Common Conditions

PRESBYOPIA

Presbyopia is a common age-related condition. Beginning around the age of 40, the natural lens inside the eye begins to harden and become less flexible. This reduces the eye’s ability to switch focus from near, far, in between and back again.

Signs of Presbyopia  

• Loss of ability to read up close
• Difficulty viewing a computer screen
• Needing reading glasses or bifocals
• Holding objects further away to read

How to Correct Presbyopia

For people who have cataracts, there is a procedure to remove the clouded natural lens of the eye and replace it with an advanced, artificial Multi-focal Lens. This unique implantable lens significantly improves vision after cataract surgery and corrects presbyopia giving you the ability to improve your vision in a full range of distances, from near to far enabling you to read a book, work on the computer, drive a car, day or night, and enjoy an active lifestyle with an increased freedom from glasses. A Multi-focal Lens has helped thousands of people gain independence from glasses for the first time.

MYOPIA

Myopia is a common defect of the eye also known as nearsightedness. It is really a refractive defect of the eye where light affects focus in front of the retina.

Signs of Myopia

• Objects far away appear blurry
• Persistent need to squint or close eyelids to see clearly
• Headaches due to eyestrain
• Difficulty seeing while driving, especially at night
• Need to sit closer to screens or the front of rooms
• Holding books very close in order to read
• Inability to notice distant objects
• Excessive blinking
• Frequent eye rubbing

How to Correct Myopia

To help myopia sufferers help focus eyes on objects far away there are several common treatments. The most common are corrective glasses, corrective contact lenses or eye surgery such as LASIK. Corrective lenses work to refocus light rays on the retina helping to compensate for the changing shape of the eye. LASIK is a refractive surgery that corrects vision by reshaping the front surface of the eye (the cornea) adjusting the eye’s ability to focus. For adults with cataracts their myopia can also be corrected with intraocular lenses that replace the human lens during cataract surgery.

ASTIGMATISM

Astigmatism is an imperfection in the shape of the eye’s lens—the cornea. Typically, the cornea and lens are smooth and curved equally in all directions. The cornea helps focus incoming light rays onto the retina which is at the back of the eye. Astigmatism means the cornea is neither smooth nor curved evenly in all directions which means light rays are not refracted correctly onto the retina.

Signs of Astigmatism

• Blurry vision
• Distorted areas of vision
• Eyestrain
• Headaches
• Squinting to see clearly
• Eye discomfort

How to Correct Astigmatism

The most common form of correcting astigmatism is with corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses. Laser vision correction is also a very successful way of treating astigmatism. LASIK is the most popular refractive surgery procedure as well as PRK and LASEK. Each is effective and can help return clear vision to sufferers of astigmatism.