Dennis Breene

That depends on several factors, including the type of laser operation; ie. LASIK, or PRK. Both will usually result in dramatic improvement almost immediately, but there will usually be some residual haze and glare for up to a few months and he can expect symptoms of dryness for many months, so artificial tears will be important in his recovery. Complications are uncommon but a partial list would include over and under correction, flap problems in LASIK, and rarely severe problems like infection and even blindness. This may be "laser" surgery, but it's real surgery and should be taken seriously.

A vitrectomy is a relatively common operation to remove the gel called vitreous humour in the back of the eye. Vitrectomy is used for multiple reasons and can be quite beneficial. Unfortunately, without knowing the details of her diagnosis it's not possible to comment more specifically about the reasons a vitrectomy is advised in this case.

There can be several reasons for symptoms after viewing a computer screen.. In some screens, the image is projected at a rapid rate, called dithering, this can cause some additional fatigue in reading over that of the written page. There can be other sources of strain, including such things as a need for reading glasses. A thorough eye exam is your best option for identifying the cause and treatment for your symptoms.

Behcet's disease is a relatively uncommon disease in the United States. It was first described by the Turkish dermatologist Hulusi Behcet in the early 20th century. It is more common in that part of the world and is believed to have some genetic predisposition. The genetic marker HLA B51 is more common but not uniformly present in patients with Behcets syndrome. The disease is characterized by inflammatory lesions involving the blood vessels throughout the body. Lesions can involve the skin, mucous membranes, genitals, joints, the central nervous system and the eyes, and virtually every other system in the body. It is treated with medications that suppress the immune response, and there are multiple available treatments but at this time no cure. For further information, consider contacting the American Behcet's Disease Association.

Without a thorough eye exam it is not possible to say if your mother's symptoms are related to diabetes. Having said that, the longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they will have diabetic changes in their eyes. The majority of patients do well, particularly if they can maintain excellent control of their blood sugar. All patients with a diagnosis of diabetes should be evaluated with a thorough eye exam regularly, and your mother should certainly be seen promptly if she is having symptoms.

Watering after cataract surgery is common. It can be related to something as simple as the topical medications, which should be used until discontinued by your treating ophthalmologist. Patients often have an underlying dry eye syndrome or eyelid disease such as blepharitis. Artificial tears can be beneficial but you should discuss your symptoms with your treating ophthalmologist to determine if you have specific issues that require a more targeted form of treatment.

Tearing after a new prescription is not terribly common but can be related to unrelated issues such as dry eye, or on occasion because of mild eye strain related to adapting to the new prescription. You should discuss your symptoms with your prescribing eye specialist and have the dispensing optician confirm that the glasses were made to the prescription specifications and that the lenses are accurately aligned in front of each eye.

These symptoms are possible with many causes. They can occur from diagnoses as unrelated as migraine, inflammation in the eye, or other intraocular problems. Hopefully it is something relatively mild but some of the possible causes could be quite serious and you should have a thorough evaluation by an ophthalmologist.

Without a diagnosis, it isn't possible to provide a solution. The causes can be related to numerous problems such as cataracts, a need for glasses or genetic night blindness. I suggest a thorough eye exam to identify the underlying problem.

I am pleased you are doing well after surgery. I would follow any directions given by your operating surgeon. Often patients find artificial tears helpful and you should refrain from rubbing the eyes as lasik surgery necessarily thins the cornea and can make you slightly more susceptible to changed in the cornea with frequent rubbing.

Accentrix (Ranibizumab) is a monoclonal antibody that blocks and inhibits the activity of vascular endothelial growth factor, and thus inhibits the growth of abnormal blood vessels growing underneath the retinal in so called wet macular degeneration. It can frequently aid in the suppression of such vessels through repeated injections and significantly preserve vision. It is not curative, but anti-vegf medications have become an effective tool in preserving vision in a very serious condition.

Yes. Even one night sleeping in contact lenses can result in complications that can lead to permanent loss of vision, most commonly by corneal infection. There are many contact lenses that are FDA approved for overnight wear with an acceptable safety profile. But, no contact lens is completely free of risk and proper care of your lenses and quick evaluation if you are having a problem is critical in those rare cases when something goes wrong. Fortunately, most people do well, but don't risk your vision by waiting if you are having a problem. Call your eye care specialist.

Not every baby is born with blue eyes. Those babies born to parents with darkly pigmented irises are more likely to have brown eyes at birth or shortly after. I have green eyes, our children's mother has dark brown eyes. My daughter was born with dark brown eyes and my son was born with slate grey eyes which rapidly turned dark brown as a baby. While the range of coloration in eyes is remarkably varied, the genetics is relatively simple. We have genes for iris pigment ( brown in some variation, including green) and genes for no iris pigment ( blue). The brown gene is dominant and if you inherit it from one parent, you will have some variation of brown. If you inherit the recessive blue gene from both parents you will have blue eyes. In rare cases other factors will interfere with the development of pigment and can lead to eyes of different color, ie. one brown and one blue.

Ophthalmologist are physicians, graduates of either a medical school or a school of osteopathy. You will find the letters MD or DO after their names identifying their degree (Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathy). In either degree their training includes four years of medical school and a minimum of four years of postgraduate residency training, and frequently a fellowship following that for those who have subspecialty training such as cornea or retina. Their training is intensely focused on the diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment of eye disorders from the primary care level (including glasses) to the most advanced treatments available.
Optometrists are vision care specialists who have four years of education after college and degrees from schools of optometry. You may identify their degree by the letters OD (Optometric Doctor) after their name. Their training is most intensely oriented to primary eye examinations, prescribing glasses and contacts and diagnosis and sometimes treatment of some of the more common and eye disorders depending on the state they practice in.
Without getting embroiled in the politics of vision care, I believe it is appropriate to say both disciplines have excellent training and benefit the patient. In my experience, the quality of care is frequently enhanced when optometrists and ophthalmologists maintain close working relationships for the betterment of care for the patient.

Your mother's symptoms can be from many sources; from diabetes, to cataracts to problems with eye pressure, or even dry eye, and the need for spectacles. Studies are not conclusive as to whether patients with diabetes are more susceptible to glaucoma. I recommend she have a thorough eye exam to identify the cause of her symptoms.

Dry eye is typically related to a problem with the tear layer of the eyes, most often insufficiency of the amount of tears. More recent research has implicated low levels of inflammation of the conjunctiva and related structures. There are some very effective treatments for dry eye. The drying of the eyelid skin is not caused by lack of tears and is probably related to some other source. An evaluation is likely to reveal the source and your eye specialist can then recommend appropriate therapy.

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that any exercise will affect your nearsightedness. In most cases the primary cause seems to be inheritance, with some questionable data that long durations of reading may increase the progression of nearsightedness (myopia). I'm not convinced that this actually has any impact on the vast majority of patients.

If this hemorrhage is on the white surface of the eye and is not a recurrent event, it is typically something that will resolve in a few days. if it is extensive, or repetitive, or you are referring to a blood clot in any other area, such as inside the eye or in front of the pupil, it should be evaluated promptly.

While I believe there is some experimental work with medical treatment of cataracts, so far it is only in rhesus monkeys. At this time, the only treatment for cataracts is surgical. Fortunately, modern cataract surgery and intraocular lenses can remarkably improve vision with a high degree of safety. While diabetics can have additional risks, cataract surgery is frequently performed on diabetics with excellent outcomes. Only a thorough exam can provide the information to advise you as to increased concerns related to surgery. All surgery has risk, but cataract surgery is probably one of the most successful operations in modern medicine. I would add only one caveat; a very advanced cataract can be much more difficult to remove and will actually increase the risk of complications. if cataract surgery is truly indicated and any diabetic risks have been managed, delaying surgery excessively could make management of diabetic eye problems more difficult and deprive the patient of improved vision. Ultimately, the time for surgery is when the patient feels it's necessary.

Strabismus is a general diagnosis for eyes that don't line up properly. This can occur spontaneously at birth or later in childhood, or be secondary to other problems occurring in children and adults. A thorough examination by an ophthalmologist skilled in strabismus is advised to determine the exact diagnosis. Treatments can range from glasses to prisms to surgery and in children often include patching an eye, or other treatments for amblyopia. Amblyopia is the failure to develop or maintain normal vision during the early years of life for various reasons. Failure to treat amblyopia by age seven or eight can result in a permanent reduction of vision. As your child is six years old, it is imperative that this evaluation be done promptly, as treatment for amblyopia, is less successful the older the child gets and likely to be permanent if not treated by around age seven or eight.