Monday, June 29, 2015

Cataracts Impact More than Just Senior Vision

The impact of cataracts on seniors’ quality of life goes far beyond just vision and eyesight. We routinely hear from seniors how their cataract associated vision loss impairs not only their eyesight, but their ability to maintain an independent lifestyle-reading their mail, tending to bills and financial matters, driving during the day and at night. Maintaining safe mobility and being able to move about and stay in touch with family and friends-unencumbered by vision loss and limitation from cataracts is something that is quite important. Equally as important, is that major studies demonstrated first that the risk of hip fractures was significantly reduced in patients who had had cataract surgery, compared to patients who did not undergo the procedure and second, that people with cataract related vision loss who have had cataract surgery to improve their sight are living longer than those with visual impairment who chose not to have the procedure.
Symptoms of Cataracts
Seniors in particular should have regular eye exams and be aware of the symptoms of cataracts which may include a clouding or blurring of vision, sensitivity to light and glare, double vision or shadowing in one eye, fading or yellowing of colors and poor night vision, sometimes with haloes around lights. We encourage anyone experiencing these symptoms not to ignore these symptoms of cataracts or vision loss as delaying diagnosis and treatment of age-related cataracts can increase seniors' risk of both physical and psychological problems.

If you or someone you know is concerned about cataracts, they are encouraged to schedule an eye exam at D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937 visiting D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Google+ or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.

D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Cataract Surgery Lowers Eye Pressure

There is good news for the 20% of patients with cataracts who either have somewhat high eye pressure (IOP) or actually have glaucoma. Researchers reporting in Current Opinion in Ophthalmology reviewed the effect that cataract surgery had on eye pressure-or intraocular pressure (IOP) and from their review, the data suggests that cataract surgery provides a lowering effect on IOP in the long term and the amount of the lowering is proportional to the preoperative IOP. That is, eyes with higher preoperative IOP have the greatest average lowering, whereas eyes with IOP in the lower range of statistically normal tend to have an IOP that is unchanged from before cataract surgery, or even higher following cataract surgery.

If you or someone you know has cataracts and glaucoma, and are thinking about cataract surgery, please share this information and schedule an eye exam at D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937, visiting D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Google+ or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.

D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.

Monday, June 15, 2015

My Laser Cataract Surgery Experience

Curt S wrote to us about his Laser Cataract Surgery experience at the Cataract & Laser Center in Gardner with Dr. D’Ambrosio:

“At the Cataract and Laser Center my blood pressure was taken, an IV placed (I always have trouble getting an IV placed, and the nurse did a fantastic job), EKG pads were put on and my eye was numbed well.  I had no pain at all in the laser room or in surgery.  I had blurred vision after the laser was done, which I was told was normal to expect. The whole experience was better than I expected.  I would recommend this to all of my friends.  No patches or anything were needed once I was done and now my vision in great!"



If you or someone you know is concerned about aging eye problems such as cataracts and would like to learn more about laser cataract surgery & Lens implants, they are encouraged to schedule an eye exam and cataract evaluation at D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937, visiting D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Google+ or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.

D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Laser Cataract Surgery: Gentler Eye Surgery?

We have been performing cataract surgery at D’Ambrosio Eye Care for more than 30 years with excellent results. Today, when you visit D’Ambrosio Eye Care for your cataract evaluation we might suggest that we perform your cataract removal and lens implants using a laser cataract surgery procedure. Why the change, you ask?

According to researchers reporting in the Journal of Refractive Surgery, laser cataract surgery does indeed allow for a gentler cataract surgery procedure. While there is really no difference between manual cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery in uncorrected distance visual acuity, corrected distance visual acuity, surgically induced astigmatism, and corneal aberrations, the laser cataract surgery is gentler on the cornea as it caused less loss of fragile endothelial cells and less corneal swelling from the cataract surgery. Also, the amount of time required for the more intense parts of the cataract surgery procedure-chopping, fragmenting and removing the cataract are significantly lower with the laser cataract surgery.

If you or someone you know has cataracts and is considering cataract surgery, they are encouraged to schedule an eye examination at D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937, visiting D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Google+ or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.

D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Osteoporosis May Increase Cataracts Risk

Most people are aware that calcium is an important factor in bone health and the occurrence of osteoporosis. But, it is also important to note that calcium is an important factor in cataract formation. Researchers reporting in the journal Clinical Ophthalmology shared some interesting information regarding an association between cataracts, cataractsurgery and osteoporosis.


First, they found that age, female sex, higher socioeconomic class, smoking, chronic renal failure, hyperthyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases are all associated with an increased prevalence of osteoporosis. Then through careful statistical modeling also found that these factors and osteoporosis are ALL associated with an increased prevalence of cataracts. Thus, they concluded that osteoporosis is associated with the presence of cataracts which may be related to calcium imbalance, hormonal abnormalities, and even a shared genetic predisposition. If you or someone you know is concerned about osteoporosis and their risk of cataracts, please schedule an eye examination at D’Ambrosio Eye Care by calling us at 800-325-3937, visiting D’Ambrosio Eye Care, Google+ or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.

D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts 01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331 and 74 Main Street, Gardner, Massachusetts 01440.