Glaucoma Treatment and Cataract Surgery to Enhance Your Vision

In addition to assessing and treating refractive errors, Dr. Gordon Wong, Dr. Wildon Wong, and Dr. Glenn Cook also diagnose and treat certain common eye diseases. A range of ophthalmology services, including glaucoma treatment and cataract surgery, is offered at our La Jolla, CA, office. If you suffer from degenerative eye conditions, we can help.

Treating Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease that develops when the eye's drainage ducts become clogged, increasing the pressure inside the eyes and causing damage to the optic nerve. Typically, people who develop glaucoma will not have any noticeable symptoms until the disease is very advanced and vision loss begins to occur. This is why it is important to have regular eye exams, where screenings can be performed to check for glaucoma.

There are several medications available to manage glaucoma. Most of these are in drop form and work by either increasing fluid drainage from the eye or decreasing the production of ocular fluid. They must be taken at regular intervals on an ongoing basis, since glaucoma can be treated, but not cured.

When medication is not sufficient to manage the disease, surgery may be necessary. There are two types of glaucoma surgery available: laser surgery and filtering microsurgery. Laser surgery involves the use of a laser to create additional openings in the eye's drainage system, facilitating the flow of fluid out of the eye. Filtering microsurgery works in the same way, but is performed with traditional instruments instead of a laser. Either type of surgery is effective in slowing the progression of glaucoma by reducing intraocular pressure, but neither can reverse vision loss or cure the disease.

Cataract Surgery

Cataracts occur when the eye's natural lens becomes cloudy or opaque, reducing the ability of light to enter the eye. The most common cause of cataracts is age, but they can also be caused by eye trauma, diabetes, and certain medications.

Cataract surgery is a procedure in which the damaged lens is removed and replaced by an artificial one. With technological advances, cataract surgery has become a virtually painless process that involves little recovery time. First, a very small incision is made at the edge of the cornea. Then, the surgeon uses ultrasound waves to break up the clouded lens so that it can be suctioned out in small pieces. Once the cataract is removed, the intraocular lens is folded and inserted into the eye, where it unfolds and is settled into place. This type of cataract surgery does not require stitches, as the incision is very small and seals itself naturally once surgery is complete.

Contact Our Practice

If you have additional questions about the treatments for glaucoma or cataracts, or would like to schedule a glaucoma or cataract surgery consultation, contact our practice.