Cataract

Obviously in my profession my vision is very important to me. Thanks to Dr. Newman and his staff for restoring my vision after cataract surgery. Now my vision is better than it has ever been before! D.R. Commercial Airline Pilot

Your eye has a clear lens through which light passes allowing you to see.  When the lens loses its transparency, the cloudy tissue that develops is known as a cataract. 

Cataracts cause progressive, painless loss of vision.  The lens clouds naturally as we age, so people over the age of 65 usually see a gradual reduction of vision. No one is exactly sure what causes cataracts.  In younger people they can result from an injury, certain medications, or illnesses such as diabetes.  Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light may also play a role in the formation of cataracts.  Studies have also shown that people who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing cataracts than non-smokers.

Although cataracts usually develop without apparent pain, some indications that a cataract may be forming are as follows:

• Blurred or hazy vision
• Double Vision
• Poor vision in bright light
• Seeing halos around lights
• Yellowish tinged vision
• Night vision difficulty

If visual impairment interferes with your ability to read, work, or do the things you enjoy, then you will want to consider cataract surgery.  Surgery is the only proven means of effectively treating cataracts.  Cataract surgery is a relatively painless and is one of the most frequently performed procedures.  It has a very high success rate and more than 90 percent of cataract surgery patients regain useful vision.

For more information about cataracts, please click here .

Cataract Testimonials

Before surgery I was dependent on wearing glasses. Everything was cloudy and dull. After surgery I no long her needed glasses all the time. Colors were very vibrant and white was very bright again I would only need reading glasses occasionally now. J. M.		After wearing glasses all my life, my eyes were getting worse and I discovered that had a cataract in each eye. My Optometrist recommended Dr. Newman for the surgery. At the Newman Eye Center, I received expert care that was kind and caring. The Staff, and of course. Dr. Newman are just wonderful. I felt completely comfortable and assured that the surgery would be successful. Dr. Newman performed the surgery on both eyes within a few weeks of each other. The results are a miracle! I can drive and read without glasses which I could never do before. Thanks Again!! D. M.
Before my surgery I could not read and had problems driving, now I can do both with ease. Thank you Dr. Newman.		As a boomer now, I can see better than when I was in my 20's.
Having cataract surgery opened up a whole new world for me. Now I only need glasses to read fine print. J. W.
		Prior to surgery I had zero visibility with only light and dark in my left eye.  I can now see everything and may not even have to wear glasses except to read. Thank you for my miracle!!

Advanced Cataract Surgery

In phaco surgery, a small ultrasonic probe is inserted into the eye.  This probe breaks (emulsifies) the cloudy lens into tiny pieces and gently sucks (aspirates) those pieces out of the eye.  Phaco requires a small incision of only 3.2 millimeters or less. To make your procedure as painless as possible anesthesia is a combination of local and/or topical along with IV sedation. 

With the recent advance of foldable IOLs, lenses can be implanted through the same small incision that is created in the phaco procedure.  These IOLs are made of a flexible material allowing them to be folded for implantation.  Once inside the eye, the lens unfolds and returns to its original shape.

Multifocal Lens

Artificial lenses (IOLs) are implanted in the eye to replace natural lenses for patients with cataracts, presbyopia or severe refractive errors. that have been damaged by cloudy cataracts or presbyopia. Until recently, IOLs were only available to correct distance vision. These monofocal lenses helped improve distance vision after cataract surgery, but patients still needed glasses or contact lenses for near vision activities like reading and playing cards. Now, advancements in technology have produced multifocal IOLs that allow patients to see clearly at all distances -- near, far and many distances in between. Multifocal IOLs such as ReStor®, ReZoom™ and Crystalens™ preserve distance vision and correct presbyopia so cataract surgery patients -- and patients seeking treatment for presbyopia alone -- can enjoy clear sight without relying on glasses.

Click here for more information about the ReZoom ™ Lens.

Click here for more information about the Crystalens™ Lens.

Click here for more information about the ReSTOR® Lens.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States.  A simple painless eye exam can detect the disease. With early detection and treatment, glaucoma can usually be controlled and blindness prevented.

Glaucoma can affect anyone from newborn infants to the elderly.  It has been estimated that up to 3 million Americans have glaucoma.  At least half of those people do not know they have it because glaucoma usually has no symptoms. People who are at a greater risk for glaucoma usually have the following conditions:

• At least 45 years old without regular eye exams
• A family history of glaucoma
• Abnormally high eye pressure
• African descent
• Nearsightedness
• Diabetes
• Previous eye injury
• Regular, long-term use of cortisone/steroid products

To detect glaucoma, your physician will test your visual acuity, visual field, dilate your pupils and test the pressure in your eye.  Regular and complete eye exams help to monitor the changes in your eyesight and will help to determine whether you may develop glaucoma. 

Treatment to control glaucoma include medications in the form of either eyedrops or pills, laser surgery and conventional surgery.

For more information about glaucoma, please click here .

What is Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) ?

Conductive Keratoplasty (CK) is a safe, non-laser, FDA-approved technique to eliminate or eradicate farsightedness and presbyopia.

Because of the flatness of the cornea, farsightedness is the most difficult disorder to treat with LASIK and the most likely to cause post-LASIK complications such as dry eye, hazy vision, light sensitivity or poor quality of vision.

Until recently, only nearsighted patients have had many different procedures available to them that could be used to correct their vision problems, such as LASIK, RK and PRK. Now, one of the first non-laser procedures for farsightedness, CK (Conductive Keratoplasty), has been developed to address the symptoms and problems of the farsighted patient.

CK is one of the first procedures designed specifically for the millions of people with hyperopia. Instead of a scalpel or a laser, CK uses a probe as thin as a strand of human hair to release radio-frequency energy, treating your farsightedness without cutting or removing tissue. CK reshapes the cornea by using a controlled release of radio-frequency energy to shrink the corneal tissue, steepening the cornea and changing the way the eye focuses light. The radio-frequency energy is applied in a circular pattern, causing a peripheral constriction and a relative central lengthening of the eye.

For more information about Conductive Keratoplasty, please click here.

Limbal Relaxing Incisions For Astigmatism

Patients with astigmatism who are undergoing cataract surgery can choose to have limbal-relaxing incisions made to reduce their dependence on glasses for clear vision. Limbal-relaxing incisions are tiny cuts made around the edge of the cornea, called the limbus. These incisions "relax" the cornea's steep curvature and improve the way the eye focuses light. Limbal-relaxing incisions have been shown to heal faster and cause fewer side effects than other astigmatic keratotomy (AK) procedures.

Dry Eye Treatments - Punctal Plugs

Punctal plugs are a treatment option for patients suffering from dry eye that has not been relieved by drops or ointments. Punctal plugs are placed in the opening of the tear ducts in the eyelids (called "puncta") to block tear drainage and keep the eyes moist. Implantation should reduce the need for artificial tear drops and increase the patient's overall comfort.

Implantation takes only a few seconds in Dr. Newman's office. In some cases, before implantation, collagen is temporarily placed in the eye to predict the effectiveness of punctal plugs.

For more information about dry eyes, please click here.

Today, there is an FDA-approved prescription eye drop called RESTASIS® Ophthalmic Emulsion. For more information on Restasis® go to www.restasis.com.