Types of Cataracts: Facts You Might Not Know

 

Did you know that there is more than one type of cataract? The most common type of cataract, typically found in people over 40, forms mainly in the center of your eye’s crystalline lens and is called a nuclear cataract. Another type of cataract is called a cortical cataract which is a wedge-shaped clouding that develops at the edge of the lens instead of the center. Yet another type, called a posterior capsular cataract generally forms at the back of the lens, blocking light rays from reaching the retina. You should know that posterior capsular cataracts usually develop faster than nuclear and cortical cataracts. But all three types can be corrected with cataract surgery to remove them, and then your vision corrected with lens implants. Your cataract surgeon can recommend different types of lens implants so that your eyeglass prescription for distance vision and astigmatism are corrected at the same time as your cataract surgery, and many people can even have their need for bifocals or reading glasses greatly reduced or eliminated with lens implants as well.

If you or someone you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or Facebook.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 851 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Concerned About Cataracts?

 

Cataracts are one of the most common senior eye problems we hear about. There are many myths and misunderstandings about cataracts and cataract surgery that sometimes cause unnecessary concern. Here are some facts to help you put your mind at ease:

>Cataracts are quite common affecting more than 24 million Americans over 40 and by age 80 half of all Americans have cataracts or have had cataract surgery to get rid of cataracts.

>Cataracts often start slowly and at first, you may not notice that you have a cataract. But over time, cataracts can make your vision blurry, hazy, or less colorful and you may have trouble reading or doing other everyday activities, especially driving at night!

>Vision problems from cataracts can almost always be corrected with cataract surgery & lens implants to restore your vision.

>Most people having cataract surgery can have the cataract removed and their eyeglass prescription for distance vision and astigmatism corrected at the same time, and many can even have their need for bifocals or reading glasses greatly reduced or eliminated as well.

If you or someone you know is experiencing cataract symptoms such as cloudy foggy vision, glare or difficult night driving and would like to learn more about cataract surgery & lens implants please call Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or Facebook.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 851 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

What is a Retinal Tear or Torn Retina?

 

What is a Retinal Tear or Torn Retina?
A torn retina is a serious eye problem that can happen when the retina has a tiny tear or hole that actually tears further, like a rip in a piece of cloth. If not treated right away, a torn retina can lead to an even more serious problem called a detached retina where the retina is lifted away from the back of the eye and puts you at considerable risk of vision loss.

How Does a Torn Retina Happen?
When you are young the vitreous gel in your eyes is pretty firm. As we get older, the vitreous gel in your eyes starts to shrink and get thinner. Normally, the vitreous moves around on the retina without causing problems. But, IF the vitreous sticks to the retina it can pull hard enough to actually tear it. When that happens, fluid can pass through the tear and lift it or detach the retina.

What Will I See if the Retina Tears?
When the retina tears, you may suddenly see flashes of light or floaters. Sometimes blood can leak into the vitreous. This is called a vitreous hemorrhage, and it can cause a large number of floaters to appear suddenly. With any sudden onset of flashes of light or floaters you need to be examined right away as a torn retina can quickly cause a retinal detachment and you could lose vision.

If you or someone you know experiences sudden flashes of light or floaters please call our office and tell us that you need an immediate appointment. Call us at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or Facebook.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 851 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Sleep Apnea & Diabetic Eye Problems?

 

If you have diabetes, did you know that having severe sleep apnea may increase your risk of developing diabetic macular edema, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss or blindness? Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) also appears to be more difficult to treat in patients with severe sleep apnea according to reports from researchers at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts, disrupting sleep and causing blood oxygen levels to drop. This drop in oxygen appears to unleash a host of changes in the body that may play a role in injuring blood vessels. People with sleep apnea are at risk of developing hypertension, heart attacks, stroke and type 2 diabetes. When people with diabetes have poor control over their blood sugar levels, the tiny blood vessels at the back of the eye can become damaged. Sometimes, tiny bulges protrude from the blood vessels, leaking fluid and blood into the retina. This fluid can cause swelling or edema-called Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) in an area of the retina that allows us to see clearly. Researchers believe that sleep apnea may contribute to the development and worsening of diabetic retinopathy by increasing insulin resistance, elevating inflammation and raising blood pressure, all of which can damage the blood vessels at the back of the eye.

If you or someone you know is diabetic and especially if you suffer from sleep apnea, please be sure to have an annual eye exam and be tell your eye doctor that you suffer from sleep apnea as it is a risk factor Diabetic Macular Edema (DME). Please call us to schedule a diabetic eye exam at

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or Facebook.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 851 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.

Diabetics Need Annual Eye Exams!

Diabetes and the related diabetic eye problem of diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause preventable blindness in the United States among adults age 20 to 74. About 1/3 of the 30 million Americans with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy. With early detection and treatment vision loss from diabetes is preventable! Often, people may not notice vision changes in the disease's early stages. But as it progresses, diabetic retinopathy usually causes vision loss that in many cases cannot be reversed. Even if you don’t notice changes in your vision-diabetics should have annual eye exams. That’s why it’s so important that everyone with diabetes has yearly exams for early detection. But the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still reports that less than 2/3 of people with diabetes undergo their recommended annual dilated ophthalmic examination. We all lead busy lives but diabetics need annual eye exams to prevent vision loss.

If you or someone you know is diabetic please remind them to have an annual eye exam or call us to schedule a diabetic eye exam at Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center at 219-464-8223, or visit Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center, or Facebook.

Northwest Indiana Eye & Laser Center offices are located at 851 Eastport Centre Drive, Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 and 1003 South Edgewood Drive, Knox, Indiana 46354.