detect glaucoma. If you have an immediate family member with glaucoma,

you are at higher risk for developing this disease. Although there is no cure, we

have medicines (eye drops), laser surgery and conventional surgery to blunt

the progression of this disease process.

Macular degeneration is another disease

that happens in the older age group.

This correlation with age is so close that it is often called age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. AMD affects the macula, which gives us our sharp central vision and can decrease a patient’s ability to read, drive and watch TV. There are two types of AMD: wet and dry. Dry AMD is a thinning and atrophy of the macula, which causes visual loss. It is typically a slower process than wet AMD. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow underneath the macula, causing bleeding and scarring. In general, we treat dry AMD with vitamins and antioxidants to slow the progression, and wet AMD can be treated with lasers and injections into the eye.

So there it is, a brief overview of some of the most common problems I see in my ophthalmic practice. I hope that this article gives you a better understanding of these conditions as well as their treatments. Don’t fall into the trap of trusting Dr. Google. Your eye care professional is just a phone call away, and a good ophthalmic exam is the first step toward better vision.

Russ Van Norman, MD, board-certified by the American Academy of Ophthalmology; member, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery; member, Cornea Society; current president of Shreveport Medical Society.