Refractive errors are a type of vision problem that makes it hard to see clearly. They happen when the shape of your eye keeps light from focusing correctly on your retina (a light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye).
Refractive errors are the most common type of vision problem. More than 150 million Americans have a refractive error — but many don’t know that they could be seeing better. That’s why eye exams are so important.
If you have a refractive error, we can prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to help you see clearly.
An eye exam involves a series of tests to evaluate your vision and check for eye diseases. We use various instruments, shine bright lights at your eyes and request that you look through an array of lenses. Each test during an eye exam evaluates a different aspect of your vision or eye health.
An eye exam helps detect eye problems at their earliest stage — when they’re most treatable. Regular eye exams give us a chance to help you correct or adapt to vision changes and provide you with tips on caring for your eyes. And an eye exam might provide clues to your overall health.
There are dozens of eye conditions and diseases. Here are some of the more common conditions:
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye (the clear part of the eye that helps to focus light). Cataracts are very common as you get older. In fact, more than half of all Americans age 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to get rid of cataracts.
At first, you may not notice that you have a cataract. But over time, cataracts can make your vision blurry, hazy, or less colorful. You may have trouble reading or doing other everyday activities.
Over time, cataracts can lead to vision loss. The good news is that surgery can get rid of cataracts. Cataract surgery is safe and corrects vision problems caused by cataracts.
During the evaluation of your eye health we will carefully examine your lens for signs of cataract formation. If a cataract is noticed and the clouding is causing visual disruption, we can refer you to a trusted and respected surgeon for surgery, which is the only known cure for cataracts. Our Eye Care Practice will be there for you providing pre and post cataract surgery care.
LASIK surgery is the most common refractive eye surgery performed today. It is used to correct a number of different ocular conditions, including myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism. While our office does not perform LASIK procedures, we do offer LASIK consultation, as well as comprehensive pre-care and post-operative care, in collaboration with your eye surgeon.