Blog

In association with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the doctors and staff of Brooks Eye Associates want to remind you and your family the importance of scheduling and attending annual eye exams to attend to and become more aware of your current eye health. May is Healthy Vision Month, so we’re encouraging everyone of all ages and backgrounds, to schedule a comprehensive dilated...

In association with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the doctors and staff of Brooks Eye Associates want to remind you and your family of the importance of scheduling annual eye exams. April is a time for spring flowers, gardening and being outside. So, we’re encouraging those who enjoy working on home improvement projects and outdoor activities, like gardening, to protect their...

In association with the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the doctors and staff of Brooks Eye Associates want to remind you and your family the importance of scheduling and attending annual eye exams to detect and prevent blindness from Age-Related Macular Degeneration. February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Month, so we’re encouraging all those over age 60, and who have had a...

Just because you have a cataract does not necessarily mean you need surgery. In many cases, patients live for months or even years without serious vision problems related to their condition. However, when it starts interfering with your daily activities, it might be time to consider surgery as an option. The decision to have cataract surgery should be made between you and your doctor....

More than 4.4 million Americans age 40 and older suffer from visual impairment, including blindness, and the majority of these are women, according to Prevent Blindness America. Women are at a higher risk for vision loss from such diseases as cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma. Other factors that can increase the risk of vision problems in women include: · Obesity· Smoking·...

Age-Related Macular Degeneration is a common – yet serious - eye disease that affects the macula (located centrally in the back of the eye) among people age 50 and older. The macula is the part of the eye that allows you to see fine details in your central vision for activities such as driving, reading, and sewing. Unfortunately, AMD is a painless disease that affects people...

What is Secondary Cataract? Posterior capsule opacity often referred to as “secondary cataract,” occurs when a hazy membrane forms behind the artificial lens placed during cataract surgery. Secondary cataracts are rare – occurring in only about 10% of all cataract patients nationally – and will not lead to the formation of an actual cataract. Treatment for this condition does not...

What are the Risk Factors for Cataracts? Age is one of the biggest risk factors for the development of cataracts. This is particularly true if you have a family history of cataracts or an existing medical condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Other risk factors for cataracts include: Previous eye injury, inflammation, or surgery Excessive sunlight exposure Obesity Smoking...

Cataracts and Sunlight Exposure to UV light from the sun and other sources has been shown to increase risks for cataracts. Even early in life, excessive and unprotected sun exposure can begin to change the eye’s lens, making it more likely that cataracts will develop over time. Fortunately, reducing this particular risk is incredibly easy and doesn’t require any changes to your...

Freckles in the Eye You’ve no doubt seen freckles on the skin – those little brown spots that are caused by exposure to UV rays. Many people are surprised to find out that freckles can also appear in the eyes and may be detected when pupils are dilated during a routine eye examination. Just like freckles on the skin, choroidal nevus (eye freckles) are typically nothing to worry about....

Lattice Degeneration Lattice degeneration is an eye disease that causes the peripheral retina to become atrophic in a lattice pattern. The holes, tears, and breaks that cause this pattern can greatly increase risks for retinal detachment. In fact, Lattice degeneration is found in approximately 30 percent of phakic retinal detachment cases. Lattice degeneration is commonly asymptomatic....

Types of Premium Lens Implants During cataract surgery, the clouded natural lens of the eye is removed and replaced with an intraocular lens. This process allows for the complete removal of the cataract and when premium lens implants are used, may even address preexisting vision problems. Of course, every situation is unique and what you can realistically expect from your procedure is...

Advanced Cataract Surgery Technology At Brooks Eye Associates, your comfort, safety, and satisfaction are our top priorities. Dallas eye surgeon Dr. Dain Brooks has incorporated advanced technology into our practice, helping ensure the best experience and most reliable results for our cataract surgery patients. We utilize both the INFINITI® Vision System and OZil® Torsional Handpiece...

How Smoking Impacts Vision Smoking can have a profound impact on the health of your entire body – and your eyes are no exception. In fact, smokers are up to four times more likely to develop macular degeneration than nonsmokers. Even those who have only been exposed to second-hand smoke see their risks double for this particular degenerative vision disorder.In addition to macular...

Macular Degeneration Treatment Macular degeneration is an eye disease that typically occurs later in life, particularly for those that are over 65. It happens when the layer of your retina, the macula, deteriorates. When this happens, you may experience the following symptoms: Fuzzy vision Distorted vision Difficulty reading Colors seem faded Overall difficulty seeing There are two...

Can LASIK Correct Astigmatism? A common misconception about LASIK surgery is that it can’t be performed if you have astigmatism. While this used to be true of traditional LASIK, technological advances in laser vision correction have allowed for astigmatism to be corrected by LASIK. All issues that can be corrected by LASIK surgery involve a refractive disorder of the cornea. In the...

Retinal Detachment vs. Vitreous Detachment Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) occurs when the fibers in your eye’s vitreous layer shrink and condense, causing the vitreous gel to pull on the retina’s surface. This can cause floaters and flashes to appear more frequently in your vision. PVD is a normal age-related phenomenon, but it can potentially lead to a retinal detachment in the...

The Cataract Surgery Process There are three main steps to the cataract surgery process: Choosing a premium lens implant – After a comprehensive eye exam, Dr. Brooks will discuss your premium lens implant options in detail and recommend the specific type of lens that he believes would best meet your needs. As an experienced cataract surgeon, Dr. Brooks is familiar with nearly every...

Will I Still Need Glasses After LASIK? The goal of laser eye surgery is to dramatically reduce your dependence on glasses and/or contact lenses. While the majority of our patients no longer need glasses for any type of activity after LASIK, there are exceptions in some circumstances. For example, if you have a very high prescription, you may still find you need glasses for certain...

Will Everyone Get Cataracts? If you live long enough, you will eventually develop cataracts. As you grow older, the natural lens in your eye will sooner or later become cloudy and opaque, interfering with your vision. Looking through a cataract is similar to looking through a dirty window – objects appear blurry and faded, along with other symptoms depending on the specific type of...