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Astigmatism
Astigmatism occurs when your cornea and/or lens are slightly
oval and shaped like a football, as opposed to completely
round and spherical like a basketball. It is common to
see astigmatism associated with both nearsightedness and
farsightedness. With astigmatism, images may be distorted
and blurred at any distance, depending on the degree of
astigmatism, due to more than one focal point within the
eye. |
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Cataracts
A cataract is any opacity of the lens on the inside of
the eye. This opacification of the lens leads to measurably
decreased visual acuity and increased glare at night,
especially while driving. Cataracts may occur as a result
of the normal aging process of the eye, or due to secondary
factors such as trauma, inflammation, metabolic or nutritional
disorders. Cataract surgery is a very routine procedure
and is the most common surgery for Americans over the
age of 65. |
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Dry
Eye Syndrome
Dry eye syndrome is a chronic lack of sufficient lubrication
and moisture on the surface of the eye. It is a result
of one or more of the following : |
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Natural aging process of the eye |
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Living in a dry, dusty or windy climate |
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Side effect of systemic medications |
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Symptom of systemic diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid
arthritis or Sjogrens syndrome |
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Contact lens overwear |
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Side effect of laser vision correction |
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Incomplete closure of the eyelids |
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Hormonal fluctuations associated with menopause |
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Cigarette smoking |
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Seasonal allergies |
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treatment for dry eyes is artificial tears, ointments/gel
before bedtime, Flax Seed Oil, and punctal occlusion.
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Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness in
the United States today. A majority of patients with glaucoma
have elevated eye pressure, optic nerve damage and visual
field defects. Untreated or inadequately treated glaucoma
will progress to permanent vision loss, without signs
or symptoms. Glaucoma cannot be prevented, but adequate
treatment can reduce the rate and extent of additional
damage to the optic nerve.
At Huntington Beach Optometry, the doctors will examine
your eyes for all these conditions and many more. They
will prescribe the best treatment option to meet each
of your needs. You can rest assured that the doctors will
be thorough and spend the time to explain every condition
to you. |
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Hyperopia
(Farsightedness) affects approximately 10% of our population.
It occurs when the curvature of the cornea is too flat
for the length of the eye. It also occurs when the eye
is too short in relation to its focusing structures (cornea
and lens). As a result, the cornea and lens cannot focus
light rays strong enough to achieve a focused image on
the retina. With hyperopia, distant objects are seen more
clearly than near objects. This results in blurry near
vision. Although farsighted patients see distant objects
more clearly than near objects, they can have difficulty
with both, especially as they get older, due to the diminishing
flexibility of the lens. |
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Macular
Degeneration
Macular Degeneration is an acquired retinal
disorder which is the leading cause of
blindness in patients over the age of 65.
Symptoms of macular degeneration may not
become apparent until late in the disease
process. As a result, patients with increased
risk factors should be screened by their eye
doctor for signs and symptoms of macular
degeneration on a yearly basis. Those risk
factors include: |
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Over the age of 60 |
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Hypertension/cardiovascular disease |
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Family history of macular degeneration |
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History of increased UV exposure |
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History of cataract surgery before 1984 |
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Fair-skinned and light colored eyes |
Early diagnosis, monitoring and timely treatment
of macular degeneration is the key. |
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Myopia
(Nearsightedness) affects more than 25% of our population.
It occurs when the curvature of the cornea is too steep
for the length of the eye. It also occurs when the eye
is too long in relation to its focusing structures (cornea
and lens). As a result, the cornea and lens focus light
rays from distant objects too strongly and they are blurred
by the time they reach the retina. With myopia, near objects
are seen more clearly than distant objects. This results
in blurry distant vision. |
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Presbyopia
Presbyopia starts to affect most people between the age
of 42-45. It is caused by a focusing problem that occurs
when the lens on the inside of the eye loses its flexibility
with age. The patients ability to focus on near objects
becomes impaired. It is easily treated with bifocals,
reading glasses, and/or monovision contact lenses. People
with perfect distance vision will usually start needing
reading glasses as presbyopia develops. |
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