A flaw in the curvature of the cornea (the clear covering at the front of the eye structure) or the lens can occur naturally, even from birth. When the cornea is irregularly shaped, the eye does not have the capacity to focus correctly. Ideally, a lens with no defects reflects light to a single point on the back of the eye, on the retina. An unnatural curve causes a problem in the reflective process, and light is not focused to one point. 

This causes a variety of symptoms, including:

Blurred vision                               Eyestrain

Headaches                                    Frequent squinting

Difficulty with night vision       Double vision

Astigmatism can occur at any age, and can worsen over time. If you are nearsighted or farsighted, it is important that your eyes are checked for astigmatism as the condition may not be corrected with your current eyeglass or contacts prescription.

Characterized by cloudiness in the lens of the eye, cataracts form as we age.  It is a frustrating condition as it cannot be treated with a simple fix like glasses or contacts. Cataracts can be a challenging sign of aging, affecting the ability to drive, see clearly, and can greatly limit your enjoyment of life. Cataracts can develop due to aging, environmental factors, eye injuries, or genetics. The only way to successfully treat cataracts is with a surgical procedure. Unlike other conditions that can be corrected with glasses or contacts, the clouding of the eye’s lenses is irreversible, and can be alleviated with a replacement lens implant.  There are a range of lens types, including those to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism as well as those with extended depth of focus and multifocal lenses, which can reduce your dependence on distance and reading glasses.  Dr. Moore works with several of the regions best cataract surgeons to guide you through the pre-operative process and monitor your recovery through the post-operative period.

The uncomfortable symptoms of dry eye (or “dry eyes”) most often affects both of your eyes. You may be experiencing one or several of these symptoms:

• • Stinging
  • Burning
  • A scratchy sensation
  • Light sensitivity
  • Red, irritated eyes
  • Sensation that you have something on your eye
  • Contact lenses are very uncomfortable
  • Watery eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Eye fatigue
  • Night driving problems

WHY TEARS MATTER FOR HEALTHY EYES AND VISION

Tears are an important part of clear and consistent vision as well as eye health and allow for the smooth, comfortable movement of the lids across the eyeball. This lubrication protects the eye structure from inflammation. Made up of a combination of oil, water, and mucus, if any of these three ingredients are reduced or missing, the eyes become dry and irritated.  For well-lubricated eyes, the tear glands and oil glands must be functioning as nature intended.

THE RISKS OF UNTREATED DRY EYE

If your eyes are dry, you are at higher risk of developing more serious eye conditions and diseases, including:

• • Eye infections
  • Damaged eye surface, potentially permanent
  • Trouble driving, reading or other life activity

Glaucoma is an eye disease affecting all ages and typically found later in life. This disease is triggered by a blockage in the draining mechanism of the eye, causing a build-up of fluid that places pressure on the optic nerve. The pressure can lead to various symptoms, and is often painless although it can rarely include pain and blurred vision. If glaucoma is left untreated, it can lead to blindness.

WHO IS AT RISK FOR GLAUCOMA?

• Are fifty or older
• Are related to someone who had glaucoma
• Are very nearsighted
• Are African American or Hispanic
• Have diabetes, migraines, or certain other medical conditions
• Had any eye injuries or conditions, including thin corneas or optic nerves

Even if you do not fall into one a high-risk category, it is still important to get regular eye exams to check for the early signs of glaucoma. As most cases of glaucoma progress slowly and present few painful symptoms, early detection is imperative to getting treatment to help you preserve your sight and avoid the risk of blindness.

Farsightedness, or hyperopia, is a common condition where a person may or may not see distant objects clearly depending on the degree of far-sightedness, while close objects are blurry or difficult to focus. Hyperopia is not detected as often as myopia, or nearsightedness, as vision tests are commonly performed using distance charts. As a person with hyperopia may see distance clearly, they pass traditional eye tests without trouble. However, blurred near vision or headaches can be indicative of hyperopia and may warrant an examination.

Myopia is the medical term for nearsightedness. The symptoms of myopia are the ability to see close objects with clarity, while distant objects appear blurry or indistinct.  Suffering from myopia is frustrating because it can make watching television, driving, or certain aspects of performing your work duties more difficult. Nearsightedness is common and affects people at almost any age. It is believed nearsightedness, or a propensity for developing the condition is passed down through genetics.

In the US, diagnoses of myopia in children has doubled over the course of just a single generation.  What’s worse, researchers now predict that by 2050 the incidence of myopia will increase by a further 40% over today’s epidemic-levels of occurrence.  This would translate into almost 60 million kids in the U.S. under the age of 17 suffering from myopia.

As a parent, it can be alarming to see your child’s vision deteriorate every year.  Parents who remember getting glasses themselves feared it was just a matter of time before their children needed them too.  But the rate and severity of myopia is growing so significantly that researchers believe there are other contributing factors beyond genetics.  Many studies now point to environmental and behavioral factors such as reading at very close distances (<8 inches) and for continuous periods of time (> 45 minutes) and reduced outdoor time (<8-15 hours/week) during a child’s formative years of development having a role in driving the significant increase in myopia.

Presbyopia is the natural and inevitable loss of the ability to focus for near tasks and occurs in everyone and is associated with aging.  You may notice that reading becomes a challenge or you are forced to hold a book or menu in a specific place further from your eyes, or need more light to see print clearly.