OcuCare
Dr. Edward McDonald, OD
OUR PRACTICE
Dr. McDonald strives to provide our patients with the quality comprehensive vision care. In conjunction with area specialists, we serve as a portal to your all of your eye care needs.
WHAT IS...
Nearsightedness?
Nearsightedness or Myopia is a refractive error that makes far-away objects look blurry. It happens when the shape of the eye makes light focus in front of the retina (a light sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye), instead of on it.
If you’re nearsighted, Dr. McDonald can prescribe eyeglasses or contact lenses to help you see clearly.
​
Farsightedness?
Farsightedness or Hyperopia is a refractive error that makes nearby objects look blurry. It happens when the shape of the eye makes light focus behind the retina instead of on it.
​
Astigmatism?
Astigmatism is a common eye problem that can make your vision blurry or distorted. It happens when your cornea (the clear front layer of your eye) or lens (an inner part of your eye that helps the eye focus) has a different shape than normal.
The only way to find out if you have astigmatism is to get an eye exam. Eyeglasses or contact lenses can help you see better — and some people can get surgery to fix their astigmatism.
​
Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging a nerve in the back of your eye called the optic nerve.
The symptoms can start so slowly that you may not notice them. The only way to find out if you have glaucoma is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam.
There’s no cure for glaucoma, but early treatment can often stop the damage and protect your vision.
A Cataract?
A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye. Cataracts are very common as you get older. In fact, more than half of all Americans age 80 or older either have cataracts or have had surgery to get rid of cataracts.
At first, you may not notice that you have a cataract. But over time, cataracts can make your vision blurry, hazy, or less colorful. You may have trouble reading or doing other everyday activities.
The good news is that surgery can get rid of cataracts. Cataract surgery is safe and corrects vision problems caused by cataracts.
Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that can blur your central vision. It happens when aging causes damage to the macula — the part of the eye that controls sharp, straight-ahead vision. The macula is part of the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye).
AMD is a common condition — it’s a leading cause of vision loss for older adults. AMD doesn’t cause complete blindness, but losing your central vision can make it harder to see faces, read, drive, or do close-up work like cooking or fixing things around the house.
AMD happens very slowly in some people and faster in others. If you have early AMD, you may not notice vision loss for a long time. That’s why it’s important to get regular eye exams to find out if you have AMD
Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes. It affects blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye).
If you have diabetes, it’s important for you to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Diabetic retinopathy may not have any symptoms at first — but finding it early can help you take steps to protect your vision.
Managing your diabetes — by staying physically active, eating healthy, and taking your medicine — can also help you prevent or delay vision loss.
A Retinal Detachment?
Retinal detachment is an eye problem that happens when your retina (a light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye) is pulled away from its normal position at the back of your eye.
​
-
Symptoms:
A sudden increase in floaters (small dark spots or squiggly lines that float across your vision), flashes of light in one eye or both eyes, a “curtain” or shadow over your field of vision
-
Diagnosis:
Dilated eye exam
-
Treatment:
Laser treatment, surgery
If you have symptoms of retinal detachment, go to your eye doctor or the emergency room right away. Retinal detachment can cause permanent vision loss — but getting treatment right away can help protect your vision.
​
​
​
​
Vision
