Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management
in La Mesa

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that cause damage to the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss and blindness. The optic nerve plays a vital role in your sight, as it carries the information your retina receives to your brain, providing vision.

Common signs and symptoms of glaucoma can include:

• Patchy blind spots in peripheral vision
• Severe headaches
• Blurred vision
• Tunnel vision (in advanced stages)

Damage from glaucoma can be caused by high pressure in the eye, known as intraocular pressure. However, it can also develop with normal intraocular pressure levels.

At La Mesa Optometry, our doctors use diagnostic technology to help manage glaucoma:

• Applanation tonometry is used to detect changes in your eye pressure. This type of tonometry test is the most common and considered the most accurate for measuring eye pressure. Applanation tonometry involves the use of a flat-tipped probe that is gently pressed against the surface of the eye.
• The iCare tonometer helps detect intraocular pressure (IOP) in your eyes. While not as common as applanation tonometry, this device allows our team to perform IOP measurements accurately without the need for anesthetic drops.

Cataracts develop when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes clouded. Light enters your eye through the lens before it is processed and sent to your brain. Cataract formation begins when proteins clump together in the lens, preventing clear images from passing through to the back of the eye.

Most cataracts develop in people over the age of 55, but in rare cases, they can develop at a younger age.

Common signs and symptoms of cataracts can include:

• Sensitivity to light and glare
• Colors appearing faded or yellow
• Cloudy, blurred, or dim vision

Corrective prescription lenses can help provide clear vision in the early stages of cataract development. However, when cataracts begin affecting your daily life and prevent you from going about your daily activities—surgery is the only option to remove them.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a vision condition that damages the macula, which is responsible for central vision. AMD is a progressive condition and a leading cause of vision loss among older adults.

There are 2 main types of AMD:

• Dry AMD is the more common form of the disease and happens in early, intermediate, and late stages. Dry AMD usually progresses over several years and results from the macula thinning with age.

• Wet AMD is the less common form of the disease and results in faster and more severe vision loss. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye and cause damage to the macula. This damage is caused by abnormal blood vessels leaking fluid or blood into the macula.

Our doctors will check for AMD through a dilated eye exam. A dilated eye exam differs from a regular eye exam and allows more light into the eye. A dilated eye exam allows us to get a more detailed look at your eyes to check for AMD and other issues.

Prevention methods like giving up smoking and switching to a healthier diet can help slow the progression of the disease.