Memorial Hospital of Tampa

CLEAR SIGHT AT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL OF TAMPA, WE ARE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING PATIENTS WITH THE HIGHEST-QUALITY EYE CARE. READ ON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COMMON CONDITIONS TREATED AT OUR HOSPITAL AND HOW WE CAN MEET YOUR VISION NEEDS. According to the National Eye Institute, more than 3.6 million Americans have some form of vision impairment. For patients in our area suffering from essentially any eye problem, Memorial's staff of skilled and experienced physicians is here to provide necessary services. "Memorial provides personalized care to every patient," says Steven L. Maskin, M.D., F.A.C.S., Ophthalmologist at Memorial. "The hospital offers an extensive range of ophthalmic specialty services to ensure care is available for nearly every aspect of eye disease." COMMON CAUSE FOR BLURRY VISION A common eye impairment treated at Memorial is cataracts. Cataracts occur when the lens of the eye begins to break down, causing the eye to become cloudy and keeping light from entering the eye properly. Because of this obstruction, vision is often blurred, making it difficult to perform simple tasks. A person with cataracts may see colors that appear to be faded but aren't, glares around sources of light and/or double vision. Cataracts usually develop as a person ages and often appear in both eyes. According to the National Eye Institute, more than 50 percent of Americans suffer from cataracts by the time they reach age 80. The condition is often treated with eyeglasses or contact lenses but may also require minimally invasive surgery. CLEARING CATARACTS WITH BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY At Memorial, cataract surgery is achieved through a procedure called phacoemulsification, a minimally invasive procedure. Once the patient receives anesthesia, a small incision is made on the eye. This incision allows a special surgical instrument to be placed in the eye. The instrument then emits high-frequency sound waves to the cataract. The sound waves are powerful enough to break up the cataract on the eye. Fluid is used to wash the cataract away, and the phacoemulsification tool then removes the fluid from the eye. Originally, cataract surgery was a very invasive procedure in which the eye was opened and sutures were used. With advances in modern 4 Fall 2011 Winter 2012 technology, however, patients undergoing minimally invasive cataract surgery are able to recover from the procedure within one to two days and resume daily activities much sooner. "At Memorial, we remain on the forefront of advancements in techniques and technology to ensure patients can be treated minimally invasively, and thus, experience minimal pain," says Don Perez, M.D., F.A.C.S., Ophthalmologist at Memorial. "Memorial strives to meet the eye care needs of Tampa residents." LOSING FOCUS? WE CAN HELP During cataract removal, the surgeon will also replace the eye's damaged lens. When the eyes lose the ability to focus, this symptom may indicate presbyopia. Like cataracts, presbyopia develops with age, beginning around age 40. At Memorial, we replace damaged lenses with new intraocular lenses to restore vision. A new lens made of silicon or a different acrylic material should maintain clear focus for the rest of the recipient's life. Memorial is also using the new multifocal, intraocular lens. Recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, multifocal lenses are able to correct both nearsightedness and farsightedness. "As you begin to age, you will notice that your vision begins to fail—but the intraocular lens will correct that," says Bernard R. Perez, M.D., F.A.C.S., Ophthalmologist at Memorial. "With this new technology, you can see as well as or better than you did when you were 12 years old." "No matter the problem, I can ensure my patients will receive customized care at Memorial Hospital of Tampa," says Dr. Maskin. "This fact has led to consistent success over the 20 years that I've been practicing here in South Tampa." Ready to see more clearly? To schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist at Memorial, call (813) 342-1597.

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