Ocular Disease

The Vision Place of San Antonio provides treatment and management of eye and vision conditions that can be sight threatening, lead to eye discomfort, and may signal systemic health problems. We provide diagnosis, treatment and management of diseases which affect the human eye and visual system. Our special testing facility utilizes state of the art instrumentation needed for the diagnosis and management of many ocular diseases.  Faculty at The Vision Place are experts in diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting any part of the eye or visual system.

The Vision Place provides consultations and welcomes referrals from other Health Care Providers.

We use advanced instrumentation to manage eye conditions such as:

Dry Eye Syndrome occurs when the normal flow of tears over the eyes is interrupted, or the tear film is abnormal. In many cases, dry eye syndrome is a life long problem. You can relieve the symptoms, but not cure the original cause. Artificial tear lubricants or in some cases blocking the tear ducts will concentrate the limited tears that are available.

Keratoconus is a disorder that occurs when the cornea, which is typically rounded, becomes cone-shaped. The progression is usually slow and can stop at any stage from mild to severe. This distortion increases as the cornea bulges and thins. The apex of the cornea often scars, reducing the vision. Treatment of Keratoconus is most effective with gas permeable contact lenses, designed specifically for the irregular corneal surface. If contact lens treatment is not successful, surgical corneal transplant may be necessary.

Diabetic Retinopathy is a condition when a diabetic persons blood sugar gets too high. High blood sugar levelsstart a series of events which end in damaged blood vessel walls. As such, the blood vessels begin to leak fluid or bleed, causing the retina to swell and form deposits know as exudates. Vision can be lost if these spots are not watched and treated. Here, at our office, we carefully examine the back of your eyes to follow and manage this and other important eye diseases.

Cataract is a clouding or opacity of the natural internal lens of the eye. This opacity may be a small spot or may cover the entire lens. When light enters the eye it is scattered, causing images to appear hazy and blurred. There are many different types of cataracts. The one shown here is a cortical cataract. Here the opacity forms first is the periphery of the lens and develops inward, like spokes of a wheel. Ultimately, the best treatment is to remove the cataract lens and replace it with an acrylic man made lens. This is referred to as cataract surgery.

Macular Degeneration is a condition in which the central part of the back of the eye loses blood circulation. It is considered a natural aging process. There is a breakdown of retinal pigment epithelium cells in the macular region. As the disease progresses, central vision diminishes. It is believed that this breakdown may be due to a lack of nutrients being supplied to the region. Additional studies have found a genetic link to this disease. Treatment can range from better nutritional management, sometimes to include a tablet containing the primary minerals and vitamins that are found lacking in many macular degenerated patients.

Infections are caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses. Eye infections can occur in different parts of the eye and can affect just one eye or both. Two common eye infections are
    •    Conjunctivitis - also known as pinkeye. Conjunctivitis is often due to an infection. Children frequently get it, and it is very contagious.
    •    Stye - a bump on the eyelid that happens when bacteria from your skin get into the hair follicle of an eyelash.
Symptoms of eye infections may include redness, itching, swelling, discharge, pain, or problems with vision. Treatment depends on the cause of the infection and may include compresses, eye drops, creams or antibiotics.