Diseases of the Eye...
An ophthalmologist (Eye M.D.) is a medical doctor with additional specialized training in all aspects of eye care-medical, surgical and optical.
Macular Degeneration is the number one cause of legal blindness in people over the age of 60. The most common form is related to aging and is referred to as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD or ARMD). The risk of Macular Degeneration significantly increases with age. Many seniors already have Macular Degeneration and don't even know it.
Some people do not produce enough tears or the appropriate quality of tears to keep the eye healthy and comfortable. This is known as dry eye. Tears are produced by two different methods. One method produces tears at a slow, steady rate and is responsible for normal eye lubrication. The other method produces large quantities of tears in response to eye irritation or emotions. Tears that lubricate are constantly produced by a healthy eye. Excessive tearing occurs when the eye is irritated by a foreign body, dryness or when a person cries.
Complete eye health includes having healthy eyes and healthy eyelids. Common eyelid problems include excess eyelid skin, droopy eyelids or eyelids that turn inward or outward. These problems can cause eye discomfort, limit vision, and affect appearance. Fortunately, they can be corrected with surgery.
Strabismus (pronounced “struh-BIZ-mus”) is a condition in which the eyeballs are not aligned properly and point in different directions. When it occurs in adults, it is called adult strabismus. Nearly four in every 100 adults have adult strabismus.
Pseudostrabismus is the false appearance of misaligned eyes. When eyes are truly misaligned, the condition is called strabismus. In strabismus, the eyes can drift inward, outward, upward, or downward.
Glaucoma is a degenerative disease that if left untreated can cause permanent damage to the optic nerve resulting in gradual vision loss and eventual blindness.
You may sometimes see small specks or clouds moving in your field of vision. These are called floaters. You can often see them when looking at a plain background, like a blank wall or blue sky. Floaters are actually tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous, the clear gel-like fluid that fills the inside of your eye.
