred vision, loss of acuity in the central vision, wavy lines or distortions. A dilated eye exam is an important step in the diagnosis of AMD. Dr. Szymarek will discuss different treatment options with you. Dry AMD is treated with vitamin supplements, UV protection, and smoking cessation. Wet AMD may require an injection of medication into the eye to stop bleeding and swelling
Dry Eye
Dry eye occurs when your eye does not have adequate lubrication. Millions of Americans suffer from dry eye and studies have shown that this can significantly decrease your quality of life. The tear film that lubricates your eyes is complex, and an unhealthy tear film can result from decreased production of tears or increased evaporation of your tears.
There are numerous causes and risk factors for Dry Eye Disease. There are also a wide array of symptoms, including a dry, gritty or burning sensation, intermittent blurring of the vision, eye pain, or excessive tearing. Dr. Szymarek will perform a thorough examination and determine an individualized plan to best treat your Dry Eye Disease.
Eye Lid
Some common issues affecting the eyelid include styes, droopy lids, excess upper eyelid skin interfering with the vision, minor lesions or growths, rashes, and swelling. Dr. Szymarek will perform a thorough evaluation and determine an appropriate treatment plan for your condition.