TREATING AND MANAGING OCULAR DISEASE

Macular degeneration is a condition that affects central vision, and patients usually first notice distortions when reading. 

Early macular degeneration is managed with diet and nutritional supplements, in order to supply the eye with specific vitamins and antioxidants.  In addition to being examined twice a year, patients self monitor themselves at home with resources provided by their optometrist.

In more advanced cases, injections or laser therapy are required, and the patient is referred to an ophthalmologist that specializes in the retina.  

Smoking significantly increases your risk of blindness from macular degeneration.

Keratoconus is a condition in which the tissue of the cornea begins to thin, causing the cornea to change shape.  In early stages, vision can be corrected for through the use of glasses and a referral for corneal crosslinking should be considered.  As keratoconus continues to progress, the cornea continues to change shape and makes correcting vision through glasses impossible.  At this point, specialty contact lenses are required.  

Very advanced cases (where vision is no longer correctable with specialty contact lenses), require a corneal transplant.