There are two forms of Closed-Angle Glaucoma. Acute which is brought on quickly and considered a medical emergency; and Chronic which can develop slowly with no symptoms.

Acute Closed-Angle Glaucoma is generally caused by a rapid build up of pressure in the eye. Creating a sudden blockage of the fluid that travels between the iris and the lens. Acute Closed Angle Glaucoma can strike at any age and gender.

Chronic Closed-Angle Glaucoma is a silent creeper. It shows no symptoms and is usually caught during a routine examination. General symptoms of Chronic Closed-Angle Glaucoma are not apparent until much damage has been done. It is important to get regular screenings for Glaucoma if you have risk factors or any form of Diabetes. Risk factors for glaucoma are listed below.

Glaucoma Risk Factors:

Predominant Risk Factors-

Aging

Positive Family history

Race [African Americans]

High Intraocular Pressure

Central Corneal Thickness

Suspicious Nerve Appearance

Other Possible Risk Factors-

High Myopia

Diabetes

Hyper Tension

Eye Injury

History of steroid use

Migraine Headaches

Sleep Related-Breathing Disorders

Below are some symptoms of Acute Closed-Angle Glaucoma:

*Note: if you are experiencing these symptoms go to an emergency room for treatment.

Nausea

Vomiting

Severe pain

Rainbow Halos [Around lights]

Reddening of the eye

Acute Closed-Angle Glaucoma is a medical emergency. Failure to treat this serious condition can lead to blindness within one to two days. It is important to call your eye doctor immediately if you are experiencing any form of changes in your vision. Go to a medical center if you are experiencing vomiting, and severer pain in association with these changes. Learn more on other vision treatments : http://www.boxerwachler.com

Cataracts is a hereditary progressive condition that here in the US is often treated before the patient loses most of their vision. Most patients will develop Cataracts sometime between the ages of 55-70. A Cataract is a cloudy area of the lens that blocks light from getting through to the retina.

It is progressive because as the lens goes untreated the cloud continues to grow creating many problems in vision. There are treatments in the US that allow the patients lens to be replaced to restore their vision. In the US insurance will cover 50-80% of the cost of the procedure. However in many third world countries they simply can not afford the common procedure.

Recently Noor Dubai- a non-profit charity incentive that treats low vision and curable forms of blindness treated over 30,000 patients of all ages in Sudan and Dubai.

Quote:

“Noor Dubai has succeeded in dealing with critical humanitarian concerns of people of all ages who are unable to get the right treatments. The Noor Dubai Surgical team worked two six hour shifts every day completing an average of 400 successful surgeries daily.”

- said Quadhi Saeed Al Murooshid- CEO of Noor Dubai and Director General of the Dubai Health Authority.

This awesome initiative have created Free Cataracts Camps for patients with little to no money the ability to acquire good and accurate health care freeing them of the terrible complications that had caused them great damage to their vision.

Stats:

26,000 treated with medication and glasses
3,200 identified for surgery

There are 400,000 new cases diagnosed in the US every year. Cataracts are a growing concern and early detection and treatment can improve many lives by restoring vision.

Learn about Advanced Cataract Surgery:
www.boxerwachler.com/lasikspecialist/lasikprocedures/restor.html

Below are some common symptoms of Cataracts:

Fading colors
Cloudy or blurry vision
Difficulty driving into the sun
Poor night vision
Double vision- seeing more than one image in the eye
Frequent changes in the prescription

When I started college I was an Ocean Lifeguard. At school, I found it harder to focus on textbooks. I thought it was just the chlorine from the pool. I had my eyes checked and I was diagnosed with astigmatism in one eye and I started wearing glasses while studying. As lifeguarding became my chosen profession, I found it hard to focus in the afternoon as the Southern California sun set lower in the sky.

When running out for a rescue, I would often lose my prescription sunglasses. I tried soft lenses, but sand got under them and that was uncomfortable. The lenses often slid up behind my eyes and even floated away when I swam. I often went without correction because of the irritation. By late afternoon I would see double images of objects far away, such as a boat on the horizon.

When laser eye surgery became available, I was excited. However, I was discouraged to learn that I had keratoconus in one eye and was not a candidate for LASIK. I came across an article and some studies by Dr. Boxer Wachler. I was optimistic after my first meeting with him in 1999. He explained a new procedure Intacs that would help correct my keratoconus and vision. Back then Intacs had not been reported on a patient with keratoconus in the United States, but he felt it was ready to be attempted. As I was a good candidate, I welcomed the opportunity.  A week after surgery, the vision in that eye improved to a great degree. I was able to see nearly equally with both eyes and it was unnecessary to wear glasses or contacts at work. After a few months I noticed that I was relying more and more on the corrected eye!

It has now been about eight years since I had Intacs and I still do not wear corrective lenses. I am able to pick objects out of the glare on the horizon and street signs on the freeway well before I need to turn. The freedom I have gained and the confidence I now have in my vision has proven invaluable to me and my ability to continue in my profession.

The ability to see well in lifeguarding is critical, and I no longer have the worry that I might miss something that could result in someone’s pain, suffering or their life. I owe this self assuredness to Dr. Boxer Wachler and to Intacs.

I feel fortunate to have been at the right place at the right time in history. I can

appreciate the saying, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” I am glad that my pioneering experience helped pave the way for the thousands of other patients who have subsequently benefited from innovative advancements for keratoconus. I am pleased to dedicate this book to the thousands of future patients who will benefit from these innovations.

- Kenny Atkins, first reported Intacs® for

keratoconus patient in the United States

Learn more about keratoconus treatments: www.FixesYourKC.com - watch a free educational seminar.

If you are like the majority of the population you have problems dealing with conditions surrounding your eyes. The thought of eye surgery or cornea implants may not initially sit real well with you. The truth is the treatments and eye surgeries that are used today are much more advanced than they were even 10 years ago. Finding more and more efficient and less invasive procedures to help those with the unfortunate luck of contracting these uncomfortable and vision-deteriorating conditions.

There are many symptoms to let you know you are experiencing problems with your cornea. If you are experiencing issues with your cornea here are some common symptoms to let you know if it should be checked by your eye doctor:

• Vision Distortion
• Loss of Vision
• Pain
• Tearing
• Redness in your eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Corneal Scarring

If the eyes are not taken care of we can face many progressive conditions that can lead to complete loss of vision. Understanding that not all eye conditions require eye surgery or cornea implants is the most important thing. There are some things that only require antibiotics or ointment as a treatment. So it is important not to come to any conclusions until the condition is explained to you by your eye doctor.

Keratitis-

Keratitis occurs after an eye injury causing inflammation or an ulceration of the cornea when the microorganisms enter the cornea.

There are a few common symptoms of Keratitis:

• Pain
• Vision Problems
• Discharge

Though Keratitis sounds serious and if untreated can get bad- the usual treatment for this condition is antibiotic eye drops.

There are some more sever eye conditions like Cornea Dystrophies: a couple are:

Keratoconus-

This condition is caused by the thinning of the cornea and causes the cornea to change shape. Keratoconus leads to significant vision distortions in patients and can greatly affect their ability to live life to its fullest. It can start at adolescence. Keratoconus can cause:

• Vision Distortions
• Scarring of the Cornea
• Swelling
• Vision Loss
• Depression

Sometimes, Keratoconus is associated with Down’s Syndrome, Addison’s Disease, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and some eye diseases like: Retintis Pigmentosa, and Vernal Keratoconjuctivitis. The treatments of this condition includes: Intacs, C3-R, CK, and Visian ICL. The disease is progressive and for a while can be treated with glasses or soft contacts but will lead to special contacts called “Rigid gas permeable contact lenses” unless early prevention occurs.

Fuchs Dystrophy-

This is a gradual deterioration of the endothelial cells which can break down for no reason. Some treatments include soft contacts, ointments, and cornea transplants.

Though we are not always comfortable with going to the eye doctor; going early enough can prevent serious damage to your eyes. Remembering that eye surgery is improving and our technology is growing more each year. The surgeries of today are much less invasive and without them a large part of our population would suffer greatly. The truth about eye surgery? We need it!