Uncategorized

Prolensa
|

Prolensa

This is an anti-inflammatory eye drop (an NSAID medication) that is commonly used after cataract surgery to decrease irritation and inflammation.  This medicine contains the same medication (bromfenac) as Bromday but with a slightly decreased concentration of the active ingredient. I mainly use this medicine to decrease the chance of retinal swelling after surgery.

Zymar
|

Zymar

This is the trade name for the antibiotic eye drop gatifloxacin. This is a powerful antibiotic used for eye infections, corneal ulcers, and after eye surgery. This drug comes in a concentration of 0.3% and is now being supplanted by the medication Zymaxid, which contains the same drug but at a higher concentration. Comparable fluoroquinolone…

zonules
|

zonules

These are string-like attachments that suspend the lens inside your eye. The zonules run around the periphery of the lens/cataract like trampoline springs and attach to the ciliary body muscle. Muscle contraction of the ciliary body changes the tension on the zonules, and this controls the lens shape to help with visual focus. Certain conditions…

Zaditor
|

Zaditor

This is a popular over-the-counter allergy eye drop.  It is useful for ocular itching and swelling and is, in my opinion, one of the best allergy drops available without a prescription. The active ingredient is ketotifen, which is also found in the allergy drop Alaway. This medicine lasts about 12 hours so is usually dosed…

Xalatan
|

Xalatan

This is a popular glaucoma eye drop. Xalatan was the first prostaglandin drop available and is considered by many doctors the best initial treatment for glaucoma given its action and easy dosing.  This drop is taken only once a day, usually at bedtime. This drug is now available as the generic drop latanoprost. Alternative drops…

wall-eyed
|

wall-eyed

A simple way to describe eyes that turn outward.  This term isn’t really used in medicine, but is very descriptive. We would usually describe a wall-eyed person as having an exotropia.  The opposite would be cross-eyed (esotropia).  Ocular alignment problems like this are called strabismus. New cases of strabismus need to be evaluated by an…

vision
|

vision

The most important component of an eye exam is the measurement of the actual quality of the central vision. We measure this by having you read an eye chart (the Snellen chart) and tweaking the vision by having you look through the phoropter (the machine with all the lenses inside used for checking your prescription). …

Visine
|

Visine

Visine is a brand of over-the-counter eye drops. The original formula contained the drug tetrahydrozoline, a stimulant that makes the blood vessels on the surface of the conjunctiva constrict and shrink. This makes the eyes look whiter and thus it “gets the red out.”  This effect is short-lived and many people have a rebound effect…

Viroptic
|

Viroptic

This is an eye drop containing trifluridine that is used to fight viral infections of the eye, such as in herpetic eye disease. While effective, the drop can be a little harsh on the ocular surface with prolonged use.  Sadly, there aren’t many antiviral alternatives available in this country. Zirgan is a new antiviral ointment…

Vigamox
|

Vigamox

This is a powerful fluoroquinolone antibiotic containing moxifloxacin. This is an excellent antibiotic for treating corneal infections, especially in contact lens wearers. Alternative brands like Moxeza have come out with the same active ingredient. Similar antibiotic medications include Zymaxid (gatifloxacin) and Besivance (besifloxacin).

VEGF
|

VEGF

This stands for Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. VEGF is a hormone released from the retinal cells when they become hungry for oxygen. This hormone is meant to stimulate the formation of new blood vessels.  The most common causes of VEGF over production are from diabetic retinopathy or a central retinal vein occlusion. When VEGF is…

Varilux
|

Varilux

This is a high quality progressive lens used in no-line bifocals.  Progressive lenses are a type of no-line bifocal that gets stronger the further down the glasses you look. Many people like progressive lenses because they can “dial in” the amount of bifocal they need by tilting their head. Other people find progressives uncomfortable, however,…

uvea
|

uvea

The uvea is an anatomical term used to describe three embryologically related structures in the eye: the iris, ciliary body, and the choroid.  The iris is the colored part of the eye and serves as a muscle to control the size of your pupil.  The ciliary body is a ring of muscle that sits behind…

Trusopt
|

Trusopt

Also known as dorzolamide, this is a glaucoma eye drop. This is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, which is effective but may be problematic if you have a sulfa allergy. Other medicines in this class of drugs include Azopt (brinzolamide) and the oral medication Diamox.  This medicine is also available as the combination drug Cosopt (containing…

trifocal
|

trifocal

These are glasses with three separate zones of focus. The top is set for distance, the middle for intermediate (such as computer distance) while the bottom is optimized for reading. While effective, many people don’t like having this many lines on their glasses.  For these people, a progressive lens (no line bifocal) may work. Purchasing…

Tozal
|

Tozal

This is a prescription vitamin used to treat macular degeneration and dry eye. It contains most of the vitamins from the AREDS Study, along with the Omega-3 fatty acids and plant pigments (lutein and zeaxanthin) from the AREDS 2 Study.  Tozal also contains taurine, a protein that is commonly found in energy drinks that is…

Tono-Pen
|

Tono-Pen

A small hand-held electronic machine that is sometimes used to check eye pressure. While not as accurate as other methods, the Tono-Pen is useful for the bedridden and people who can’t get up to the microscope for more traditional pressure measurements.  To use the Tono-Pen, the eye is numbed with anesthetic drops and the device…

Tobradex
|

Tobradex

A popular eye drop used to limit infection and reduce inflammation of the eye. The drop is a combination drug containing two different medicines. Tobramycin is an antibiotic good for treating infections and decreasing bacterial load around the eyelids. Dexamethasone is a steroid used for decreasing inflammation. A competing eye drop with similar action is…

timolol
|

timolol

This is a common beta-blocker eye drop used for treating glaucoma. This drop is usually dosed twice a day.  Timolol is an older drop that has been around for a long time, so it is readily available as an inexpensive generic. Punctal occlusion is sometimes recommended to minimize any systemic side effects of timolol (decreased…

sulfa allergy
|

sulfa allergy

Several medicines are sulfa based and can cause problems for people allergic to sulfa drugs. The main culprits are the carbonic anhydrase inhibitors used for glaucoma. Examples of these glaucoma drops include dorzolamide, Trusopt, Azopt, and Cosopt.  Also, the water pill Diamox (acetazolamide) is sometimes used for treating advanced glaucoma, but is sulfa-based as well….

stye
|

stye

A stye is an infection of one of the oil or sweat glands running along the eyelid. Styes are tender to the touch and may form an abscess or pus layer that is visible through the skin as a “white head.”  The treatment for a stye typically begins with warm compresses and gentle massage.  While…

strabismus surgery
|

strabismus surgery

This is surgery to correct ocular misalignment (strabismus).  Most strabismus surgery is performed on toddlers to correct alignment problems such as crossed-eyes.  This surgery involves the weakening or strengthening of eye muscles by shortening them or changing their insertion points on the edge of the eye.  While most ophthalmologists have trained in performing strabismus surgery,…

steroid
|

steroid

Steroids are useful in ophthalmology for treating ocular inflammation.  This is particularly useful after cataract surgery and with internal ocular inflammation such as uveitis.  Steroids can also be useful for decreasing corneal scarring, such as after a trauma or infection. Care must be used with steroids, however, as they can exacerbate infections – viruses and…

SLT
|

SLT

This is the abbreviation for Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty – it is a glaucoma laser procedure designed to lower eye pressure in a non-destructive way.  Most cases of glaucoma involve microscopic blockage of the trabecular meshwork drain inside the eye. If the internal ocular fluid doesn’t drain properly, aqueous fluid pressure builds up and causes gradual…

second sight
|

second sight

This is the phenomenon where cataract formation seems to make the vision “better” by improving your glasses prescription. A cataract is when the lens inside your eye becomes cloudy.  An enlarging cataract usually causes glare problems, but the cataract growth can also change the eye’s overall “glasses prescription” as well. For some people, this change…

retina specialist
|

retina specialist

This is an ophthalmologist (MD) who goes on to sub-specialize in the treatment of retina problems.  Retina doctors perform surgeries to correct retinal problems such as retinal detachments and membrane peels.  They also treat wet macular degeneration, performing injection procedures and advanced retinal laser procedures. These doctors don’t typically perform other eye services such as…

retina
|

retina

The retina is the light sensitive structure in the back of the eye that detects images and converts light into signals that our brain can understand. The retina works like “film in a camera.”  When light enters the eye, it travels through the cornea in the front, through the dark pupil, through the lens/cataract, before…

refraction
|

refraction

This is the method used to determine someone’s glasses prescription. Most refraction is performed with a phoropter. This is the optical device you look through while reading an eye chart – it contains lenses and can be used to determine your refractive error (nearsightedness and farsightedness) and correct astigmatism.  Refraction requires feedback from our patients,…

ptosis
|

ptosis

A fancy way to say “droopy eyelid.” Ptosis means that the edge of the upper eyelid is actually dropping down, sometimes bad enough to cover the pupil and obstruct vision. Many people with ptosis find themselves tilting their head back or constantly raising their eyebrows in order to lift their eyelids up and see properly. …

PRP
|

PRP

This stands for panretinal photocoagulation, and is a laser treatment commonly used for diabetic retinopathy.  With diabetes, blood vessels become leaky and the retinal tissue in the eye can become hungry for oxygen because of poor blood delivery.  The oxygen-starved retina cells respond by producing protective hormones called VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor).  VEGF causes…

prostaglandin
|

prostaglandin

This is a class of medications used for treating glaucoma. The prostaglandins work by increasing outflow of aqueous fluid from the eye. Examples include Xalatan (latanoprost), Travatan (travoprost), and Lumigan (bimatoprost).  These medications are typically dosed once a day. The main complication of these drops is eye redness and irritation, which is why most people…

PRK
|

PRK

This stands for “photorefractive keratectomy” and is a laser procedure similar to LASIK used to correct refractive problems like nearsightedness.  Like LASIK, an excimer laser is used to sculpt and resurface the shape of the cornea.  With LASIK, however, a partial thickness flap is created and flipped up before applying the laser treatment.  This flap…

prism
|

prism

This is a lens ground into a pair of glasses that is designed to bend light and help alleviate double vision.  With double vision (also known as diplopia), people see two of the same object. This is usually because of an alignment problem between the eyes such as when someone is cross-eyed.  To help alleviate…

Plaquenil
|

Plaquenil

Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) is an anti-inflammatory medication that is commonly used in cases of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.  It was originally (and still) used as an anti-malaria drug but has also been found to decrease inflammation in the body.  While very effective, this medication can have ocular side effects. Prolonged use can lead to pigmentary changes…

optometrist
|

optometrist

A doctor of optometry specializes in primary eye care with a focus on refractive correction (glasses and contacts). These doctors typically complete a 4-year undergraduate degree, before going on to 4 more years of optometry graduate school. After this, an optometrist may go directly into practice or complete further residency training if they have an…

optician
|

optician

This is a person who fits and dispenses glasses and other corrective visual devices.  Once you have a glasses prescription (from an optometrist or ophthalmologist) this is the person who actually measures your face and fits your glasses. They measure your pupillary distance, vertex distance, and determine where your bifocal should sit. They build the…

Opcon-A
|

Opcon-A

This is an over-the-counter allergy drop used for itching and swelling of the eyelids.  This drop is the same as the competing brand Naphcon-A. Opcon-A contains both an antihistamine and a vasoconstrictor. While effective for short term relief, I prefer the more powerful second generation allergy drops like Alaway/Zaditor and Patanol.

Ocuvite
|

Ocuvite

This is an eye vitamin, produced by Bausch and Lomb, designed to decrease progression of aging changes from macular degeneration.  This vitamin formula was created after the AREDS Study showed that certain antioxidants slowed the progression of macular degeneration changes in the retina.  This original formula consisted of vitamins A (beta-carotene), C, E and the…

OCuSOFT
|

OCuSOFT

This is a brand of pre-made lid scrubs used for the treatment of blepharitis. These pre-moistened pads are used to gently clean debris off the eyelashes, improving lid hygiene, and making the eyes less irritable. These scrubs can sometimes be hard to find in stores, but are easily found online at Amazon.com. Other companies have…

OCT
|

OCT

Also known as Optical Coherence Tomography, this is a machine used to take a picture and “map” the surface contour of the retina.  It works very similar to ultrasound, but instead of using sound, light waves are bounced off the internal eye structures. The scans produced by this machine look similar to that produced by…

nystagmus
|

nystagmus

This is an involuntary, rhythmic “to and fro” movement of the eyes. Most nystagmus are in the horizontal axis, such that the eyes are constantly moving to the left and right. There are many causes for this abnormal eye movement, though most nystagmus occur secondary to congenital motor deficits that begin in childhood.  Sensory nystagmus…

NSAID
|

NSAID

This stands for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug.  NSAIDs are very common. In fact, most over the counter pain relievers such as aspirin, Motrin (ibuprofen), and Tylenol are NSAIDs.  In the eye, NSAID eye drops are used for pain control, but are most often used after cataract surgery to decrease the possibility of macular edema. Common NSAID…

Neosporin
|

Neosporin

This is a combination antibiotic ointment containing neomycin, bacitracin, and polymyxin. While relatively effective as a broad spectrum antibiotic, some people have an allergy or sensitivity to neomycin. In these cases, Polysporin (which only contains bacitracin and polymyxin) can be used to good effect. I rarely prescribe this medicine given the plethora of good antibiotic…

Naphcon-A
|

Naphcon-A

This is an over-the-counter allergy drop, useful for itching and swelling of the eyelids.  This drop actually contains two separate drugs.  The first is called pheniramine – this is an antihistamine to decrease inflammation. While effective, it is not as powerful as stronger antihistamines found in newer drops.  The other drug is called naphazoline.  This…

MRI
|

MRI

MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. An MRI uses a large magnet and radio fields to view the interior body. MRI is particularly good at imaging soft tissues like the brain, but has limited use for looking at the eye itself. Some scientists estimate that a third of the brain is involved with vision in…

monovision
|

monovision

With monovision, one eye is set for distance vision while the other is set for near. Many contact lens wearers use a “monovision contact prescription” to avoid reading glasses. Most will set their dominant eye for distance and their non-dominant eye set for reading. While some people tolerate this imbalance well, other people hate monovision. …

Maxitrol
|

Maxitrol

This is a combination of neomycin/polymyxin (antibiotics) and dexamethasone (a mild steroid).  This antibiotic combination comes in both drop and ointment forms and is useful for mild infection or inflammation such as blepharitis. Some people are sensitive to the neomycin and may require more expensive alternative drugs like Tobradex or Zylet. Maxitrol is generic and…

lutein
|

lutein

This is a yellow pigment created by plants that is absorbed and used by animals. Lutein is found in animal fats and is what gives egg yolks that yellow color. It is found in the retina along with another similar pigment called zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation has been studied and found to be beneficial…

LPI
|

LPI

This is the abbreviation for Laser Peripheral Iridotomy, a laser procedure performed on people who are at risk for having an acute glaucoma attack.  To understand the purpose behind this procedure, it can be useful to think of the eye like a kitchen sink full of water. There is a “faucet” running at all times…

lens
|

lens

The lens is the magnifying glass inside our eye that controls fine focusing. The lens is located immediately behind the iris (the colored part of the eye). Like the cornea, it is living tissue yet it is clear. When light enters the eye, it travels through the pupil, then through the lens, before striking the…

Latisse
|

Latisse

This is a topical medicine used to make the eyelashes grow longer.  This drug is the same medicine used in the glaucoma drop Lumigan (bimatoprost). Eyelash growth is a known side effect of prostaglandin glaucoma drops and Allergan is capitalizing on this with their topical product. Latisse is typically applied to the upper eyelid at…

LASIK
|

LASIK

This is a procedure where the cornea is sculpted with a laser in order to fix refractive error and decrease reliance on glasses.  The cornea is the clear window that makes up the front of your eye.  Surprisingly, the corneal surface does the majority of the light-focusing of the eye (not the lens inside the…

laser
|

laser

Laser stands for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation” (in case you were interested). Lasers work by amplifying light (or non-visible radiation) of a single wavelength.  This can create a highly controllable beam of energy which can be used to burn, cut, or ablate tissues in the body.  There are many uses for lasers…

Kenalog
|

Kenalog

This is a steroid that is used to decrease inflammation in the eye. Unlike other steroids we use in ophthalmology, this drug is delivered as an injection. We occasionally inject Kenalog into chalazion eyelid lesions to speed their resolution. For patients with resistant ocular inflammation (uveitis), Kenalog can be injected in the skin next to…

Istalol
|

Istalol

This is the trade name for the glaucoma eye drop timolol. Timolol is a beta-blocker similar to the beta-blocker medicine used to control blood pressure. As this medicine has been around for a long time, it is also available as an inexpensive generic. Istalol comes in a thicker consistency, so the medicine lasts longer and…

iritis
|

iritis

This is inflammation of the iris, the “colored” part of the eye. The iris is a muscle that controls the size of the pupil. When inflamed, the iris muscle can “spasm” and cause intense eye pain. Most people with an iritis complain of extreme sensitivity to light (photophobia).  Iris inflammation can occur from many sources…

iris
|

iris

The iris is the “colored” muscle inside the eye that controls pupil size. Some people have brown irises and others have blue.  The color of the eye is determined by the amount of pigment in the iris, with dark brown eyes having more pigment than lighter eyes.  The iris has rings of muscle fiber that…

ION
|

ION

An ischemic optic neuropathy is a damaging event that happens in the optic nerve behind the eye when the blood supply to the nerve is temporarily blocked or interrupted.  Without nutrition the nerve tissue swells and becomes damaged. Sudden and severe vision darkening occurs, often affecting either the upper or lower half of the vision….

Intralase
|

Intralase

This is an advance in LASIK surgery where the corneal flap is created using a laser.  The older method of flap creation was using a microkeratome blade. Laser flap construction may decrease the chance of human errors in flap construction and makes LASIK surgery slightly safer. See LASIK and femtosecond laser for more information about…

injections
|

injections

Several medicines are best delivered to the eye by injecting them directly into the vitreous cavity.  The most common are the anti-VEGF medications like Avastin and Lucentis used for treating macular degeneration.  Steroids such as Kenalog can also be injected into the eye for severe cases of uveitis and for decreasing inflammatory macular edema.  Finally,…

I-CAPS
|

I-CAPS

This is one of the eye vitamins based on the AREDS Study used to decrease the rate of progression of macular degeneration.  Just like the competing vitamin brands (Ocuvite and PreserVision) there are many variations in the formula. They appear to all follow the general AREDS formula, with several adding lutein and omega-3.  If you…

hyphema
|

hyphema

This is bleeding inside the eye, occurring after trauma or spontaneously from neovascularization (abnormal blood vessels inside the eye).  With a hyphema, blood leaks from internal blood vessels and pools in the front part of the eye (the anterior chamber). If there is enough blood, gravity causes the blood to sink into a visible ‘layer.’ …

HSV
|

HSV

This stands for herpes simplex virus and comes in two varieties. HSV-1 is usually considered the non-sexually transmitted herpes that causes cold sores.  HSV-2 is the sexually transmitted variety that causes genital lesions. We typically see HSV-1 related infections when the virus activates in the eye.  See herpetic eye disease for more information on this…

HRT
|

HRT

HRT stands for Heidelberg Retinal Tomograph … but this is hard to pronounce so we just call it “HRT”. This is an imaging test used primarily to photograph the optic disk in people with glaucoma.  The HRT uses a scanning laser to create a three-dimensional map of the optic nerve that can be used to…

headaches
|

headaches

Headaches are common and their cause is difficult to ascertain.  There are a couple of ocular conditions that can exacerbate headaches.  If the eyes are out of alignment (a condition called strabismus) the constant eye muscle strain of looking straight ahead can cause a tension headache. Prism glasses or eye exercises may help with this….

GPC
|

GPC

This stands for Giant Papillary Conjunctivitis and is sometimes called “contact lens overwear syndrome.” Contacts are made of plastic, but at a microscopic level they look like a sponge full of water. Just like a sponge, contacts tend to suck up irritants from the environment. Contacts also block the amount of oxygen the cornea normally…

glare
|

glare

This is when you see halos or blur when exposed to bright lights. Many people with dense cataracts complain of glare while driving at night … the headlights from oncoming traffic make it hard to see. Glare is usually associated with cataracts and one of the indicators that it may be time for cataract surgery. …

fundus
|

fundus

This is another way of saying retina.  The fundus describes the back portion of the retina that is visible using the eye microscope.  For example, doctors use a “fundus camera” to take pictures of the retina.  Fundus is a Latin term that means ‘bottom’ and is used to describe organ parts that look like the…

FreshKote
|

FreshKote

A prescription rewetting drop that contains several substances designed to replenish multiple layers of the tear film. It also has a higher osmotic (concentration) content than normal tears, which serves to help flatten the cornea cell layers and may be helpful for treating cloudy corneas (such as with Fuchs’ dystrophy and recurrent erosions).

flaxseed
|

flaxseed

Flaxseed and other plant-based foods contain omega-3 fatty acids that may be helpful in the treatment of macular degeneration (along with the heart benefits of the Omega-3 supplements).  However, flaxseed contains mainly the ALA fatty acid … not the EPA and DHA that are being studied in the AREDS2 Study.  For the prevention of macular…

flashes
|

flashes

If you are seeing flashing lights in your vision, you are probably suffering from a vitreous detachment. This is when the vitreous jelly inside the eye contracts and peels off the retina. Many people describe seeing a flash like a “streak or arc of lightening” in their peripheral vision. While a vitreous detachment is relatively…

eyelid
|

eyelid

The eyelid is the mobile tissue that covers the eye, protecting the ocular surface and aiding with lubrication.  The eyelids have two distinct layers. The outer layer contains the surface skin and muscles (that function to close the eyes).  The inner layer contains the tarsal plate – this is a thick layer with a consistency…

eyelash
|

eyelash

Eyelashes are the small hairs that grow from the eyelid margin that serve to protect the eyes from foreign bodies. The lashes also protect the eye by providing sensory information and activating the blink reflex when touched. Certain glaucoma medications (like latanoprost) can make the eyelashes grow thicker and longer. The medication Latisse can also…

esotropia
|

esotropia

This is when the eyes turn inwards (cross-eyed).  Ocular alignment problems like this can develop from many sources such as congenital crossed-eyes (which is usually treated with strabismus surgery during childhood to straighten the eyes out).  Crossed eyes can also occur from decompensation of a pre-existing esophoria (a natural tendency for the eyes to turn…

epiphora
|

epiphora

This is a fancy medical way of saying “watery eyes.” There are several causes for epiphora, but oddly enough, watering eyes is usually caused by dry eye. When the eyes are dry, they tend to sting and cause reflexive tearing.  Occasionally, epiphora occurs because of nasolacrimal duct obstruction. This is when the tear drainage pathway…

DSEK
|

DSEK

This stands for Descemet’s Stripping Endothelial Keratoplasty. It is a “partial” corneal transplant surgery where only the inside layers of the cornea are replaced.  This is a vast improvement over traditional full-thickness transplants, as the surgical and healing time are much shorter and this surgery eliminates much of the risk of more advanced transplants. This…

dry eye
|

dry eye

This describes ocular surface irritation that occurs from an irregularity of the tear film. Dry eye causes eye irritation and redness. Many people complain of a feeling that the eyes are “tired,” especially in the evenings and when doing activities that require concentration (like reading, driving, or watching TV).  Ironically, most people with dry eye…

drusen
|

drusen

Drusen are deposits that form under the retina.  They look like yellow spots in the retina and their presence is often a precursor to more serious macular degeneration.  The retina is located in the back of the eye and functions like film in a camera. The retinal photoreceptors (rods and cones) are metabolically active and…

diopter
|

diopter

A diopter is a unit of measurement that describes the power in a pair of glasses or contacts.  For example, weak reading glasses have a diopter power of +1.00 while stronger readers have a power of +3.00 diopters.  Farsighted people require positive (+) diopter glasses to improve their vision, while nearsightedness requires negative (-) diopter…

Diamox
|

Diamox

This is the trade name for the oral medication acetazolamide. This is a water pill that is sometimes used in cases of poorly controlled glaucoma and to treat acute eye pressure spikes (such as after a complicated cataract surgery).  Diamox can also decrease the pressure around the brain in cases of pseudotumor cerebri.  See the…

corneal transplant
|

corneal transplant

A corneal transplant is when part of the cornea is replaced surgically. This may be necessary because of corneal opacities from past infections, traumatic scars, or decompensation of the cornea from prior intraocular surgeries. Several congenital abnormalities, such as keratoconus, may also need a corneal transplant to rehabilitate vision. Traditionally, a full thickness corneal transplant…

contacts
|

contacts

Contacts are plastic lenses that are placed directly onto the eye to improve vision. There are two main varieties: soft contact lenses, and hard rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses. Most people use soft contacts as they are more comfortable and inexpensive, though hard RGP contacts are easier to manipulate with the fingers and get into…

conjunctivitis
|

conjunctivitis

This is an irritation or infection of conjunctiva and is sometimes called “pink eye.” There are many causes for conjunctivitis, but these usually fall into three categories:  allergic, bacterial, and viral infection.  With allergic conjunctivitis, the eye is typically irritated and “itchy.”  The eyelids can become puffy, and fluid can collect under the conjunctival skin…

cone
|

cone

Cones are the photoreceptor in our retina that let us see in color.  Cone cells are located deep in our retina and come in three different varieties, each sensitive to a different color spectra: red, green, and blue.  Cones are very important for daylight vision and also for detecting fine visual needed to read small…

Combigan
|

Combigan

This is a combination glaucoma drop. It contains brimonidine (i.e., Alphagan) and the beta-blocker timolol. This drop is usually used twice a day.  Combination drops like this decrease the number of drops you have to take and tends to improve eye comfort by minimizing exposure to preservatives like BAK.  This convenience may cost more, however, as…

Ciloxan
|

Ciloxan

This is the trade name for the antibiotic eye drop ciprofloxacin (commonly called “Cipro”).  Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that has good general bacterial coverage and is good for infections of the cornea. It may not be as powerful as the newer (and more expensive) medicines in the same class, however, such as moxifloxacin (Vigamox)…

choroid
|

choroid

The choroid is a layer of blood vessels that lie underneath the retina and supply some of the blood supply to the retina. The choroid circulation also helps remove the waste products from the photoreceptors (rods and cones) and processes them back into the circulatory system.  Conditions like macular degeneration create a blockage between the…

cataract
|

cataract

A cataract is when the normally clear lens inside the eye becomes cloudy.  This cloudiness is a normal aging process and occurs in everyone with time, though congenital and premature cataracts can occur in youth as well.  A cloudy cataract can cause visual difficulties. One of the earliest symptoms is glare or halos, especially with…

BRVO
|

BRVO

This stands for Branch Retina Vein Occlusion. This occurs when one of the veins leaving the eye becomes blocked. With this blockage, blood can’t drain out of the retina, so it backs up into the retinal tissue instead. This causes swelling, then hemorrhage, with resulting vision loss. The amount of visual change is quite variable…

BRAO
|

BRAO

This stands for Branch Retina Artery Occlusion. This is a blockage of a retinal artery in the back of the eye. The retina is very sensitive tissue. Without a constant supply of blood and oxygen from the retinal arteries, it quickly starves and dies. The cause of an arterial artery blockage can sometimes be seen…

blepharitis
|

blepharitis

Blepharitis is a catchall term that means “eyelid inflammation.”  There are many causes of blepharitis, such as rosacea and sensitivity to environmental irritants.  For most people, blepharitis is a self-limited condition that causes episodic eyelid irritation.  Most people complain of red, watery eyes with a sandy or gritty sensation. The eyelids may look red and…

bifocals
|

bifocals

This is a secondary lens built into the bottom of glasses to help with reading. Though there is some historical debate, most people credit Benjamin Franklin as the inventor of the modern bifocal. There are many styles of modern bifocals. Progressive lenses are bifocals, without a visible line, that progress to a stronger view the…

Betoptic
|

Betoptic

This is the trade name for the drug betaxolol, a beta-blocker eye drop used for treating glaucoma. Unlike other beta-blockers (like timolol), this is a “selective” blocker with less systemic side effects. That being said, it is not often used because the side effects of timolol are usually negligible and timolol is available as an…

Besivance
|

Besivance

This is an antibiotic (besifloxacin) used with eye infections and after cataract surgery.  This drug is in the fluoroquinolone class of drugs and is good for treating contact lens-related infections as well.  The claim to fame with this particular medicine is that it was developed only for the eye and not used for systemic infections…

BAK
|

BAK

This stands for benzalkonium chloride. BAK is a preservative found in many eye drops and rewetting drops. This preservative is necessary to keep bacteria from colonizing the bottle after being opened. Unfortunately, the preservative itself is a little harsh on the cornea. This is one of the reasons why we don’t recommend using drops more…

bacitracin
|

bacitracin

An antibiotic used primarily for eye and skin infections. It is available as an ointment, and is found in other “combination” medications like neosporin and polysporin. Interesting tidbit about this drug: it was discovered at Columbia University (my alma mater) in 1943, and derived from a strain of Bacillus bacteria found in a 7-year-old girl…

AzaSite
|

AzaSite

This is an antibiotic drop containing azithromycin.  You may know azithromycin in its pill form, where it is marketed as the “Z-pack” and is good for treating lung infections and pneumonia.  AzaSite has been packaged as an eye drop and is sometimes used in treating blepharitis (chronic eyelid inflammation).  The drop may have some anti-inflammatory…

Avastin
|

Avastin

This is an injection medicine used to treat wet macular degeneration and sometimes used for other causes of macular edema such as diabetic retinopathy.  Avastin was originally developed for systemic use to treat colon cancer. However, its anti-VEGF properties are good at targeting abnormal retinal blood vessels and so it is commonly used in the…

aqueous
|

aqueous

The aqueous “humor” is the fluid that fills the front part of the eye (the anterior chamber).  This clear fluid maintains the shape of the eye and affects the eye pressure.  Glaucoma can occur if the pressure gets too high, and most glaucoma treatments are geared toward regulating the production and drainage of the aqueous…

aphakia
|

aphakia

This is when the natural lens has been removed from the eye (such as after cataract surgery) but has not been replaced with a new lens implant.  In the early days of eye surgery, cataracts were removed but not replaced with anything.  The vision was better but “aphakic people” required thick coke-bottle glasses to see…

anti-VEGF
|

anti-VEGF

This is a class of medicines that are designed to combat neovascularization inside the eye and decrease blood vessel leakage.  They are usually used for treating problems like macular edema, caused by wet macular degeneration, though occasionally they are used for treating swelling from other sources such as diabetic retinopathy or central retinal vein occlusion….

angle
|

angle

In regards to the eye, the “angle” usually refers to the drainage angle inside the eye where excess ocular fluid (aqueous) is reabsorbed back into the blood stream.  This angle is located at the intersection of the iris and the white sclera of the eye … in other words, in a 360-degree ring where the…

ALT
|

ALT

This stands for Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty and is a laser procedure designed to lower the eye pressure in people with glaucoma.  This procedure involves using a “hot” laser to burn spots into the trabecular meshwork (the drainage filter of the eye).  By doing this, scar tissue forms that opens up the meshwork and creates better…

Alrex
|

Alrex

A mild steroid eye drop. Useful in cases of ocular inflammation and irritation.  This drop has the same ingredient (loteprednol) as Lotemax but with a third of the steroid concentration.  By reducing the steroid concentration, this decreases the chance of untoward reactions such as premature cataract formation and glaucoma pressure spikes.

allergy drops
|

allergy drops

Allergy drops are commonly used to treat ocular itching and swelling.  There are several types of allergy drops on the market. The first generation antihistamine drops like Opcon-A are effective but tend to give short-lived relief. Second generation antihistamines like Alaway/Zaditor are more effective and what I recommend for most of my patients.  Prescription strength…

allergic conjunctivitis
|

allergic conjunctivitis

The eyes are particularly sensitive to environmental allergens. Symptoms are usually bilateral, with both eyes being itchy and puffy. Eyelid swelling can be so bad that you look like you’ve been in a fight … we call these “allergic shiners.”  Treatment for allergic conjunctivitis involves cool compresses, antihistamine allergy drops, and occasionally mild steroid drops.

Alaway
|

Alaway

An effective over-the-counter allergy drop. Alaway contains the medicine ketotifen and is usually used twice a day. Allergy drops are good for itching and swelling, and can make the eye feel less sensitive. Alaway and Zaditor (which contains the same active ingredient) are two of my favorite over-the-counter allergy drops.

acyclovir
|

acyclovir

An antiviral pill used for viral infections such as shingles (chicken pox) and herpetic eye disease.  This medication is cheap and effective, but requires a lot of pills to get the correct dosing. A similar medicine we use is called Valtrex (valacyclovir). Some people with these recurring infections will take a maintenance dose of acyclovir…

Acular
|

Acular

This is an eye drop in the NSAID class of medicines. It is an anti-inflammatory drop with a mechanism similar to Advil or Motrin. It is occasionally used to help with ocular discomfort but mainly used after eye surgery.  This class of medicines is good at decreasing the chance of macular edema (retinal swelling) after cataract…

accommodation
|

accommodation

Accommodation is the process by which the eye focuses to see near objects. A normal eye, that is to say, an eye that is neither nearsighted or farsighted, is naturally focused to see distant objects clearly. To see close-up objects, such as when reading, the flexible lens inside the eye changes shape and becomes “rounder.” This process is called accommodation and is quite versatile when young. After the age of 40, however, our lens becomes stiff and accommodation becomes more challenging. We loose our ability to accommodate and we become more dependant on glasses and bifocals with time. This loss of accommodation is called …

|

Extras: Book Resources you Might Enjoy

Other Resources: Books Everyone learns differently, so it’s hard to predict the best approach for your studies. Personally, I prefer small read-though books (like this one) that I can finish in a reasonable time and feel like I “accomplished something.” Others seem to prefer larger reference books and then home-in on specific topics as they…