Cataracts are more common as you age, in diabetics, and in patients with glaucoma. Cataract surgery is the only way cataracts can be removed. They cannot be treated with glasses, contacts, or LASIK procedures. If left untreated, cataracts can cause blindness.

Cataract surgery is the most frequently performed surgery in the U.S., with nearly 4 million procedures performed each year. For most people, cataract surgery can restore their vision to between 20/20 and 20/40.

During cataract surgery, your ophthalmologist will create a very small opening in the cornea to access and remove the cloudy lens and replace it with an artificial lens implant called an intraocular lens, or IOL.

Cataract surgeries are among the safest surgical procedures completed today and offer patients much better visual acuity. Thanks to the use of  preoperative surface optimization and advanced measurement technology, the surgery is more predictable and accurate than ever before.

Glaucoma is the result of damage to the optic nerve fibers, which transmit visual signals to the brain. The optic nerve may be damaged due to a buildup of pressure within the eye, called ocular hypertension.

Recent evidence has shown that about half of all patients with glaucoma have normal or low pressures. This is contrary to the widely held belief that if a person’s eye pressure is normal, then they are not at risk for losing their vision from glaucoma.

There are several types of glaucoma, but most cases are categorized as open-angle glaucoma or closed-angle glaucoma. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the most common type of glaucoma. Part of the problem is inadequate drainage of intraocular fluid.

Many current treatments for POAG are aimed at enhancing the drainage of intraocular fluid from the front or the back of the eye. New evidence is pointing towards the exit of the optic nerve from the eye as the crowded area that may be part of the problem in POAG.

Open-angle glaucoma is painless and usually does not cause symptoms at first. Vision loss typically occur over many years.

In acute closed-angle glaucoma, also known as narrow-angle glaucoma or angle-closure glaucoma, the iris blocks the drainage canal and the fluid cannot drain at all, causing a sudden dramatic rise in eye pressure.

Acute closed-angle glaucoma quickly causes serious symptoms such as severe eye pain, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Vision may become blurry or cloudy, or you may see halos around lights.

Acute angle-closure glaucoma is a medical emergency. If it is not treated rapidly, it can lead to permanent loss of vision within hours of the onset of symptoms.

Vision loss from glaucoma is irreversible. Early diagnosis and treatment is vital to delaying visual loss associated with glaucoma.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of low vision and blindness and in adults in the United States. The condition is caused by damage to the small blood vessels that nourish tissue and nerve cells in the retina.

The retina is a layer of cells inside the eye that is responsible for collecting light and enabling you to see. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, the tiny blood vessels of the retina may swell and leak fluid into the macula, the small sensitive area in the center of the retina, causing blurry vision. In others, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina.

The macula is a small spot near the center of the retina that is responsible for sharp central vision, which enables you to see objects directly in front of you. As the macula ages it may begin to thin and break down (degenerate).

The loss of central vision caused by AMD can interfere with simple everyday activities, such as the ability to see faces, drive, read, and write. Early detection through a comprehensive eye exam is the best defense against visual loss from macular degeneration.

There are two forms of macular degeneration: wet and dry. Dry AMD is by far the most common type, accounting for 90 percent of all cases. It occurs when the light-sensitive cells in the macula break down, causing gradual central vision loss. It may or may not progress to the wet type.

Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels begin to grow underneath the retina and leak blood or fluid that blurs central vision. Wet AMD leads to faster vision loss and is the most advanced form of the disease. While wet AMD occurs in only 10 percent of cases, it accounts for 90 percent of legal blindness.

Dry eye is a common condition that occurs when your eyes do not make enough tears to keep them lubricated or your tears are of a poor quality. This is also called dry eye syndrome. The condition is chronic but can be managed successfully.

The tear layer is important for your eye health. Tears keep the surface of the eyes moist while washing away dust, dirt, and germs that can cause eye infection.

Although dry eye occurs among people of all ages, it is most prevalent among those aged 65 and older. The condition is also more likely to affect women.

However, our eye doctors have been seeing many men and women of younger ages in our clinic with dry eye symptoms, usually resulting from reading bright computer screens and tablets.