Eye Disease Diagnosis & Management in Fort Smith

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can damage the optic nerve and can lead to vision loss and blindness. The optic nerve plays a vital role in your sight, as it carries the information your retina receives to your brain, providing vision.

Common signs and symptoms of glaucoma can include: 

• Blurred vision
• Severe headaches
• Tunnel vision (In advanced stages)
• Patchy blind spots in peripheral or central vision

Damage from glaucoma is usually caused by abnormally high pressure in the eye, referred to as intraocular pressure. 

At Royal Eye Care, we use technology to help manage glaucoma, such as:

• Applanation tonometry—is an eye test used to detect changes in your eye pressure. This type of tonometry test is the most common and considered the most accurate for measuring eye pressure.

iCare Tonometry—the iCare tonometer is a device to help detect intraocular pressure (IOP) in a patient’s eyes while sitting or standing. While not as common as applanation tonometry, this device allows our team to perform IOP measurements successfully.

Cataracts develop when the normally clear lens of the eye becomes clouded. Cataracts begin forming when proteins in the eye form clumps that can prevent the lens from sending clear images to the retina.

Common signs and symptoms of cataracts can include: 

• Fading or yellowing of colors
• Double vision in the affected eye
• Blurry vision
• Sensitivity to glare
• Halos surrounding lights

If cataracts begin to prevent you from going about your daily activities, such as reading or driving, cataract surgery is the only option to remove them. Our team at Royal Eye Care provides comprehensive pre and post-operative cataract surgery care.

AMD is a progressive age-related disease that disrupts your central vision and damages your macula, making activities such as reading and driving more difficult. As the name implies, AMD is a leading cause of vision loss among older adults.

There are 2 main types of AMD:

• Dry AMD is the more common form of the disease and occurs in early, intermediate, and late stages. This form of AMD occurs when the macula thins with age.

• Wet AMD is the less common form of the disease and causes faster and more severe vision loss. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye and damage the macula. 

Prevention methods such as giving up smoking and switching to a healthier diet can help slow the progression of the disease. Our team will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan.