Laser Cataract Surgery Serves Baby Boomers Well

As the baby boomer population begins to age, so too do their eyes. Now in their late 50’s and into their 60’s, many are developing cataracts, a common occurrence which affects 50% of the U.S. population by age 80.

“What we are finding is baby boomers with cataracts are typically still employed, and they want to return to work as quickly as possible,” explained ophthalmologist Thomas Henderson, M.D. “Laser cataract surgery provides not only greater precision, but also quick recovery for patients. Many patients comment on how soon they were able to return to life as normal.”

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide. A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Symptoms of cataracts may include cloudy or blurry vision, colors seem faded, glare, a halo may appear around lights, poor night vision, double vision, and frequent prescription changes in your eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Normal Vision

Vision with Cataract

Ophthalmologist Clayton Falknor, M.D. offered, “Baby boomers are more interested than prior generations in achieving partial or complete glasses independence after cataract surgery. With the benefits of laser cataract surgery and advances in lens implant technologies, such as toric lenses for astigmatism management and multifocal lenses for reduced need for reading glasses, this outcome is increasingly encountered.”

To determine if you have cataracts, you should contact your eye doctor and schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam. In addition to cataracts, your eye doctor can check for other age-related issues such as macular degeneration and glaucoma. Early detection and treatment for eye diseases may save your sight.

SOURCE: http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/cataract/cataract_facts.asp 

How Optomap Helps Eye Clinic of Austin Provide Better Eye Care

A Word from Dr. Thomas Henderson

Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the health of the eye and the visual system.  As a physician and a patient, the more I can see, the better I can understand, the better the solution to a problem.

Optomap is a unique, high definition, digital imaging system which combines scanning lasers with a specially shaped (ellipsoidal) mirror to create a panoramic 200 degree image of the retina inside the eye.  The effect of the wide field is like sticking your head inside a doorway and looking at the walls instead of peeking through a keyhole.

Dr.Melanie Prosise often uses the Optomap as a convenience for her patients so that she can see most of the retina without having to dilate pupils.  Dr. Clayton Falknor and I frequently use it to document the important medical details of a particular abnormality of the retina.  The most common photographs are of the optic nerve head for glaucoma, the central retina for dry or wet macular degeneration, the whole retina for diabetic retinopathy, a particular pigmented “freckle”, and other areas of interest.  It is much better to compare detailed photographs after 3 months to detect change quickly, or after a number of years to prove hoped for stability, than to rely upon vague descriptions or drawings in the medical record.  We will soon receive an upgrade to the Optomap image management software that will make this even easier.

The most important use of the Optomap is to improve care by helping me improve my communication with the patient.  For example, in “wet” macular degeneration, I can describe how a new blood vessel has formed under the retina near the line of sight, is leaking blood, causing scar tissue and possible loss of sight.  It is better if I can make a drawing or use a model.  It is the by far the best if I can show a patient a photograph of their eye so they can see the reality of the blood under their central retina, causing distortion and threatening their sight.  In this way we can understand the problem better and develop a better plan together—and ultimately have a better chance for a better result.

The next time you are in, we might use the Optomap to help provide you with better eye care.