Thomas Marvelli MD - Ophthalmologist

Age Related Eye Disease

The four major age related eye diseases:

• Glaucoma
• Cataract
• Macular degeneration
• Diabetic Retinopathy

— can creep up during your senior years, threatening your vision. People ages 65 and older are at greater risk for these diseases. Dr. Marvelli, a board certified ophthalmologist, can evaluate you for all four of these diseases at any of his three locations, Ft Worth, Mansfield, or Colleyville Texas. Contact us

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of diseases of the optic nerve involving loss of retinal ganglian and can reduce vision without warning or symptoms. With glaucoma the loss of visual field often occurs gradually over a long period of time and may only be recognized when it is already quite advanced. Once lost, this damaged visual field can never be recovered. Over three million Americans have glaucoma, only half know. Until a cure is found, medication and surgery effectively stop or slow the progression of the disease.

Who is a good candidate for glaucoma surgery

People who cannot be controlled with medications or people with closed angle glaucoma.

Cataract

Cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye and it affects vision. To the patient it is like looking through a fogged-up window. Most are related to aging. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. It also is caused by:

1. Secondary cataract-form after surgery for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. Cataracts also can develop in people who have other health problems, such as diabetes. Sometimes are linked to steroid use.
2. Traumatic cataract -develop after an eye injury, sometimes years later.
3. Congenital cataract some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, often in both eyes. These may be so small that they do not affect vision. If they do, the lenses may need to be removed.
4. Radiation cataract- develop after exposure to some types of radiation.

It can develop in one or both eyes. They generally don't cause irritation or pain but cataract surgery is often the only solution.

Most cataracts develop slowly. Early on, stronger lighting and eyeglasses can help you deal with vision problems. But if impaired vision jeopardizes your normal lifestyle, you might need cataract surgery. Fortunately, cataract removal is generally a safe, effective procedure.

Who is a good candidate for the cataract surgery?

People with significant visual loss effecting daily activities.

Preparation before cataract surgery?

Cannot eat or drink for 8 hours before.

What is experienced during cataract surgery itself?

Almost all are done under local anesthetic so there is no significant pain during the procedure.

After procedure care and expectations?

The post operative medication is antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drops. The patient leaves with an eye patch which comes off within hours. Most people need a few days to a few weeks to reach optimal vision recovery.

Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration causes the loss of sharp central vision. It occurs with degeneration of the macula, which is part of the retina. Central vision is necessary to read or drive. Age-related macular degeneration often begins with characteristic yellow deposits in the macula called drusen . Research suggests that large and soft drusen are related to elevated cholesterol deposits. Until recently, no effective treatments were known for wet macular degeneration. However, new drugs, called anti-angiogenics can be injected directly into the vitreous humor of the eye using a small, painless needle, and can cause regression of the abnormal blood vessels and improvement of vision. The injections frequently have to be repeated on a monthly or bi-monthly basis to control the macular degeneration.