Cataract signs and symptoms

Cataracts are an eye disease that develops with age. When cataracts form, the natural lens in the eye begins to cloud. The clouding on the lens scatters light instead of focusing it on the retina. This can cause blurry or double vision as well as increased difficulty seeing at night.

Dallas eye surgeon, Dr. Carter provides his patients with many treatment options for cataracts. Dr. Carter will examine your eyes in a cataract consultation and determine which treatment option is best for your needs. He will answer all of your cataract questions in your consultation to help you understand cataracts and your treatment options.

Treatment options for cataracts include:

• Crystalens®
• ReSTOR®
• ReZoom®
  

Signs and Symptoms of Cataracts

The symptoms of cataracts may not appear until many years following the initial development of cataracts. Cataracts often form in both eyes and one eye often develops a cataract more quickly. Cataracts may cause you difficulty with your daily activities and driving at night.

Some of the symptoms of cataracts include:

• Vision that seems foggy or dimmed
• Trouble with night vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Double vision in one eye
• Eyeglass or contact prescriptions need to be frequently changed
  

If you believe you are developing cataracts and would like to schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors in Dallas, Texas, please contact the Carter Eye Center today.

How Diet and Nutrition Protect Aging Eyes

As we age, our eyes change and become susceptible to many eye diseases and conditions that can disrupt our vision. We cannot prevent our bodies from aging. However, we can keep our bodies healthy and protect our aging eyes with a well balanced diet.

Dallas eye doctor, Dr. Carter encourages his patients to eat a balanced diet full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to give our bodies and eyes the nutrients they needs to function properly. Our bodies need an abundant amount of antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E to maintain the proper function of our eyes and prevent age-related eye diseases.

Some of the possible age-related eye diseases are:

• Presbyopia
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration
• Dry Eye Syndrome
  

Antioxidants and Vitamin C

Eating dark green vegetables and brightly colored fruits will ensure that you are getting the necessary antioxidants to flush your body of free radicals. Free radicals in the body can destroy your cells’ membranes and harm your vision. Citrus fruits contain vitamin C and vitamin C contains antioxidants that protect your eyes from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for the health of your eyes because it reduces the possibility of developing night blindness. Vitamin A maintains the proper functioning of your retina and helps your eyes adjust better to the variations of light.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E also helps in preventing cataracts. To ensure you are getting vitamin E, add fortified cereals, leafy greens, and nuts to your diet.

Minerals

Minerals are essential in helping your body absorb antioxidants. Zinc and selenium are two important minerals to add to your diet. Foods that contain zinc are red meats, yogurt, and cheese. Foods that contain selenium are macaroni and cheese, enriched rice and breads, and walnuts.

For more information on maintaining the health of your eyes, please contact the Carter Eye Center to schedule a consultation about your eyes. We serve patients in and around the Dallas, Texas area.

Eye Nutrition

A well balanced diet is essential to keep our bodies healthy and energetic. A diet containing the correct balance of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients gives us the energy we need throughout the day while maintaining a healthy weight and beautiful skin. A well balanced diet also benefits the health of our eyes.

Dallas eye surgeon, Dr. Carter offers the following valuable information to help you maintain the health of your eyes and reduce your risk of developing several eye diseases including age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are an essential part of a healthy diet. Your body houses many harmful free radicals that can cause harm to your vision. Free radicals are toxic molecules of oxygen that can destroy your cells’ membranes and create mutant cells. Antioxidants work to eliminate these radicals and protect your vision.

Antioxidants can be found in many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Eating raw fruits and vegetables will give your body more of the needed antioxidants than eating frozen, canned, or cooked foods. Try to choose foods that are rich in vitamins A, C, and E because they contain an abundant amount of antioxidants and promote eye health.

Maintaining a balanced diet complete with the proper vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will keep your entire body healthy. For additional information about the proper nutrition for healthy eyes, please contact eye surgeon Dr. Carter at the Carter Eye Center serving patients in and around the Dallas, Texas area.

Contact Lenses after LASIK

LASIK eye surgery is used to correct and improve your vision by removing tiny amounts of tissue from your corneas. In rare cases, LASIK can change the shape of the cornea in a way that disrupts vision. In these rare cases, Dallas LASIK surgeon, Dr. Carter may prescribe contact lenses to further improve disrupted vision in a way that glasses cannot.

Gas permeable contact lenses are a great choice to improve your vision following LASIK eye surgery. These contact lenses form to the shape of your eye and allow for maximum comfort. It is extremely important that the contact lenses you use following your LASIK eye surgery do not harm your eyes. Gas permeable lenses are gentle on your eyes. They are rigid with a smooth surface and they allow for more oxygen to get to the eye.

Gas permeable contact lenses are more durable, provide better vision correction, and last longer than compared to other contact lenses. The other benefits of gas permeable contact lenses are:

• They are not made of materials that contain water
• They cannot be torn as soft lenses can
• They retain their shape when you blink giving you crisper vision

For more information about LASIK eye surgery and to schedule a LASIK appointment with Dr. Carter, please contact the Carter Eye Center in Dallas, Texas. Improving your vision is just a phone call away.

The 411 on LASIK

If you are thinking of having LASIK surgery, than we're sure that you have tons of questions. And we'd love to answer them!

Laser Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis is the acronym or scientific name for LASIK or laser eye operation. It is the popular surgical procedure used by eye doctors, which reshapes the eye’s cornea in order to improve vision in the patient.

Once upon a time, that procedure involved surgeons cutting the eye, using a scalpel, but thankfully, as technology advanced, so has that technique and now that surgery is performed more efficiently using a laser.

Surgery Origins
The history of corrective eye surgeries can be traced as far back as the late 1800s. In the 1930s, Japanese doctors attempted to perform refractive surgery in military pilots. But it wasn’t until several decades later that physicians in the (former) Soviet Union became the first to bring about practical application of refractive surgery through radial keratotomy.

In 1978 American ophthalmologists became interested in the Soviets procedure and after visiting the country, brought the technology back to the United States.

Introduction of the Laser
While thousands of people had already had the procedure done, it was still not very precise and had a long recovery time. This lead researchers to look for a more efficient way to perform the procedure, so in comes the Excimer laser.

First used by IBM to etch silicone microchips, three doctors working with the company’s research laboratories saw the potential of the ultraviolet laser for use with biological tissue. The group realized the laser could be used to remove tissue without causing heat damage to the neighboring material.

A few years later, New York City ophthalmologist, Steven Trokel made the connection to the cornea and performed the first laser surgery on a patient's eyes in 1987. Trokel would go on to patent the device for vision correction.

LASIK Today
The procedure is safer, more precise quicker while recovery time is reduced significantly. Since the introduction of the laser, millions of people around the world have taken advantage of the corrective procedure. As with anything, there are risks, but the benefits of the surgery far outweigh potential risks.

Since 1990, about 20 million people worldwide have had the procedure, while over one million Americans per year go to have it done. If you’re interested in learning more about this procedure you should consult your physician.

If you live in the Dallas, Texas and are interested in learning more about the benefits of LASIK please contact the Carter Eye Center to schedule a consultation.