Early Detection and Treatment Leads to Healthy Eyesight

More than 20 million Americans over the age of 40 have cataracts and nearly three million patients have cataract surgery in the US annually.  Technological advances have made cataract surgery safer, more comfortable and more effective. A cataract is a gradual clouding of the clear lens in the eye, the part that focuses light and produces clear images.  As old cells die they become trapped.  As time passes, more cells die and accumulate causing the lens to cloud, making vision blurred and dim.  Cataracts form slowly and painlessly, but can eventually lead to blindness. Cataracts can be caused by metabolic diseases such as diabetes, an injury to the eye, medications, long-term exposure to the sun, eye surgery, congenital defects or aging. Please refer patients if they are experiencing any of the following: Blurry vision, with no pain Glare, or sensitivity to light Double vision in one eye The need to read with brighter light Poor night vision Dull or yellowed image

Corneal transplants increase to 48,000 a year, returning priceless gift of vision to people suffering from eye injury or disease.  The number of corneal transplants needed to restore vision keeps growing each year. Nationwide, ophthalmologists performed more than 48,000 of these procedures in 2013, about 10,000 more than five years prior.i As this need continues to increase, organ donors who provide the eye tissue that makes these sight-restoring operations possible will become even more important. In support of Eye Donor Awareness month this March, Friedberg Eye Associates, along with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is encouraging eye donation for corneal transplants by highlighting the importance of this life-changing surgery. Often called the window of the eye, the cornea is the clear, smooth layer on the front of the eye that bends light, allowing people to see. Sometimes the cornea becomes cloudy or rough due to an eye injury, infection or a medical condition, such as Fuc

Long touted as good for backs and necks, proper desk ergonomics are also important for the health and comfort of the eyes. In support of Workplace Eye Wellness Month in March, Friedberg Eye Associates and the American Academy of Ophthalmology are offering tips to desk workers everywhere whose eyes may need relief from too much screen time. Many people who spend long hours reading or working on a computer for their jobs experience eye discomfort. Focusing on tiny type for hours on end can cause eye strain, fatigue and headaches. Staring at screens for long periods can also leave eyes parched, red and gritty-feeling. One reason dry eye affects computer users in particular may have to do with blinking. Every time the eyelid closes, it washes moisture over the front of the eye. Normally, people blink about 14 times a minute or so. Focusing the eyes on computer screens or other digital displays has been shown to reduce a person’s blink rate by a third to a half, drying out eyes as a res