Astigmatism (asymmetrical or toric cornea) occurs when an eye is shaped like a football, unlike the normal eye that has a round shape similar to a basketball. Astigmatism causes certain amounts of distortion or pitched images because of the uneven bending of light rays entering the eye.

 

Hyperopia (farsightedness) occurs when the cornea is too flat or the length to the back of the eye (retina) is too short. As light enters the eye, the visual image focuses behind the retina, resulting in a blurred or distorted visual image.

 

Presbyopia is a condition, which causes many people from their early forties on to need reading glasses or bifocal lenses. It occurs when the eye’s near-focusing ability declines due to the loss of elasticity of the focusing lens inside the eye.

 

Cataracts are a clouding of the lens inside of the eye. When the lens becomes cloudy and discolored, cataract forms, causing increased blurring of the visual images before they can reach the retina. The most common reason for the development of cataracts is the natural aging process. Other causes are trauma to the eye, excessive ultra-violet exposure, and certain systemic diseases, like diabetes.

 

Floaters are small pieces of material that form in the vitreous. Floaters are usually grouped protein or cells, which are seen as small specks or strands moving into the field of vision. Some patients report seeing a cobweb like appearance. The common cause is the natural aging process. When we get older, the vitreous decreases in size like a deflating balloon inside the eye, thus giving these specks less room to disperse in the vitreous. They form clumps that are easier to view. Although this can be very annoying, these floaters present no threat to the health of your eye.

 

Light Flashes that last only a few seconds may appear when your vitreous is decreasing in size as we age. The vitreous tugs on the retina, and a formation of light is produced. Some flashes of light are indicative of the beginning of a migraine headache. Other flashes of light could be a sign of the beginning of a retina detachment, which is common in patients that have or had a larger nearsighted correction. The retina is thinnest in the peripheral part of the eye, and the vitreous can tug on the retina, causing it to be pulled off of its supporting tissue. If this is happening, it is extremely important that a dilated examination be performed within 24 hours of the onset of the flashes.

 

Macular Degeneration (AMD) is a common eye disease that is associated with aging. It is a gradual decline of your central vision, which affects 13 million people in America. It is the leading cause of vision loss. There are two forms of macular degeneration:

Dry AMD is 85 percent of all people with macular degeneration. The aging and thinning of the tissues of the central retina (macula) cause dry AMD. This is the slower of the two forms, and vision loss may take many years before the patient realizes a decrease in their vision. The dry form of AMD can progress quickly into the wet form, so early detection and careful monitoring is critical.

Wet AMD is 15 percent of all people with AMD. This type has a much greater impact on central vision. As the central retina thins, abnormal blood vessels begin forming. These vessels are very fragile and leak fluid and blood onto the retina, causing a dramatic decrease in vision. Laser treatment is needed to seal these vessels before any additional damage is done to the retina. Early detection with a fluorescence angiography is needed to locate these vessels, and the laser treatment will help to stabilize the leakage.