Dilated Medical Examination

 Macular degeneration is often related to age and can be atrophic (dry) or exudative (wet). 

Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision loss in adults over 50. Common signs include gradually blurred vision, decreased perception of vivid colors, and an obstruction in the center of vision. While your peripheral vision may remain intact, macular degeneration can still make daily activities, such as reading or recognizing people’s faces, difficult. 

Diabetic retinopathy usually continues to get worse, especially if your diabetes is not under control, though it can get worse even with controlled diabetes. For this reason, we recommend having regular check ups so that we can monitor your eyes. During the progression of the disease, you may not even notice any symptoms which makes it even more important to come in regularly.

The first stage of the disease involves the blood vessels in your eyes. They get really weak and leak blood into your eyes. If it continues and leaks into the center of your eye, you will have blurry vision. Your body will try to compensate by making new blood vessels but they are also weak, allowing more blood to leak into your eye. Your body might also try to form scar tissue which causes the retina to move away from your eyes and can lead to legal blindness.

 Glaucoma describes eye disorders that involve damage to the optic nerve, which sends visual signals from your eye to your brain. This loss of nerve tissue can result in loss of vision. 

 Pressure is not the only indicator of glaucoma, as high pressure does not always lead to glaucoma and glaucoma can develop in spite of normal eye pressure. Anyone can develop glaucoma, although it is most common in people over 40. 

 Primary open-angle glaucoma is one of the most common disorders. It results from an increased pressure inside the eye, which can cause damage to the optic nerve. A damaged nerve can lead to vision loss or even blindness. This pressure can build slowly and be difficult to detect in everyday life. It may start by affecting only your peripheral vision. 

 Acute angle closure glaucoma is not as common, but can develop much more quickly. If you are experiencing intense eye pain, redness in your eye, blurred vision, or nausea, you may need immediate medical attention. This form of glaucoma is an emergency and needs to be treated right away. 

 There is no way to completely prevent glaucoma, but early diagnosis and treatment can help control the condition and limit its effects. Often times medication or surgery can help reduce the damage, but glaucoma cannot be reversed. For this reason, at OMNI Eyecare we regularly test for glaucoma and recommend frequent eye exams. Factors such as age, race, family history, and previous medical conditions can all contribute to developing glaucoma. 

Cataracts are a leading cause of vision issues for people over 40 and are one of the main causes of blindness. A cataract is a clouding of the eye, specifically in the eye’s lens behind the pupil, caused by proteins clumping together. There are different kinds of cataracts, and they can have different causes. Aging or other medical conditions can contribute to the development of cataracts in your eyes.

Cataracts can start small and develop slowly. It may not even be noticeable at first, or you may notice a slight blur to your vision. You may only notice symptoms when looking at bright lights. Cataracts can continue to worsen, and you may only feel the effects once it is well developed.

There are many conditions or factors that can lead to cataracts. Regular eye exams and consultations with your optometrist are the best method of identifying cataracts. If cataracts has developed in your eyes, cataract surgery may be helpful to restore your vision. The surgery is generally successful and the clouded lens can be removed.