Gailey Eye Clinic

Glaucoma is the name for a number of eye diseases that affect the optic nerve. There are three types of glaucoma, but all exhibit similar symptoms.

The first symptom of glaucoma is a loss of peripheral vision. Left untreated, this condition can worsen, and eventually lead to complete blindness. Other symptoms include severe eye pain, rainbow vision, blurred vision, and even headaches and nausea. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important to have a thorough eye exam preformed by an experienced optometrist, like those at Gailey Eye Clinic.

The most common type of glaucoma is open-angle glaucoma, in which eyesight is lost very slowly over a long period of time. Often going unnoticed due to its slow nature, open-angle glaucoma remains a real threat. Less common is closed-angle glaucoma, in which the iris and lens of the eye prevent fluid movement between the layers. Congenital glaucoma, the rarest form, is developed in the womb. All three types of glaucoma are treatable if caught in time, but damage to the optic nerve cannot be reversed.

Further damage to the optic nerve can be prevented with various treatments. Pills, eye drops, and laser surgery options exist that can reduce or prevent future damage from occurring to the optical nerve. In addition, glasses, contact lenses, and even some surgeries can help restore your vision to its natural best.

If you live in Central Illinois and are experiencing any of the symptoms of glaucoma, please contact the experienced eye doctors at Gailey Eye Clinic right away for a consultation and review of your treatment options.

A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye that keeps light from entering into the retina, thus disrupting vision. Cataracts develop slowly at first, but if left untreated, impaired vision can quickly become blindness. Cataracts take on different characteristics depending on what has caused them. If you believe you have cataracts, it is important to contact an experienced optometrist, like those at Gailey Eye Clinic, for a diagnosis and to discuss treatment options.

Symptoms of cataracts often go unnoticed without regular eye exams. Symptoms include cloudy vision, poor night vision, glare, faded colors, and single-eye double vision. Only an experienced optometrist can detect cataracts before they become seriously threatening. It is important to see your optometrist yearly to ensure any potential problems can be addressed as soon as they arise.

Lens replacement is the only treatment for cataracts. Artificial lenses replace the cloudy one to provide the patient with a new lens, immune to future clouding. Gailey Eye Clinic uses two different multi-focal vision lenses, the ReSTOR, and the ReZOOM. Each implant is suited to different needs, but both work to restore vision and prevent the vision impairment caused by cataracts.

If you live in Central Illinois, please contact Gailey Eye Clinic for a thorough eye examination to detect potential problems, and find out your options for dealing with vision problems, including cataracts.