Eye Disease Management

Diagnosis and Treatment for Ocular Diseases

At Waco Vision Center, we prioritize your wellness. It is our aim to protect and preserve your eyesight for as long as possible so you can live life the way you want.

With that goal in mind, we make sure to use the latest technology and techniques to provide our eye care services. Our eye care doctors are skilled at diagnosing and managing a variety of eye diseases, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, and diabetic retinopathy.

So, if you suspect you may be having symptoms of a particular eye disease, reach out to us as soon as possible. Early and precise diagnosis of the disease helps assure early treatment and more positive outcomes for you.

Advances in medicine and technology have ensured that there are more treatment options available now than ever before. As a result, our eye doctors can take an aggressive approach to handling diseases considered to be challenging.

Call us today to find out more about the ocular disease treatment and management options we provide. Fill out our form to schedule an appointment with our eye doctors.

Get Treatment for a Variety of Eye Diseases

Cataract management:

Cataract is an eye disease that results in the clouding of the lens of the eye ball. Formation of cataracts prevent the formation of clear images on the eye’s retina. Patients with cataract may experience mild, moderate, or severe blurred vision.

Cataract formation is associated with aging. Usually people over the age of 55 develop cataract as a result of ageing-related changes to the lens structure. Certain individuals are at risk for cataract. These include smokers, individuals who have been overexposed to UV, and diabetics.

If you suspect that you may be having cataract symptoms, reach out to us. Once your eye doctor has identified signs of cataract formation, we’ll refer you to a trusted surgeon for eye surgery, which is the only known treatment option. During surgery, your natural lens that has developed a cataract is replaced with a synthetic lens to restore the transparency of the lens, and hence your vision.

For your comfort, our eye doctors will provide you with pre and post cataract surgery care. We will also take you through the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for cataract before the procedure, so you have a better understanding of your condition.

Diabetic eye disease:

If you have diabetes, you are already at risk of developing diabetic-related vision problems. Find out more about diabetic retinopathy here.

Glaucoma:

Glaucoma is one of the major causes of preventable vision loss and blindness in the world. In glaucoma, a group of eye diseases cause damage to the optic nerve by increasing the intraocular pressure (IOP) inside the eye.

Glaucoma can be controlled if detected in the early stages. This would help prevent severe vision loss and blindness. However, early detection of the disease continues to remain the most challenging part of managing the disease as the symptoms of noticeable vision loss occur only after the disease has progressed. Once vision is lost, it cannot be restored, unfortunately.

Some people have higher risk of developing glaucoma. These people share the following traits:

• Those having a family history of glaucoma
• Aged 60 and above
• African Americans over the age of 40
• Of Hispanic, Latino, or Asian origin
• Diabetics
• Taking certain medications
• Suffered eye injuries in the past
• Individuals with severe nearsightedness

Symptoms of glaucoma:

At the initial stage of the most common form of glaucoma – known as open angle glaucoma – there is no pain or discomfort. Vision continues to remain normal. It can be easy to miss out on the disease at this point of time.

In case of acute glaucoma, symptoms can present suddenly and can range from foggy, blurred vision to nausea. This is considered to be an emergency situation, as if not treated, the IOP can become very high leading to permanent vision damage.

Some of the methods used by our eye doctors for the diagnosis of glaucoma include:

• Detecting the symptoms of glaucoma by diluting your eye to examine the optic nerve
• Measurement of IOP using tonometry – this would indicate whether glaucoma is there, but it cannot be used by itself to rule out the disease
• Visual field test – this is used to detect any blind spots in your peripheral or side field of vision
• Retina testing – Your eye doctor may measure the thickness of your cornea using pachymetry or use imaging techniques such as digital retinal scanning or optical coherence tomography to create an image of your optic nerve for detecting signs of optic nerve damage

Treatment options:

Treatment options for glaucoma include medication and surgery. These focus on regulating the buildup of pressure inside the eye so that the progression of the disease can be slowed. The choice of treatment depends on the type of glaucoma and the probable cause.

At the first stage, medication and drops are used to lower the IOP and control pressure-related glaucoma. Surgery may be then recommended to control the flow of fluids through the eye. In many cases, a combination of medication and surgery is recommended.

Ultimately, prevention is what you should focus on. Get your eyes checked on a regular basis and learn about the risks associated with glaucoma so you can watch out for any symptoms. This would help you get treatment as early as you can before significant vision loss occurs.

Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD):

The macula on the retina is responsible for providing clear vision. Degeneration of the macula – if left untreated – is one of the main causes of blindness, especially in individuals over 65 years of age.

There are two types of ARMD: dry macular degeneration and wet macular degeneration. Dry macular degeneration is the less aggressive form of ARMD and progresses much more slowly. The severity of eyesight damage is much less in this case. Yearly testing can help identify disease symptoms at the early stages ensuring the early treatment.

Wet macular degeneration is the more aggressive form of ARMD. In this case, macular degeneration occurs in response to the onset of angiogenesis and leakage, which can promote the development of scar tissue. Patients can experience a sudden worsening of their blurry central vision.

Treatment options:

While there is no complete cure for ARMD, there are treatment options available for slowing down the disease and preventing blindness. They can even help improve the patient’s vision.

Treatment of dry ARMD involves the use of high doses of zinc and antioxidants that have been shown to slow disease progression.

Some of the common treatment options for wet ARMD include laser surgery, injection of light-sensitive dyes, or AMD medication that is directly injected into the eye to suppress angiogenesis.

While there is no complete cure for ARMD, there are treatment options available for slowing down the disease and preventing blindness. They can even help improve the patient’s vision.