Glaucoma
Glaucoma is actually a class of disorders. More than twenty different forms of the condition have been identified. However, they all develop in a similar way. The amount of aqueous humor, a watery fluid that fills the inside of the eyeball, begins to build up. As more of this fluid collects, it places greater pressure on all parts of the eye, including the optic nerve. Eventually the excess pressure destroys the nerve. The many forms of glaucoma are grouped into two large categories: open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is a progressive disease. It gets worse over time if not treated. At first, only a few nerve cells in the optic nerve are destroyed. Blind spots develop in areas where those nerve cells are located. Over time, more and more nerve cells are destroyed. A larger and larger area of vision is lost. Eventually, a person may lose his or her sight completely. Closed-angle glaucoma happens very quickly. Some type of accident or change in the eye causes aqueous humor to build up very suddenly. The effects of glaucoma appear in a very short time.

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Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration, often called AMD or ARMD (age-related macular degeneration), is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Americans aged 65 and older. Because older people represent an increasingly larger percentage of the general population, vision loss from macular degeneration is a growing problem. AMD occurs with degeneration of the macula, which is the part of the retina responsible for the sharp, central vision needed to read or drive. Because the macula primarily is affected in AMD, central vision loss may occur.

Macular degeneration is diagnosed as either dry (non-neovascular) or wet (neovascular). Neovascular refers to growth of new blood vessels in an area, such as the macula, where they are not supposed to be. The dry form is more common than the wet, with about 85-90 percent of AMD patients diagnosed with dry AMD. The wet form of the disease usually leads to more serious vision loss.

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Cataracts
A cataract is a clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. The lens works much like a camera lens, focusing light onto the retina at the back of the eye. The lens also adjusts the eye's focus, letting us see things clearly both up close and far away..  The lens is made mostly of water, and the protein inside the lens is arranged in a precise manner so as to keep the lens clear, and allow the maximum amount of light to enter the eye.  As we age, some of this protein begins to degenerate and loses its regular arrangement, thus leading to a loss of clarity of the lens.  This is a cataract, and over time, it may become denser, clouding more of your vision and making it harder for you to see.  Cataracts are usually diagnosed during routine eye exams, and management will depend on the severity of the cataract.  By evaluating your visual needs and the degree of cataract, we will determine your need for cataract surgery.