Comprehensive & Preventative Eye Care
Sight is one of our most important senses. A good understanding of how the eyes work is key to maintaining healthy eyes.
Annual eye examinations are necessary to monitor the health of your eyes. With early detection, many eye diseases can be prevented or treated before vision loss occurs.
Center For Sight is always expanding its services and technology to provide premium eye care for you and your family, from preschoolers to senior citizens.
Call today at 770.922.2201 and schedule your appointment with Dr. Newman, so we can take care of your eyes together.
How Your Eye Works
Vision occurs when light enters the eye and is transformed into electro-chemical impulses that are sent to the brain for interpretation.
20/20 vision means that vision is normal at 20 feet away. If, at a distance of 20 feet, a person can see what the average person can see at 40 feet, its said that person has 20/40 vision.
Refractive error is the most common vision problem. It occurs when light entering the eye does not focus at a single point on the retina. Instead, light will either focus in front of the retina (known as nearsightedness), behind the retina (known as farsightedness), or enter the eye unevenly (known as astigmatism). Around the age of 40, a condition known as presbyopia occurs. Presbyopia causes people to have difficulty focusing at objects up close and while reading.
Most of these conditions are correctable with glasses, contacts, or surgery. Dr. Newman and his staff will work with you to determine the proper course for vision correction.
Conditions of The Eye
"Dry eyes" is a common eye condition, and it is a chronic disease. Some common symptoms include excessive tearing, burning, stinging, gritty sensation, light sensitivity, redness, and blurred vision. Tear film is made up of three components (mucus, water, and oil) that are secreted from glands around the eye. Untreated dry eyes can lead to more serious conditions. Dry eyes can easily be diagnosed and treatment begun after a comprehensive eye examination. Treatment of dry eye varies from patient to patient and depends upon the severity of the disease.
Floaters are often described as small moving spots in your field of vision. Floaters are caused by changes in the consistency of the jelly-like material (known as the vitreous) that makes up the ball of the eye. They are often more easily noticed when looking at something bright. While floaters can be irritating and bothersome, they are typically not vision threatening and do not require treatment. Sometimes floaters are associated with flashes of light, cob webs, or threadlike strands. Dr. Newman always encourages his patients to contact our office anytime a change in the vision is observed. Delayed response could result in missing the diagnosis of a more serious problem such as a retinal tear or detachment or bleeding in the eye.
A cataract is the clouding of the lens of the eye usually the aging process. When the lens becomes cloudy, it is difficult for light to pass through the eye.
Symptoms include the following:
- Cloudy, blurry vision like looking through a fog or film
- Changes in color perception
- Problems with glare
- Double vision or distortion
Often cataract changes can be offset with a change in your refraction or glasses prescription. When your vision can no longer be improved with a prescription and the cataracts are affecting your daily activities and hobbies, you may be a candidate for cataract surgery. In most cases, cataract surgery is performed with a small incision and requires no stitches. Dr. Newman will examine you for cataracts at your yearly dilated examination.
Glaucoma is a disease that causes damage to the optic nerve, which can result in the loss of peripheral vision. Early detection and treatment for glaucoma may prevent permanent vision loss. Glaucoma is diagnosed and monitored by Dr. Newman using advanced technology. Glaucoma is a disease that cannot be cured and requires ongoing treatment. Treatments include the use of various eye medication (drops), laser surgery or the insertion of a drainage device.
- Dry Macular Degeneration: Also known as age-related macular degeneration. Symptoms include dimming or distorted vision or blind spots in vision. The dry type is often slow in progression. Sometimes eye vitamins can be helpful.
- Wet Macular Degeneration: The growth of abnormal blood vessels underneath the macula. These blood vessels leak blood and fluid into the retina/macula area causing swelling and eventually scar tissue. This can result in a rapid decrease in vision and severe central vision loss if left undetected. Dr. Newman is able to detect and treat this condition with the newest technology available.
What is diabetes and how does it affect the eyes? Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce enough insulin and/or is unable to use insulin effectively. When the body is unable to maintain the appropriate amount of insulin, changes in the blood sugar levels occur affecting many parts of the body, including the eyes. Since diabetes is known to weaken the blood vessels, patients with diabetes are urged to have annual eye examinations to evaluate the circulation in their eyes.
These circulation changes are known as diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the weakening of blood vessels in the retina, which leaks fluid and blood, leaving the retina malnourished. Some symptoms of diabetic retinopathy are blurred vision, loss of vision or cloudy vision.
Diabetes can also cause swelling of the macula, resulting in distorted vision and more rapid cataract formation.
Dr. Newman strongly stresses the importance of annual eye examinations for his diabetic patients. Diabetic education information is also available at the Center For Sight.
Strabismus (known as crossed eyes or turned eye) simply an eye muscle imbalance. The weakening of muscles causes one or both eyes to turn. This is a more common eye problem in children than in adults. When the eyes are misaligned, each eye is focused on a object or image resulting in mixed images being sent to the brain. Within time, the brain learns to ignore images from the weaker eye causing amblyopia or lazy eye. The earlier these conditions are uncovered, the better the chance to restore or maintain good vision.
There are many conditions that can be labeled conjunctivitis. The condition can be caused by a virus, bacteria, allergens or an irritant in the eye. All these conditions are uncomfortable and are commonly called "pink eye."
Viral Chronic Conjunctivitis is often seen in the eyes of people who have had colds. Like a cold, simple conjunctivitis is a viral infection and is highly contagious. Patients experience a watery discharge from their eyes that seems to worsen on the third to fifth day from the onset of the symptoms. Care should be taken to separate the utensils, towels, etc., of an infected patient from those of other members of the household. Though the condition will normally go away on its own, treatment may include the use of an antibiotic drop with a steroid component to help with comfort and to sometimes shorten the duration of the infection.
Mucopurulent conjunctivitis is a bacterial infection whose symptoms include thick eye discharge, pus and redness. There are different types of bacteria that cause this type of conjunctivitis including staph, strep and Pseudomonas. Sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause conjunctivitis. Treatment includes antibiotic drops and/or oral medications.
Chronic Allergic Conjunctivitis is cased by environmental allergens such as pollens, animal hair and dust. Symptoms include itching, redness and tearing of the eyes. Treatment includes antihistamine drops and occasionally steroid drops or ointments, depending upon the severity of the condition.
Acute Allergic Conjunctivitis is a sudden, unexpected reaction to allergens. The symptoms and treatments are the same as for Chronic Allergic Conjunctivitis.
Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis (GPC) is usually experienced by contact lens wearers or patients with a prosthetic (artificial) eye. Symptoms include contact lens intolerance, itching, heavy discharge, tearing and bumps underneath the eyelid. The condition will resolve without medication when use of the contact lens or prosthesis is discontinued until the inflammation is resolved. A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drop may help with the discomfort.
Eye Growths
Pterygium
Pterygium is a growth of tissue on the cornea. Symptoms include redness and swollen tissue causing eye irritation and occasionally blurred vision. Usually slow growing, a pterygium is most commonly found in a person who spends a lot of time outdoors. It is made worse by excessive sun exposure and dry eyes. In most cases, treatment is not needed unless the pterygium becomes bothersome to the patient or begins to impair vision.
Pinguecula
Pinguecula is the thickening of the conjunctival tissue on the white part (sclera) of the eye. It often appears yellow or white in color. It is usually caused by warm and dry environments as well as dry eyes. Sometimes burning, stinging or redness can occur.
Sties (Hordeolum vs. Chalazion)
Hordeolum
Hordeolum is another word for a stye. A stye is an infection in the oil glands located along the eyelid margins. It often appears as a pimple at the root of an eyelash.
Chalazion
A chalazion is a bump that appears along the eyelid due to a blocked oil gland. Symptoms include redness, swelling, and tenderness of an area of the eyelid. While chalazions are similar to hordeolums, they tend to be less painful and located further away from the edge of the eyelid.
The Eye and "Itis"
Everyone has heard arthritis, bursitis and pancreatitis. Itis simply means inflammation. What does itis have to do with the eyes?
Blepharitis
Blepharitis is inflammation of the eyelids and is commonly found in children and adults. Two common types of blepharitis are seborrheic and staphylococcus (staph). It is include redness, swelling, and scaling/flaking along lash line. Staph blepharitis is more severe and is caused by bacteria. Symptoms include mattering, crusting, and sometimes oozing along lash line. Treatment for blepharitis ranges from proper lid hygiene to topical and oral antibiotics.
Iritis
Iritis is inflammation of the iris, the colored part of the eye. Iritis is often painful causing light sensitivity, headache, blurry vision, and redness. Some of the most common caused are trauma, autoimmune disorders, and infections in the eye or other parts of the body.