Tuesday, September 19. 2006
Vitrectomy Surgery
Vitrectomy is a type of eye surgery used to treat disorders of the retina (the light-sensing cells at the back of the eye) and vitreous (the clear gel-like substance inside the eye). It may be used to treat a severe eye injury, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachments, macular pucker (wrinkling of the retina) and macular holes.
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Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a common parasitic infection. When contracted by a pregnant woman, toxoplasmosis can pose serious risks to the unborn baby. Simple precautions can reduce the chance of infection.
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Stargardt’s Disease
Stargardt’s is an inherited disease that affects the retina, the layer of light-sensitive cells lining the back of the eye. It usually becomes apparent between the ages of 8 and 14. Boys and girls are equally susceptible and more than one child in a family may have it.
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Retinoschisis
Retinoschisis is a genetic eye disease that splits the retina, the light-sensitive layer of cells lining the back of the eye. It occurs in two forms, one affecting young children, the other older adults. Both forms usually affect both eyes, though one eye may be worse than the other.
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Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) damages premature babies’ retinas, the layer of light-sensitive cells lining the back of the eye. ROP usually occurs in both eyes, though one may be more severely affected.
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Retinoblastoma
Retinoblastoma, a malignant tumor that grows in the retina, the layer of light-sensing cells in the back of the eye, can destroy a child’s vision and be fatal. Affecting children of all races, boys and girls equally, retinoblastoma occurs in one or both eyes, usually in the first year or two of life.
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Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)
Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) describes a group of related diseases that tend to run in families and cause a slow but progressive loss of vision. RP affects the rods and cones of the retina, the light-sensitive nerve layer at the back of the eye, and results in a decline in vision in both eyes. RP usually affects both eyes equally with severity ranging from no visual problems in some families to blindness at birth in others. RP gets its name from the fact that one of the symptoms is a clumping of the retinal pigment that can be seen during an eye exam.
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Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes caused by changes in the blood vessels of the eye. If you have diabetes, your body does not use and store sugar properly. High blood sugar levels create changes in the veins, arteries and capillaries that carry blood throughout the body. This includes the tiny blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive nerve layer that lines the back of the eye.
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Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome (OHS)
OHS is a major cause of visual impairment in the eastern and central United States where 90 percent of adults have been exposed to histoplasma capsulatum. This common fungus is found in molds from soil enriched with bat, chicken or starling droppings and yeasts from animals.
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Macular Hole
The macula is the part of the retina responsible for acute central vision, the vision one uses for reading, watching television, and recognizing faces. A macular hole is a small round opening in the macula. The hole causes a blind spot or blurred area directly in the center of your vision.
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Macular Edema
Macular edema is swelling of the macula, the small area of the retina responsible for central vision. The edema is caused by fluid leaking from retinal blood vessels. Central vision, used for reading and other close detail work, is affected.
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Macular Dystrophy
Macular dystrophy is a hereditary condition in which the macula degenerates. The macula is the part of your retina responsible for acute central vision: the vision one uses to read, watch television, and recognize faces.
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Macular Degeneration and Nutritional Supplements
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease caused by damage or breakdown of the macula, the small part of the eye’s retina that is responsible for our central vision. This condition affects both distance and close vision and can make some activities–like threading a needle or reading–very difficult or impossible. Macular degeneration is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over 65.
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Lattice Degeneration
Lattice degeneration is thinning and weakening of the retina, the light-sensitive layer of cells lining the back of the eye, that can lead to a retinal tear.
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Indocyanine Green Angiography (ICG)
ICG angiography is a clinical test used to detect abnormal blood vessels in the choroid, the layer of blood vessels under the retina. These abnormal blood vessels, typically associated with macular degeneration, may cause bleeding, scarring, and vision loss. If the blood vessels can be restricted by laser surgery, vision loss may be stabilized or improved.
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