Other Eye Services
At Hollingshead Barrett, we offer comprehensive eye care for all our patients, including the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of conditions. Discover your options and take the first step toward clearer vision by completing our quick Vision Quiz.
Astigmatism
Vision is distorted when the surface of the cornea lens has an uneven curvature; sometimes, it is the eye’s lens that is irregularly shaped. This type of irregularity causes light to focus on more than one spot in the back of the eye, resulting in blurred vision.
Dr. Barrett often uses LASIK, PRK, or a Toric lens to treat astigmatism.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes is a disease that affects the blood vessels throughout the body, particularly in the kidney and eye. When blood vessels in the eye are affected, this is called diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among adults in the United States. If you are diabetic, your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy increases over time. Current national guidelines recommend annual dilated eye exams if you have diabetes.
Approximately 80% of people who have diabetes for 15 years or longer have some damage to their retinal vessels.
When the blood vessels located within the retina are damaged due to diabetes, they may leak fluid or blood or form scar tissue, reducing the ability of the retina to detect and transmit images.
Yes, there are two main types: non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). NPDR involves retinal hemorrhages and swelling for which injections or laser treatment may be indicated. PDR is more severe, with scar tissue formation necessitating the need for injections, laser treatment, and/or surgery.
If you are a diabetic, you can reduce your chance of developing diabetic retinopathy by keeping your blood sugar levels under control and by having your eyes examined at least once a year.
Farsightedness (Hyperopia)
When the shape of the eye is too short, light rays entering the eye focus behind the retina instead of directly on it. Distant objects are seen clearly, but near objects are not.
LASIK or PRK may be used to treat farsightedness.
Macular Degeneration
What is macular degeneration?
Age-related macular degeneration affects the area of the retina called the macula. This small area is responsible for producing sharp, central vision required for "straight ahead" activities such as driving, reading, recognizing faces and performing close-up work. While scientists are uncertain of its cause, AMD can advance so slowly that people hardly notice it developing ("dry" AMD) or it can rapidly progress to the point of vision loss in one or both eyes ("wet" AMD).
Dry AMD causes the slow deterioration of the macula's light-sensitive cells. The presence of drusen or tiny yellow deposits in the retina is one of the earliest signs of AMD, and these can be detected with a dilated eye exam. Drusen can block necessary nutrition that is needed in the eye. Over time, the retinal tissue can waste away around these areas and spotty vision occurs. Sometimes several of these areas merge, giving the macula a moth-eaten appearance that leads to a progressive loss of vision. Although the presence of drusen alone is not indicative of the disease, it may indicate the eye is at risk for developing more severe AMD.
Just below the surface of the retina are layers of photoreceptors that are highly active and very sensitive. These photoreceptors require a lot of energy and a constant and rich supply of nutrients. Anything that interferes with the flow of these nutrients can cause the macula to malfunction and perhaps become diseased. In "wet" AMD, new blood vessels from behind the retina leak onto the macula and quickly destroy it. In the beginning stages, straight lines appear wavy and fine details fade. It becomes hard to focus on just one word and faces start to blur. People gradually lose the ability to read or drive and often progress to legal blindness. The "wet" form of AMD occurs in only 10% of all cases, but it is responsible for 90% of decreased vision resulting from AMD.
If you have a family history of AMD, are over 59, or have been diagnosed with AMD, you should schedule an examination as soon as possible and have annual eye exams.
What is an “Amsler grid”?
Below is a simple screening test you can use at home. It is called an Amsler Grid. Patients can use it to detect early signs of macular degeneration or for monitoring any further deterioration. Holding the grid at arms-length, stare at the center dot. Are any of the lines crooked, bent, wavy or missing? If so, please seek the immediate attention of an eye care professional at Hollingshead Barrett Eye Center. This test does not replace a professional exam.
Nearsightedness (Myopia)
When the shape of the eye is too long, light rays focus in front of the retina instead of directly on it. Under these circumstances, near objects are perceived clearly but distant objects are not.
LASIK, PRK, ICLs, or cataract surgery can be used to treat nearsightedness.
Presbyopia
Loss of Lens Elasticity
The lens of a youthful eye is flexible and can respond to the eye’s muscles to change shape (“accommodate”), becoming thicker to see near objects clearly. Over time, the eye’s lens gradually loses its elasticity and its ability to change shape to see close objects. Bifocals or reading glasses are the traditional prescription for remedying this presbyopic loss of accommodation, but recent technology makes it possible to replace the inflexible lens for a lifestyle lens to see clearly at all distances.
Ready to take the next step?
Schedule an appointment with one of our experienced doctors to find out how we can help you see clearly.
Not sure if you are looking at the right service?
At Hollingshead Barrett, we are happy to help guide you through our vision correction options. Please take our vision quiz to find more information about services available to you.
*Please note that it is important to still book an eye exam with one of our doctors to ensure the right option for your specific vision is provided.