Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management in Stockton

Imagine your eye’s lens as a clear window that helps you see. Over time, this window can get cloudy, like looking through a foggy glass. That’s what a cataract is—a clouding of the eye’s lens. It can make your vision blurry, hazy, or less colorful.

How it affects your eyes: Cataracts scatter light as it enters your eye, leading to blurry vision, glare, and difficulty seeing at night.

How it’s managed: Cataracts may not cause significant problems in the early stages. As they progress, treatment options include stronger glasses or contact lenses to help you see better. The only way to fully get rid of a cataract is through surgery, where the cloudy lens is replaced with a clear artificial lens.

Diabetes can sometimes affect the small blood vessels in your retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. High blood sugar levels can damage these vessels, causing them to leak or grow abnormally. This is called diabetic retinopathy.

How it affects your eyes: Diabetic retinopathy can cause vision loss in several ways. Leaky blood vessels can lead to swelling in the retina, while abnormal blood vessel growth can block light from reaching the retina. In its advanced stages, it can lead to blindness.

How it’s managed: Managing diabetes is key to preventing or slowing down diabetic retinopathy. Regular diabetic eye exams are crucial for early detection. Treatment options include medication, laser therapy to seal leaky blood vessels, or surgery in more advanced cases.

The macula is a small but important part of the retina responsible for sharp, central vision—the kind you need for reading or recognizing faces. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects this area, usually in older adults.

How it affects your eyes: AMD can cause blurry vision, a dark spot in your central vision, or distorted vision. It can make seeing fine details or recognizing people’s faces difficult.

How it’s managed: There is no cure for AMD, but there are treatments that can help slow its progression. These include lifestyle changes, like a healthy diet, not smoking, and medications, or laser therapy in some instances. Early detection is vital to preserve as much vision as possible.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which connects your eye to your brain. It’s often called the “silent thief of sight” because it usually has no noticeable symptoms in its early stages.

How it affects your eye: Glaucoma often involves increased pressure inside the eye, which can damage the optic nerve. As the nerve gets damaged, you may start losing your peripheral vision, and eventually, it can lead to blindness.

How it’s managed: Early detection is key to managing glaucoma. Treatment options include eye drops, laser therapy, or surgery to reduce the pressure in your eye and prevent further damage to the optic nerve.

Dry eye disease is a common condition in which the eyes don’t produce enough tears or the tears they produce are poor quality. This can make your eyes feel dry, irritated, or gritty.

How it affects your eyes: Dry eyes can cause discomfort, blurred vision, and light sensitivity. It can also make it difficult to wear contact lenses.

How it’s managed: Treatment for dry eye depends on the severity of your condition. It may include lifestyle changes, artificial tears, warm compresses, and avoiding dry environments. We may recommend prescription eye drops or in-office procedures to help improve tear production or reduce tear drainage.

Keratoconus is an eye condition in which the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, gradually thins and bulges outward into a cone shape. This can distort vision.

How it affects your eyes: Keratoconus can cause blurry vision, sensitivity to light, and glare. It can also make it difficult to wear glasses or contact lenses.

How it’s managed: In the early stages, keratoconus can be managed with glasses or soft contact lenses. As it progresses, rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lenses may be needed to provide clearer vision. In some cases, a corneal transplant or other surgical procedures may be necessary.