Ophthalmology
An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosis and treatment of eye problems, diseases and injuries. Among the most common eye problems that can be corrected are errors of refraction which include: nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.
Nearsightedness and farsightedness have to do with the way the eye brings images into focus on the back of the eyeball, where 10 layers of delicate nerve tissue make up the retina. Nearsightedness, is the result of images being focused in front of the retina rather than on it, so distant objects appear blurred. Farsightedness, is the result of images being focused slightly behind the retina, making nearby objects appear blurry. Light rays entering the eye first cross the cornea which should normally have a round, semi-spherical contour just like a soup spoon. Astigmatism often combined with near- or farsightedness, occurs when the clear cornea has a non-round curvature-more like a teaspoon. Because of that the eye lacks a single point of focus. People with astigmatism may have random, inconsistent vision patterns, where some objects may appear clear and others blurry.
Other common vision problems are glaucoma, cataracts and diabetic retinopathy. Glaucoma is a serious eye disease caused by a build-up of pressure inside the eye. This excessive pressure can cause the retinal cells and optic nerve fibers to die. Left untreated, glaucoma may lead to total, irreversible blindness. A cataract is where the lens of the eye is cloudy, causing images to become blurred and yellowed while images seen with a clear normal lens are focused and sharp. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes mellitus, which causes abnormality in the tiny blood vessels nourishing the retina. For diabetic patients, it is estimated that 90 percent of them may experience some form of diabetic retinopathy over the course of their lives.
A variety of corrective procedures for common eye problems are performed by physicians of Saint Francis Health System. Visit the physician directory to find an ophthalmologist near you.
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