Regular Eye Exams

Cataract Treatment in Annapolis, Maryland

February 13, 2013 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

What is a Cataract?

A cataract is clouding of the eye’s natural lens, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. Board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles, M.D. likes to compare cataracts to the clear plastic window on a convertible car.

“Just like the little plastic window in the back of a convertible, the natural lens inside the eye can become cloudy after many years of natural exposure to the sun and through the normal aging process,” said Dr. Boles.

There are three categories of cataracts:

Subcapsular Cataract: Beginning in the back of the lens, subcapsular cataracts are most common among those with diabetes, high farsightedness, retinitis pigmentosa, or those taking high doses of steroids.
Nuclear Cataract: The most common form of cataracts, nuclear cataracts forms in the nucleus, the center of the lens, as a result of natural aging.
Cortical Cataract: Forming in the lens cortex and gradually extending its spokes from the outside in, cortical cataracts are most common in people with diabetes.

What causes Cataracts?

Cataracts are usually caused by age, when the protein in the lens may start to clump together and cloud a small area of the lens. No one knows for sure why this occurs, however, several studies claim that exposure to ultraviolet light could be to blame.

Are Cataracts Common?

Simply put, yes. Nearly 50% of all adults will develop cataracts by the time they turn 65 years old.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Cataracts?

Common cataract signs and symptoms include:

Blurry sight
Double vision
Halos
Difficulty driving at night
Colors may become faded
Frequent changes in glasses prescriptions

If you feel as if you may be suffering from one or more of these symptoms, you should schedule an eye exam at your earliest convenience. Early detection is the key to slowing or even stopping the spread of cataracts.

What is the Treatment for Cataracts?

If cataract symptoms persist and become bothersome, surgery may be your best option. Cataract surgery is a quick outpatient procedure, taking just about 10 minutes (not including pre and post-op preparation). Cataract surgery involves removing the damaged lens and replacing it with a new synthetic one.

Best of all, cataract surgery has the highest success rate of any surgery practiced today. And recovery is a breeze. Most patients can resume their normal, everyday function in very little time and can even drive a few days after surgery.

Where can I have my Cataracts treated in Maryland?

Specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and cataracts, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers complete ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms or seeking surgical treatment, our state-of-the-art treatment center can meet all your eye care needs.

To learn more about Cataracts, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles, consultative optometrists Dr. Nathan Frank and Dr. Corinne Casey, and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com. Staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals, our state-of-the-art treatment center is dedicated to making the best eye care accessible to everyone.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and YouTube as well!

May is Healthy Vision Month :: Eye Care Tips :: Anne Arundel Eye Center

May 11, 2012 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Millions of people in the United States alone have undetected vision problems, eye diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). So in order to raise awareness of this very real problem and promote the importance of proper eye care, early detection and treatment, and eye safety, May was named Healthy Vision Month by the National Eye Institute (NEI) in 2003.

The NEI is one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the country’s primary medical research agency. The NEI helps develop the federal government’s research on the visual system and eye diseases.

One of the best ways you can protect your vision is to schedule regular checkups with your eye doctor – Ophthalmologist or Optometrist. Your eye doctor will not only evaluate your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses, but he/she will also inspect your eyes for common eye diseases and other problems that could lead to vision loss.

Your vision may change as you age, but vision loss is not a normal part of aging. Any loss of vision is a serious medical condition that requires prompt medical attention from your optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Anne Arundel Eye Center

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, Anne Arundel Eye Center (AAEC) is a regional leader in both the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, cataracts, and other vision related problems. Not only does AAEC Offer a wide range of advanced procedures to improve and preserve your vision, but Board Certified Dr. Samuel Boles and the rest of the staff are also passionate about educating patients and their families about the various eye diseases or eye conditions they may be afflicted with.

Early detection and treatment can help to save your sight!

To learn more about Healthy Vision Month and proper eye health, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Dr. Samuel Boles and ocular disease specializing optometrist Dr. Nathan Frank as the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com. Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre- and post-surgical eye care.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter,Google+, and YouTube as well!

Sources:

HVM – May is Healthy Vision Month

Diabetic Retinopathy: Signs and Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention

December 30, 2011 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

Currently, between 40-45% of Americans with diabetes have some varying degree of Diabetic Retinopathy, the most common diabetic eye disease and the leading cause of blindness in American adults. Specifically, Diabetic Retinopathy is damage to the blood vessels in the eye.

Types (Stages) of Diabetic Retinopathy

Non-proliferative: This is the first stage of Diabetic Retinopathy. It involves the enlargement of blood vessels with fluid/blood leaking into the retina, causing problems with one’s vision.

Proliferative: This is the more advanced type of Diabetic Retinopathy. It involves the forming of new blood vessels in the eye. These blood vessels then hemorrhage, causing scarring on the retina and other parts of the eye. This can result in several problems, including complete vision loss.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy

• Blurred vision/ blurry vision

• Shadows or loss of areas of vision

• Difficulty seeing at nighttime

By the time these symptoms appear, it may be too late to reverse the damage. This is why it is important for all those with diabetes to have professional eye exams (at least once a year) in addition to regular medical care and checkups with their primary care physicians.

Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy

The best form of treatment for diabetic retinopathy is prevention. However, there are still some very effective ways to treat diabetic eye diseases, including:

• Focal Laser Treatment: Also known as photocoagulation, this laser treatment can slow or even stop blood and fluid from leaking in the eye.

• Scatter Laser Treatment: Also known as panretinal photocoagulation, this laser treatment is used to shrink any abnormal blood vessels in the eye.

• Vitrectomy: This surgical treatment is used to remove blood from the middle of the eye (vitreous) as well as any scar tissue that may be pulling on the retina.

While new treatment options are in development as scientists work toward a better understanding of this disease, regular eye exams and early detection remain your best options for fighting Diabetic Retinopathy.

If you have any questions about what you have just read or if you would like to learn more about Diabetic Retinopathy, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

Located in Annapolis, Maryland, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers comprehensive specialized ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube as well!

Sources:

Diabetic Retinopathy: What You Should Know

November is National Diabetic Eye Disease Month

November 4, 2011 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

There are roughly 29 million Americans that suffer from diabetes, about 8% of the total population. And because diabetes presents with few symptoms, almost a third of these individuals are unaware they have the disease.

Without knowing they are diabetic, this 1/3 is at an increased risk to develop Diabetic Retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in American adults. They are also over 40% more likely to develop glaucoma, the second-leading cause of vision loss in U.S. And because diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma rarely presents any symptoms, regular eye exams and early detection remain your best options for fighting these diseases.

This is why November was named National Diabetic Eye Disease Month.

The longer these diseases go untreated, the more likely they will result in permanent vision loss. Because of this, it is extremely important for those with diabetes to not only seek regular medical care, but also regular eye exams (at least once a year), as well. If caught early enough, Diabetic Retinopathy and Glaucoma are treatable.

If you do experience any symptoms – like blurred/blurry vision – schedule an appointment with your eye doctor immediately. If this change in vision is extreme or if any eye pain is involved, consider having a family member or friend drive you to the emergency room.

Any change in your sight is a serious medical condition that requires immediate attention.

If you have any questions about what you have just read, please contact board certified ophthalmologist Samuel Boles and the eye care specialists at Anne Arundel Eye Center by calling 410-224-2010 or click here to visit AnneArundelEyeCenter.com today!

Led by Dr. Boles, the Anne Arundel Eye Center offers complete ophthalmic exams as well as diagnostic pre and post-surgical eye care. Specializing in glaucoma and cataracts, Dr. Boles has helped restore and preserve thousands of patients’ vision.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well!

Sources:
November is National Diabetic Eye Disease Month
Millions at Risk for Blindness Due to Diabetes- November is National Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month

The Elderly are at an Increased Risk for Eye Disease

October 28, 2011 by Anne Arundel Eye Center

In a statement by National Eye Institute Director Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., on World Sight Day 2011, the Director urged older Americans to protect their vision. Because, as Sieving explained, older people are simply at an increased risk for eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Cataracts, Glaucoma, and Diabetic Retinopathy.

AMD – This eye disease can cause loss of central vision due to the breakdown of the light-sensing cells in the retina.

Cataracts – This eye disease clouds vision because of a clumping of proteins in the eye’s lens.

Glaucoma – This eye disease involves damage to the optic nerve caused by increased intraocular pressure (IOP).

Diabetic Retinopathy – This eye disease impairs vision due to diabetes-related injury to the eye’s blood vessels.

Early stages of these diseases have no symptoms, which is why regular eye exams are crucial to catching eye disease before permanent vision loss occurs. The importance of early detection and treatment of age-related eye disease cannot be overstated.

If you experience a sudden change in vision, such as blurriness/blurry vision, schedule an appointment with your eye doctor immediately. If this change in vision is extreme or if any eye pain is involved, consider having a family member or friend drive you to the emergency room.

Any change in your sight is a serious medical condition that requires immediate attention.

For more eye care advice and information, please take a look at our previous blog posts.

You can also follow Anne Arundel Eye Center on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well!

Sources:

National Eye Institute urges older Americans to protect their vision