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Cataract Surgery
Cataract surgery is an operation to remove your eye’s lens when it is cloudy.
The purpose of your lens is to bend (refract) light rays that come into the eye to help you see. Your own lens should be clear, but with a cataract it is cloudy. Having a cataract can be like looking through a foggy or dusty car windshield. Things may look blurry, hazy or less colorful.
The only way to remove a cataract is with surgery. Your ophthalmologist will recommend removing a cataract when it keeps you from doing things you want or need to do.
During cataract surgery, your cloudy natural lens is removed and replaced with a clear artificial lens. That lens is called an intraocular lens (IOL). Your ophthalmologist will talk with you about IOLs and how they work.
Cornea Surgery
The cornea is the clear, front window of the eye. It helps focus light into the eye so that you can see. The cornea is made of layers of cells. These layers work together to protect your eye and provide clear vision.
Your cornea must be clear, smooth and healthy for good vision. If it is scarred, swollen, or damaged, light is not focused properly into the eye. As a result, your vision is blurry or you see glare.
If your cornea cannot be healed or repaired, your ophthalmologist may recommend a corneal transplant. This is when the diseased cornea is replaced with a clear, healthy cornea from a human donor.
A human donor is someone who chooses to donate (give) his or her corneas after their death to people who need them. All donated corneas are carefully tested to make sure they are healthy and safe to use.
There are different types of corneal transplants. In some cases, only the front and middle layers of the cornea are replaced. In others, only the inner layer is removed. Sometimes, the entire cornea needs to be replaced.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a disease that damages your eye’s optic nerve. It usually happens when fluid builds up in the front part of your eye. That extra fluid increases the pressure in your eye, damaging the optic nerve.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness for people over 60 years old. But blindness from glaucoma can often be prevented with early treatment.
Oculoplastics
Oculoplastic surgery, a specialized area of ophthalmology focused on the health of the eyelids, orbit, tear ducts and other structures around the eye, is often called oculofacial or ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery. Oculoplastic surgery is used to treat conditions ranging from drooping eyelids and blocked tear ducts to orbital fractures and tumors of the eye. While oculoplastic surgery is often medically necessary, many people choose to have surgery for purely cosmetic reasons.
Retina
The retina is the layer of cells lining the back wall inside the eye. This layer senses light and sends signals to the brain so you can see.
Retinal detachment occurs when the retina pulls away from the back of the eye and the blood supply. Without a blood supply, the retinal cells will start to die. This can cause permanent damage to your vision. If the macula (central vision area) begins to loosen, your vision may be permanently damaged. If the macula completely detaches, you may lose your vision entirely. Reattaching the retina quickly is essential to prevent such a serious complication.