Many of us in Boca Raton, Davie, and Fort Lauderdale see an optometrist every year to get an eye exam and a new prescription for corrective lenses. Optometrists in nearby cities such as Miami, Palm Beach, and Sunrise often screen patients for signs of common eye diseases like glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and cataracts.
To permanently treat many of these diseases, however, an optometrist must refer the patient to an ophthalmologist. An ophthalmologist can also perform procedures that provide lasting correction for common vision conditions such as nearsightedness and astigmatism.
Cataract Treatment for Patients in Davie and Boca Raton from a Qualified Ophthalmologist
Cataracts are a clouding of the lens of the eye. They develop naturally over time, often due to cumulative ultraviolet light exposure. If left untreated, cataracts can lead to blindness.
Optometrists in Boca Raton, Davie, and surrounding areas can diagnose cataracts and monitor the early phase of their development. However, only your ophthalmologist can treat cataracts, removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with a durable, clear, corrective one.
Dr. Andrew Shatz at the SightTrust Eye Institute in Sunrise is a leading ophthalmologist who has successfully performed over 20,000 cataract surgeries. He is well-versed in the most cutting-edge tools and techniques. He can even offer same-day bilateral cataract surgery (SDBCS) to remove cataracts in both eyes at once. This minimizes complications and speeds the healing process, allowing you to get back to normal activities more quickly.
How Your Ophthalmologist Treats Astigmatism for Patients in Miami & Fort Lauderdale
Your optometrist can offer you lighter-weight eyeglass lenses or extended-range toric contact lenses to correct your severe astigmatism. But there are times when it’s not practical to wear your glasses or contacts. Most people don’t want to wear corrective lenses while swimming in Fort Lauderdale or playing contact sports in Miami, for example. During these times, you still deal with blurry vision.
Imagine experiencing clear vision from the time you open your eyes in the morning to the time you go to bed at night. Think it’s not possible? An ophthalmologist like Dr. Andrew Shatz at the SightTrust Eye Institute can present several options for treating and permanently correcting your astigmatism.
These treatments include Limbal Relaxing Incisions (LRIs) to correct the curvature of the cornea, effectively curing certain types of corneal astigmatism. Your ophthalmologist might suggest fixing your astigmatism with laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). In other cases, an experienced ophthalmologist like Dr. Shatz might recommend a toric implant, which is a permanent corrective lens placed inside of your eye.
Exclusive Ophthalmologist Treatments for Patients with Presbyopia, Nearsightedness, or Farsightedness in Palm Beach & Sunrise
You may not have heard of “presbyopia.” But if you’re over the age of forty, you’ve almost certainly experienced it. If you’re taking off your glasses to read, or you’re holding text at arm’s length in a near-futile attempt to focus on the words, you know presbyopia firsthand.
Your optometrist in Sunrise or Palm Beach might suggest reading glasses or progressive lenses for patients who already use corrective eyewear. If you want a more permanent solution, talk with a trained ophthalmologist like Dr. Andrew Shatz. At the SightTrust Eye Institute, Dr. Shatz routinely performs procedures such as refractive lens exchange (also known as “clear lens extraction”). This can correct presbyopia, nearsightedness, and farsightedness without contacts or glasses.
No matter what your eye condition, it’s worth consulting with a knowledgeable ophthalmologist to see what treatment options are available. You might be amazed to discover that you can live free of glasses or contacts while experiencing the best vision of your life.
