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For immediate release:  October 25, 2007

Oswald takes a close look at eye care
 
Most people are interested in preserving their vision, but don’t always do it. Dr. Michael Oswald shared information about common eye problems, and how some problems can be prevented, during a standing-room-only Lunch and Learn program recently at the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center.

Most eye problems can be prevented or corrected if detected in their early stages, Oswald told a group of about 45 men and women who participated in the session.

“Cataracts is by far the most common eye problem as a person gets older, but it’s not something anyone can really stop, other than cutting out bad ultraviolet light from exposure to the sun,” said Oswald, an opthalmologist with Mountain Eye Associates.

Once a lens turns cloudy, surgery is the only way to remove the cataracts. The procedure generally takes only 15 to 20 minutes, rarely with any complications, and is performed on an outpatient basis, Oswald said.

Cataracts won’t grow back, so removal only has to be done once, Oswald said. However, the prescription for lenses will likely change, he said.

“After the procedure, the vast majority of patients have a reduced dependence on corrective eyeglasses; however, they almost always need reading glasses,” he said. “It may take a week or two for swelling to go down and the eye to heal and eye drops have to be used for a month,” he added.

Since cataracts are either a problem that runs in the family, or they are caused by diabetes, an injury or some medications, Oswald said. Cataracts are not caused by overusing eyes for activities such as reading or working on a computer, he said.

“Typically, cataracts are slow to grow. It’s not uncommon for a cataract to remain the same for 10 years,” he said. It also is not uncommon for a patient to have a cataract on only one eye or for one eye to be worse than the other, he said, adding that cataracts can not be spread from one eye to the other.

Common symptoms of cataracts include: a painless blurring of vision, glare or light sensitivity, poor night vision, double vision in one eye, needing brighter light to read, fading or yellowing of colors.

Cecil Medford, 80, of Clyde, said he has just recently started having problems with cataracts. “Maybe next year I will have them removed,” Medford said.

Other common eye problems include glaucoma, presbyopia (hardening of the eye lens), and macular degeneration (damage or breakdown of the central area of the retina). Glaucoma is usually controlled with eye drops. Laser surgery or operative surgery may be done if the drops do not control the disease. “Generally, in most cases, all it takes is the eye drops,” Oswald said.

On the other hand, macular degeneration generally leads to severe vision loss or blindness. There is no proven cure for macular degeneration; but laser surgery may slow or prevent additional vision loss or injectable medications may help stabilize the condition, he said. “Having a regular eye exam is the most important preventive measure,” Oswald said. Supplements such as Vitamin A and Lutin also can be beneficial.

For more information, contact Mountain Eye Associates at 452-5816.

Dr. Michael Oswald, an opthalmologist with Mountain Eye Associates, discussed common eye problems during a recent Lunch and Learn program at the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center.