Cataracts
 A cataract starts out small and at first has little effect on your vision. You may notice that your vision is blurred a little, like looking through a cloudy piece of glass or viewing an impressionist painting.
A cataract may make light from the sun or a lamp seem too bright or glaring. Or you may notice when you drive at night that the oncoming headlights cause more glare than before. Colors may not appear as bright as they once did.
When symptoms begin to appear, you may be able to improve your vision for a while using new glasses, strong bifocals, magnification, appropriate lighting or other visual aids.
When your cataracts have progressed enough to seriously impair your vision and affect your daily life we will refer you to Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute for surgery. Many people consider poor vision an inevitable fact of aging, but cataract surgery is a simple, relatively painless procedure to regain vision.
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Glaucoma
Glaucoma refers to a category of Eye Disorders often associated with a dangerous buildup of internal eye pressure (Intraocular Pressure or IOP), which can damage the eye's Optic Nerve that transmits visual information to the brain.
Glaucoma is often called the "silent thief of sight," because most types typically cause no pain and produce no symptoms.
For this reason, glaucoma often progresses undetected until the optic nerve already has been irreversibly damaged, with varying degrees of permanent vision loss.
We have the most advanced technology to prevent any loss of vision. Dr. Laulainen is licensed to treat glaucoma and our office sees patients regularly for this condition.
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Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration, often called AMD or ARMD (age-related macular degeneration), is the leading cause of vision loss and blindness in Americans aged 65 and older. Because older people represent an increasingly larger percentage of the general population, vision loss from macular degeneration is a growing problem.
AMD occurs with degeneration of the Macula, which is the part of the Retina responsible for the sharp, central vision needed to read or drive. Because the macula primarily is affected in AMD, central vision loss may occur.
A significant study estimated that 1.75 million U.S. residents had advanced age-related macular degeneration with associated vision loss, with that number expected to grow to almost 3 million by 2020.
Wet and Dry Forms of Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration is diagnosed as either dry (non-neovascular) or wet (neovascular). Neovascular refers to growth of new blood vessels in an area, such as the macula, where they are not supposed to be.
The dry form is more common than the wet, with about 85-90 percent of AMD patients diagnosed with dry AMD. The wet form of the disease usually leads to more serious vision loss.
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Dry Eye Syndrome
Persistent dryness, scratching and burning in your eyes are signs of dry eye syndrome. These symptoms alone may be enough for Dr. Laulainen to diagnose dry eye syndrome.
Some people also experience a "foreign body sensation," the feeling that something is in the eye.
And it may seem odd, but sometimes watery eyes can result from dry eye syndrome, because the excessive dryness works to overstimulate production of the watery component of your eye's tears. There are numerous treatment options for Dry Eye Syndrome. We specialize in the treatment of Ocular Surface Disease.
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Diabetic Retinopathy
Everyone who has diabetes is at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy, but not all diabetics do develop it. In its early stages, you may not notice any change in your vision, but it can lead to the later, sight-threatening form of the disease.
Floaters can be a sign of diabetic retinopathy. Sometimes difficulty reading or doing close work can indicate that fluid is collecting in the Macula, the most light-sensitive part of the retina. This fluid build-up is called macular edema.
Another sign is double vision, which occurs when the nerves controlling the eye muscles are affected. If you experience any of these signs, see your Dr. Laulainen immediately. Otherwise, diabetics should be seen at least once a year for a dilated eye exam.
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Eye Floaters and Spots
If a spot or shadowy shape passes in front of your field of vision or to the side, you are seeing a floater. Because they are inside your eye, floaters move with your eyes when you try to see them.
You may also see flashes of light. These flashes occur more often in older people and usually are caused by mechanical stimulation of Photoreceptors when the gel-like vitreous occasionally tugs on the light-sensitive retina. They may be a warning sign of a Detached Retina.
Flashes also occur after a blow to the head, often called "seeing stars."
Some people experience flashes of light that appear as jagged lines or "heat waves" in both eyes, often lasting 10-20 minutes. These types of flashes are usually caused by a spasm of blood vessels in the brain, which is called a Migraine.
If a headache follows the flashes, it is called a migraine headache. However, jagged lines or "heat waves" can occur without a headache. In this case, the light flashes are called an Ophthalmic Migraine, or a migraine without a headache.
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