The Role of Ophthalmologists
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who are specifically focused on diagnosing and treating eye conditions. This differs from optometrists, who also examine, diagnose, and treat eye patients, but do not perform invasive procedures, such as eye surgeries, which ophthalmologists do.
Ophthalmologists may further specialize in areas such as pediatric eye care, glaucoma, and treatment of the retina or cornea. This allows them to develop a deeper understanding of specific eye conditions, providing patients with access to specialized care that is tailored to their unique needs. Whether it is managing a chronic condition or providing preventive care, ophthalmologists tailor their approach to ensure the best possible outcomes for their patients.
Maintaining Eye Health
In addition to visiting your ophthalmologist regularly for routine eye check-ups, follow the best practices listed below to maintain healthy eyes and benefit your overall health!
Nutritional Practices
- Eat a balanced diet that include foods rich in vitamins A, C, and E.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day since dehydration can contribute to dry eyes and other eye-related issues.
- Eat leafy greens for lutein, which helps to protect the eyes from harmful light. Even a small addition like spinach, kale, and collard greens to your diet can make a big difference in your eye health.
- If you’re looking to boost your retinal health, consider adding more omega-3 fatty acids to your diet, the sources of which include fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and trout, as well as chia seeds and walnuts. Omega-3s may lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and dry eye syndrome.
- Exercise regularly to improve blood circulation to the eyes. The increased circulation carries oxygen and nutrients.
Eye Protection
- Protect your eyes from UV rays by wearing sunglasses that offer UV protection; also wear a hat when out in the sun.
- Maintain proper humidity levels in your home and work environment.
- Prevent dry eye syndrome by ensuring that you blink regularly, especially when staring at screens for extended periods. Take breaks to blink and to look entirely away from the screen. See the 20-20-20 rule for more information.
- Quit smoking! Smoking damages the blood vessels in the eye, leading to the breakdown of the macula, which is responsible for central vision.
Hygiene
- Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, especially before touching your eyes or removing contact lenses, to help reduce the risk of eye infections.
- Avoid using dirty contact lenses and sharing eye makeup.
- Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to help rejuvenate both your eyes and your mind.
Screen Time
- If you spend a significant amount of time in front of digital devices, following the 20-20-20 rule can reduce eye fatigue and prevent discomfort associated with prolonged screen time. The rule is: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away.
- To reduce the risk of eye strain, marked by frequent headaches, blurred vision, or dry eyes, ensure proper lighting to avoid glare on screens, adjust the display settings to reduce brightness, and maintain a comfortable viewing distance from your device. Additionally, consider using artificial tears to keep your eyes moist and refreshed.
Treatment of Cataracts
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is a normal part of the aging process in which the natural lens of your eye becomes cloudy. Things can look blurry, hazy, and less colorful with a cataract. Other symptoms of cataracts include light and glare sensitivity, halos around lights, or double vision. A cataract can progress until your vision loss becomes significant enough to affect your daily activities. Fortunately, cataract surgery can restore this lost vision, and the latest advancements in cataract surgery can help you see clearly at all distances.
How Does Cataract Surgery Work?
Because cataracts grow inside your natural lens, the only way to get rid of them is to remove the lens. Cataract surgery removes and replaces your natural lenses with an intraocular lens (IOL). This involves removing the cloudy lens in the eye and replacing it with an artificial lens. The procedure helps improve vision by allowing light to properly enter the eye and focus on the retina, resulting in clearer vision.
Before the procedure, your eye will be numbed with eye drops and you may also be given a medicine to help you relax. You will be awake during surgery, and you may see light and movement during the procedure, but you will not see what the doctor is doing to your eye.
The surgeon then creates a small incision in the cornea, which allows them to access the lens behind it. When they can reach the lens, the cataract is broken into tiny pieces, making it easier to remove. The pieces are removed with a light suction, the IOL is replaced, and the procedure is complete. The incision in the cornea heals on its own, and there should be an improvement in vision within a few days. You will have to use eye drops for a few weeks after surgery and you will be advised of some temporary physical restrictions.
Cataract Surgery Options
Traditional Cataract Surgery
Traditional cataract surgery is done manually by the surgeon without the use of a laser. A monofocal lens is implanted to improve your distance vision as much as possible. Even if you didn’t reading glasses before cataract surgery, you will need after the procedure. You may also need glasses for distance and will definitely need them if you have astigmatism, as traditional cataract surgery does not correct for that.
Laser-assisted Cataract Surgery
Laser-assisted cataract surgery with the CATALYS Precision Laser System replaces the use of manual blades for cataract surgery, providing a gentle and specialized procedure just for your unique eyes. Before the surgery begins, the surgeon uses a laser to take pictures of the eye. These images go into a computer program, which creates a three-dimensional map of the eye.
The map then guides the surgeon through the procedure on the best location for the corneal incisions and helps in placing the IOL in the eye. The laser also breaks the lens into smaller pieces, which unlike traditional cataract surgery, ultrasound frequencies break up the lens. A laser reduces the damage and inflammation to the eye, which in turn reduces recovery time. Due to the precise nature of the laser, better outcomes can be achieved than in traditional cataract surgery. Laser cataract surgery can also correct smaller amounts of astigmatism by reshaping the cornea, giving the clearest possible distance vision.
Multifocal IOLs
Advanced lens implants are designed to provide a full range of distance of intermediate and near vision. Studies have shown that up to 80% of patients do not need glasses after surgery with some of these implants. Those who do need glasses usually only need them for very specific tasks, like reading very fine print or in low light conditions. These lenses can also correct your astigmatism. Not every patient is a candidate for multifocal lens implants.
Secondary Cataract
A common condition that can occur after cataract surgery, is the formation of scar tissue, which can lead to decreased vision and make it seem like your cataract has returned. This is sometimes referred to as a “secondary cataract”, but rest assured, your cataracts cannot return once they are surgically removed. However, scar tissue may form, yet it can be removed permanently with a quick in-office laser procedure that lasts only a couple minutes.
Treatment of Glaucoma
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the U.S. It develops when the pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure or IOP) is too high, causing damage to the optic nerve. If left untreated, this can result in vision loss and even blindness. Glaucoma is known as the “sneaky thief of sight”, because in its earliest stages there are no symptoms. As the disease progresses, peripheral vision is progressively lost. Annual comprehensive eye exams are the only way to detect this condition early and begin treatment. Approximately 50% of people with glaucoma don’t know they have it.
There are various different types of glaucoma and different testing available to determine if there is any optic nerve damage present. The only way to treat glaucoma is to lower the IOP. Treatment for glaucoma ranges from monitoring to daily eye drops to laser to surgery.
Glaucoma Testing
- Intraocular Pressure (IOP)
- IOP is tested at each visit, the result is unique to each individual. The same pressure may be okay for one patient but too high for another. This number may also vary slightly from visit to visit.
- Pachymetry
- This is the measurement of the thickness of the cornea. A thicker cornea is a protective factor against glaucoma.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT)
- This is a form of imaging that utilizes light waves to map the back of your eye. This diagnostic tool is a pain-free, non-contact imaging device. OCT imaging is used in patients with glaucoma to monitor the health of the tissue around the optic nerve and determine if damage is present or progressing.
- Visual Field Testing
- This test allows your doctor to assess if any peripheral vision loss or abnormal blind spots in your vision are present. The test is typically performed one eye at a time with the patient’s current glasses prescription in place. In conditions such as glaucoma where the disease causes slow, progressive visual field loss, a baseline visual field is often used for comparison to subsequent tests. These comparisons allow the doctor to assess if the condition is stable or progressing over time.
Glaucoma Surgical Procedures
Treatment for glaucoma has advanced significantly over the years, with various surgical options available to help manage the condition and preserve vision. Ophthalmologists carefully evaluate each patient’s unique situation to determine the most appropriate treatment plan, which may include a combination of medication, laser therapy, or surgical intervention. Glaucoma surgery is performed to lower the intraocular pressure in the eye and prevent further damage to the optic nerve. By reducing the pressure, this procedure helps preserve vision and prevent vision loss associated with glaucoma.
Trabeculectomy
Not all cases of glaucoma can be managed through medication or laser therapy. In more severe instances, ophthalmologists may recommend a surgical procedure called trabeculectomy. During this surgery, a new drainage channel is created to allow fluid to drain properly, lowering intraocular pressure and preventing further damage to the optic nerve.
Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery
To address certain types of glaucoma with less invasive techniques, ophthalmologists may suggest minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). Unlike traditional surgeries that involve creating large incisions, MIGS procedures are designed to be less traumatic for the eye and have a quicker recovery time for the patient. This procedure can also be performed with cataract surgery to treat both conditions at the same time! Often the combined surgery results in reduced IOP and reduced need for medication.
Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)
Research shows laser treatment is just as effective as drops for initial glaucoma treatment. This procedure uses a very gentle laser to “clean out” the drainage channels in the eye, increasing the outflow of fluid and lowering the IOP. It is important to keep in mind that SLT does not cure glaucoma and regular monitoring will still be necessary to make sure the condition remains stable. Glaucoma drops may or may not be needed after this procedure. SLT can be safely repeated once it’s affect has begun to wear off with time.
Other Ophthalmology Procedures and Treatments
Eye Emergencies
Eye emergencies such as infection, trauma, foreign bodies, sudden vision loss, new flashes or floaters and more can be treated in an ophthalmology office, although patients should never hesitate to seek more immediate help from an urgent care or emergency room.
Implantable Lenses
Lenses implanted in the eye can also correct vision and reduce the need for glasses or contact lenses. These implantable lenses can be inserted in front of or behind the iris, depending on the specific vision correction needed. This innovative option provides an alternative for patients who may not be suitable candidates for LASIK or PRK due to thin corneas or other factors. Implantable lenses offer a long-term solution for vision correction and can provide excellent visual outcomes.
Eyelid Reconstruction
The delicate and intricate nature of eyelids requires a skilled ophthalmologist in the field of oculoplastic surgery. The reconstruction of eyelids is a delicate procedure that aims to restore not only the structural integrity but also the aesthetic appearance of the eye area. With meticulous precision, ophthalmologists can address issues such as droopy eyelids, eyelid malpositions, or damage from trauma.
Orbital Surgery
For ophthalmologists trained in oculoplastic surgery, orbital surgery presents a unique challenge. This specialized branch focuses on surgeries involving the eye socket and its surrounding structures. Oculoplastic surgeons are equipped with the expertise to navigate the complex anatomy of the orbital region, ensuring optimal outcomes for their patients. From intricate reconstructive procedures to delicate tumor removal, these specialists play a vital role in preserving both vision and aesthetics for individuals in need.
Conditions such as tumors, fractures, or thyroid eye disease may necessitate orbital surgery to restore function and appearance.
Ophthalmology Location
