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DOCTOR REFERRAL

Cataract surgery; once was risky, now is safe

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 The doctors at The Eye Center talk about how this risk-free surgery can help improve the quality of life for millions of Americans.

Columbia, S.C. — According to a recent study, cataract surgery has become one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the United States. The reason being, there are more than 24.4 million Americans age 40 and above. The number is expected to grow even further. 

Cataract surgeries were once considered to be risky and complicated. The surgery was a highly involved procedure that required stitches, hospitalization and lots of time to recover.  That is all in the past thanks to new cataract surgery procedures that speed up the process, aid in fast recovery and remove the need for hospitalization. Patients, however, don’t always realize just how fast, painless and ultimately simple cataract surgery is these days.

All told, today’s cataract surgery takes about 15 to 20 minutes and results in crisper, clearer vision within a day or two following the operation. Rather than require hospitalization, cataract surgery is now done on an outpatient basis using lasers.

Cataracts are a common occurrence as people age. Other aspects that increase the risks of developing cataracts can be due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun’s rays, family history, blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

“When the eye’s lens begins to cloud over, impacting vision, there is a fast, simple solution that can restore vision without dramatically impacting life in the process.” say the doctors at The Eye Center. “If surgery is recommended, the decision should be made between the patient and their eye doctor.” If it is indicated, today’s patients will find advanced procedures make removal as hassle-free as possible while delivering better sight in the process.

About The Eye Center
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery.

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Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Eye Surgery Patients Rejected for LASIK Offered Successful AST Option

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Advanced vision correction procedure at The Eye Center successful for most refractive eye surgery patients

Columbia, S.C. — Patients who are rejected for Laser-assisted in situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) discover new hope with an advanced vision correction procedure at The Eye Center called Advanced Surface Treatment (AST).

“Many patients who were told in the past that they were not ideal candidates for Lasik can achieve fantastic results with AST,” says Dr. Matthew T. Clary, refractive surgery specialist at The Eye Center. “Without making a flap, the cornea is reshaped by removing a microscopic layer of tissue. This reshaping allows light rays to focus perfectly on the retina, dramatically improving vision,” Clary adds.

For patients with a high prescription, dry eye syndrome or thin corneas, AST is an excellent procedure that can be completed with no discomfort or pain in a half hour or less. AST is used for patients suffering myopia (nearsightedness) with or without astigmatism or hyperopia (farsightedness) with or without astigmatism. AST is also an excellent choice for patients who are over- or under-corrected after other refractive or cataract surgeries.

“The surgeons at The Eye Center have selected the Visx Star S4 Excimer Laser with Iris Recognition and Customvue Technology for its first class safety profile and exceptional results,” says Dr. Clary. “Customvue takes a precise picture of every detail of your eye’s shape, and thus our surgeons are able to provide an outcome that is truly customized to your specific visual needs.”

After the surgery, patients may experience some blurry vision for up to five days and a bit of discomfort as the eye heals. However, the protective contact lens placed on the eye after surgery, medication and eye drops help relieve this discomfort. Final results are realized from several days to months post-surgery.

About The Eye Center
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery.

Get In Touch With Us
Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

803.256.0641
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Maximum Precision of Wavefront LASIK Technology Makes for Precise Vision in Patients Post-Surgery

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 The Eye Center, an Advanced Columbia Lasik Eye Surgery Center, uses the STAR S4 IR® Excimer Laser to offer more benefits to the most patients

Columbia, S.C. — Wavefront LASIK mapping of the eye prior to the reshaping of the cornea provides the most accurate LASIK procedure with the least number of side effects for the most number of patients, as compared to conventional LASIK.

“Using the STAR S4 IR® Excimer Laser System, surgeons can deliver the broadest range of wavefront-guided laser vision correction treatments to patients,” says Advanced Columbia LASIK Eye Surgery Center Surgeon Beau T. Brian. “In fact, more than 94 percent of eligible candidates in the U.S., and more than 99.75 percent outside the U.S., may potentially benefit from the…procedure.”
 
Wavefront LASIK captures a waveprint of the whole optical system of the eye by taking hundreds of data points comprehensively. After this measurement, a map of the eye is made for the procedure itself to maximize the surgeon’s precision. During the surgery, the wavescan device monitors and records all corrections as they occur. The wavescan prevents unnecessary changes from taking place. This monitoring while undergoing the procedure is not a possibility with conventional LASIK.
 
“The Eye Center​ performs LASIK and PRK with the Visx STAR S4 Excimer Laser, which represents the most advanced state-of-the-art technology available anywhere in the United States,” says Dr. Brian. “Two lasers have been ergonomically combined and optimized into the Visx STAR S4 Excimer Laser to give the patient exceptional comfort and the doctor efficiency in performing vision correction procedures. Advancements in laser vision correction have included the development of faster excimer lasers and the use of femtosecond lasers to create more precise lamellar flaps.”
 
Wavefront’s maximum precision reduces some negative side effects previously reported during conventional LASIK, such as the halo effect and night vision problems.
 
About The Eye Center
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery.

Get In Touch With Us
Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

803.256.0641
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Clearly Seeing is Believing: Cataract Lens Implants Advanced Technology Clears Up Vision for Presbyo

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The new Tecnis Symfony IOL® first and only to correct presbyopia, difficulty focusing on close objects

Columbia, S.C. — Over 20 percent of Americans will suffer partial blindness from cataracts, a condition by which the natural lens of the eye becomes clouded, by the time they turn 65 years old, according to the National Eye Institute. Intraocular Lens (IOL) implants, the modern medical miracle in cataract surgery, are 2 million strong each year across the country. The TECNIS® Family of IOLs offers the first and only extended range of vision lens, the Tecnis Symfony IOL®, to correct presbyopia (trouble focusing clearly on close objects).

“One of the greatest medical miracles in modern cataract surgery. This surgery that was once fraught with risks and at best a lifetime of thick, unsightly glasses is now being used to safely improve the quality of life for millions of Americans every year,” says R. Brian Huff, M.D.

Dr. Huff, who has performed more than 15,000 cataract surgeries, offers his ability to combine multiple technologies to optimize a patient’s options.

The Tecnis Symphony IOL® extends a patient’s depth of focus, thus improving vision at any distance, with no intermittent drop-offs. This is an improvement over the monofocal IOLs, which generally correct far-distance vision at the expense of near-distance vision. This new technology also provides near-flawless day-to-night vision, while reducing the halo effect and glare around lights.

Lens implants, made to last a lifetime, are inserted through tiny incisions in the eye in less than 20 minutes. After the surgery, the cataract surgery patient’s sight improves within 1 to 3 days.

William Phillips, one of Dr. Matthew T. Clary’s cataract surgery patients, says, “The reason I chose The Eye Center was the reputation it had among church members and family and friends. About two years ago, I started suffering from cataracts, and my vision was really impaired. But after two simple procedures, I have 20/20 vision, and I don’t wear glasses. … I think a great deal of Dr. Clary. He’s very personable, and he cares a great deal about his patients.”

For more information, contact The Eye Center at 803.256.0641 or visit the website at The Eye Center.

About The Eye Center
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery.

Get In Touch With Us
Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

803.256.0641
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Eye Center Offers Exciting Procedure to Eliminate Reading Glasses

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Columbia, S.C. — The Eye Center, P.A. of Columbia gives its patients a new lease on life, allowing them to eliminate their glasses for good. The Columbia Eye Center staff is pleased to now offer the TECNIS® Symfony IOL, a cutting edge, surgical implanted device that can reverse the effects of presbyopia, a condition characterized by the need for reading glasses.
 
What is presbyopia?
People over the age of forty may begin to notice that focusing on nearby objects becomes more difficult. That’s because a structure in the eye called the lens starts to stiffen as one ages. The lens, along with the cornea, refracts light onto the retina at the back of the eye, and then the retina sends a message to the brain.
 
When the lens loses flexibility, it also loses the capacity to focus on things that are nearby. The stiffening of the lens is called presbyopia and it’s a natural process that occurs with aging.
 
Although presbyopia presents challenges, most people are able to continue living an active life with the aid of glasses or contacts. Presbyopia usually doesn’t mean missing work or saying no to the things one enjoys.
 
But for some sufferers, glasses or contacts may not be an option due to other eye conditions. And some people simply cannot afford to be hampered by glasses. For those interested in surgical options for reversing presbyopia, the Symfony IOL may be an option.
 
What is an IOL?
 An IOL, or intraocular lens, is a surgically implanted device that is meant to substitute the eye’s natural lens. IOLs are usually prescribed to patients after cataract surgery because the procedure involves removing and replacing the eye’s natural lens. IOLs are also used to treat myopia or nearsightedness. The TECNIS® Symfony IOL is the first lens to be approved to remedy presbyopia.
 
What makes the the TECNIS® Symfony IOL different?
Normally IOLs are monofocal and aim to improve vision either up-close or at a distance. The Symfony IOL is multifocal and allows patients to experience continuous vision, meaning clearer vision in the background and the foreground at the same time.
 
To find out more about laser eye surgery or to schedule an appointment, reach out to the doctors at The Eye Center or visit the practice online at TheEyeCenterSC.com.

About Author
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery.

Get In Touch With Us
Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

803.256.0641
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Tackling Diabetic Retinopathy

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Eye specialists providing hope and clearer vision for those with diabetes related eye conditions.

Columbia, S.C. — There are over 20 million diagnosed cases of diabetes in the United States alone; a condition that impacts the body in a variety of ways. Diabetes – a condition by which the blood sugar levels in the body are dangerously high – can cause a variety of symptoms including fatigue, pronounced hunger and thirst, frequent urination, and more. If left untreated, diabetes can result in loss of muscle, nerve damage, and even death. What most people don’t associate with diabetes is vision loss. However, eye disease resulting from diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in those ages 20-64.
 
“We see diabetic retinopathy, eye disease caused by diabetes, in approximately 25 percent of diabetics,” say the doctors at The Eye Center. “This makes early detection so important for those with diabetes. Early detection is the only way we can successfully step in to reduce the risk of impaired vision and blindness.”
 
Preventing and Slowing Diabetic Retinopathy
When the blood vessels in the back of the eye weaken they can begin to leak fluid or allow abnormal vessels to grow on the surface of the eye’s retina; vessels that are prone to hemorrhage. This weakening of the blood vessels is considered diabetic retinopathy.

Some of the ways that patients with diabetes can slow or prevent diabetic retinopathy include:
 

  • Get regular eye exams. It is vital to set up regular eye exams to ensure that eyes are healthy. If diabetic retinopathy is discovered, surgery may be advisable during which lasers are used to shrink the blood vessels on the surface of the eye.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Anything we can do to maintain a healthy blood sugar level in our body is beneficial to our eyes and our health overall. That includes eating a healthy diet and exercising.
  • Keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check through healthy living, regular checkups, and medication when necessary.

About The Eye Center
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery. To find out more about diabetic eye care or to schedule an appointment, reach out to the doctors at The Eye Center or visit the practice online at TheEyeCenterSC.com.

Get In Touch With Us
Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

803.256.0641
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Glaucoma Awareness: Frequently Asked Questions

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Glaucoma is an eye condition usually associated with a buildup of pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure) that can damage the optic nerve, resulting in vision loss. It is a chronic disease and symptoms often do not appear until damage has already been done to the optic nerve.

Three million Americans suffer from glaucoma, but only about half of those know they have it, underscoring the importance of annual comprehensive eye exams to detect eye conditions like glaucoma before vision is impaired. Education about this eye disease is essential in helping to prevent vision loss. Here are some of the frequently asked questions about glaucoma.

Who is at risk? There are several factors that may increase your risk of developing this eye disease, including:

  • Age over 40

  • African American or Hispanic/Latino descent

  • A relative with glaucoma

  • Higher than normal eye pressure

  • History of eye trauma

  • Thinner than normal corneas

  • High blood pressure

  • Diabetes

What are the types of the disease? Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form, but there are other types of the disease, including low-tension or normal-tension glaucoma, angle-closure glaucoma, congenital glaucoma, and secondary glaucomas. To ready more about these types, click here.

How is glaucoma detected? Glaucoma can be detected during your comprehensive eye exam with simple tests to measure eye pressure. If glaucoma is suspected, your doctor will look for damage to the optic nerve and perform a visual field test to measure the amount of peripheral vision loss.

Can glaucoma be prevented? Unfortunately there is no prevention for glaucoma, early detection through routine comprehensive eye exams and treatment can help slow progression of the disease. Be sure that your eye doctor is aware of any family history of glaucoma.

How is glaucoma treated? Effective treatments for glaucoma can slow the progression of the disease and damage to the optic nerve. Treatment for glaucoma may include:

  • Prescription medications or eye drops

  • Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) to allow the eye to drain more fluid, thus decreasing pressure within the eye

  • iStent, which works like the stents used to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

Does glaucoma cause blindness? If you are diagnosed with glaucoma, it’s essential that you follow your eye doctor’s treatment plan, including taking any prescribed medications, to help prevent complete vision loss. Treatment can slow the progression of the disease, but there is no cure for glaucoma.

Can damage from glaucoma be reversed? Damage to your eyes from glaucoma cannot be reversed. Once vision is lost, it cannot be regained. Again, emphasizing the need for early detection through routine eye exams.

Although there is no cure for glaucoma, early detection and treatment can decrease pressure in the eye, slowing progression of damage to the optic nerve. Contact us today to schedule your appointment for a routine eye exam.

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Cataracts; clouding your vision

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 Columbia, S.C — Findings of a recent study shows that more than 24.4 million Americans of age 40 and above suffer from cataracts. It is also estimated that more than half of all Americans will have cataracts by the age of 80.

When one’s vision starts to get cloudy and blurry, chances are that they may have cataracts. It is a condition in which the natural lens of the eye gets clouded/blurry. The chances of cataract increase with age. Although the exact reason for the development of cataracts is still not clear, some definite factors contribute to the cause, such as:
 

  • Direct exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun
  • Diabetes
  • Preceding eye surgery
  • Family history
  • Lifestyle aspects like smoking or amount of alcohol consumed

“The treatment for cataract is an outpatient procedure and is minimally invasive” say the doctors at The Eye Center. “It is one of the most common and widely available surgical procedures performed.”

People who suffer from cataracts are urged to discuss this condition with their eye doctors. While it’s possible to live with cataracts for a time, long-term exposure can dramatically impact vision and quality of life.  

About The Eye Center
The Eye Center, located in South Carolina, is dedicated to providing high quality and reliable eye care services. The clinic has skilled and experienced staff working under the supervision of highly qualified eye experts.

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Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Advanced Surface Treatment: What to Expect

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Columbia, SC – Many patients might have been told in the past that they don’t qualify for Lasik. These patients should know that they can now achieve excellent results with AST, especially with the experts from The Eye Center, P.A. This procedure is suitable for patients aged 21 and above who also don’t have certain medical conditions. The patient shouldn’t have had a major change in their prescription within the last 12 months.

“The conditions treatable by Advanced Surface Treatment include myopia, hyperopia, and those under or over corrected after cataract surgery or other refractive surgeries,” says an ophthalmologist at The Eye Center. “The procedure takes under 30 minutes and it’s totally painless.”

The Advanced Surface Treatment procedure:
 

  • Prepping the eye and reshaping the cornea– Once the eye is completely numb, the surgeon uses a micro polisher which helps in preparing the eye for the laser. Using the excimer laser, the surgeon removes the correct amount of tissue needed for reshaping the cornea and improving vision. The procedure doesn’t involve discomfort or pain.
  • After AST – After undergoing the procedure, the surgeon places a protective contact lens on the cornea. For the next three to five days, patients may experience some discomfort and blurry vision until the eye completely recovers. Final visual results will be seen after several days to a few months, depending on the healing tendencies of each individual.

“At The Eye Center, we use Visx Star S4 Excimer Laser with Iris Recognition and Customvue Technology for its safety profile and excellent results,” says an ophthalmologist. “This technology captures the picture of your exact eye shape, making it easy for our surgeons to provide an outcome that’s tailored to the patient’s visual needs.”

The surgeons at The Eye Center have the experience and expertise to deliver successful Advanced Surface Treatment for their patients. Call 803-256-0641 to schedule an appointment.
 
About The Eye Center
The Eye Center is the leading refractive practice in South Carolina, providing full service eye care and specializing in Refractive Surgery – Lasik, AST, PRK, PRELEX, as well as Corneal Transplant and Cataract Surgery.

Get In Touch With Us
Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

803.256.0641
Contact Us

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

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Nearly 30 million Americans are living with diabetes, are you one of them? Without proper management of the disease, diabetes can lead to serious health complications, including nerve damage and eye problems that could cost you your vision. 

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All types of diabetic eye disease, including diabetic retinopathy, cataract and glaucoma can cause severe vision loss or even blindness. However, diabetic retinopathy is the most common form of diabetic eye disease and is the leading cause of blindness in the world. 

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition caused by diabetes. It occurs when the blood vessels in the back of the eye weaken and leak fluid or when abnormal vessels grow on the surface of the retina, which may hemorrhage.

The National Eye Institute estimates that 40 to 45 percent of all Americans with diabetes have some form of diabetic retinopathy, and at least five percent of diabetics have a severe case of diabetic eye disease. The incidence of diabetic retinopathy is typically associated with the type of diabetes, how often blood sugar fluctuates, and how long one has been living with diabetes — the longer a patient has had diabetes, the greater his or her chances of developing diabetic retinopathy.

The symptoms of diabetic retinopathy range from minor symptoms such as fluctuation of vision (related to fluctuation of blood glucose levels) to severe symptoms such as bleeding in the back of the eye. In some cases, there may be no symptoms at all.

Because symptoms do not typically present until the condition is severe, it is crucial that diabetics maintain regular eye exams.

Four Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy

Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy. In this early stage, small areas of balloon-like swelling (called microaneurysms) occur in the retina’s blood vessels.

Moderate Nonproliferative Retinopathy. As the disease progresses to this stage, some blood vessels that carry vital nutrients to the retina become blocked.

Severe Nonproliferative Retinopathy. More blood vessels become blocked and the retina responds by sending signals to the body to grow more blood vessels.

Proliferative Retinopathy. Proliferative retinopathy occurs when new, fragile blood vessels develop on the retina. This condition is usually treated with laser surgery to help shrink the abnormal blood vessels. These treatments work better before the fragile new blood vessels have started to bleed. Even if bleeding has started, diabetic laser treatments may still be possible, depending on the amount of bleeding. If the bleeding is severe, you may need a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy.

Who Is At Risk?

Diabetic retinopathy is the result of diabetes, but not all diabetics will develop the eye condition. Some diabetics are at higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. These risk factors include:

  • Poor management of diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Smoking
  • Lack of preventative eye care


If you have diabetes, get a comprehensive eye exam once a year. Contact The Eye Center, P.A. to schedule an appointment today.

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Get In Touch With Us
Have Questions? Feel free to contact us and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.

803.256.0641
Contact Us