A cataract is a clouding of the lens inside the eye, which most commonly occurs with sun exposure due to ultraviolet radiation exposure with aging. There are other less frequent causes for development of a cataract, such as smoking, steroid use, diabetes eye inflammation, trauma, and exposure to toxins. This clouding can interfere with the vision in several ways.

When a cataract interferes with daily activities, it can be removed by way of cataract surgery. We are experienced and proficient in performing stitchless, modern-day cataract surgery.

In this technique, the cataract is broken into fragments and removed from the eye, followed by placement of an acrylic-based intraocular lens that lasts you for life. A variety of lenses are offered for the appropriate candidate, including standard monofocal lens, as well as specialty lenses such as the Toric lens for patients with astigmatism, and multifocal lens (Tecnis or ReSTOR) for those wishing to minimize their need for glasses.

This procedure takes approximately 10-15 minutes and is done with local anesthesia. The patient returns home the same day. All options on lens selection for cataract surgery will be discussed and offered to patients to determine what best suits their needs.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a silent eye disease that affects the optic nerve and can cause blindness if left untreated. Glaucoma gradually develops as a result of eye pressure that is greater than that tolerated by the optic nerve.

Patients have no symptoms early on in the disease. As a result, they can experience a gradual decline in the side vision. In late stages of glaucoma, central vision may also be affected. Some 3 million people in the United States are living with this disease, which commonly affects those over 60 years of age. Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the United States.

What causes glaucoma?

Glaucoma can be inherited. It can also be attributed to aging, eye injury, and steroid use. African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics are at greater risk for developing glaucoma but glaucoma also occurs in the Caucasian population.

Treatment of glaucoma

The goal of treating glaucoma is to prevent loss of vision and therefore, early detection is vital. Medical, laser, and surgical treatments for glaucoma are available.

Medical treatment of glaucoma includes prescription eye drops used to maintain eye pressure. If medical treatment fails to reduce inner eye pressure, laser or surgical treatment of glaucoma may be necessary. Our glaucoma specialist, Dr. Ting Ting Liu, treats many patients with glaucoma. She is happy to see you in consultation for screening or treatment.

What is macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is a common eye disease associated with aging that causes loss of central vision. Also referred to as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), this slow, progressive disease has two forms: dry and wet. The dry form is characterized by small deposits of a material called drusen in the retina. The wet form is characterized by abnormal blood vessels under the macula that leak fluid, causing severe vision loss.

What causes macular degeneration?

Macular degeneration is strongly associated with aging and tends to be inherited. It is especially prevalent among Caucasians, light-eyed people, and cigarette smokers.

Treatment of macular degeneration

Prevention of vision loss in the early dry form consists of protection from ultraviolet radiation. Specific vitamin formulations have been seen to delay progression of visual loss in the moderate and severe dry forms as well. If the wet form does develop, intraocular injections such as Lucentis®, Eylea®, and Avastin®, are highly effective in causing regression of the fluid and allowing for visual recovery.

Our doctors use the latest diagnostic imaging techniques for patients with macular degeneration and are happy to see you in consultation.

What is diabetic retinopathy?

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you may be at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy, which is characterized by progressive damage to the blood vessels in the retina. People with proliferative diabetic retinopathy may develop broken blood vessels visible in the eye. The result of diabetic retinopathy is deteriorating vision and blindness if left untreated.

What causes diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by abnormal blood sugar, which affects the health of small blood vessels in the retina.

Treatments for diabetic retinopathy

Managing blood sugar and blood pressure levels and having regular eye exams is the basis of any treatment plan for diabetic eye care. The practice of Susan Longar, MD, uses the latest diagnostic imaging techniques, as well as medication and laser therapy, to treat diabetic retinopathy in the appropriate patient.

Retinal tears and detachment occur when the clear, jelly-like substance (vitreous jelly) that fills the eye pulls away from the retina. If the retina tears during this process, fluid can track beneath this tear and can cause a retinal detachment.

An untreated retinal detachment leads to irreversible loss of vision. Symptoms include loss of peripheral vision with a shade occurring over the vision, new floater(s), or a flash of light in the vision.

Retinal detachments cannot heal without treatment. Treatment is necessary to restore vision. The majority of retinal detachments can be surgically repaired.

The eye doctors at Susan Longar, MD, are experienced at diagnosing retinal tears and detachments and referring you to the appropriate retina specialist for treatment.

Many eye conditions predispose to low vision. Some include macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. In some cases, medical and surgical treatments can help to improve the working vision.

In circumstances where medical or surgical visual restoration is not possible, there are many visual aids besides ordinary glasses that may help with visual rehabilitation. Our optometrist, Dr. Martindale, will work with you to find the right combination of products to suit your visual needs.

Vision aids we offer:

• Handheld magnifiers
• Magnifiers on a stand
• Lighted magnifiers
• Electronic video magnifiers
• Near and far telescopes
• Eyeglass-mounted magnifiers
• Tinted eyeglass lenses that enhance contrast