What is LASIK eye surgery?
LASIK eye surgery actually stands for Laser Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis. LASIK is a refractive eye surgery procedure where a laser reshapes the outer surface of the eye known as the cornea. By changing the shape of the cornea doctors can improve vision.
Take our LASIK self test
If you are seeking LASIK in Raleigh, North Carolina we are happy to help you learn about LASIK and your candidacy potential for this eye surgery. Please feel free to take our short LASIK self-evaluation test to get on the path to better vision. After taking this test you will be contacted by Raleigh Ophthalmology if you meet the pre-requisite requirements. All LASIK candidates will be required to undergo a pre-operative eye exam before candidacy is approved.
What is a Cataract?
A cataract is a cloudy or opaque area in the normally transparent lens of the eye. As the opacity thickens, it prevents light rays from passing through the lens and focusing on the retina, the light sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye. Early lens changes or opacities may not disturb vision. But as the lens continues to change, several specific symptoms including blurred vision; sensitivity to light and glare; increased nearsightedness; or distorted images in either eye, may develop.
Contact Us
Thank you for visiting the website of Raleigh Ophthalmology. We hope that you found our eye care website information useful.
Meet the Doctors
Eye surgery is a serious matter. Finding a qualified eye surgeon in North Carolina is important. Feel free to visit our doctors page.
Retinal Detachment
The retina is the sensory tissue that lines the back wall of the eye. It can be described as the wallpaper of the back of your eye. A retinal detachment occurs when the retina is separated from the inside of your eye and can no longer transmit images properly through the optic nerve to the brain. If the center of the retina, the macula, is involved in the detachment, the vision is extremely blurred. If the macula is not involved in the area of detachment, there may be some loss of peripheral vision corresponding the part of the retina that is detached.
Is a retinal detachment serious?
Yes. A retinal detachment is a very serious problem that will almost always lead to blindness if not treated.
What causes a retinal detachment?
The center of the eye is filled with a clear gel called the vitreous. As we get older, the vitreous begins to degenerate into a liquid and this causes it to pull away from the surface of the retina. This process, called a posterior vitreous detachment, usually occurs without damaging the retina. In some cases, the vitreous may pull hard enough to tear the retina in one or more places. As time passes, fluid from the center of the eye will pass through the tear and begin accumulating beneath the retina, causing a retinal detachment. There are some conditions that increase the likelihood of developing a retinal detachment. These include:
- Myopia (nearsightedness)
- Prior eye surgery, such as cataract removal
- Traumatic injury
- History of retinal detachment in either eye
- Family history of retinal detachment
The doctors at Raleigh Ophthalmology recognize that evaluation and treatment are only the first steps on the road to recovery. The patient's active participation and cooperation is also important in achieving long-term, positive results.
A retinal detachment is commonly preceded by a posterior vitreous detachment which gives rise to these symptoms:
- flashes of light (photopsia) – very brief in the extreme peripheral (outside of center) part of vision
- a sudden dramatic increase in the number of floaters
- a ring of floaters or hairs just to the temporal side of the central vision
- a slight feeling of heaviness in the eye
Although most posterior vitreous detachments do not progress to retinal detachments, those that do produce the following symptoms:
- a dense shadow that starts in the peripheral vision and slowly progresses towards the central vision
- the impression that a veil or curtain was drawn over the field of vision
- straight lines that suddenly appear curved
- central visual loss