Glaucoma, Age-related Macular Degeneration, and Diabetic Retinopathy are just a few of the commonly seen eye diseases. It is important that people seek regular eye exams to help prevent these diseases or stop them from becoming worse. Most eye diseases are treatable if action is taking right away. If you have a family history of eye diseases than it is more important for you to have regular visits with your doctor to make sure that your eyes are remaining in good condition.

Glaucoma:

Glaucoma is a leading cause of undetected vision loss in patients. Glaucoma occurs when the pressure inside the eye remains elevated for a prolonged period of time, subsequently resulting in damage to the optic nerve. Periodic eye exams are critical in following the progression of the disease with specialized testing playing an integral part. At Valley Eye we offer the most sophisticated testing equipment such as HRT Retinal Tomography, OCT – Ocular Coherence Tomography, Pascal Tonometry, and Visual Field Testing to provide necessary information on the stability of the glaucoma.

There are two main types of glaucoma:

• Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease, accounting for 90% of cases. This condition can go undetected for a number of years because there is no pain or discomfort, but damage is slowly being done to the eye. Early stages of open-angle glaucoma are treated with eye drops to lower eye pressure. Alternative methods of reducing intraocular pressure include a laser procedure called SLT or Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty. This consists of a brief laser treatment to the eye’s drainage mechanism to reduce the pressure. It may be used either as a primary or adjunctive form of therapy. The pressure-lowering effects are generally seen within a few weeks following the treatment.
• Angle-closure glaucoma is the less common form of glaucoma that affects less than 10 percent of patients. Onset is usually much faster and symptoms more severe than open-angle glaucoma. This is a potentially vision-threatening condition which requires immediate treatment with a laser surgical procedure.

ECP

At Valley Eye, patients with glaucoma that are having cataract surgery also undergo an additional procedure called ECP or Endo-laser. This laser treatment is a brief 5 minute procedure performed during the cataract removal that acts to reduce the amount of fluid being produced inside the eye with a subsequent reduction of intraocular pressure of approximately 30%. Dr. Stark was one of the first Ophthalmologists in Ohio to perform the ECP procedure, with 70% of patients being able to reduce or eliminate their glaucoma drops post-operatively.

Patients with advanced or uncontrolled    glaucoma requiring additional pressure-lowering are offered the option of  having the “Express Mini-Shunt” and/or Trans-Ciliary Filtration (TCF) using the Fugo Blade (plasma blade) to create a filtration site for fluid to move safely from inside to outside the eye.

Macular Degeneration:

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of poor vision among elderly patients. The effect it can have on vision varies from mild, to a profound loss of central vision.

There are two basic types of Macular Degeneration (AMD), Dry and Wet. Dry AMD is the least debilitating of the two types. It is slow to develop and usually results in a mild to moderate decrease in central vision. Dry AMD is treated with a multivitamin formulation to prevent progression to Wet AMD. Specialized diagnostic testing, including Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Digital Fluoroscein Angiography, is performed on a regular basis to monitor the stability of the disease.

Wet AMD generally presents as a sudden distortion or loss of central vision. The condition occurs as a result of new blood vessels forming beneath the retina. These vessels leak and bleed easily and ultimately result in scar formation in the central retina and subsequent poor vision. Wet AMD requires immediate treatment using a retinal laser or drug injection to destroy the new blood vessels. Visual prognosis with Wet AMD tends to be less than with Dry AMD, making early diagnosis and treatment even more critical.

Diabetic Retinopathy:

Just as Macular Degeneration is the leading cause of poor vision among elderly patients, Diabetic Retinopathy is the leading cause of poor vision in patients under the age of 60.

Diabetic Retinopathy tends to present in patients that have been diabetic for more than 10 years and in patients that are insulin dependent. Strict blood sugar control is an important part of the overall management of the disease. There are two types of Diabetic Retinopathy: Background Diabetic Retinopathy and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background Diabetic Retinopathy is the initial phase of eye involvement in which retinal blood vessels become narrowed and unable to carry enough oxygen to the retinal tissue. Microaneurysms represent small areas of weakening in the diseased blood vessels that tend to leak and bleed easily, thus resulting in focal areas of retinal swelling and deposits in the retina called hard exudates. If left untreated, the retinal will become more starved for oxygen and areas of retinal infarct or stroke occur. This marks the onset of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, which is characterized by hemorrhaging inside the eye and retinal scarring.

Frequent dilated eye examinations of the retina are vital to creating a plan of treatment to prevent progression of this disease. Specialized diagnostic testing with Fluoroscein Angiography and Ocular Coherence Tomography to assess areas of blood vessel leakage and retinal swelling are a routine part of a patient’s treatment plan.

The treatment plan for diabetic retinopathy may vary from simple observation to intervention with retinal laser treatments or even referral to a retinal specialist in complicated forms of the disease. At Valley Eye, retinal laser treatments are carried out using the state-of-the-art Pascal Pattern Photocoagulator. This special laser enables the treating physician to provide a more rapid, precise, and safe treatment. Patients experience a reduced number of treatment sessions, reduction in anesthesia, and improved comfort during the procedure.

In addition, the Pascal Laser is capable of treating a wide variety of retinal diseases and conditions in a safe and efficient manner.