A vision-related issue and the impact it has on your life can range from a minor annoyance to a major problem affecting your ability to do everyday tasks. So, at what point should you look to consult with an ophthalmologist?
“If someone feels that their vision is deteriorating, or they notice that they are not seeing as well as they have in the past, I would say it’s not something to wait on,” said Michael T. Wallace, M.D., an ophthalmologist with Surgical Eye Consultants of East Alabama.
Dr. Wallace and his clinic partner, Stephen Hamilton, M.D., provide surgical solutions for patients facing a range of eye conditions, such as cataracts and corneal swelling. Both Dr. Hamilton and Dr. Wallace are cornea-fellowship-trained anterior segment ophthalmologists which means they specialize in conditions on the front of the eye. Patients with vision-related issues are often referred by their optometrists to the duo so they can receive specialized surgical procedures.
“An ophthalmologist is a physician who provides surgical eye care,” Dr. Wallace said. “Someone would want to see an ophthalmologist if they have a cataract, corneal issue, or other problem of the eye which they would need a surgical procedure to treat.”
Cataracts are prevalent issues that often require treatment by an ophthalmologist. A cataract occurs when the crystalline lens we are born with inside our eyes become cloudy over time. While other eye conditions can potentially be managed with medications or less-invasive treatments, surgery is the only viable option for correcting cataracts.
“Since there is no medical-based treatment, as in a tablet or topical treatment that’s been proven to help with cataracts, we have to remove them with surgery,” Dr. Wallace said. “With refractive cataract surgery, not only do we remove that cloudy cataract, but we can also help our patients become more independent from glasses after surgery.”
Many years ago, cataracts were simply dislodged or removed and after surgery patients had to wear thick glasses to see clearly. During World War II in the United Kingdom, it was found that the material from airplane canopies was inert inside the eyes of injured pilots. This led to the development of intraocular lenses which could be implanted inside the eye at the time of cataract surgery so that patients did not have to wear thick glasses after surgery to compensate for no longer having a lens inside the eye.
In the early years of lens implantation, a standard power was placed in all patients, but as the eyes of all patients are shaped differently, patients still had to wear glasses for best vision--even if they were not as thick—as if they had no lens implanted in the eye at all.
“Over the years, mathematical formulas, and today, tools using artificial intelligence, are utilized to pick a specific lens type and power for each eye having cataract surgery so that patients can be less dependent on glasses after surgery, and this would be termed 'refractive cataract surgery,’” Dr. Wallace says.
Seeking the expertise of an ophthalmologist can be beneficial even if the issue does not require surgery.
“It’s not often that I see patients who say, ‘I wish I hadn’t had this problem checked,’ because even if there is not a serious problem regarding their eyes, it gives the patient peace of mind,” Dr. Wallace said. “However, I have unfortunately heard patients say that they regret having waited too long to have some eye problems checked because some problems are less treatable as time passes.”
After getting a referral from your optometrist or primary care provider, there are some steps you can take to prepare for your visit with an ophthalmologist.
You’ll want to gather information to share with your provider regarding your past medical history, past eye-related history, and if you have ever had any eye surgeries in the past.
“Treatment is very individualized for each patient,” Dr. Wallace said. “A great question that patients could ask would be: ‘if I have a history of diabetes, or some other medical condition, how does that affect my cataracts, or other eye condition?’”
“It’s also always great for patients to ask questions such as: ‘what are my expectations, what is my prognosis, and what does my condition look like with or without surgery?’”
Dr. Wallace and Dr. Hamilton of Surgical Eye Consultants of East Alabama will move to a new location at 994 Drew Lane in Auburn on May 31, 2024. To speak with them about a potential eye procedure, please call 334-364-3330.
