Adult Care Specialist

What is ophthalmologic adult care?

A comprehensive eye exam is the foundation of adult eye care. During your eye exam, Dr. Storm tests your visual acuity and screens for signs of eye diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Storm uses a variety of eye health tests, including:

• Visual acuity
• Visual field
• Pupil dilation and retinal examination
• Slit-lamp test
• Tonometry (glaucoma test)
• Keratometry
• Refraction

These tests reveal if you have an eye disease or a refractive error such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism, or presbyopia, which is an age-related condition that reduces your ability to focus on nearby objects.

What are common eye diseases that affect adults?

Dr. Storm diagnoses and treats a wide range of eye health problems. Some of the common issues include:

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

AMD occurs when your macula deteriorates or is damaged and reduces your central vision. In some cases, your macula becomes thin with age and protein deposits called drusen build up on your retina. While less common, AMD forms by abnormal blood vessels growing on your retina and leaking blood and other fluids on your macula and causing scarring.

Diabetic retinopathy

When you have continually elevated blood sugar levels, it can damage the blood vessels in your eyes, causing them to leak fluids onto your retina. This damages your retina and can lead to severe vision impairment or blindness. Diabetic eye disease also increases your risk of glaucoma and cataracts.

Epiretinal membrane

Also called a macular pucker, the epiretinal membrane is a thin layer of scar tissue that forms on your macula, usually because of the natural aging process. In most cases, a macular pucker only causes mild vision distortion and blurriness.

Retinal tear

Your retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of your eye that transmits signals to your optic nerve and brain. The aging process can make your retina more thin, dry, and prone to damage. If your retina detaches, you may see a shower of floaters or shadows or blank spots in your vision.

Retinal vein occlusion 

Tiny blood vessels carry oxygen and other essential nutrients to your retina. However, like the other blood vessels in your body, conditions such as high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, and diabetes can damage or harden those vessels, causing a blockage known as retinal vein occlusion (RVO). If you develop an RVO, you may notice a sudden loss of vision or blurring in all or part of your vision.

How often should I have a comprehensive eye exam?

You should have a comprehensive eye exam annually, so Dr. Storm can monitor your eye health and ensure you have the right corrective lenses for any refractive errors. 

If you’re due for an eye exam, call Richard Storm, M.D. P.C. to schedule an appointment.