Ophthalmology
Expert eye care for your vision health.
See the world clearly: expert care for your sight.
Overview
Vision is important – for social functioning and personal well-being, and for your health. The eye is remarkable, complex, and beautiful.
Ophthalmologists are physicians and surgeons that provide the entire spectrum of comprehensive and subspecialty, refractive, medical and surgical eye care. The field has expanded to include periocular structures and involves co-management of many systemic diseases, genetic risk factors, and external forces that are known to affect the eye. Optometry is a related field comprised of primary health care professionals that diagnose, treat, and manage diseases, minor injuries, and disorders of the visual system, the eye and associated structures, in addition to prescribing spectacles and contact lenses, and sometimes providing vision rehabilitation and other nonsurgical eye care. Together, these fields form a team to keep our eyes healthy and to provide access to care.
Understanding these two fields is important because they both play crucial roles in keeping our eyes healthy. Eyes are like windows to the world, allowing us to see the beauty around us and interact with others. Ophthalmologists perform surgeries and treat serious eye diseases, ensuring we maintain good vision. Optometrists help by prescribing glasses or contact lenses and treating minor eye problems, making sure we see clearly and comfortably every day. Taking care of our eyes and visiting these professionals regularly helps us prevent and manage eye problems, so we can enjoy all the wonderful things that our vision allows us to see and do.
Conditions we treat
St. Luke’s ophthalmologists help with eye problems like diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, glaucoma and cataracts. We will also soon start offering elective surgeries early next year for these conditions.
Why these specialties first?
- Diabetic retinopathy is the main cause of blindness in working-age Americans.
- Macular degeneration is the main cause of blindness in older adults.
- Glaucoma is the most common cause of blindness worldwide.
- Cataract surgery is the most common and widely needed eye surgery.
We also provide treatment for:
- Behçet's Syndrome – Inflammation of the blood vessels that can cause swelling in the eye. This disease can cause blindness.
- Cataracts – Clouding of the eye’s lens in the eye that affects vision. Most commonly associated with aging, a cataract can occur in either or both eyes.
- Diabetic Eye Problems – An eye condition caused by diabetes damaging the blood vessels in the retina. Symptoms can include eye pain; blurry vision; flashing lights; floating, dark or blank spots; or shrinking field of vision. Also called diabetic retinopathy, this condition can lead to blindness.
- Eye Injuries – General term that covers damage to the eyes. Eye injuries be as simple as causing minor irritation to as severe as causing vision loss. They can result from work, sports, hobbies and more.
- Glaucoma – Usually occurs when fluid pressure in the eye increases and damages the optic nerve. Glaucoma can lead to blindness.
- Macular Degeneration – A condition that damages the central vision, which allows a person to see clearly and pick up fine detail. People with macular degeneration lose vision and have problems with everyday tasks, including driving and reading.
- Retinal Disorders – These conditions affect the retina, which is a layer of tissue in the back of the eye that senses light and sends images to the brain. The macula, which offers central vision that allows a person to see clearly and pick up fine detail, is located in the middle of the retina. Retinal disorders damage the retina and macula, and can affect vision or cause blindness. Some common retinal disorders are:
- Retinal detachment – Occurs when the retina is pulled away from the back of the eye.
- Macular hole – A small break in the macula.
- Floaters – Obstructions in the field of vision.
- Vision Impairment and Blindness – Usually caused by age-related eye diseases, vision impairment is a condition whereby a person does not see well after surgery or even with:
- Eyeglasses
- Contact lenses
- Medicine
Age-related diseases eye that can cause vision impairment and blindness include glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts.
We focus on the most important eye care needs to help as many people as possible. Come visit us for expert and friendly eye care!
Now welcoming new patients to our Ophthalmology location
St. Luke’s Ophthalmology
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Questions? Call 484-658-9330
Your vision is our priority. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please do not hesitate to contact us. Choosing St. Luke’s for your ophthalmology needs means opting for excellence in eye care.