Eye Health Conditions

As primary eye care professionals, optometrists are extensively trained to examine, diagnose, treat, and manage a wide range of complex medical eye health conditions. Because many serious eye diseases develop silently without early pain or visual symptoms, regular medical eye exams are your first line of defense against permanent vision loss.

Cataracts

Think of the natural lens inside your eye as a clear, clean window. When you are young, this window lets light pass through perfectly so you can see sharp, vibrant images.

As we age, the proteins inside the lens naturally begin to clump together. This slowly turns your clear window cloudy, foggy, or slightly yellow. This gradual clouding is what we call a cataract.

Common Symptoms

Blurry or "fuzzy" vision (like looking through a dusty windshield).
Trouble driving at night due to glare or halos around headlights.
Faded colors that look slightly muddy or yellowed.
A constant need for brighter light when reading.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes. Over time, having too much sugar in your blood can damage the tiny, delicate blood vessels that feed your retina. You cannot feel your blood vessels leaking, and your vision may remain completely normal even as damage is occurring. Anyone with diabetes should have a comprehensive, dilated eye exam at least once a year. An eye doctor can detect changes long before your vision changes, allowing you to take steps to protect your sight before any permanent damage is done.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is an eye condition that gradually damages the vital "cable" (the optic nerve). This damage is usually caused by a buildup of fluid pressure inside the front part of the eye. If the pressure stays too high for too long, it slowly pinches and damages the nerve fibers, leading to permanent vision loss.

Dry Eyes

Dry Eye Syndrome occurs when your eyes either don't produce enough tears, or the tears you produce evaporate too quickly. Healthy tears are vital for keeping the surface of your eye smooth, clear, and protected. When that delicate tear film breaks down, the surface of your eye becomes irritated, inflamed, and prone to uncomfortable flare-ups. Some symptoms you may have are excessive tearing, gritty or sand in the eye feeling, and/or needle poking the eye feeling.