Q: What is diabetic eye disease?

A: Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of this disease. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness. Diabetic eye disease includes: Diabetic retinopathy: Damage to the blood vessels in the retina. Cataract: Clouding of the lens of the eye. Glaucoma: Increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision

Q: What is the most common diabetic eye disease?

A: Diabetic retinopathy. This disease is a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, retinal blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These changes may result in vision loss or blindness.

Q: What are the symptoms for diabetic retinopathy?

A: There are often no symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. There is no pain and vision may not change until the disease becomes severe. Blurred vision may occur when the macula (the part of the retina that provides sharp, central vision) swells from the leaking fluid. This condition is called macular edema. If new vessels have grown on the surface of the retina, they can bleed into the eye, blocking vision. Even in more advanced cases, the disease may progress a long way without symptoms. This symptomless progression is why regular eye examinations for people with diabetes are so important.

Q: Who is most likely to get diabetic retinopathy?

A: Anyone with diabetes. The longer someone has diabetes, the more likely he or she will get diabetic retinopathy. Between 40-45 percent of those with diagnosed diabetes have some degree of diabetic retinopathy.

Q: How is diabetic retinopathy detected?

A: If you have diabetes, you should have your eyes examined at least once a year. Your eyes should be dilated during the exam, which means eyedrops are used to enlarge your pupils. This dilation allows the eye care professional to see more of the inside of your eyes to check for signs of the disease.

Q: What is LASIK?

A: LASIK stands for Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis and is a procedure that permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye, using an excimer laser. A mechanical microkeratome (a blade device) or a laser keratome (a laser device) is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middlesection of the cornea. Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.

Q: How is LASIK done with the Allegretto Wave?

A: Due to the remarkable speed of both the eye and the ALLEGRETTO WAVE® procedure, the laser beam needs to be constantly and minutely adjusted to the position of the eye at any given time. Every 4-6 milliseconds, the eye’s location is measured and the internal mirrors of the ALLEGRETTO WAVE® are automatically aligned. Right before the pulse is released, a second check is made to confirm that the eye has not moved. This happens 200 times every second, once for every laser pulse. If, at any time, the eye moves too quickly to be measured or moves out of range, the laser will stop and wait for the eye to move back into position.

Q: How long is the LASIK procedure?

A: Although LASIK has earned an excellent safety profile, many patients are concerned about the length of the procedure. When we can tell patients the average treatment time is less than twelve seconds per eye, they are more comfortable with the procedure.

Q: How many times will I have to have LASIK done for it to work?

A: With the ALLEGRETTO WAVE, re-treatments are almost nonexistent and our patients are achieving optimal vision within hours of treatment.

Q: Am I a candidate for LASIK?

A: The decision to have laser vision correction depends on the results of a thorough preoperative evaluation. Just as you are a unique individual, each eye requires unique and careful examination with the best technology. A stable eyeglass prescription for at least two years. Criteria: Best corrected vision of at least 20/40. Healthy cornea. No active eye disease. Over 18 years old.

Q: How safe is LASIK?

A: The FDA has approved LASIK as a safe and effective procedure. It is important, however, to remember that LASIK is not the right choice for everybody. Some people are not appropriate candidates, and if treated could have less than optimal results. It is important that you receive a thorough pre-operative evaluation to determine if LASIK is right for you.

Q: How soon after LASIK surgery will I be able to see?

A: Visual recovery varies from one day to one week. The majority of patients resume normal activities one to two days following surgery but it may take 1 to 2 months for your vision to fully stabilize. Although everyone is a little different, the vast majority of our LASIK patients achieve legal driving vision or better, the very next day. That is one of the most exciting advantages of the LASIK procedure; clear vision comes in quickly. Initially, your vision might not be crisp and may fluctuate slightly. This is perfectly normal and should improve gradually day by day.

Q: When will I be able to drive after I have LASIK done?

A: On the day of your surgery it is important to have a driver take you home. You will also need a driver to bring you to your post-operative appointment the day after surgery. In most cases, patients are able to drive by the end of that day.

Q: What are the symptoms of a cataract?

A: The most common symptoms of a cataract are: Cloudy or blurry vision. Colors seem faded. Glare. Headlights, lamps, or sunlight may appear too bright. A halo may appear around lights. Poor night vision. Double vision or multiple images in one eye. (This symptom may clear as the cataract gets larger.) Frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses. These symptoms also can be a sign of other eye problems. If you have any of these symptoms, check with your eye care professional.

Q: How is a cataract detected?

A: Cataract is detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes: Visual acuity test. This eye chart test measures how well you see at various distances. Dilated eye exam. Drops are placed in your eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problems. After the exam, your close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours. Tonometry. An instrument measures the pressure inside the eye. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test.

Q: How is a cataract treated?

A: The symptoms of early cataract may be improved with new eyeglasses, brighter lighting, anti-glare sunglasses, or magnifying lenses. If these measures do not help, surgery is the only effective treatment. Surgery involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens. A cataract needs to be removed only when vision loss interferes with your everyday activities, such as driving, reading, or watching TV.

Q: What are the different types of cataract surgery?

A: There are two types of cataract surgery: Phacoemulsification, or phaco. A small incision is made on the side of the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. Your doctor inserts a tiny probe into the eye. This device emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the lens so that it can be removed by suction. Most cataract surgery today is done by phacoemulsification, also called "small incision cataract surgery." Extracapsular surgery. Your doctor makes a longer incision on the side of the cornea and removes the cloudy core of the lens in one piece. The rest of the lens is removed by suction. After the natural lens has been removed, it often is replaced by an artificial lens, called an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a clear, plastic lens that requires no care and becomes a permanent part of your eye. Light is focused clearly by the IOL onto the retina, improving your vision. You will not feel or see the new lens. Some people cannot have an IOL. They may have another eye disease or have problems during surgery. For these patients, a soft contact lens, or glasses that provide high magnification, may be suggested.

Q: What is glaucoma?

A: Glaucoma is a group of diseases that can damage the eye's optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness. The most common form of the disease is open-angle glaucoma. With early treatment, you can often protect your eyes against serious vision loss.

Q: How can I prevent glaucoma from occurring?

A: At this time, we do not know how to prevent glaucoma. However, studies have shown that the early detection and treatment of glaucoma, before it causes major vision loss, is the best way to control the disease. So, if you fall into one of the high-risk groups for the disease, make sure to have your eyes examined through dilated pupils every two years.

Q: What are the symptoms of glaucoma?

A: At first, open-angle glaucoma has no symptoms. It causes no pain. Vision seems normal.

Q: Can glaucoma be treated?

A: Yes. Immediate treatment for early stage, open-angle glaucoma can delay progression of the disease. That's why early diagnosis is very important. Glaucoma treatments include medicines, laser surgery, conventional surgery, or a combination of any of these. While these treatments may save remaining vision, they do not improve sight already lost from glaucoma.

Q: What is a cornea transplant?

A: A cornea transplant is a surgical procedure to replace part of your cornea with corneal tissue from a donor. Your cornea is the transparent, dome-shaped surface of your eye that accounts for a large part of your eye's focusing power. A cornea transplant can restore vision, reduce pain and improve the appearance of a damaged or diseased cornea. A cornea transplant, also called keratoplasty, is typically performed as an outpatient procedure. Most cornea transplant procedures are successful. But cornea transplant carries a small risk of complications, such as rejection of the donor cornea.

Q: What is macular degeneration?

A: Macular degeneration is a broad term describing the deterioration of the central retina and the loss of the central part of vision. The term most commonly refers to "age-related macular degeneration" (abbreviated as AMD). AMD is the most common cause of vision loss due to aging. People with AMD may lose their ability to read, drive or recognize their friends as a result of their visual impairment

Q: What are the different types of AMD?

A: AMD is classified as either dry or wet. The dry form is more common than the wet (about 90 percent of patients). It may result from the aging and thinning of macular tissues, depositing of pigment in the macula or a combination of the two. In the wet form, new blood vessels grow beneath the retina and leak blood and fluid. This leakage causes retinal cells to die and accelerates the degeneration. Permanent scarring results.

Q: What are the signs and symptoms of macular degeneration?

A: Early signs include: straight lines appearing wavy, fuzzy vision, and shadowy areas in your central vision. Your eye doctor may find indicators before you have any symptoms, so regular eye exams can mean an early diagnosis. One way to tell if you are having these vision problems is to view an Amsler grid, which is a chart of black lines arranged in a graph pattern.