Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management

Managing & Overcoming Eye Disease

Your doctor at Henry Family Vision Care can help diagnose and manage eye diseases. Understanding the risks associated with eye diseases is essential to your long-term eye health. Some eye diseases could impact your eyesight and even lead to vision loss or blindness.

Make an appointment to visit us so we can accurately assess your risk of developing eye diseases and develop a comprehensive treatment plan.

Book an Appointment

The Importance of Eye Exams

The first step to preventing or managing eye disease is booking an eye exam. During your exam, your doctor can assess your risk for eye disease based on your overall health and test your eyes for any signs of disease. From there, they can create a comprehensive treatment plan to help prevent eye disease from negatively impacting your life.

Common Eye Diseases

There are a few common eye diseases that could affect your eyesight if not diagnosed and treated properly. Your doctor can monitor your vision and complete diagnostic tests during your regular eye exam.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease where the central part of your retina, called the macula, deteriorates. The macula is responsible for your central vision, and AMD causes vision loss as your macula thins with age, while your peripheral vision remains unaffected.

AMD comes in 2 forms:

Dry AMD is the more common form and occurs gradually over time
Wet AMD is less common but more severe, with symptoms occurring suddenly

Cataracts

Cataracts are caused by a buildup of protein on the normally-clear natural lens in your eye. As a cataract grows, it can become cloudy and interfere with your vision. Cataracts are a natural part of the aging process and usually occur in people over the age of 60.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis, otherwise known as red eye or pink eye, is caused when the clear membrane that covers the white part (sclera) of the front of your eye and underneath your eyelids becomes inflamed. Conjunctivitis can cause itchiness, irritation, and dry eye.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease associated with type 1 and 2 diabetes. Due to increased blood glucose levels, people with diabetes are at higher risk of experiencing damage to the blood vessels in their retina. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness.

Dry Eye Disease

Dry eye disease is caused when you don’t produce enough tears or the tears you do produce don’t properly lubricate your eye surface. Dry eye can cause irritation, itchiness, and a gritty feeling that can be uncomfortable and challenging to manage.

Flashes & Floaters

Floaters appear across your visual field as small transparent shapes, while flashes can appear as sudden bursts of light. Floaters are typically a normal part of your vision, however, if they suddenly increase and are accompanied by flashes it can be a sign of a more serious problem like retinal detachment.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is the number one cause of blindness among Canadians. The most common form of glaucoma, open-angle glaucoma, is caused by a buildup of fluid at the back of the eye which puts pressure on the optic nerve. We use a few different methods to diagnose glaucoma by measuring intraocular pressure:

Non-Contact Tonometry: uses a puff of air to flatten your cornea and measure intraocular pressure

Perkins Tonometer: is a hand-held device that, after administering an anesthetic, comes in direct contact with the eye surface to measure intraocular pressure

iCare Tonometer: is another device that provides accurate intraocular pressure measurement without the need for local anesthetic

Book an Appointment Today

Our team at Henry Family Vision Care has the experience and knowledge to help diagnose and manage eye diseases to reduce the impact they could have on your vision and overall wellbeing. Get in touch with us to book an appointment today.

Book an Appointment

Our Location

WHERE TO PARK?

Our practice is conveniently located near Highway 16 and Main Street in Edson, Alberta. There’s lots of parking available directly in front of our office.