Some of the procedures offered by a typical Eye Doctor in Smyrna are eye exams and corrective lenses. The eye exam is not just to find out if a patient needs a new prescription. The exam also includes screening for eye diseases such as glaucoma. Glaucoma is an optical nerve disease that can result in complete blindness. Those at risk for developing glaucoma are the elderly, people with previous eye injuries, diabetics, those with inhibited circulation, those of African or Spanish descent, and even people who are either near-sighted or far-sighted.
When there is too much pressure on the eye from liquid within the eye, called the aqueous humor, the fluid presses against the optic nerve. Damage to the optic nerve results in blind spots that multiply until the patient is completely blind. There are two kinds of glaucoma: chronic open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is more common, and it becomes a greater risk as we get older. The angle of fluid drainage within the eye decreases with age, which increases pressure within the eye. There are often no symptoms at first, and patients usually don’t notice the blind spots until they get bigger. Closed-angle glaucoma can develop without presenting symptoms. In closed-angle glaucoma, which is usually in patients with small eyes and farsightedness, the iris can be blocked in the eye’s drainage angle.
Symptoms of glaucoma include blurry vision, headaches, seeing halos, pain in the eyes, and even nausea. Glaucoma can be detected during a complete eye exam with an ophthalmologist. Dr. Craig McCabe treat a wide range of conditions and diseases of the eye, including glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and more.
One surprising service that may be offered by an Optometrist in Smyrna is Botox. Botox is derived from the botulism toxin and is used to improve the facial appearance of wrinkles, especially the worry lines on the forehead and the crow’s feet around the eyes. It is also used for people whose eyelids twitch or spasm excessively, which is called blepharospam. Botox can also be used for people who have a lazy eye, called strabismus.
Patients don’t need an anesthetic to receive Botox treatment. It only takes a few minutes to do the injections. The patient should see the full results within a week, and will continue to benefit from the injections for up to six months. There may be some bruising or headaches. A few people may develop a drooping eyelid, but that typically also goes away in several weeks.
